Entries from April 2008 ↓
New Obama Ad, With My Favorite Singer, Ed Kowalczyk
April 30th, 2008 — 2008 Battle, The Dems
Arizona Republicans for Big Government
April 28th, 2008 — Education, AZ Politics
That is the new mantra at the Arizona State Legislature.
Last week the state legislature passed a receivership bill for the Phoenix Roosevelt school district, this after showing significant gains by local leadership and management, the Republicans in the state legislature would like to take over the localized control and put it in the hands of the Department of Education. Because, this is the Republican mentality right? Stronger centralized government.
The real agenda for the Republicans (and Tom Horne) is to begin undermining the Public Education system.
Please ask the Governor to NOT sign this bill!
Telephone: (602) 542-1318
Toll Free 1(800) 253-0883
Fax: (602) 542-1381
E-mail address: azgov@az.gov
Gerald Richard’s Press Conference
April 26th, 2008 — 2008 Battle, AZ Politics
This last week Gerald Richard, former Director of Legal Services for the Phoenix Police Department, announced his candidacy for Maricopa County Attorney.
His announcement, seen in full below, highlighted his career of public service and key endorsements of Law Enforcement personnel including Former Phoenix Police Chief Dennis Garrett and Buckeye Police Chief Dan Saban.
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What’s Wrong with Fusion Centers?
April 21st, 2008 — War on Terror, ACLU of AZ, Civil Liberties
A Community Education Forum on the Privacy Implications of Data Mining and the War on Terror
Government-sponsored fusion centers vary widely, but generally are centers intended to improve the sharing of anti-terrorism intelligence among state, local and federal government agencies and the private sector. To date, over 40 of these centers have been established around the nation, including Arizona.
Fusion centers are raising many questions about privacy and government openness and must be carefully bounded and monitored to ensure that they remain a legitimate and effective law enforcement tool.
“We all want our government agencies to talk to each other and share appropriate law enforcement information,” said Mike German, ACLU Policy Counsel. “What we don’t want to see is the emergence of secretive, out-of-control units that collect and sift through masses of personal information on innocent people.”
What: East Valley Chapter of the ACLU of Arizona hosts their annual Lasagna Bash Fundraising Event about the privacy implications of data mining and the War on Terror.
Who: Michael German; Intelligence expert, former FBI agent and ACLU National Security Counsel.
Where?… Continue reading →
On the road again…
April 21st, 2008 — Personal Update
We are putting together a GREAT statewide tour of the Education PAC in the next month. I will be back traveling the state soon. Also, some great clients we just signed on… so I will be back in DC and drinking beers at Axis SOON as well as NOLA. If you are in those areas… hit me up. Would love to catch up!
Top Bush aides pushed for Guantánamo torture
April 19th, 2008 — Denounce Torture, Human Rights
Senior officials bypassed army chief to introduce interrogation methods
merica’s most senior General was “hoodwinked” by top Bush administration officials determined to push through aggressive interrogation techniques of terror suspects held at Guantánamo Bay, leading to the US military abandoning its age-old ban on the cruel and inhumane treatment of prisoners, the Guardian reveals today.
General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff from 2001 to 2005, wrongly believed that inmates at Guantánamo and other prisons were protected by the Geneva conventions and from abuse tantamount to torture. The way he was duped by senior officials in Washington, who believed the Geneva conventions and other traditional safeguards were out of date, is disclosed in a devastating account of their role, extracts of which appear in today’s Guardian.
County Attorney Andrew Thomas jeopardizes Serial Shooter case claims Gerald Richard
April 17th, 2008 — AZ Politics
From the Phoenix New Times
County Attorney Andrew Thomas must personally appear in court tomorrow to explain why he jeopardized the case against two notorious serial killers. The prosecutor authorized a wiretap of the suspects without a judge’s signature.
This isn’t the first time Thomas has ignored due process said Gerald Richard, former legal adviser to the Phoenix Police Department who is currently running for Thomas’ seat. But the serial killer case may now unravel despite a confession by one of the perps.
Top Bush aides oversaw torture sessions
April 11th, 2008 — Denounce Torture, Human Rights
According to an ABC report, top Bush aides, including Condi Rice, micromanaged the torture of terrorist suspects from the White House basement. Discussions on torture were so detailed, that some interrogation sessions were virtually choreographed by a White House advisory group, The torture advisory group included then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, then-secretary of state Colin Powell, then-CIA director George Tenet and then-attorney general John Ashcroft and Vice President Dick Cheney ABC’s sources said.
Richard to Thomas: “man-up” to Arpaio
April 8th, 2008 — Civil Liberties, 2008 Battle, The Repugs, The Dems, AZ Politics
Speaking with Gerald Richard’s campaign earlier on this whole Sheriff Joe, Andrew Thomas versus the media matter. This is what I was told:
Gerald Richard believes Andrew Thomas is violating his oath of office by encouraging and participating in a full-scale assault on the first amendment rights of the Arizona media and the public’s right to know.
Some background for my out of state readers:
Through a special prosecutor he appointed, Thomas authorized the arrests of the publisher and the owner of the New Times because of stories critical of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Thomas claimed the two men violated state law by publishing Arpaio’s home address in the on-line versions of the stories, even though that address is publicly available through a number of other websites. Thomas also sought notes, e-mails and other research related to the stories, plus detailed information on everyone who had visited the New Times website over the past four years. The newspaper called it “a breathtaking abuse of the U.S. Constitution.” Such actions by the County’s top prosecutor should send a chill down the spine of freedom-loving people everywhere.
A Call for Contributors - AZ & Education
April 7th, 2008 — Education, AZ Politics
Hey folks!
This is an update specifically my Arizona audience.
I have been working on many projects and will be updating folks about the Arizona and national clients soon, in the meantime I wanted to let the AZ folks know about a new website/PAC about to launch within the month. This one is specifically regarding Arizona’s Education system.
We have many elected officials, community leaders and teachers who are involved in this project. But we need more concerned citizen’s involvement. If you are passionate for education reform within the state school system, we are looking for YOU!
Please email me with questions if you are interested in being involved. kspidel@gmail.com.
Thanks! More on this project in May.
