U.S. Supreme Court may decide on SB1070 appeal within weeks
The U.S. Supreme Court could decide whether to hear Gov. Jan Brewer’s appeal in the U.S. Department of Justice’s lawsuit against SB1070 within the next few weeks.
Brewer heading to D.C.
Gov. Jan Brewer will head to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for a day of meetings on Capitol Hill and a speech to a GOP women’s group.
AZ Supreme Court: Recall laws meant to protect public, not politicians
The Arizona Supreme Court today said recall laws should be construed “liberally” because they’re written to protect the public’s right to remove an official — not for a politician’s benefit.
Constitutional provision raises question of recall reimbursement for Pearce
Even after the last ballot has been counted, the Legislature may still be getting one more request from outgoing Sen. Russell Pearce: a check for campaign expenses.
A little-known provision in the state Constitution says that an elected official subject to a recall may be reimbursed for “reasonable special election campaign expenses.”
Arizona Supreme Court to issue opinion explaining Pearce recall ruling
The Arizona Supreme Court on Monday issues an opinion explaining its ruling that cleared the way for last week's recall election for state Sen. Russell Pearce to be held.
The morning after
Senate pages began boxing up items from Pearce’s office yesterday, leaving one Senate GOP source with mixed emotions on the recall, the rough treatment of Lewis and the departed Pearce.
Pearce recall vote energizes Democrats
Last week's recall election defeat of the Republican legislator who wrote Arizona's tough anti-immigration law and the seating of Democratic mayors in Phoenix and Tucson have given Democrats renewed hope for picking up the state in next year's Senate and presidential elections.
Redistricting law writers say ouster defies intent
Civic activists who wrote the constitutional amendment approved by Arizona voters a decade ago to create the state's redistricting commission say Gov. Jan Brewer's removal of the panel's chair violates the measure's intent to take political map-drawing out of the hands of governors and state legislators.
Thomas discipline hearing drew huge online audience
The unprecedented nature of the discipline proceedings against former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas’ actions kept viewers in law offices and government buildings throughout the Valley glued to the live webcast on the Arizona Supreme Court’s website for 26 days.
Sen. Steve Smith wants to link teacher pay to performance
Sen. Steve Smith is planning to introduce a bill that would tie performance to pay for K-12 teachers.
Lawyer seeks to take political wraps off judges
Most judges in Arizona are elected, but they are muzzled and hand-cuffed when it comes to campaigning.
They can’t put out their hands for money and they can’t endorse or associate with candidates in other partisan elections or political causes, but an attorney in Mohave County is among a handful of judicial candidates and judges around the nation who are challenging the constitution[...]
Capitol Quotes: Nov. 11, 2011
This week's most outstanding quips, jibes and utterances.