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Recent Articles from Luige del Puerto
Senate restricts media access in Bundgaard hearings
The Senate today placed new restrictions on reporters who plan to cover the ethics inquiry involving Sen. Scott Bundgaard.
Ethics panel splits on party lines, opts for higher burden to punish Bundgaard
The panel of senators investigating whether Sen. Scott Bundgaard breached ethical rules split along partisan lines today, with Republicans adopting a higher standard of proof that could make it more difficult to remove the Peoria Republican from office.
Pearce denies request to boot 3 ethics members in Bundgaard trial
Senate President Russell Pearce today denied a request by a lawyer for Sen. Scott Bundgaard to remove three members of the ethics committee from hearing a complaint involving the Peoria Republican’s February domestic violence incident.
Lewis targets Pearce on immigration in first video
In his first campaign video, Mesa Republican Jerry Lewis sharpened his political position over how his approach to illegal immigration would differ from Senate President Russell Pearce’s.
Groups push for affordable, consumer-driven health exchange
Consumer and health groups are pushing for a state-run health insurance exchange that they say should be transparent and not dominated by the insurance industry.
Handling Bundgaard ethics proceedings
A full-blown ethics inquiry is rare, but it is not unprecedented. So, while the senators investigating whether Sen. Scott Bundgaard breached the chamber’s ethical rules have a lot of questions about how to conduct the trial, old Senate records actually provide plenty of guidance.
Senate ethics panel to resolve key questions at next meeting
A panel of senators investigating allegations that Sen. Scott Bundgaard breached Senate ethics rules will meet on Sept. 20 to settle some key questions about how exactly to conduct the public trial.
Hospitals planning second push for bed-tax proposal
Arizona’s hospitals will renew their campaign for a bed-tax proposal to draw down federal money, which they say would salvage coverage for thousands of residents who are frozen out of the state’s Medicaid program.
Pearce recall election gets high court approval
The Arizona Supreme Court today quashed a challenge to the recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce, affirming a trial court’s earlier decision that the recall petitions are valid.
Bundgaard faces full-blown ethics investigation
Sen. Scott Bundgaard avoided a criminal trial, but a decision today by his colleagues to hold a full-blown ethics investigation ensures he won’t escape the political wringer.
In early interview, Cortes planned to court Hispanic voters
Critics of Senate President Russell Pearce have labeled Olivia Cortes a "stealth" candidate who is aiming to divide his opposition. This month, media reports quoted a circulator Cortes supposedly hired as admitting that she is running to dilute the vote against Pearce, the state's foremost immigration hawk.
And even though she has denied that the Pearce camp had asked her to run, an early [...]
Key absence could quash Bundgaard ethics hearing
A full-blown investigation of Sen. Scott Bundgaard’s infamous freeway fight seemed certain to take place when an ethics complaint was filed against him last month.
But one member of the ethics panel won’t be around when the committee meets today to decide whether to proceed with an inquiry. And that missing vote could neutralize efforts to investigate Bundgaard.
