-
Pollsters say Brewer isn’t toast
Gov. Jan Brewer’s poll numbers are among the lowest of any governor in the country. But the wild card, pollsters here say, is that many Arizona voters don’t know enough about the governor to have an opinion. “The hardcore anti-Jan Brewer constituency is relatively small, especially among the voting population,” said NAU pollster and political science professor Fred Solop…
-
Come on down…
Rep Andy Tobin told our reporter today that leaders are targeting Nov. 17-19 for a special session on a deal leadership reached earlier this week with Gov. Jan Brewer. The deal, which is currently being shopped to members, includes $540 million in total General Fund savings…
-
Thrasher distancing herself from ad
Former state Rep. Jackie Thrasher is distancing herself from an ad campaign that seeks to tie her with Rep. Jim Weiers in her District 10 quest to be returned to the House.
Apparently someone named “Bill Smith” sent out an email blast with a graphic reading: “Keep the winning team: Vote Weiers, Johnson, Thrasher. Paid for by Bill Smith.”
-
Brewer, leadership still working on terms of special session
The window is closing for Gov. Jan Brewer to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session before Thanksgiving, but the two sides still haven’t agreed on exactly what issues they will deal with.
Speaking to reporters today, Brewer said she has been ready for a special session since September and said she is waiting on leadership to get her a head count.
-
Allen: Fraud plan was ‘pat on the head’ for Seel
Rep. Carl Seel may think that Sen. Carolyn Allen tried to run his fraud reduction scheme through the ringer last spring, but the Scottsdale Republican now says it was actually legislative leadership who put her up to the task.
-
Seel: Anti-fraud measures can be implemented
Rep. Carl Seel tells our reporter that, while JLBC is technically correct that the Health and Welfare BRB (Laws 2009, 3rd Special Session, Chapters 3 and 10) did not have the statutory changes necessary to implement the anti-fraud mechanisms at AHCCCS under the federal false claims act, there was a provision he said he quietly slipped into the General Government BRB (Laws 2009, 3rd Special Session, Chapter 7) that will still allow anti-fraud computer programs to be installed.
-
County attorney decries Smith request
In a feud that conjures up memories of the New Times subpoena/arrest debacle, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office released a letter today from County Manager David Smith asking the office’s employees to fess up to whether they’ve been blogging or posting comments on the internet about county government.
Real names, pseudonyms, work time or personal time, Smith asked for it all while citing Arizona Rules of Professional Responsibility for attorneys or “agents of the County Attorney.”
-
Business is good
The state’s budget crisis and other recently passed legislation has left the state in a tizzy - but the aftermath of this year’s activity at the Capitol sure has created good business for lawyers. And a prime case in point would be Paul Eckstein.
-
When loyalty isn’t enough
Former Fife Symington chief of staff Chris Herstam called Eileen Klein a “superb choice… due to her extensive state capitol experience and her brains.” But Herstam said it’s important to keep the shake-up in perspective. “There’s always a six to nine month settling process in a new gubernatorial administration,” Herstam said, pointing out that Symington had five chiefs of staff in six-and-a-half years.
-
Rusty’s telephone problem
Rusty Bowers just can’t seem to get his numbers to add up right. First, Bowers handed out business cards in CD 1 with a “480″ area code - heresy for a candidate in this state’s rural region. Now, Bowers - who admitted his “naiveté” in using his Mesa-based home number to run in a non-Maricopa County district - has decided to put his new number on his Web site so anyone can call him at any time.
