Rep. Russell Pearce

A state lawmaker who wants to reinstate a 1950s federal deportation program called “Operation Wetback” is under fire again for sending supporters information from a white separatist group.
Rep. Russell Pearce, R-18, has apologized for sending the e-mail about the National Alliance, a West Virginia group that considers Jewish people its enemy and frowns on mixing people of different races.
But that hasn’t stopped criticism from all directions, including state GOP leaders. And, the Arizona Democratic Party on Oct. 12 called for Mr. Pearce’s resignation.
Arizona Republican Chairman Matt Salmon called the e-mail a “severe mistake” while U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth says he no longer supports Mr. Pearce in his re-election bid.
“Given the regrettable and disturbing nature of the e-mail Russell Pearce circulated earlier this week, I cannot in good conscience lend my endorsement to his candidacy for state representative,” Mr. Hayworth said in a statement.
“While Russell has issued an apology for his e-mail, I nonetheless will not be associated with any communication that contains anti-Semitic remarks.”
The article, entitled “Who Rules America? The Alien Grip on Our News and Entertainment Media Must Be Broken,” lashes out at how the media portrays “any racially conscious White person who looks askance at miscegenation or at the rapidly darkening racial situation in America.”
The article says the “media masters” force on the public their view of “a world in which every voice proclaims the equality of the races, the inerrant nature of the Jewish ‘Holocaust’ tale, the wickedness of attempting to halt the flood of non-White aliens pouring across our borders….”
Mr. Pearce said he immediately sent two apologies to supporters after sending the e-mail. He claimed not to know what the group was and that he had not read the entire article before copying it into his e-mail.
Pearce: “I was embarrassed’
“My heart is really hurt to think something like that would go out under my name,” Mr. Pearce said Oct. 10. “I was very embarrassed I didn’t have better diligence and read the whole article.”
Democratic Governor Napolitano said Mr. Pearce’s remarks show “an accelerating pattern” of extremism.
In a radio interview last month, Mr. Pearce called for reviving a massive 1950s deportation program for illegal immigrants called “Operation Wetback.” Mr. Pearce refused to apologize for using the word “wetback” — a pejorative that many consider offensive.
“I think it’s becoming clear that Russell Pearce is out of the mainstream of Arizona,” Ms. Napolitano said Oct. 11 at her weekly meeting with news reporters. “He doesn’t speak for Arizonans. He’s so far to the right that his contribution to public discourse is limited.”
Mr. Pearce did not return an e-mail or calls from The Associated Press to his office and home on Oct. 11. A secretary at his office said he was busy at meetings all day.
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