Two months probation for Russell Pearce's son?

Recently 26 employees of the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles were arrested for issuing fraudulant driver's licenses. They were caught by an FBI sting operation. What do you suppose will happen to them? What do you think should happen to them?

They'll probably get more than two months probation which is what Justin Pearce, son of former DMV head Russell Pearce, got when he committed the same offense back in 2000. Justin was a DMV employee at the time. Russell Pearce resigned his position as head of the DMV in embarrassment shortly thereafter. Russell is now a State Representative and Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Evidently the folks in his Mesa district didn't mind that Pearce's son was making fake ID's for his buddies so they could buy booze, or maybe they just didn't know. At any rate they elected him to the State House not long after this incident. Isn't consuming liquor some kind of violation of Mormon rules? Russell, do you have a jack Mormon for a son? Or perhaps he wasn't consuming liquor himself. Maybe he was just picking up some extra spending cash by helping his underage friends buy alcohol. That might not be a violation of the WoW.


">http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=28567

Questions for Sylvia Laughter

A letter to the editor of the Navajo-Hopi Observer:

Who is Sylvia Laughter?

A week or so ago I attended a meeting of several candidates at the Flagstaff City Hall. We got to talk with them and to ask questions. They plan to run in the election for the State Legislature, District 2.

So I think it only fair for Sylvia Laughter to answer some questions.

The first one is, where is her residence—Mesa or Kayenta?

Question number two; is she married, and to whom?

Question number three; if she is married, what does her husband do for a living?

Let’s see if we get any forthright answers.

William Beaver
Flagstaff, Ariz.

Good questions, Mr. Beaver. Here are a few more questions: Who does Sylvia Laughter really represent, Mormons or Native Americans? What is her relationship to Jeff Groscost, father of the Alt Fuel scandal? How can she represent the interests of Native Americans when she resides in Mesa? Why did she have the promo photos for her record airbrushed so she didn't look so much like a Native American? Inquiring minds want to know.

http://www.navajohopiobserver.com/NAVAJOHOPIOBSERVER/sites/NAVAJOHOPIOBSERVER/0226edition/myarticles1002269.asp?S=392&PubID=13005&P=1002269

Mormons want state funds to protect value of temple

Hmm. They seem to be against state spending for everything else. I guess you have to have priorities.

From the East Valley Tribune, September 25, 2004:

Top leaders of the Mormon Church are appealing to Gov. Janet Napolitano forhelp in revitalizing downtown Mesa, in order to protect the value of the city's oldest worship site.

After years of watching largely futile efforts to lift the downtown's doldrums, church officials believe Mesa could be poised for success with a $95 million arts center now under construction. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is even willing to invest some of its money and experience in neighborhood projects to support the downtown area, which includes the Arizona Mormon Temple.

But the church won't act without further commitments from city and state governments, Napolitano was told Friday during a series of meetings with the church's worldwide leadership in Salt Lake City.

"We can do more than we have if there's a coordinated effort and we can get our timing together," said Keith McMullin, a counselor to the presiding bishop, who oversees budget and administrative matters. "But we do have limited resources."

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=28640

House Speaker Flake soft on child molesters

At least if they're Mormon friends of his. Richard Ruelas of The Arizona Republic reports:

On June 22, 2001 Flake wrote a letter, on official state stationary, in defense of an admitted sex offender.

" . . . I can see no reason for him to spend the rest of his life in confinement," Flake wrote the judge. "I don't think his confinement would serve any constructive purpose either for him or for society."

Dan Walsh, 77, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted child molestation.

Snowflake police say Walsh molested several girls ages 6 to 9 over the past 20 years or so.

Flake, who wrote that he has been "closely associated" Walsh for 15 years, asked that Walsh be allowed to live with relatives. He summed up Walsh's crimes as "the recent turn of events in his life."

The letter was signed Franklin "Jake" Flake and listed his titles, speaker pro tempore and state representative, District 4. At the top of the letter was the official state seal.

After the White Mountain Independent printed the letter, Flake wrote the newspaper a letter of apology.

He apologized again after the news conference, after preaching the importance of the separation of powers.

For this abuse of his power, Flake did not receive the wrath of (fellow Mormon legislators) Farnsworth or Bennett. Instead, he received a promotion. He was elected House speaker six months after writing it.

Flake's flourish of power failed. His friend was sentenced to five years in prison.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/columns/articles/0718ruelas18.html

Governor Napolitano panders to Mormons

When will our governor learn that you can't compromise or negotiate with the religious hard right? I see Napolitano has declared October 4th as Family Home Evening in Arizona. Don't expect to be getting any Mormon votes as a result, guv.

Now sending our Mormon legislators on a mission, there's an idea!

From the East Valley Tribune:

Napolitano had prepared a proclamation for church leaders declaring Oct. 4 to be "Family Home Evening" in Arizona, recognizing a traditional activity of Mormon families to spend Monday nights together.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=28696

Why won't anyone run against these idiots?

Sen. Thayer Verschoor, Rep. Andy Biggs and Rep. Eddie Farnsworth are all running for re-election in the district, which covers Gilbert, parts of Mesa, Queen Creek, Apache Junction and Gold Canyon. All three Republicans are unopposed in their respective races.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/city2/articles/0903gr-incumbentsZ12.html

Isn't there a sane Republican somewhere in the vicinity who can save us from this folly? Is it too late to run as a write in?

Wacky Mormons in Arizona politics (open thread)

Post about your favorite Mormon legislators. Karen Johnson tried to ban sales of cold beer this session, but she still can't top Leslie Whiting Johnson's attempt to limit the number of dildos someone can own of yesteryear. I miss Leslie. *sniff*

I'll be keeping the readers of ZelphBlog posted on the latest crazy proposed legislation coming from our LDS friends in the Arizona legislature during the upcoming session. Keep your eyes on Thayer Vershoor. He's a nutty one.

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=22

Sylvia Laughter

The following post appeared on the Recovery From Mormonism Bulletin Board on April 4, 2003 regarding Rep. Sylvia Laughter (Sylvia represents a district that includes the largest Native American tribe in the United States, and she is the first Navajo woman to serve in the State Legislature from District 2.):

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=65

“My ex-husband's original wife is in the Arizona Legislature. She's been married and divorced three times and still has her temple recommend. She has to be one of the cruelest people I've ever had the bad fortune to meet. Makes me feel sorry for my ex!I once complained to my bishop of the manner in which she mercilessly harassed my (then) husband and me, and the awful treatment her children suffered at her hands. The only visible result was that her ugly phone calls to our house (up to 20 a day at times!) suddenly ceased. Her children are well known to the police; she's violent when she doesn't get what she wants, and she has managed to marry (and divorce) her way into quite a comfy lifestyle. But to hear her tell it at Fast meetings, she's the ultimate victim of everyone else' sins! IMO, the gal is a classic psychopath.It worries me that this woman is in the AZ leg. Not so much because she's LDS; mostly because she uses her religion as a club to beat up on anyone who disagrees with her in the slightest. She's a nightmare in her personal life, but her constituents adore her and somehow she continues to be re-elected, her private behavior having so far escaped public detection.”

http://www.exmormon.org/boards/w-agora/index.php?site=exmobb&bn=exmobb_recovery

I also understand that Sylvia had an attempted singing career and had her promo photos airbrushed so she looked white. Is she ashamed of being a Navajo? Why?

Of course, she doesn't really live in the district she represents. She actually lives in Mesa and her father has confirmed this. Shame. Shame. I thought there was a rule that you had to live in your district. How can she so blatantly break the rules? And why won't her opponent call her on it? Sheesh!