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The Cortes factor: Politicos debate alleged ‘sham’ candidate’s impact
Olivia Cortes’ controversy-ridden candidacy abruptly ended earlier this month.
But it’s too late to strike her name off the Nov. 8 recall election ballot, and some say she could still peel votes away from fellow Republican Jerry Lewis, thereby helping Senate President Russell Pearce secure a victory.
Ex-employee claims she was fired for questioning Lewis over school donations
A former employee of a charter school where Jerry Lewis served as principal sued the school for wrongful termination last year and claimed she was fired after questioning him over spending practices and use of donated items.
Lawyers: Russell Pearce’s brother played key role in Cortes campaign
The lawyers who fought to get alleged sham candidate Olivia Cortes disqualified in the Mesa recall election planned to put Senate President Russell Pearce’s brother on the stand in a now-cancelled trial.
Cortes bows out to avoid court hearing
Olivia Cortes, who faced a lawsuit claiming she was a sham candidate, withdrew today from the recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce.
Her withdrawal from the high-profile race was part of a deal she made to avoid having to face another court hearing on Friday in which more witnesses were expected to link her candidacy with Pearce supporters.
Candidates in Arizona recall election to debate
The three candidates running in the Nov. 8 recall election for Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce are scheduled to debate late Thursday in Mesa.
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.
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 [...]
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.
Why the lawsuit against Olivia Cortes had to be aggressively defended
It’s not because the lawsuit was politically motivated. Everyone knows how unapologetically brutal politics can be. And it’s not because the lawsuit was brought to defame Ms. Cortes, either. Placing your name on a ballot is the functional equivalent of sending the world an open invitation to attack your character.
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.
Cortes testimony begs several questions
Olivia Cortes’ revelation in court yesterday that she didn’t pay for the campaign signs that are plastered across the district or the professional circulators who gathered signatures on her behalf spawned more legal questions.
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.
