PHXations—Thursday, June 10, 2010
Here’s hoping this statement leads to a ‘softening’ in his polls:
Yuma, Arizona Mayor Al Krieger is being criticized for calling gay troops “limp-wristed” and unfit for service, local NBC affiliate KYMA reported.
In a Memorial Day speech at Desert Lawn Cemetery, the Republican mayor spoke in favor of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy that bans gay troops from serving openly. “And I cannot believe that a bunch of limp-wristed, lacey-drawed people could do what those men have done in the past,” the Army veteran said.
“Apparently old prejudices die hard,” openly gay Marine Eric Alva, the first service member injured in the Iraq war, wrote at HRCBackStory.org.
“These hateful words are absolutely inconsistent with the unbending physical and mental courage that I encountered among all of the men and women with whom I served, whether gay or straight,” he added.
/yaa
John McCain feels Snooki’s pain on Twitter:
@Sn00ki u r right, I would never tax your tanning bed! Pres Obama’s tax/spend policy is quite The Situation. but I do rec wearing sunscreen! (1:29 PM Jun 9th via web)
via Ezra Klein
/yaa
The Republic is reporting that Sheriff Joe’s attorneys have been cut off from county funds:
A pair of attorneys tending to high-profile issues for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office won’t get paid any more for their services until county officials get a better handle on spending in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s agency.
The Sheriff’s Office’s contract with Kris Kobach, an attorney from Kansas who helped write Arizona’s controversial new immigration law, was terminated last month when a representative for interim County Attorney Rick Romley sent a letter announcing the change.
Another attorney representing Arpaio in the U.S. Justice Department’s civil- rights investigation into racial-profiling allegations has received more than $150,000 for his work so far. But Maricopa County officials said Thursday they were surprised to learn of Robert Driscoll’s compensation, which they believe came from an outside account holding anti-racketeering RICO funds.
“It is, I think, further evidence of potential problems with spending of public monies by the Sheriff’s Office,” said county spokeswoman Cari Gerchick. “We can’t imagine it’s an appropriate use of funds.”
/yaa
SB 1070 deja vu?) that Sheriff Joe’s attorneys have been cut off from county funds:
In late July 1997, police officers searching for illegal immigrants fanned out across this Phoenix suburb. Working side by side with Border Patrol agents for five days, police demanded proof of citizenship from children walking home from school, grandmothers shopping at the market and employees driving to work.
At the end of what became known as the Chandler Roundup, 432 illegal immigrants had been arrested and deported. But police and federal officers also detained dozens of U.S. citizens and legal residents — often stopping them because they spoke Spanish or looked Mexican.
As Arizona prepares to enact SB 1070, the state’s new immigration law, Chandler’s Latino residents said they are fearful of a repeat of the past.
/yaa
ABC15 is reporting that the AZ Clean Elections Commission wants Governor to call special session of Legislature:
Commissioners agreed to suggest to Governor Jan Brewer she call lawmakers back for a special session to find out ways to get clean elections candidates, like Brewer, more money.
“We’re simply trying to make policy for all the participating candidates and try to do something fair because this is completely unfair,” said Todd Lang, Executive Director of Arizona’s Clean Elections Commission.
Representatives for Governor Brewer, who has already agreed to run a ‘clean’ campaign, attended the meeting and argued the Governor should be allowed to privately raise the money she would have received through matching funds.
/yaa
(N.B.: PHXations are posted by various PHXated contributors throughout the day).