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Capitol Insiders

Oct 5, 2011

Judge: Thomas and Arpaio permanently damaged reputation

Retired Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe testified Wednesday that former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Arpaio’s former top aide, David Hendershott, set out to destroy his good name. And they succeeded, he said.

Oct 5, 2011

Supreme Court refuses to stop Cortes’ hearing

The Arizona Supreme Court today refused to stop a lower court from hearing new witnesses in the lawsuit that’s seeking to disqualify recall candidate Olivia Cortes.

Oct 5, 2011

Presidential debate planners eyeing 3 Valley venues

Organizers of Arizona’s Dec. 1 GOP presidential debate are primarily looking at three possible venues.

The venues under consideration are the Mesa Arts Center, the Phoenix Convention Center and Gammage Auditorium, according to Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash.

Oct 5, 2011

Cortes’ lawyer asks Supreme Court to dismiss lawsuit, stop hearing

Olivia Cortes’ lawyer today asked the Arizona Supreme Court to stop a hearing scheduled for Friday and to declare the case against the beleaguered recall candidate moot.

Ballots have already been printed for the Nov. 8 special election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce, and the lawsuit against Cortes is therefore moot, argued Anthony Tsontakis, who earlier successfully defended [...]

Oct 5, 2011

Lawmakers cool to Regents’ 17.5% budget increase

The Arizona Board of Regents agreed at a recent meeting to request from the Legislature a 17.5 percent increase in funding, but lawmakers appear to have other budget priorities.

Oct 4, 2011

New witnesses to testify in Cortes lawsuit

A judge has scheduled a Friday hearing to allow new witnesses to testify in a lawsuit that seeks to disqualify the candidacy of a Mesa woman whose critics say is in the race to help Senate President Russell Pearce keep his seat. Election Attorney Thomas Ryan, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of a Pearce critic, plans to call more witnesses during a 3:30 p.m. evidentiary hearing.

Oct 3, 2011

Horne says he could seek removal of redistricting commissioners

Attorney General Tom Horne said today that he could seek the removal of the state’s redistricting commissioners as a result of his investigation into whether they violated open meeting laws in June.

Oct 3, 2011

More delays in Bundgaard ethics trial

The trial involving whether Sen. Scott Bundgaard breached ethical rules could be pushed back to next year, when the legislative session starts.

Sen. Ron Gould, chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, said the committee needs to resolve a request by a Democratic senator who is asking the committee to adopt a less-stringent burden of proof in investigating Bundgaard.

Oct 3, 2011

Judge: Cortes was recruited by Pearce allies, but she stays on ballot

A judge ruled today that the Mesa woman accused of being a “diversionary” candidate in the recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce was clearly recruited by Pearce’s supporters but that he cannot kick her off the ballot.

Oct 3, 2011

IRC votes to OK congressional draft map; Republicans object

The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission today approved a congressional draft map that includes a competitive district in the middle of the Phoenix area, voting 3-1 over objections from the two Republican members. Independent Chairwoman Colleen Mathis and Democratic Commissioners Jose Herrera and Linda McNulty voted for the map, while Republican Commissioner Richard Stertz voted against[...]

Oct 3, 2011

State budget revenue up $80M in August

Major economic indicators in Arizona point to a steady recovery, although some bumps remain. Revenues in August grew by 8.6 percent, buoyed by strong showings in sales and individual income taxes.

Oct 3, 2011

SOS investigates pro-Cortes signs; Mesa removes them

Republican Olivia Cortes’ admission in court yesterday that she doesn’t own the pro-Cortes campaign signs in Mesa and nobody knows who paid for them compelled the city to take them down.

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