SB1070 Update: Star covers Paton fundraiser at D-Back game

by David Safier

The Star has 3 separate articles related to SB1070 today. Let's hope they keep up the coverage.

I'm most pleased about Rhonda Bodfield's article on the Paton fundraiser being held at the D-Back's Chase Field co-hosted by D-Backs owner and Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick. After Kendrick said he's kinda against SB1070 but thinks politics should stay out of sports, he decides to bring politics to his team's stadium.

I guess if you're rich, Republican and you own a team, it's fine, because, as the acronym says, IOKIYAR — It's OK If You're A Republican. But if someone wants to advise people not to go to the games, or even move the 2011 All-Star game to another venue, I guess that's going too far.

My favorite moment in the Star article is the worst Scarp (Scarp: An attack dog, logic-challenged rant written for Paton by Daniel Scarpinato) of the campaign season.

Pima Dem Chair Jeff Rogers is all over Paton and Kendrick about the fundraiser and said he won't be going to D-Backs games for awhile. Scarpinato's challenge in his latest Scarp: to somehow tie it back to Giffords. Here it comes:

Paton spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said it's Rogers' business if he doesn't want to use his tickets, but suggested Rogers should devote more time to figuring out how to defend Giffords' voting record.

OK, Daniel, let me get this straight. By not attending baseball games, Rogers is using valuable time which could be better spent defending Giffords. Even for you, that's one hell of a stretch.

I need to take issue with a few items in the article.

First, the article says:

The event is being hosted by House Speaker Kirk Adams and will cost attendees $1,000 apiece.

Yet Paton's website says:

Fundraiser for Jonathan Paton, co-hosted by Kirk Adams and Ken Kendrick.

Paton gives Kendrick full co-host billing on this one. Later in the article, there's a clarification by Kendrick's spokesman that Kendrick "did allow the campaign to use his name as one of the hosts for the event."

Allow nothing. Kendrick is co-host. The guy who says he doesn't want to politicize sports is half owner of the fundraiser at his team's game.

 And the spokesman also said:

"[Kendrick] does not have a personal suite, so the fundraiser is being held at the press suite."

Press suite. That's sounds kinda funky, doesn't it, like the place the press hangs out? Well, not so much. The Press Box Suite is pretty swanky.

LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND HOME PLATE, THE PRESS BOX SUITE FEATURES:
Fully retractable glass walls, resulting in unobstructed ballpark views
An upscale setting ideal for entertaining clients
Padded outdoor stadium seating

And while it's correct that Kendrick doesn't have "a personal suite," there is the Owner Suite.

LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND HOME PLATE, THE OWNER SUITE FEATURES:
Fully retractable glass walls, resulting in unobstructed ballpark views
An upscale setting ideal for entertaining clients
Padded outdoor stadium seating

You say Press Box Suite. I say Owner Suite. Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto. Not a whole lot of difference.

Kendrick can't wiggle out of this one. He could have held the fundraiser for pro-SB1070 Paton at his home or a local hotel. He chose the ball park instead. He literally brought politics through the ball park gates and into the Suite Behind Home Plate.