Saturday, February 3rd, 2007...7:48 am
HB 2286 Hearing Scheduled For Monday
The controversial HB 2286, that would classify groups like the Minutemen as terrorist organizations, is being heard on Monday.
Even though it goes after folks who I have barely any use for, I have some concerns about the constitutionality of this bill. You know what though? Those are things that can be debated by reasonable people, and legislators can vote against it if they choose.
Well, of course, that isn’t what has happened. The bill’s sponsor, Kyrsten Sinema, has been subjected to a flurry of death and rape threats. Sinema has not shrunk from controversy before, so the very fact that she has been so shaken up by this says a lot about the nature of the threats. Opponents of this bill have been so blinded by their own vitriol that even Marian McClure has gotten hate mail because she introduced a similarly numbered bill.
Some Democrats have asked that the hearing on the bill be postponed. Republicans have said, “Well, you wanted quick hearings on bills, so here you go…” Point taken, but let’s see whether or not they are as eager to schedule other Democratic bills that don’t allow them to stage dog and pony shows for the anti-immigrant crowd like last Monday’s pointless and disrespectful grilling of Gen. David Rataczak.
Sinema points out that the violent rhetoric around the bill proves her point about the Minutemen. Opponents say this is overblown since there has been no actual violence associated with the group. But still, you are talking about a group of well armed folks whose supporters (and probably members) are making violent threats, you can see why she takes it seriously.
It would be easier to dismiss the e-mails as the products of cranks, but it is amazing how much garbage is coming from sources closer to the new leadership of the Republican party. Hot AZ It Gets, a blog run by the group of Republican activists who drove new Republican Mahout Randy Pullen’s candidacy, pooh poohed the threats against Sinema and said that the incident that led to the closure of the capitol was a product of her ego. What they neglected to point out was that another member also found the package worrysome enough to call security, and Sinema didn’t make the decision to close the capitol, Jim Weiers’s office did. Apparently, they don’t think death threats against someone they don’t like should be taken seriously. The conservative site PHXnews, which features several Republican activists on its “team,” has had articles calling Sinema names like “pig whore,” and “Chicano crazed-crack.” Gee, I can’t imagine why all of these twistos feel that they have permission to send Sinema threatening e-mails.
There will be extra security at the capitol on Monday (word to Rob Haney and the folks at HotAzItGets: this means that the leadership is also taking the threats seriously). What will be interesting for me is whether or not the Republicans on the committee use this hearing as an opporitunity to turn the flame down, or throw gasoline on it. Given their behavior at last Monday’s hearing, I would put my money on the latter.
6 Comments
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:24 am
Ted,
The bill may have been meant for the Minutemen but the wording is so broad that it would also apply to groups like Pink Pistols. I wonder if Kyrsten thought through that one.
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:25 am
Sorry the hyperlink does not work.
Pink Pistols
February 3rd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
She went too far, i think at least, but that doesn’t warrant the childish behavior of the minutemen’s backlash.
it should be defeated on its merits, not the hype.
i think this is what most voters saw through more than anything. When the GOP ran out going TERROR TERROR TERROR, Americans in general just yawned…we saw this before.
them yelling and screaming about this is so 2004. She’s a looney tune but no more than the nut job legislator in Kingman with the confederate flag. I think hanging a confederate flag means YOUR a traitor. We won the war remember, burn that flag and piss on it as far as i’m concerned. But I don’t go sending him death threats or whatnot do I?
February 3rd, 2007 at 3:51 pm
This should be a real circus. Wish I could be there.
February 4th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Tedski,
I love your term “Republican Mahout.” Just one question, is the Republican modifier really necessary? Are you trying to make a distinction from all the Democrat and Independent Mahouts?
February 5th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
From the hearings:
Don Goldwater told the committee that ACORN and the ACLU want to return Arizona to Mexico!
Minuteman leader Chris Simcox told the committee that he believes that the recent incident in Eloy where four armed gunmen dressed in military garb attacked a truck of undocumented aliens killing the driver and wounding a twelve year old boy was staged just to make the Minutemen look bad.
Do they come any kookier than this? No I’m not making this up. Goldwater and Simcox really said this stuff. BTW, Tom did a great job of putting the wingnuts on the spot.
The Republican leadership of the Homeland Security Committee wasted from 1:30pm to 6pm with their grandstanding opposition to HB 2286 after the sponsor, Rep. Sinema, requested that the bill not be heard. They even had a roll call reconsideration of the bill after it was voted down the first time. Your taxdollars at work.
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