Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Arpaio hasn't turned over records to Justice Dept.

Aug 17, 8:52 PM EDT


PHOENIX (AP) -- An Arizona sheriff's office says it hasn't turned over records the U.S. Department of Justice is requesting as part of a civil rights investigation.



The Justice Department has threatened to sue the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office if it didn't hand over the records by Tuesday.



Robert Driscoll, a lawyer for Sheriff Joe Arpaio, said Tuesday he doesn't expect such a lawsuit to be filed before he meets next week with Justice Department officials.



The department is investigating Arpaio's office for alleged discrimination, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and having English-only policies in his jails that discriminates against people with limited English skills.



Arpaio believes the inquiry is focused on his immigration efforts in the Phoenix area

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Andrew Thomas Tells Lies About Horne



Andrew Thomas' False Allegations

Andrew Thomas has been making false charges against Tom Horne. This is not surprising given that Andrew Thomas is under investigation by the FBI and could be indicted, and is under investigation by the State Bar of Arizona and could be disbarred for making false charges against other people. Here are two of the false charges he has made against Horne, and what is the truth:

1. Thomas charges that Horne is for amnesty. This is completely false. Horne is a strong supporter of Senate Bill 1070, and has always been opposed to amnesty. It is Horne's view that those who have crossed the border illegally should not be rewarded with citizenship for their illegal conduct.

2. Thomas charges that Horne favors government funded abortions. This is false. Horne has always been opposed to government-funded abortions. The bill that Thomas cites was introduced after government funded abortions had already been prohibited, and was technical in nature. As Attorney General, Tom Horne is 100 percent committed to enforce any prolife bill that is or becomes law. As a legislator, he voted to restrict abortion, including to ban partial birth abortion and to require parental consent. (H.B. 2113 4/08/97; S.B. 1238 2/23/oo.)



Tom Horne

Republican for Attorney General

527 West McDowell Road

Phoenix, AZ 85003



Campaign@ElectTomHorne.com

www.ElectTomHorne.com

Friday, August 13, 2010

Andy Thomas, Abuse of Office




Andrew Thomas

An Astonishing Abuse of Process...

From Expresso Pundit.
If there is anyone out there who questions my assertion that Andrew Thomas is unfit to serve as Attorney General, take a look at the astonishing abuse of the Grand Jury process that was unsealed yesterday.



With such flagrant and well documented ethical violations, I don't see how Thomas could possibly still be a licensed attorney this time next year.



Meanwhile, people often ask me about Tom Horne. Sure, I understand the concern. Horne was pretty moderate during his legislative tenure. If you have been reading espresso pundit for more than a few minutes, you will know that I'm not very patient with moderate Republicans.



But Horne's not running for Congress, he's running for Attorney General, so I have a different set of criteria. I'm not concerned about his view on abortion or the Commerce Clause. I want to know if he is a good lawyer and if he will defend and enforce the laws of this state.



I've worked with Horne for the several years in his capacity as Superintendent and he's done a great job. He defended the state in the Flores case. And he's done a great job getting rid of the outrageous "Raza" programs at TUSD. Horne also supported charter schools and has been with us on educational choice issues.



He may be pro-choice, but he supported parental consent as well as the ban on partial birth abortion--and he has pledged to defend the laws that the legislature passes.



So I can say that from a Conservative perspective, I'm not simply voting against Thomas. I'm very comfortable voting for Tom Horne.



And if Horne doesn't win the Primary...? Ok, then I'll simply be voting against Thomas.

Monday, August 9, 2010

SB 1070 Still A Winner - Pearce Confident Law Will Be Upheld.

AZ Sen. Russell Pearce




By Arizona Senator Russell Pearce


Opponents of immigration enforcement are calling the temporary injunction against parts of Arizona's anti-illegal-immigration law a death blow to state enforcement. The Mexican American Legal Defense Fund called it a “warning to other states” that want to enact similar legislation.

As the author of the new law, SB 1070, I can honestly say that July 29, when the pared-down law went into effect, was a victory.

Many key provisions are still in effect. Local police have more power to enforce immigration laws. Sanctuary cities are outlawed. Illegal day laborers are likely to be arrested and the employers' trucks that pick them up impounded.

And I am confident the entire law will be upheld.

Already, illegal immigrants are taking notice. Even before the law went into effect, NPR and Reuters reported that undocumented immigrants, including entire families, were moving out of the state. The day after the ruling, CNN reported, “some of the estimated 500,000 undocumented immigrants who went to Arizona are leaving the state.”

This is the strategy of SB 1070: attrition through enforcement. Arizona has made it clear through our policies that illegal immigrants are not welcome, and they are self-deporting from the state.

Judging from media portrayals, one would think this law is the only time that a state has taken up immigration legislation. But this is just the latest bill in Arizona’s string of attrition-through-enforcement legislation.


It began in 2004, when 56 percent of Arizona voters — including 47 percent of Latinos — voted for Proposition 200, which barred illegal immigrants from receiving public benefits. In 2006, voters approved four anti-illegal-immigration and pro-English ballot initiatives. The year after, then-Gov. Janet Napolitano signed the Legal Arizona Workers Act, requiring all employers to use E-Verify to ensure that they do not hire illegal immigrants.

The battles over these laws did not draw as much national attention as SB 1070, but Arizona still faced media campaigns, lawsuits and temporary injunctions. All the laws were eventually enacted.

Even the liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is to rule on SB 1070 in November, upheld the legal workers act.

Rather than serve as a warning to other states, our immigration law has inspired people across the country, who are fed up with the federal government's inaction, to follow our lead. Lawmakers in 20 states have now introduced similar legislation. Nine state attorneys general signed an amicus brief in support of Arizona.

The more opponents attack our immigration law, the longer it stays in the national spotlight. This looks likely to be a major issue in the midterm elections. It's almost a prerequisite that any gubernatorial candidate in a Republican primary support SB 1070. Even Democratic candidates, like Roy Barnes of Georgia, support the law.

Poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans support the Arizona law. The day after the injunction, a Rasmussen poll found that 59 percent of American voters wanted an Arizona-style law in their state, while only 32 percent did not.

Despite critics’ claims that SB 1070 interferes with federal law, it actually mirrors federal law, empowering local law enforcement to assist federal authorities. No one denies this. Instead, the court ruled that the law will “impermissibly burden federal resources and redirect federal agencies away from the priorities they have established.”

The “priorities” are not to arrest, detain, prosecute or remove illegal immigrants unless they have already committed serious crimes in addition to illegal presence.

These critics would rather wait for another American to become a victim of crime before they enforce our laws. The only thing that conflicts with federal immigration law is the Obama administration's intentional policy not to enforce it.

With the American people and the Constitution on our side, the temporary ruling of an activist judge will not keep Arizona from prevailing in our fight against illegal immigration.




Sen. Russell Pearce is a Republican in the Arizona Senate. He wrote the state’s new immigration law, SB 1070, as well as the Legal Arizona Workers Act and Proposition 200.