Sonoran Alliance says ‘grassroots effort’ (not dark money) defeated Props 121 &204
Sonoran Alliance— a conservative mouthpiece– has reported that a "strong grassroots effort" by staunch Arizona conservatives defeated Proposition 121 (open primaries) and Proposition 204 (permanent 1 cent sales tax to fund education) in the recent election.
The video accompanying the story features dark money king Robert Graham lauding volunteers for making phone calls, writing letters, and talking to their friends about the two propositions and thus triumphing on election day.
This a great fairy tale to make the base feel good. Too bad it's not true.
Both propositions were defeated by huge dark money donations by Americans for Responsible Leadership, who funneled $900,000 in out-of-state money into Arizona to defeat Prop 204 and $600,000 to defeat Prop 121. The same group also funneled $11 million worth of dark money into two California campaigns. Talking Points Memo reported that Americans for Repsonsible Leadership admited to "campaign money laundering" related to the California donations.
Former Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams is the president of Americans for Responsible Leadership, and Graham is the director. Graham has a vested interest in making Arizona's Republicans feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He wants to be their next statewide chair.
Having a dark money Koch Brothers puppet as head of the Arizona Republican Party– now that is scary. Watch the Graham video after the jump.