Sen. Russell Pearce Furious On Van Susteren Show, Some Republicans Wary
State sen. Russell Pearce, the first senator to face a recall election in Arizona, blew his stack on the Greta Van Susteren show, calling his opponents “extreme anarchists” and the “recall cartel”. Van Susteren finally ended the interview when Pearce refused to let her speak.
Russell Pearce with Sheriff Joe Arpaio from ktar.com
Pearce designed SB 1070, the toughest anti-immigrant law in history. In Pearce’s vision, law enforcement is required to detain anyone they suspect of not having “papers”. That leaves all Latinos and people who look like Latinos subject to arrest if they forget their driver’s licenses. In addition, anyone who knowingly transports an undocumented worker, including attorneys giving their client’s a ride to court and priests taking undocumented children to Sunday school, commits a crime. While portions of SB 1070 were held unconstitutional or stayed pending trial, portions of the law imposing severe sanctions on employers who hire undocumented workers was upheld by the Supreme Court last week, in a massive expansion of State's rights.
The Pearce recall will raise heads from Republicans who have tried to pass copycat laws throughout the US. Likely what the GOP was trying to copy was Russell Pearce’s success at getting his name in the headlines. Now that it may cost him his senate seat, beating up on undocumented immigrants may become less popular.
Arizona lost two trials against some of the "Phoenix 100", referring to 100 people who went to jail in protest over SB 1070 on July 29th and 30th. Protesters included local activist Tupac from Alto Arizona, as well as top clergy with the Unitarian Universalist Church
Tax payers have reason for their anger. An estimated 200,000 fleeing refugees forced the commercial and residential real estate market into free-fall in Latino barrios. The tax base took a massive hit as Latino businesses closed and immigrant consumers spent their dollars in other states, never to return to Arizona. National boycotts took billions out of businesses which depend upon tourists, including the lucrative convention industry.
Follow Technorati