Piestewa Peak controversy has legislative fallout (Napolitano)

Arizona Daily Sun ^ | May 7, 2003 | Howard Fischer - Capitol Media Services

[madfly]

PHOENIX -- State lawmakers are moving to give members of boards and commissions the same protections they have against unfair outside pressure.

Sen. Dean Martin, R-Phoenix, is introducing legislation today to make it a crime for anyone to improperly seek to influence the vote of any board member by contacting that person's regular employer. Violators would be guilty of a misdemeanor, facing six months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Martin admits his legislation is in direct response to the actions of Mario Diaz, a top aide to Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Diaz, seeking to get the state Board on Geographic and Historic Names to approve renaming Squaw Peak, was pressuring board Chairman Tim Norton to put the measure on the board's agenda or resign from the unpaid position if he would not.

But Diaz did more than that. Diaz also called Sil Ontiveros, an assistant Phoenix police chief to whom Norton reports in his regular paying day job.

"Mario wanted us to encourage Tim to change his position," confirmed Andy Anderson, who heads the police department's public information unit. Anderson said the department refused to get involved.

Martin said he would have thought it unnecessary to tell people not to try to pressure board members by going to their employer.

"But now we have to make it perfectly obvious this is improper behavior," he said.

"Why would anybody give up their time to serve on mostly unpaid boards and commissions when you could possibly have your own employment, your livelihood threatened?" he asked. "Our whole system starts breaking if this type of activity persists."

Martin's legislation is patterned after existing law which makes it a crime to pressure legislators to vote a certain way by contacting their private employers. That law was enacted in 1974 after lawmakers, most of whom hold outside jobs, complained about the practice.

Napolitano won't try to block the bill.

"If the Legislature decrees this measure appropriate, the governor will not stand in the way," said Kris Mayes, the governor's press aide.

Because any law would be prospective only Diaz could not be prosecuted for his actions last month.

Mayes said Napolitano has acknowledged that what Diaz did was "a mistake" and that the governor "has accepted responsibility for it." But the governor has refused to say how she intended to discipline him, if at all.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

It is inconceivable that 'Mad Janet' didn't know about this action.

[borisbob69]

I'm sure "Butch" not only knew...but put pressure on Diaz to "Make it happen!"

[HiJinx]

But the governor has refused to say how she intended to discipline him, if at all.

Well, maybe if we keep this issue in the news, she'll be forced to do something...

[Jeff Chandler]

If a Republican did this, she'd be gone.

[KellyAdmirer]

"Why would anybody give up their time to serve on mostly unpaid boards and commissions when you could possibly have your own employment, your livelihood threatened?" he asked. "Our whole system starts breaking if this type of activity persists."

Not to mention it makes the governor look like a mob boss who has her underling put a hit on anyone who opposes her orders to do something RIGHT NOW.

[madfly]

Hey Janet, the ends do not justify the means! I am bothered that she is so smug about this because honoring a fallen soldier is a patriotic tribute and therefore, her questionable methods should be overlooked. I can't believe she's only been in office a little over 4 months.

[madfly]

pinging Arizona

[DLfromthedesert]

Oh, come on. Jane wasn't gone after the Alt-Fuels fiasco.

[DLfromthedesert]

She's a walking disaster, but the RINO CEOs of my hospital think she walks on water.

They actually have encouraged employees (in hospital literature) to support her budget over the Republicans in the legislature.

[LS]

Question from a former Arizonian: is this Squaw Peak stuff going to hurt Nepolitano in the next election?

[dittomom]

Thanks for the ping. Dean Martin is my state senator and I'm glad to know he's promoting this. The "Godmother" really showed her true colors with the way she handled the renaming of Squaw Peak. It's a disgrace to Lori Piestewa's memory.

[Luke21]

This place is becoming as nutty as California. If we can elect a Hillary style lesbian as governor, anything is possible. As far as paying for it politically, the liberal press (Arizona Republic, Daily Star, etc..) won't stomp up smoke every day like they did in their crusades against conservative governors. Any conservative governor we get here gets ruined on trumped up charges. Janet was a big part of ruining Fife Symington and trying to get Clarence Thomas.

[madfly]

We can only hope!

Napolitano's approval dips: Some critics cite Piestewa issue
The Arizona Republic - Apr. 30, 2003

Gov. Janet Napolitano's job performance rating remains high but has fallen since March, according to a new poll that attributed the decline partly to the Piestewa Peak controversy.

The poll released Tuesday by Arizona State University showed that 66 percent of registered voters rated Napolitano as doing an excellent or good job. Twenty percent rated it as poor or very poor and 14 percent had no opinion.

Of those with an opinion, 77 percent rated her performance as good or excellent, down from 91 percent.

Of those who gave Napolitano a negative rating, 37 percent cited a decision supported by the governor to rename Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak.

[MeekOneGOP]

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Arizona ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[presidio9]

Janet Napolitano is a squaw. In the pejorative sense.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Of those with an opinion, 77 percent rated her performance as good or excellent, down from 91 percent.

First California, now Arizona looks like it's shifting leftward pretty quick. When I was there in the eighties it was as conservative as you could get. Just another by-product of illegal immigration, something the Republican establishment doesn't appear to understand.

[skeeter]

Sen. Dean Martin, R-Phoenix, is introducing legislation today to make it a crime for anyone to improperly seek to influence the vote of any board member by contacting that person's regular employer.

Ain't that a kick in the head.

[LS]

Not nearly enough despise this woman.

[LS]

Well, I was in and out during the Symington era, and seem to recall this guy had some pretty big problems. Arizona's problem is that half the time it gets real looney conservatives, like Evan Mecham (not dumb, but politically not astute). I hope J.D. Hayworth can either take McCain's seat or the governorship.