Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Arizona's lawless legislature does not hesitate to piss away taxpayer money on lawsuits defending their unconstitutional and unlawful extremist agenda in court. It does this all the time, and frequently loses in court. The real losers in the end are Arizona's taxpayers who have to pay the attorneys fees and court costs for these ideological extremists.
Our lawless legislature -- the Tea-Publican leadership -- currently has three lawsuits in court challenging the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC), the citizens initiative that created it, and the 2012 redistricting maps. This is a purely partisan endeavor that the Arizona GOP should be paying for out of its own deep pockets, not the taxpayers of Arizona.
The most recent example of our lawless legislature pissing away taxpayer money on lawsuits defending their unconstitutional and unlawful extremist agenda in court is the continuing litigation over the remnants of SB 1070, most of which was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, which came with a warning from the Court that it would strike down the remainder of the law when a proper case and controversy under the remaining provisions of SB 1070 reached the Court. The writing is on the wall.
This week, the legislature approved using taxpayer money to pay the court costs of Republican politicians -- some of whom are no longer in the legislature -- in response to discovery requests in the litigation over SB 1070. Lawmakers approve funds for SB 1070 defense:
Saying they were protecting the legislative process, the House and Senate voted along party lines Thursday to hire a lawyer to help them fight subpoenas over the state’s controversial 2010 immigration law.
The legislation sets aside up to $100,000 to contest a request by the American Civil Liberties Union for the personal emails and other correspondence between some current and former lawmakers and those who might have helped them craft or line up votes for SB 1070.
This special legislation, which now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer, is necessary because of the nature of the lawsuit. It seeks a federal court ruling that a key provision of SB 1070 dealing with requiring some individuals to produce documents to police is unconstitutional because the law is racially motivated.
The Attorney General’s Office would have represented lawmakers if they were named as defendants.
But it is the state itself that is the defendant, with the lawmakers — or at least their communications — essentially serving as witnesses for the plaintiffs. And there is no authorization for a state-provided defense to fight the subpoenas.
Well the insanity does not end here. The wingnut attack dog Judicial Watch, Judicial Watch - SourceWatch, is now engaging in a retaliatory tit-for-tat in discovery against anti-SB 1070 legislators. Gallardo gets SB1070-related records request:
District of Columbia-based Judicial Watch sent a public records request to Sen. Steve Gallardo on Jan. 8, demanding access to the Phoenix Democrat’s records related to SB1070, the controversial immigration enforcement measure passed by the Legislature in 2010.
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Gallardo, who said he is fully complying with the request, said it was hypocritical of Judicial Watch to make such a demand when, just a week later, the group sent a letter to the American Civil Liberties Union demanding the organization withdrew its subpoenas of 21 current and former lawmakers, as well as Judicial Watch itself.
“They’re complaining and crying that the (ACLU) request is overly burdensome, but they’re willing to send the exact same request,” Gallardo said.
ENOUGH!
Just terminate the years of futile litigation that will only end in SB 1070 being overturned in its entirety by the U.S. Supreme Court and unnecessarily enrich the lawyers who are handling these cases at taxpayer expense by repealing SB 1070. Senator Steve Gallardo has introduced SB 1299 (.pdf) to repeal SB 1070. Let's just be done with it and stop pissing away taxpayer money on lawsuits. Phoenix legislator's bill would repeal SB 1070:
Saying that SB 1070 had caused enough moral and economic damage to Arizona, a Phoenix-based state senator, flanked by local legislators, announced Friday a bill to repeal the controversial measure.
Sen. Steve Gallardo, from District 13, said SB 1299 would repeal SB 1070, a law largely seen internationally as anti-immigrant. Supporting Gallardo were Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías; Rep. Victoria Steele of District 9; and Rep. Stefanie Mach and Sen. Dave Bradley from District 10. They said SB 1070 was one of the most “hateful” laws ever passed. All are Democrats.
“We are going on our fourth year with Senate Bill 1070 enacted in the state of Arizona, one of the most polarizing bills ever to be introduced, the one bill that has put a black cloud and black heart on the state of Arizona,” Gallardo said during a midday press conference in the state building in downtown Tucson.
“That has hurt our economy, hurt tourism, it has made Arizona the laughingstock not only nationally but internationally.”
Governor Jan Brewer is at the Super Bowl this weekend to promote Arizona for another Super Bowl. AZ Gov. Brewer in NY for Super Bowl handoff. (Arizona last hosted Super Bowl XLII in January 2008, before SB 1070).
The NFL and NFL Players Association should make it clear to Governor Brewer that any future Super Bowl in Arizona is contingent upon the repeal of SB 1070. Just as the NFL did with respect to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday and Super Bowl XXVII in 1993, which originally was to be played at Sun Devil Stadium, but was rescinded by the NFL and given to Pasadena after the voters of Arizona rejected a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday ballot measure. Arizona voters learned their lesson and approved the MLK Day holiday with a ballot measure in November 1992, and the NFL responded favorably by awarding Super Bowl XXX to Tempe in 1996.
By the way, our lawless legislature wants Arizona taxpayers to subsidize the Super Bowl as well. State rep wants taxpayers to help pay for Super Bowl:
The proposal by House Minority Leader David Gowan would set up a fund of up to $4 million the city [of Glendale] could tap, mainly for overtime for police officers.
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The measure is not limited to the Super Bowl. Any community which lands some special event would also be eligible for reimbursement, like if Phoenix gets the 2016 Republican National Convention or Glendale hosts the NCAA Final Four sometime between 2017 and 2020.
Gov. Jan Brewer, a Glendale resident, said she’s willing to consider it, though she’s not yet sold on the idea.
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