Nothing against Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D), but moving her to head of Homeland Security in the Obama Administration would be an enormous mistake, at least for the voters of Arizona who would be stuck with the horrible Sec. of State Jan Brewer (R) as Governor.
AZ has no Lieutenant Governor, so the rightwing loon Brewer — one of the worst Secretaries of State in the nation — would take the helm and serve as Sarah Palin to the state’s slim Republican majority in the legislature should Napolitano take over at DHS as has been reported.
While turning the Governorship from Democratic to Republican before the important 2010 Congressional re-apportionment elections, in a battleground state like AZ — and yes, it’s a battleground state — is bad enough, that’s just one part of what makes installing Brewer as Governor such a horrible idea…
For just a small idea of how poorly Brewer has served her voters, we’ll note first that she had the responsibility for overseeing a transparent, fair, and accurate Presidential Election for all AZ citizens this year, yet she had no problem standing on the floor of the Republican Convention in St. Paul to proudly announce the state delegation’s vote for John McCain, putting him “over the top” to be the party’s nominee.
That display of utter disregard for the importance of even the appearance of impartiality for a Sec. of State was an outrageous slap in the face to all of Arizona’s voters.
But it doesn’t stop there. Brewer signed the contract (see an incredible video here) to bring unverifiable Diebold touch-screen voting systems into the state, long after they had been shown by computer scientists and security experts to be inaccurate, unreliable, and easily tampered with. She has been aggressively opposed to virtually every move towards transparency and citizen oversight in her state’s elections, in favor of purges and restrictions against legal voters at the polls, and even went as far as to publicly call her own citizens who spoke up against her embrace of the use of unverifiable Diebold voting machines “anarchists” and “conspiracy theorists.”
She and her office have also blatantly lied to their citizens about their voting machines, and subsequently were so cowardly that they even refused to discuss the issue on air with us, in a setting friendly to them (because they know we would have called them on those lies).
She is horrible. No matter how wonderful Napolitano might be in the role of DHS — and we’ve got no opinion on that either way — the citizens of Arizona, many of whom fought like hell for the election of Barrack Obama, even in John McCain’s home state, do not deserve what they would be left with back home if she went to Washington.
The BRAD BLOG votes a clear, transparent, and verifiable NO on Napolitano’s move to DHS, and NO to Jan Brewer for AZ Governor in the bargain.
UPDATE 12/1/08: It’s official. Today, Obama announced his appointment of Napolitano to Sec. of DHS. AP describes it as a “sweet political gift for the Republican who’ll become governor of Arizona.” Napolitano has said she’ll stay in her role of Governor until she’s confirmed next January (or February), after which Brewer will become the Governor of AZ. Good luck, Arizona. You’re gonna need it.
Could be the best thing to happen to AZ. The more exposure these nuts get, the sooner they dry up.
You said it right Brad!
FROM: Secretary of States office, State Election Director Joseph Kanefield
DATE: November 14, 2008
Sent to all Diebold Counties in AZ (12 out 15 counties use Diebold)
SUBJECT: Arizona Democratic Party Public Records Request
It is our understanding that each of you have received a public records request from the Arizona Democratic Party for copies of your electronic election databases for the 2008 general election. As you are aware, the issue of whether this type of information is public record was litigated in the Pima County Superior Court earlier this year. The court ultimately ruled that these are public records and Pima County chose not to appeal that decision. We do not believe it was in the best interest of the State for Pima County to release this data because it resulted in the publication of sensitive information upon which future elections will be built in all counties using this equipment, thereby decreasing the overall security of our elections statewide. Nevertheless, the information was released and therefore the security breach has already occurred. Thus, we take no position on the further release of this information in your counties at this time. We only note that the Pima County Superior Court decision is not binding on your counties and that you should consult with your county attorney before releasing the information in response to the public records request.
Brakey wrote November 19, 2008:
WHO CHECKS THE VOTE COUNTERS?
It is the role and the responsibility of the political parties in the state of Arizona to give oversight for elections. As verified in Pima Co Democratic Party’s election integrity lawsuit.
From the Testimony in a deposition of the Arizona Secretary of State’s office under Rule 30 (b) (6) designee was Joseph Kanefield, State Election Director, April11, 2008. Stated on the record that his office doesn’t have the authority to examine election databases.
Excerpt of deposition:
Q. BY MR. RISNER: First, can we clearly establish that your office never has gone in and examined a database to see if there’s been any fraud or manipulation?
A. Mr. Kanefield: Our office doesn’t have the authority, under law, to do such an examination. Our — the extent our office has oversights over a potential fraud investigation would be pursuant to the statute we discussed earlier, where a copy of the election software and database structure is filed with our office. And at that point, we would make that available to the Attorney General. That’s one of the reasons it has to be kept confidential. So are we going in and are we examining county databases and computer programs? We don’t have the authority to do that. I mean, the Secretary of State’s authority is prescribed by law, as set forth in the constitution, and she’s been given oversight over a number of election-related activities, including logic and accuracy testing and other related issues. But when it comes to the administration of the elections at the county level, what you’re talking about, if you’re — if you’re alleging that we should have been doing this and haven’t, then you’re wrong. We just simply don’t have the authority to do that. If we were provided that authority, then, of course, we would do that. But we think that the process works and that if those allegations are made, then those with authority — including the County Attorney, Attorney General — can undertake such review, as was done by the Attorney General at your request.
Q. BY MR. RISNER: Are you aware of any county in Arizona that has ever conducted a post-election examination of the database for evidence of fraud or manipulation?
A. MR. KANEFIELD: I am not aware, other than what’s occurred in Pima County. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. It’s just that I’m not aware.
Q. BY MR. RISNER: Okay. So the result, then, is that the Secretary of State, because it has no authority to, does not examine and has never examined an election database after an election in any county in Arizona; correct?
A. MR. KANEFIELD: That is correct.
Youtube, 2 minutes, KOLD TV Tucson 4/21/08, WHO CHECKS THE VOTE COUNTERS?” It is NOT the Secretary of State! Not the Attorney General! Not the County!:
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=fqlefIQVkrk
Oh lord. Not good. Brewer is just disgusting. This would also make her the incumbent in 2010 – Brewer has been lusting after the Gov seat and is a sure bet to run for re-election.
Just in case there’s a silver lining here, does anybody know who would become SecState with Brewer out of that slot? Would Janet have some control over that?
The weird thing is, with the economy tanking there may not be all that much damage Brewer could do as Governor, lacking a budget to do it with – this would be one of those situations where a budget-dictated “Ron Paul style” choke the government would be a good thing, with Brewer at the helm. Sheesh. Biggest risk involves the water supply and related environmental issues…THAT she can screw with.
Ghaaaa.
Recall (Cough)
Remember how (bong toking) Arnold got into Kali-Fornia?
(although to be honest Gray Davis sucked too with his pro electronic vote tabulation device love!)
Arizona Recall Constitutional articles Of course I just said that not even knowing…
It might actually serve to put one more nail in the AZ Republican coffin, after 2 years of watching desperate Republicans posturing to get Brewer re-elected, the Democrat she faces may just waltz right into office.
The AZ R’s have proven they are a dwindling species, just the fact the Obama campaign spent time and money there towards the end of this campaign is proof enough that the times they are a-changin’ even in Arizona.
But the Dems need to be smart in who they pick to oppose her, it won;t likely be someone we would call a leftie, but a centrist might just make Brewer look like the extremist she really is.
I am jumping for joy that we could possibly be rid of Nappylotaxo.
Her do nothing platform to get elected might excite Obama Worshipers, but most Arizona voters loathe her.
She has run the state into the ground with a deficit over a billion dollars. Then she installs hundreds of speeding cameras along the freeways to rip off drivers in order to fill her coffers. She brought us Light Rail, the boondoggle nobody except the very few will ever ride.
Her open borders agenda is despicable and an avalanche of invaders has infested every corner of the state and Arizona continues to be the preferred corridor for new arrivals and the bulk of the drug trade from the Southern Border.
Arizona tax payers are so tired of her veto pen used to squash every valid attempt to strengthen the fight against illegal criminal border crossers, but now we finally have something to celebrate; her exit.
I hope she takes Gordon, Harris and the rest of her flying monkeys with her.
Putting Janet in charge of Homeland Security is pure stupidity. She blamed the feds for their every move but when she put the National Guard on the border, she de-fanged them and put them in clerical jobs answering the phones. This pariah on our state, as the head of Homeland Security is very frightening. The rest of the country will now be subjected to her do nothing SOP.
Poor them, lucky us.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Well… now we know TWO THINGS:
1. Brad Friedman is a liberal.
2. Brad Friedman spews democrap!
Arizonans know what Napolitano has done to this state…
Thanks Barry. Score one for the Home Team.
In Arizona, we’ll be thanking our Stars that Jan Brewer will replace Nappy.
Brad may be liberal but he’s not a Democrat, and he, quite rightly, takes a dim view of Arizona’s Secretary of State. Maybe you should use the search function here so you can learn more….
This is a lose/lose. What compelling reason makes Janet Napolitano qualified for Homeland Security? We voted for change. Party cronies and Clinton leftovers aren’t my idea of change. The voters of AZ get what they deserve. Jan Brewer is one more AZ nutter in a long line of crooks. Think Fife Symington. Evan Meacham, McCain! It’s a tradition in this state. Think Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He’s been elected forever and he kills prisoners in his jails. The voters love him.