Posted on 11/22/2011 9:26:00 AM PST by Lucky9teen
Citizens for a Better Arizona say they can ignore voters 'at their own peril'
PHOENIX (KGUN9-TV) – The group that successfully launched the effort to recall former Senate President and immigration hardliner Russell Pearce has set its sights on two new targets: Governor Jan Brewer and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Because Arpaio is running for office in 2012, organizers are now focused on efforts to prevent him from getting reelected for the sixth consecutive time. As for Brewer, the group is asking for volunteers to gather signatures for a possible recall. The number of signatures needed to recall an Arizona governor is 432,021.
“People are now aware that voters do have this power and so elected officials that ignore them do so at their own peril,” said Chad Snow, cofounder of Citizens for a Better Arizona, at a press conference in Phoenix Monday afternoon.
Organizers have a message for Governor Jan Brewer.
“Come back from your book tour. Come back to Arizona and focus on things that are important,” said Randy Parraz, president of the group. “We’re not limited to Legislative District 18. This is a countywide effort. We’re talking about engaging people on school boards, at city council, moving resolutions across this county.”
Parraz said Brewer’s priorities should be jobs, education and the economy. They’re also asking the Governor to stop meddling in the redistricting process and to stop using the immigration issue to divide the state.
“We were here on January 6 having a very similar conversation directed at Senator Pearce. We told him to focus on jobs, education and the economy and he ignored that,” Snow said. “I think the same message can go to Joe Arpaio and Jan Brewer.”
Citizens for a Better Arizona is also targeting Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whom they say is abusing power and neglecting his law enforcement duties by focusing too much on illegal immigration.
However, Arpaio’s supporters – protesting at the press conference – disagree.
“The Sheriff is doing his job, what he’s elected to do. We got an illegal Mexican alien invasion here and it has to stop,” said Anthony Malconz. “He’s been exonerated. He’s beaten every effort to get him out of office … He’s doing something right.”
Playing off Arpaio’s volunteer posse, Citizens for a Better Arizona announced the creation of a citizens posse.
“We have heart, we have determination and we have passion. And we’re going to work together during the next few months to hold this Sheriff accountable,” Parraz said.
However, opponents of efforts against Brewer and Arpaio do not believe Citizens for a Better Arizona will be successful.
“They can try to pursue their goals, but they’re not going to have any luck. Mesa was a microcosm,” said Kathryn Kobor, a supporter of the Sheriff who attended the press conference.
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They succeeded with Pearce and are flush with success. A lot of us didn't think that would happen.
I think our governor is safe, but I wouldn't be so sure about Sherrif Joe. If it comes to a recall, the grassroots needs to get out the vote.
The recall vote was separated by something like 500 because it was just a district. Those were probably unregistered illegal aliens brought in to vote by Dems. Arpaio and Brewer are state elections and are loved by the real adults.
Arpaio’s recall would be a Maricopa County election.
(Getting on soapbox) Contrary to popular opinion, there is more to Arizona than Maricopa and Pima counties. (Getting off soapbox)
Let’s hope their embarrasment receives as much ink as their announced objective.....
The unwashed and illegals would love to see Sherrif Joe ousted.
(Citizens for a Better Arizona is also targeting Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whom they say is abusing power and neglecting his law enforcement duties by focusing too much on illegal immigration.)
Exactly where do these people think the largest majority of the crime in Arizona comes from???
But then the head guy is a Democrat and a labor organizers so I think we know where they are coming from!
Arpaio could well be vulnerable, especially given their success with Pearce. Sheriff Joe only got 55% of the vote the last time around. Pearce had exceeded that %.
I just sent Arpaio $25, and fingers are crossed: http://www.JOEPAC.org
The Tea Parties had better get busy countering this. What are the Tea Parties doing while the anti-Americans are taking our country apart piece by piece? We enjoyed our friendly get-togethers in 2010, but what are we actually doing to stop the bleeding of our liberty? We seem to be afraid we will get bad press if we actually fight for our freedom.
If these yahoos succeeded with removing the Arizona Speaker, why is Arapaio and Brwer safe?
After all this is the land of McCain, where brains apparently boil and common sense evaporates.
So their idea of a Better Arizona is turning it into a carbon copy of the sh*thole south of the border?
Hardly ... granted McLame is somewhat entrenched in AZ but for the most part the state is far more conservative than its neighbors .... Calif as an example
Oh, of course. My mistake. Sheriff Joe has just such a wide influence, I screwed up on that. Sorry. And, yes there is at least one other county, I just can’t remember what it is called (just kidding)!
Kalipornia is probably more liberal than New Jersey - and THAT is frightening.
It seems that the liberal territory keeps getting bigger - like a political carcinoma - while the conservative territory keeps shrinking.
the election that got Pearce out was an off year mayoral ballot, so the only people voting were concerned citizens and .gov employees. Brewer and Arpaio will be running in a presidential election year and I expect the turn out will be a lot higher. In other words they don’t have to worry.
From your lips to God’s ears.
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