a schedule for filing briefs related to the AIRC Motion to Dismiss.

Plaintiffs and Defendants Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and its members (collectively “IRC”) hereby stipulate to the following briefing schedule for the IRC’s motion to dismiss filed on May 23, 2012:
1. Plaintiffs’ response: June 25, 2012
2. IRC’s reply: July 13, 2012.

The parties respectfully request the Court to enter the accompanying order adopting the proposed briefing schedule.

Plai...

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filed response to the Republican lawsuit that seeks to invalidate the new legislative district map (in federal court), in the form of another Motion to Dismiss. On Monday, AIRC counsel filed response in Maricopa County Superior Court to the other lawsuit (which seeks to strike down the new Congressional district map).

As I noted on April 29, the entire objective of this suit (in federal court) is summed up in paragraph 135 of the complaint:

The one-person/one-vote requirement of the equal prote...

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Maricopa County Superior Court challenging the Congressional district map, attorneys for the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission filed a Motion to Dismiss the suit altogether. From start to finish, the AIRC motion attacks the lawsuit as baseless and absurd.

The Complaint uses innuendo, selectively extracted transcript excerpts, and speculation to weave a conspiracy theory intended to cast doubt on the Commission’s work. Lacking any actionable, substantive complaint regardin...

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By now, most Americans know about Occupy Wall Street.

Some may know that last fall (in October 2011), a couple dozen Occupy protesters were arrested for (technically not yet illegal) passive resistance at Margaret T Hance Park in Phoenix. Those protesters were cited by Phoenix Police, arrested and have been to several court dates for a trial that has not yet been held. Frankly, I wonder why Phoenix city prosecutors are wasting taxpayer money by drawing this out. Nobody was harmed by ...

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Well, seriously, the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is still working on responses to the two lawsuits recently filed by the loyal opposition (to INDEPENDENT redistricting). The first deadline for response is May 21, so briefs in response should be filed in both federal and state court next week.

AIRC exec director Ray Bladine tells me that the legislature approved a Fiscal Year 2013 (begins July 1, 2012) appropriation of $1.45 million and that those funds will be available befor...

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azcentral.com story about Andrei Cherny's campaign tactics. I also mentioned my disappointment with an email he sent out that day attacking his CD9 Democratic primary opponent Kyrsten Sinema.

After I posted the link (the first time), Andrei asked me, in a facebook chat, what I objected to in the email. I told him. He took exception, played the victim and very shortly thereafter, my facebook page was censored.

That is VERY serious stuff.

Anyway, I called Andrei on the phone, left a voice mail ...

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So, the Russell Pearce welfare check for $261,000 IS actually dead.

Further, they passed some amazingly BAD legislation. One piece of which is the "Janice K Brewer wants to out do Scott Walker" bill, HB2571. Also known as the Spoils System, it subjects state workers to undue political pressure and makes it incredibly easy to shut down any kind of dissent or whistleblower who intends to report on corruption in any area of state government. Do you believe that to be a good idea?

My hope is tha...

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FINALLY finds its voice, telling the state legislature,

If these Pearce supporters connive at this 11th hour to "reimburse" Pearce, let it be known they are fooling no one. They are using scarce state funds to hand Russell Pearce a pay package of more than a quarter million dollars for the inconvenience of having experienced a recall, and to help finance his return to office when he runs again this fall.

That includes making changes to the law that allow him to get a payoff somewhere down the...

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sycophants started a meme that the state constitution REQUIRES Pearce to be reimbursed for his expenses in last fall's successful historic (unprecedented) recall. Recall, that is, that Pearce was the first sitting Arizona lawmakers to be thrown out of office by a Constitutionally proper voter initiated special election.

Voters in Pearce's Mesa district unequivocally demanded he be removed from office. End of story, right?

According to today's (May 1) East Valley Tribune:

Rep. Steve Montenegr...

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Most observers, including those paragons of fairness (the GOP leadership which controls the purse strings and the amount of money appropriated to the AIRC) in the Arizona Legislature  believed there was no basis for a lawsuit to...

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David Cantelme Mike Liburdi and Lisa Hauser have reportedly filed lawsuits challenging Arizona's newly enacted Congressional AND legislative district maps. The Congressional map challenge was filed in state court (apparently Maricopa County Superior Court) and the legislative map challenge in federal court.

When I receive copies of the initial complaints, I will post them. (links in update below) Hopefully tonight.

Much more to come.

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UPDATE 10:50pm MST 4-27-12

I've just...

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couple of days ago, the Arizona House of Representatives recommended, in floor debate, passage of SB1507 an apparent reaction to fear and superstition regarding long held conspiracy theories put forth by such mainstream political action groups as the John Birch Society.

You may watch a replay of the floor debate on here.

House Judiciary Committee chair Eddie Farnsworth spent a good bit of time evasively responding (not necessarily answering) questions about the bill during that debate.

The bi...

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Al Melvin's recent interview with VOICE of RUSSIA on his legislation (SB1332) to demand the United States government cede title to public lands over to the State of Arizona.

In a transcript of the interview, Melvin makes clear his intent is to privatize, or sell off the land to privateers.

The idea is to sell it, to privatize it. The founders of our country, when they set up 13 original colonies and went from coast to coast they said they knew in their wisdom that this land - some of it, maybe...

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received notice today from Assistant (federal) Attorney General Thomas E. Perez, civil rights division chief that he has precleared the new legislative district maps.

The Attorney General does not interpose any objection to the specified change. However, we note that Section 5 expressly provides that the failure of the Attorney General to object does not bar subsequent litigation to enjoin the enforcement of the change.  

Of course, the disclaimer is standard language. We already...

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United Nations' Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Arizona may soon codify Tea Party paranoia into Arizona law by passing SB1507.

Earlier this month, the Arizona Republic reported:

Arizona "tea party" members are pushing through legislation to quash government-funded efforts to reduce pollution and improve energy efficiency in cities, counties and the state.

Opponents of Senate Bill 1507, sponsored by Sen. Judy Burges, R-Sun City West, say the bill would shut down any gover...

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staff open meeting, whether to reverse a decision made on March 21 (or at least whether to grant a request to rehear the matter) regarding Tucson Electric Power's application to build a transmission line to the proposed Rosemont Copper mining site south of Tucson.

After a long day of testimony last month, Republican Commissioner Bob Stump surprised observers and voted with the Democratic Commissioners Sandra Kennedy and Paul Newman against the application. Widely v...

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Pima County Board of Supervisors appointed attorney Nicholas Fontana to the Arizona House of Representatives filling the Legislative District 29 seat vacated when Daniel Patterson resigned  in the wake of the House Ethics committee recommendation he be expelled.

Besides his law practice, Fontana serves as a Judge Pro Tem for the Tohono O'odham Tribal Court.

Fontana was selected on a 3-2 vote after Supervisor Ramon Valadez' nomination of union official Leon Sierra (International Brot...

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31-page opinion issued this morning, the Arizona Supreme Court spelled out, in exquisite detail, why Janice K Brewer and the GOP supermajority in the Arizona Senate overstepped their constitutional authority in the partisan effort to decapitate the Independent Redistricting Commission in the fall of 2011.

Lawyers for Brewer and the Senate argued among other things, that 1) the Arizona Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction to do anything about their removal of AIRC chairwoman Colleen Coyle Mat...

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long awaited Arizona Supreme Court opinion -- spelling out the reasoning behind its decision to reinstate Colleen Coyle Mathis to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission in November 2011 -- will be, according to an email from the court's chief communications officer, released tomorrow morning. I will post the document for all to read.

Last week, however, the AIRC filed its brief in response to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery's appeal of Judge Dean Fink's ruling on th...

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Bladine said the supplemental appropriation the legislature authorized last month would not be enough to last through the end of the current fiscal year, especially if anyone sued to challenge the maps?

Well, yesterday Attorney General Tom Horne's office wrote to the AIRC to notify the agency that David Cantelme is considering, on behalf of UNfair Trust, suing over the Congressional and legislative maps. Last week, Cantelme had asked for a waiver of conflict of interest since he is listed ...

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