But one thing particularly offends me. This from Stephen Lemons’s Feathered Bastard column:

Interestingly, Munger did not threaten the Anti-Defamation League, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or myself with legal action. I mean, the ADL, the SPLC, and yours truly (along with many others), have been correctly labeling Spencer a bigot and an anti-Semite for years. Also, the ADL denounced Spencer’s visit to the Arizona Legislature in even stronger terms than Heredia.

Heck with the ADL, SPLC and Lemons, what about me? You mean even with the times I called out Spencer, I don’t rate?

Glenn, I am deeply hurt.

More interesting than Spencer threatening action against Heredia is who is by his side doing it: local Republican magnate and former Board of Regents President John Munger.

Munger’s involvement lights up the conspiratorial portions of my brain. He doesn’t go after the non-partisan organizations or the press, but the guy that’s on the payroll of his political opponents. It could be called a SLAPP suit if anyone thought that the thing would actually get filed, but the aim is the same: getting someone with the wrong politics to shut up.

Like I said, it will probably never get filed. It might not mean too much if he did. In Tucson, we remember Munger’s attempt to get Shaun McClusky on the ballot. Despite all of the bluster and pleadings he filed, he, in the words of one witness to events, “folded like a cheap suit” when the other attorney showed up to argue against him. The fact that he couldn’t even spell Heredia’s first name right doesn’t say a lot for the legal firepower he’s bringing to bear.

(Oh, and his feigned ignorance about the ADL and the Shauna Forde case doesn’t speak well of his preparation either.)

Let’s not forget what started this nonsense: Republican legislators invited Spencer to speak before a committee because of his supposed expertise in border matters. It speaks volumes about how askew the debate in our state has become when someone who holds Spencer’s retrograde racial views is given an official stamp to make his arguments.

Or, for that matter, when a mainstream Republican like Munger takes on a guy like this as a client. It’s shameful, really.

NB: Someone may want to tell Spencer what sort of law Munger practices when he isn’t filing and losing law suits.

I feel like I’ve just had a trip to the principal’s office…

State Democratic Chair Andrei Cherny’s response to Flake:

Maybe Congress should stop acting like children.

Cherny had an op-ed in yesterday’s Washington Post calling on Barack Obama to learn a few more lessons from Franklin Roosevelt.

Rodney Glassman gave a gracious concession speech and, although things weren’t bad at that point, it probably helped keep matters calm.

Aside from two smaller incidents (the threat at the credentials committee and the scattered hoots during Ron Barber’s call), I think we conducted ourselves well. Thank you.

Word cloud of yesterday’s live blog, courtesy of Wordle (click to enlarge):

18:28 Maguire elected by acclamation.

18:27 Rick Maguire is nominated for yet another term as treasurer. He’s been treasurer since Mark Fleischer was chair. He’s done a good job in a thankless position.

18:26 Thomas wins, 240 – 171. She is a favorite for members of the progressive caucus.

18:17 Thomas’s speech is surprisingly pointed for a position that involves taking notes and making sure meeting notices are sent.

18:13 Barbara Tellman of Pima County v Sharon Thomas of Maricopa County for Secretary.

18:11 Election for Secretary…

18:08 Michael Gordy drops out. Manny Cruz elected by acclamation.

18:07 Matt Capalby drops out and supports Cruz.

18:06 Chris Campas and Gerald Richard elected on first ballot. Frank Bernal eliminated. This is interesting because Yuma County often votes en bloc. Who get’s their votes?

18:04 Trying to charge up my machine from outside. Election integrity folks are near by counting ballots.

17:27 The new Republican chair is named Morrissey. The other Morrissey’s first single as a solo artist was “November Spawned a Monster.”

17:23 Voting starts. This can actually go five ballots. Seen it happen.

17:22 Campas gives a stemwinder.

17:21 Are you people really still reading this?

17:15 Pat Burns withdraws because only one candidate from Pima County can be elected. (Jim Woodbury counts against the two from each county that can be elected.)

17:08 Debating changing the voting procedures to save time. Spending a lot of time to talking about it.

17:04 Seven candidates for vice chair, three get elected but need a majority. We’ll be here until Tuesday.

17:03 Chris Campas nominated by Pat Fleming.

17:02 Manny Cruz nominated by Matt Capalby.

16:58 Gerald Richard nominated by C J Briddle and Lawrence Robinson.

16:56 Frank Bernal nominated by Michael Smith.

16:54 Michael Gordy nominated by Mohur Sidhwa and Frank Bing.

16:52 Matt Capalby nominated by Matt Gonzales and Ann Wallack.

16:50 Pat Burns nominated by Lauren Kuby and Donna Branch-Gilby. Kuby tripped over Raúl Grijalva’s first name. What’s with Anglos having trouble saying “Rah-ool”?

16:48 Nominations are closed. With three candidates for three slots, that’s it. Which is good because the nature of these vice chair elections make them a mess. I know, I’ve run.

16:47 Laura Hogan nominated by Felecia Rottelini and Linda Hatfield.

16:44 Jo Kelleher nominated by two people from Yavapai County.

16:43 Sherry Williams nominated for one of the second vice chair slots by Mohur Sidhwa and Councilman Calvin Goode.

16:42 I switched to laptop. You missed Jim Woodbury getting elected by acclamation.

16:33 Lois Pfau of Maricopa County nominates Jim Woodbury of Pima County for Senior Vice Chair.

16:28 Vote total: Cherny 279 – Glassman 237

16:27 Glassman gives gracious speech.

16:25 Both Cherny and Glassman at lectern to speak.

16:24 Cherny wins!

16:22 Young quotes John Lennon. Boomer love fest.

16:20 Pima County Chair Jeff Rogers seconds nomination. Nominations closed. Elected by acclamation.

16:18 Maricopa County Chair Ann Wallack nominates Harriett Young of Coconino County for First Vice Chair.

16:12 Balloting for chair has closed.

16:05 For some reason, the Phantom Limbs song “Handful of These” is going through my head.

15:54 Voting is far more of a mob scene than it needs to be.

15:52 Glassman and Cherny have been called to the front over a “procedural issue.” Uh oh.

15:26 Voting begins.

15:21 Cherny: “A guy named Prescott Winslow lost…in Winslow! Why is that?”

15:19 Glassman: “I’m a grassroots volunteer.”

15:15 Nominations closed.

15:11 Aparently the folks who quit the credentials committee did so after one candidate’s side threatened them with a lawsuit.

15:09 Felecia Rottelini seconds.

15:08 Odd thing: some folks on the credentials committee quit. Don’t know why.

15:07 Bob Bland nominates Cherny with telephonic help from Ron Barber.

15:05 Controversy about who gave nomination.

15:04 Robert McDonald seconds.

15:03 Gerald Hanshaw nominates Glassman.

14:53 Nominations are going to open as soon as the Election Integity committee talks about their ballot audit.

14:44 I’m happy that this has gone with little acrimony.

14:53 Motion to adopt bylaws committee report passes with few nays.

14:48 Bylaws chair Jo Kelleher talks eligibility and vacancies.

14:45 Amendment fails 104 to 408. Cherny can run. Numbers a bad indicator for Glassman, or a failure to whip the vote.

14:40 Only a smattering of yes votes in the Pima County section. Maybe one fourth to one third.

14:38 Amendment seems to have failed, but division needs to be called.

14:36 Re-reading amendment to credentials report.

14:32 Motion to close debate has 2/3. Doesn’t bode well for Rodney’s strength.

14:25 Ruben Gallego speaks against amendment. Motion to close debate. Division called, which is ridiculous given how voice vote went.

14:24 Curtis Dutiel speaks for approving credentials report as written. Anyone from outside of Pima County going to speak?

14:20 Rogers, no surprise, argues to accept credentials report.

14:17 Jeff Rogers on deck. The only man in this room who can out lawyer Risner. Risner argues against accepting appointed state committee members.

14:15 Bill Risner and Jim Hanley on deck to speak.

14:14 Latas argues against motion to accept credentials report. Throws in the word “corruption.”

14:11 Bivens explains “interface” between bylaws and state statutes.

14:07 Latas brings up question about appointed state committee members. I don’t know who he could be referring to.

14:06 Ladies and gentlemen, we have us a quorum.

14:05 Latas brings up first question about credentials report. The report has not yet been presented.

14:04 DuVal notes the Sargeant-at-Arms. If I ever have to do this, I’m calling Jezebelle Jonez.

14:02 DuVal quotes Udall correctly this time.

13:57 DuVal notes that we need to have a quorum to start business, but not necessary to continue business. Anyone with plans to storm out and deny a quorum will be disappointed.

13:57 Fred DuVal to run election. Attributes Udall’s firing squad quote to Will Rogers. Come on, dude.

13:55 Terry Goddard is in the back of the room by the water. He’s keeping it a away from the Californians, he says.

13:51 New rumor: former congressional candidate and progressive leader Jeff Latas to run for chair. I saw him having an animated discussion with Fred DuVal earlier.

13:43 My God. I already feel a headache coming on.

13:40 DNC report from Carolyn Warner.

13:36 Video presentation on the January 8 shooting.

13:25 Schapira cracks joke about Campbell’s height. Campbell stands on a chair to dwarf him.

13:20 Schapira and Campbell give legislative report.

13:18 Several Tucsonans are wearing those Together We Thrive shirts.

13:16 More welcoming remarks from Sandra Kennedy.

13:13 Harry Mitchell: “I would not have changed one thing.” Folks are already asking me for ballots.

13:06 The hall is filling up. Many Cherny supporters are wearing blue stickers. There are also “Together We Believe” stickers that many don’t realize is a Glassman sticker.

I kept thinking about it, mulling over some sort of response. I ended up making myself angrier and angrier. Finally, I called my friend Elizabeth, who was Vice President of the YDA. I gave her my take on the whole thing, and asked her what sort of trouble I should be making on my behalf.

She paused for a second and said in her fantastic Alabama drawl, “Ted, how many Democrats will this elect?”

She was right, and my energies were spent better elsewhere.

In a not entirely unrelated note, it looks like I’ll be carrying the proxy of one of the victims of the shooting to the state Democratic meeting tomorrow. It would be nice for us to honor what he’s going through by comporting ourselves with the same charity, civility and dignity that we have seen so much of over the last two weeks.