Tea-Publican Senate votes to give the governor an ‘Arizona Special Missions Unit’ border militia

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Well why not? Tea-Publicans have gone batshit crazy in Arizona.

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of our Tea-Publican legislature are at it again. A Senate panel approved a proposal to create an armed militia that could be deployed to the Mexican border under the direction of the Governor. The bill, SB 1083, is backed by "states’ rights" advocates and anti-immigration zealots. What could possibly go wrong? (Jan Brewer and her teabaggers are recklessly irresponsible enough to create an international incident or start a war). Senate panel votes to give the Governor a state militia for the border.

What makes this so ridiculous is what is motivating it. Sen. Sylvia Allen believes that Hezbollah is recruiting and training Mexican drug cartels for acts of terrorism against the United States. (Update) Second Senate panel votes to give the Governor a state militia for the border.

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Volunteer strike force on border gets Senate OK – Arizona Capitol Times:

A senator who believes Middle-Eastern terrorist groups are active in Mexico and Central America persuaded her colleagues to advance a proposal that would create an armed volunteer force to help apprehend criminals who illegally enter the United States.

The Senate passed the measure today by a vote of 20-10.

The proposal now heads to the House, which must also approve it before it is sent to the governor’s office for her signature.

 

The bill, SB1083, will establish an “Arizona Special Missions Unit” that can be deployed to help secure the southern border and aid local law enforcement in combating international crime. It can also respond to disasters.

The unit, which would receive $1.4 million each year, would be under the control of the governor and be separate from the Arizona National Guard.

It would be authorized to pursue, detain and arrest criminals, and also seize property.

Someting is missing from the Cap Times report. This press release from the Arizona Democratic Party fills it in:

Sylvia Allen, Tea Party Republican Senate Owe All Arizonans
An Apology

Republican "Expert" claims "patriotic Americans" are outnumbered by "liberal Jews"

NEWS RELEASE
Mar. 1, 2012

PHOENIX, AZ–Luis Heredia, Executive Director of the Arizona Democratic Party, issued the following statement on the testimony of extremist militia leader Glenn Spencer at the Arizona Legislature:

"It is appalling that the Tea Party leadership of the Arizona Legislature found it appropriate to call an avowed anti-Semite and purported racist to testify before the Senate this morning.  According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Spencer, the leader of a vigilante militia known as the 'American Border Patrol,' is the author of articles such as 'Is Jew-Controlled Hollywood Brainwashing America?' who once opined that 'patriotic Americans are far outnumbered by liberal Jews who now have total control over our media.' It is a disgrace that the Republicans are wasting taxpayer dollars and sullying the name of Arizona with this charade."

"Perhaps most disappointing of all is Attorney General Tom Horne, who made a presentation to the committee just before Spencer but said nothing as Democratic senators protested. The fact that the chief law enforcement officer of this state would say nothing about a hearing that sought to legitimize a notorious militia leader is a shocking dereliction of duty. It's vintage Tom Horne: advocate for public safety until it gets in the way of your radical ideology, and at that point, look the other way."

"It's no surprise that even conservatives now disapprove of the extremist Tea Party Legislature. Sylvia Allen and the Republicans owe all Arizonans an apology for wasting taxpayer resources on promoting such a divisive figure."

###

Update: The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) now has it. Dem lawmakers protest border-security speaker, call him anti-semitic – Arizona Capitol Times:

Sen.  Allen said what’s disgusting is how people like to be bullies.

“I can’t stand bullies,” she said.

Later, Sen. Steve Smith, a Republican from Maricopa, thanked Spencer’s group for its efforts to help secure the border and lamented how a “few, rogue liberal opinions” have tainted them.

* * *

Allen also invited Spencer to brief the committee about his assessment of the border last year.

But after media organizations reported allegations of racism against him, the presentation was dropped.

On its website, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Alabama-based civil rights organization that tracks hate groups, describes Spencer as a “vitriolic Mexican-basher and self-appointed guardian of the border who may have done more than anyone to spread the myth of a secret Mexican conspiracy to reconquer the Southwest.”

Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League said many of Spencer’s writings and comments were “simply thinly veiled diatribes against ‘Mexicans’.”

The ADL said Spencer blends “anti-Mexican bigotry with anti-government rhetoric.”

The group added that he has appeared at events sponsored by white supremacists.