Recent Articles from Luige del Puerto
Expectations low as second day of special session begins
With both sides digging in, the hope of extending unemployment aid to jobless Arizonans appears to be fading.
Lawmakers are expected to resume the special session this afternoon, but the Legislature is more apt to close down the session without acting on the legislation than it is to approve the bills.
Pearce highly unlikely to lose Senate presidency over recall effort�
Organizers of the recall effort against Senate President Russell Pearce said their filing last week of more than 18,000 signatures would make it impossible for Senate Republicans to allow him to remain in the chamber’s top post.
Brewer: Special session a ‘total meltdown’
Failing to deliver an extension to unemployment benefits, the first day of the special session instead ended in recrimination that is once again threatening the fragile relationship between Gov. Jan Brewer and the Republican-led Legislature.
Pearce asks Horne for opinion on corporate donations to recall committees
Senate President Russell Pearce has asked Attorney General Tom Horne to weigh in with a formal legal opinion on whether a political committee opposing an attempt to recall him can accept money from businesses.
Driggs hauls off memorabilia from family cabin in Greer
Two Arizona senators – one who spends his time in D.C. and one whose office is at the Arizona Capitol – were forced to clear their personal belongings out of family cabins in Eastern Arizona as the Wallow Fire has raged unchecked.
Votes, attendance still question marks for special session
Baring the same determination she employed in pushing for a temporary sales tax hike, Gov. Jan Brewer called for a special session to be held on June 10 to extend aid to jobless Arizonans. But it's unclear whether the votes Brewer needs are there.
Despite strong resistance, Brewer calls special session to extend jobless benefits�
Baring the same determination she employed in pushing for a temporary sales tax hike when she first took office more than two years ago, Gov. Jan Brewer called for a special session to be held June 10 to extend aid to unemployed Arizonans, despite the objections of many Republican lawmakers.
Chances of special session on unemployment benefits remain nil to small
The Senate polled its members last week to find out if there’s support for holding a special session to extend unemployment benefits following discussions between legislative leaders and Gov. Jan Brewer, who is pushing for it.
Pearce looking to force employer sanctions law prosecutions on counties
Buoyed by the successful defense of the employer sanctions law in court, its architect is considering upping the ante by hitting counties that don’t enforce the law where it would hurt the most — their financial bottom line.
Committee formed to counter recall effort against Pearce
A counter-effort has been launched against the highly publicized effort to recall Senate President Russell Pearce.
Group submits 18,000 signatures to recall Pearce
Saying they have defied doomsayers and skeptics, a group filed Tuesday more than 18,000 signatures to recall Senate President Russell Pearce, a conservative lawmaker from Mesa who is nationally known for his anti-illegal immigration legislation.
Supreme Court OKs sanctions law — is SB1070 next?
The nation’s highest court has determined there is room for states to enforce federal immigration laws regarding employment, a ruling that proponents and critics are now parsing for any indication on how the Supreme Court will view SB1070.