This morning's Council meeting was eerily silent on the fact that Captain Lizzarraga had abandoned ship.  Councilwoman Anderson stated "We haven't decided whether or not we are going to accept his letter of resignation"...

U.S. Department of Justice opens Quartzsite investigation

Ms. Maria Rios is a Deputy U.S. Attorney General of the Section 5 Division of the Civil Rights Division of the Voting Rights Division of the U.S. Attorney General's Office in Washington D.C.

She has confirmed that she has viewed the Town Code and Town Agenda and Minutes of June 4, 2012 which caused the Voting Rights Act Department to begin a review of Quartzsite's apparent failure to submit a voting-related ordinance now known as Town Code 2.1.10 (aka Ordinance 09-15) for preclearance prior to implementation by the Town of Quartzsite.

This failure to submit appears to be cummulative by three town attorneys 1) Dan Field Town Attorney-Manager, 2009, Field is now La Paz County Administrator, 2) Pam Walsma Town Attorney, 2009-2011, Walsma has a continuing relationship doing legal services through April 2012 or longer for the Town of Quartzsite, 3) Martin Brannan, 2011 to present being Town Attorney/Prosecutor/Parliamentarian.

The Ordinance (09-15/aka Town Code 2.1.10) was a basis used to determine the eligibility of candidates for elective office in this recent 2012 election cycle (and perhaps even prior elections since 2009 when the ordinance was enacted).  Mike  Roth, Steve Bennett, and Jim Loyd of Quartzsite were previously refused opportunity to be on the ballot for elective office by the Town about two years ago, pre-emptively via the administrative-side of the Town (not the Council) as an earlier administrative-implementation of this Town Ordinance.

The ordinance was more publicly 'implemented' by and through the June 4, 2012 meeting of the governing body of Quartzsite, as it was mentioned in an Agenda item (3x) for the meeting as a measurement by which the Town would be "qualifying" / judging the recently elected persons for office, which did occur immediately after the Town canvassed the May 15, 2012 election in the same meeting.

Council member-elects, Workman and Orgeron, and Mayor-elect Foster were judged, after an executive session was held regarding each of them under this Town Code, and subsequently two of the three were disqualified. The motion to disqualify Foster and Orgeron were non-specific, the ACTUAL REASON was not disclosed in the motion, however, later the town manager and others have claimed Foster owed a debt and that was the basis for his not being qualified to run for office at the time he filed his candidacy for Mayor (back in the primary nomination period of Nov-Dec 2011). It was not a violation of federal law to pass the ordinance, only to implement it without "preclearance".

 Maria Rios
 "Section 5"
Department of the Voting Section
Civil Rights Division
Room 7254 - NWB
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20530
202-616-9750

Title 28: Judicial Administration
PART 51—PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SECTION 5 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED
Subpart A—General Provisions

§ 51.13 Examples of changes.

Changes affecting voting include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

(g) Any change affecting the eligibility of persons to become or remain candidates, to obtain a position on the ballot in primary or general elections, or to become or remain holders of elective offices.

(Link to Federal Regulation)

The wheels of justice turn slowly...

Two attorneys battled over an Emergency Injunction in federal court yesterday in the matter of Orgeron v. Quartzsite. One thing is for certain: Nothing is going to be resolved quickly here.

This is the matter where Mark Orgeron ran for, and won, the seat for Quartzsite Town Council. Yet the incumbents refuse to seat him, claiming—after he won—that Orgeron wasn't qualified to run in the first place. Ironically, Quartzsite Town attorney, Martin Brannan, has cited Arizona case law in a similar matter (Prutch v. Quartzsite) that the time to challenge the qualifications of a candidate is BEFORE an election. Not after. But this fact hasn't been brought up yet  in federal court.

While the federal judge spoke about a proposed Order she had written, which seemed to favor the Town, (the attorney for the Town said he was "happy" with it), the federal judge has a couple of hoops to jump through before she can take jurisdiction in this touchy matter. She wanted both sides to supply her with more case law before she made any formal decisions. Unfortunately, that will take time. She gave both parties until Friday, June 22 to file supplemental briefs and until Wednesday, June 27 to file Responses. She promised a ruling immediately thereafter, which, coincidentally, would be sometime around Independence Day.

The first hoop is the issue of "abstention."  The federal judge is reluctant to interlope/interfere/intervene because the state has also taken action in this matter. Since La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman had initiated a Quo Warranto action in state court to seat Orgeron, if Vederman is successful, Orgeron will be duly seated and no longer suffer harm, a requirement to be heard in federal court. But this presents a Catch-22 situation. If he's waiting on the federal court to act first, perhaps Vederman isn't expediting the state matter. Which means it will stretch out for a least a month at the state level. Whereas the federal court has the power to act before that. (In fact, the federal judge speculated it could take six months before the issue is resolve in state.)

The second hoop is the "first impression" nature of this potentially big case originating from this small Town. It didn't appear Orgeron's attorneys had completely thought this through, but the federal judge pointed out that, if she gives Orgeron what he wants, she will effectively be declaring durational residency requirements for candidacy unconstitutional throughout the entire United States! Not so small town anymore, is it! The judge requested similar case law to  support such a broad, sweeping, landmark decision.

The attorneys also argued about details that only attorneys could love, but which have a major consequence on how the judge has to look at things, in order to rule. (For example, whether the legal standard of strict scrutiny or rationale determination apply. The former favors Orgeron, the latter the Town.) 

Meanwhile, a majority of citizens in the Town of Quartzsite watch in frustration as the incumbents on the Town Council continue to rule after they were voted out of office.

Vederman digs deep - finds Constitution in back pocket!

Wow Sammy, we didn't know you had it in you! 

SAMUEL E. VEDERMAN
COUNTY ATTORNEY
Office of the La Paz County Attorney
1320 Kofa Avenue
Parker, Arizona 85344-5724
(928)669-6118/Fax: (928)669-2019
June 15, 2012
PRESS RELEASE
SAM VEDERMAN FILES QUO WARRANTO COMPLAINT
AGAINST JOSE LIZARRAGA AND BARBARA COWELL
“Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual - - or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.” - Samuel Adams
“A share in the sovereignty of the state, which is exercised by the citizens at large, in voting at elections is one of the most important rights of the subject, and in a republic ought to stand foremost in the estimation of the law.” - Alexander Hamilton
“The elective franchise, if guarded as the ark of our safety, will peaceably dissipate all combinations to subvert a Constitution, dictated by the wisdom, and resting on the will of the people .” - Thomas Jefferson
On June 4, 2012, at a special meeting, the majority of the Town of Quartzsite Common Council refused to seat Mayor- Elect Ed Foster and Council Member-Elect Mark Orgeron, by judging them unqualified to hold office, even though Foster and Orgeron received the highest number of votes in the May 15, 2012, runoff election.
Among the members of the Town of Quartzsite Common Council who voted to find Foster and Orgeron unqualified to hold office were three council members who either had not run for re-election, Mayor Jose Lizarraga, or who were not re-elected, Vice Mayor Barbara Cowell and Council Member Joe Winslow. Lizarraga voted in opposition to the majority of the council and Winslow resigned his office at the conclusion of the special meeting.
On Thursday, June 14, 2012, this office, in the name of the State of Arizona, filed a Quo Warranto complaint, in La Paz County Superior Court, against Jose Lizarraga and Barbara Cowell, who have yet to voluntarily relinquish their offices to Mayor-Elect Foster and Council Member- Elect Orgeron.
The Quo Warranto complaint alleges Mr. Lizarraga and Ms. Cowell have usurped, intruded into or unlawfully held or exercised public office by not vacating the offices of mayor and council member respectively, and that they continue to exercise control over those offices contrary to the law.
This office has requested the court issue a judgment of usurpation and an order ousting and excluding both Mr. Lizarraga and Ms. Cowell from their respective public offices and all other orders and relief as the court deems just and proper.
The legal action taken by this office was taken after much deliberation and in conformity with the intent of our Founding Fathers. There is no other choice, but to intervene in Quartzsite, in order to ensure the will of the citizens is carried out without any further unnecessary delay.
Once again, this office asks all citizens to remain calm and allow the legal system to enforce the transition of power through peaceful means.


http://www.parkerliveonline.com/2012/06/15/county-attorney-in-court-filing-ed-foster-is-the-uncontested-mayor-of-quartzsite/

County Attorney in court filing: Ed Foster is the uncontested Mayor of Quartzsite

La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman has filed a rare quo warranto (“by what authority”) complaint asking for an order from the Superior Court to immediately place Ed Foster and Mark Orgeron into office as Mayor and Council Member of the Town of Quartzsite, taking the places of Jose Lizarraga and Barbara Cowell who lost the election to Foster and Orgeron.
The unprecedented complaint comes after the news-making actions of the Quartzsite Council in a meeting on June 4th in which they voted to ‘disqualify’ Foster and Orgeron from taking their seats after they won the May election.
Highlights from the County Attorney’s complaint:

• ‘Persuant to A.R.S. 12-2024, a county attorney “shall” bring a quo warranto action when he has reason to believe that any public office is being usurped, intruded into or unlawfully held or exercised.’
• ‘The terms of incumbent defendants Lizarraga and Cowell, and of incumbent Winslow, ended immediately following the election.’
• ‘Foster, Orgeron and Workman were each entitled to take office immediately following the election.’
• ‘During the June 4, 2012 meeting, defendants Lizarraga and Cowell, and Winslow, each purported to exercise the powers of the offices to which Foster, Orgeron and Workman had each respectively been elected, and purported to cast votes judging the qualifications of Foster, Orgeron and Workman to hold office.’

On the Council’s authority to decide that Foster was ineligible for office because he owes the Town money:

• ‘The Town itself lacks authority to create additional qualifications for elected office in addition to those set forth in Article 7 15 of the Arizona Constitution and A.R.S. 9-232.’
• ‘The provisions of the Quartzsite Town Code 2-1-10, to the extent they exceed the statutory qualifications for service on a town council …. are void from their inception because they are contrary to the Arizona Constitution and statutes.’

On the actions of Lizarraga and Cowell since the election:

• ‘By his actions since the canvass of the results of the May 15, 2012 election … defendant Lizarraga has usurped, intruded into or unlawfully held or exercised the office of Mayor of the Town of Quartzsite, which office is rightly held by Foster.’
• ‘By her actions since the canvass …. defendant Barbara Cowell has usurped … the office of council member … which office is rightly held by Orgeron.’
• Usurpation of a public office is ‘…a class 2 misdemeanor.’

On what the court is being asked to do about it:

• ‘The state is entitled to this court’s order ousting and excluding defendant Lizarraga from the Office of Mayor of the Town of Quartzsite.’
• ‘The state is entitled to this court’s order ousting and excluding defendant Cowell from the Office of Council Member….’
• ‘Ed Foster is the uncontested Mayor of the Town of Quartzsite and is entitled to the office usurped by defendant Lizarraga.’
• ‘Mark Orgeron is an uncontested Council Member….’

The complaint ends by asking the court directly to oust and exclude Lizarraga and Cowell from the offices they held before the election, leaving Foster and Orgeron to take office by default as election winners of those offices.

We ARE broke! That pesky Jade was right...

On May 22nd, during the second (illegal) meeting,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKFZjs58I_w&list=UUpOI84ohKOfpWoXxuiFTAXA&index=7&feature=plcpabout 18:42 into the presentation by the town's auditor, he affirms:

"Do to cash shortages in the town's unrestricted funds, cash resources from restricted Highway User Revenue Fund monies have been borrowed. Recent developments from audits of various towns by the State of Arizona Office of the Auditor General have concluded that the loaned HURF monies, Highway User Revenue Fund monies, constitutes the spending which is not allowed under the Arizona Revised Statutes.
In 2007, your Highway User Revenue Fund was paid down, paid off, it was zero. You didn't owe any amount. Nothing was blown from that fund. But in 2008, 2009 and 2010 there were borrowings from the Highway User Revenue Fund which according to new information that were were able to acquire from the Auditor General is they consider that spending. If you've blown it, they consider it spending. Ok? The fund balance remains the same because we didn't spend the fund balance, but we loaned some out, some of the cash out and the Auditor General has taken the stand that's spending and that's not allowed. and if it's not a use, a proper use of Highway User Revenue Funds...We recommend that you put together a formal plan to find a way to pay that back.
 Gee, isn't that what Foster kept saying last year? They didn't listen to him, did they?

The incumbents in the small Town of Quartzsite simply refuse to leave, even after having been voted out of office. Today was the official day the new officials were to be sworn in. But it didn't happen.

Mayor-elect Ed Foster, whom the Counsel refused to seat by deadline today, reports that La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman is looking into filing an unusual "Quo Warranto" action to get a court order to force the incumbents out. (See A.R.S. 12-2041 thru 2045. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=12)

(Mr. Vederman's phone number is 928-669-6118.)

It will be interesting to see if the Counsel will abide by a court order. (If they won't abide by the law, why abide by a court order?)

I wasn't at the meeting today, but am told the house was packed. Until the corruption started and then half the crowd left in disgust. Mayor-Elect Ed Foster is your contact for a first person report. (928-750-8113) You may also want to try calling the current Mayor, Mayor Lizarraga, who seems to have become one of the "good guys" after being assaulted by the Town Attorney two weeks ago. He opposed the Counsel each step of the way today.

The Counsel went into Executive Session at today's meeting where it was ostensibly determined that two of the candidates were not qualified for office. (Mayor Elect Foster and Councilman Oregeron.) This despite Quartzsite Town Attorney Martin Brannan's own citation of case law in a parallel matter (Prutch v. Quartzsite), where Brannan argued in court papers that you CANNOT challenge the qualification of elected officials AFTER an election. It must be done before.

See http://qtown.us/blog/2012/05/17/the-voters-have-made-their-choices/ for the mini-story and case law citation.

Last, the Council did not challenge one newly elected official, but neither did the Counsel swear her in.

The Quo Warranto law allows the Arizona Attorney General, Tom Horne, to bring this matter to the Arizona Supreme Court, but except for writing a few letters acknowledging Quartzsite is in violation of Open Meeting Law, Mr. Horne seems uninterested in fighting corruption in Quartzsite.

The Town's people could use a little light on this subject. Hope you'll make a few calls.

Matthew 7:1

"Judge not that ye be not judged." - Matthew 7:1

Monday morning's special meeting of the Quartzsite Common Council agenda finally lists canvassing the vote, but take a look at items 2, 3c and 4. Notice something missing? Still no swearing in of the elected officials, in violation of Town Code 2-1-3 .

Herr Gilbert pulls papers to run for County Sheriff???

You just can't keep a bad man down!

While rumors swirl like desert dust devils about the town's insurance needing El Jefe out of the way in order to start settling litigation by his wrongfully terminated officers...it seems as if somebody's figured out a way for Police Chief Jeff Gilbert to save face (and certification). He has pulled papers with the county elections board to run for La Paz County Sheriff! Not that anyone besides the Quartzsite cabal would actually vote for him, but if any part of his pay is grant funded then he falls under the "Hatch Act" and must resign in order to run for elected office. If Gilbert loses, then at least he wasn't fired...that looks so much better on your resume, when you eventually try and apply for your old job back as a baggage handler, Jeff!

The fat lady has sung - just don't tell the town

Shhh...it's a secret. The losers in the General Election actually think they're going to fight the will of the people and challenge the election, now that they couldn't buy the victory with Jerry's money or scare the voters into submission with lies about disincorporating the town. But, throwing even more money into an election challenge over alleged residency or money owed to the town had to be done BEFORE the election. 

Unlike calling a primary election "special" when it was not, and then swearing in a usurper in the back room, in this case, there's no legal leg to stand on. Sorry barf bagger - you blog posts are just wishful hallucinations!

The town has refused to put the minor administrative detail of accepting the county's canvass of the vote, or swear in the winners on Tuesday morning's Council agenda as if it's going to delay the inevitable. 

Hey, all you cabal supporters, do you hear what I hear? The fat lady is singing...

Quartzsite Town Code

Section    2-1-10    Qualification of Council Candidates (Ord 09-15)

D.    Failure to comply with this ordinance shall result in ineligibility of the candidate or elected official seeking re-election to be qualified to run or be appointed to Town office.

“Challenges concerning alleged procedural violations of the election  process must be brought prior to the actual election. Sherman v. City of Tempe, 202Ariz. 339, 342, ¶ 9, 45 P.3d 336, 339 (2002); citing Tilson v. Mofford, 153 Ariz. 468, 470, 737 P.2d 1367, 1369 (1987) (holding that “[p]rocedures leading up to an election cannot be questioned after the people have voted, but … must be challenged before the election is held”)(citing Kerby v. Griffin, 48Ariz. 434, 444-46, 62 P.2d 1131, 1135-36 (1936)).”

Quirky Quartzsite poison pen dresses down county supervisors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu-TDNTn-AA&feature=uploademail


Violet Kiss, elitest snob and Quartzsite backroom power player is apparently displeased that the money she used to buy her way into the town a couple of years ago cannot influence La Paz County Prosecutor Sam Vederman. A cheerleader for the removal of "Call to the Public" at the Quartzsite Town Hall meetings, Kiss has no problem abusing the right when espousing her rhetoric to the County Supervisors.

You can catch her "hate speech" in every issue of the "Desert Mess".

John Drum walks out on her and that ditz, Supervisor Holly Irwin doesn't even under the law that says you can restrict speech as to time and place, but not as to content. Vote her out in the August Primary Election! Do not vote for John Drum in his quest to be County Sheriff! None of them, including County Manager Dan Fields (an attorney) seem to grasp that Kiss could have been given a warning to wrap it up in 60 seconds, or something to that effect. Instead, they let "Kiss-Ass" make fools of them for over fourteen minutes! Didn't see Buckalew intervene either... Clearly, the county needs to take a lesson from Quartzsite voters and remove the incumbent politicians and entrenched bureaucrats.

Hope is in the air as voters oust cabal

Who won the Quartzsite election? The people did!

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS



Mayor
Percent Votes

FOSTER, ED (NP)

56.97% 376

LUKKASSON, JERRY (NP)

42.27% 279

Write-in (NP)

0.76% 5

660



Council Member
Percent Votes

COWELL, BARBARA A. (NP)

21.93% 279

ORGERON, MARK (NP)

29.25% 372

WINSLOW, JOE (NP)

19.18% 244

WORKMAN, PATRICIA (NP)

28.62% 364

Write-in (NP)

1.02% 13

1,272
 
It has been reported that there are only thirty four ballots to be verified, plus mail ins postmarked by today. Clearly, the margin between winners and LOSERS is to great to overcome. Congratulations to Foster, Orgeron, and Workman! When the sun rises tomorrow morning, it will herald the dawn of a new era for the small desert town of Quartzsite. The people have asserted themselves and are taking back their town from the greedy and corrupt cabal.
 
Just to be good sports, can we throw you a going away party? Help you pack?

Vote tomorrow! Tuesday May 15th

Vote like your future depends on it - it does!

http://www.kgun9.com/features/investigations/150471725.html
Investigations

9OYS Investigates

Quartzsite, Arizona: Little town, big uproar

CREATED May. 7, 2012 - UPDATED: May. 7, 2012

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Reporter: Stephani Ruiz
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Quartzsite, Arizona has a population of less than 4,000. But, you don't have to travel far into the rock capital of the world to find that this small town has big problems.
"Personally, we have taken extreme cautions for our safety because I have received death threats, hate mail," Shanana Golden-Bear said.
Small town politics hit the big time in June of 2011 when video of a council meeting hit YouTube and went viral.
It shows citizen Jennifer Jones politely criticizing city leaders during an official comment period. Councilman Joe Winslow quickly objected and demanded her removal. Police officers escorted her out and then, once they got her outside, they arrested her and cited her with disorderly conduct.
"This is kind of a scary town to be in when the police don't protect you," Jones told 9 On Your Side.
After the arrest, Mayor Ed Foster defended Jones. Council members responded to the uproar by conducting a secret meeting -- something Arizona open meeting law does not permit. Afterwards Foster told the Associated Press that the councilmembers voted to oust him, to put the police chief in charge and to declare what amounted to martial law. Councilmembers and the chief then denied any such thing had happened. But the town didn't post minutes for the meeting, leaving the question of what really happened behind locked doors that day hard to answer.
"I'm a marine and this is not the kind of democracy that I raised my right hand to defend. I'll tell you this is unbelievable what goes on in Quartzsite, Arizona," Foster said.
But if Foster was defending democracy, democracy did not defend Foster. Voters recalled him from office in September. Now he's running again.

"I won't bow down and I won't kneel down so if they take me down it will be from the standing position," Foster said, with a chuckle. "They picked on the wrong guy."
The Attorney General's Office later found three violations of open meeting laws. Among them: the forced removal of Jones and the secret town meeting. Among other things, the AG's letter required council members to undergo training in open meeting law compliance and to submit to a year of monitoring in order to resolve the matter.
After making several calls, 9 On Your Side reporter Stephani Ruiz made the drive to Quartzsite's town hall. Ruiz asked for an explanation of the violations, and how the town is preventing similar situations from happening now.
Quartzsite's town attorney did not agree to an interview, but did send a response by email. "The town always tried to comply with the law and create a positive atmosphere for the conduct of town business. The attention caused us to take measures to protect the public, the council and staff from the disruptive actions of a vocal minority of the town."
Jones told Ruiz those protective measures continue.

"I've been arrested five times, gone to jail four times, I jokingly told them at the sheriffs office, I said 'intake room 2 is like the Lincoln bedroom in the White House people will be able to say they've spent the night in the Jennifer Jones suite'," Jones said.
The police department itself has been under the microscope as well. Former Police Sergeant William Ponce is among those who signed a complaint last year expressing "no confidence" in the chief of police, Jeff Gilbert, and asking for an investigation.

"He was asking us to go after these people that were opposing the council. Well for us that wasn't right. We took an oath as law enforcement officers to uphold the law and the Constitution," Ponce said. Ponce told KGUN9 News that Chief Gilbert ordered officers to conduct improper searches of homes and cars.
Documents show that the officers filed their initial complaint with AZPOST, the Arizona office that sets police standards, on May 10, 2011. Two weeks later the officers sent a letter to the Quartzsite town manager and council accusing the chief of misconduct.
Amid the turmoil, ten officers received suspensions. Ultimately six, plus an administrative clerk, lost their jobs. The firings immediately resulted in a lawsuit.
Numerous attempts by KGUN9 to contact Chief Gilbert while researching this story were unsuccessful. However, minutes before the television version of this report was to air, Gilbert called KGUN9 News. He stated that no Quartzsite police officer was fired or suspended because of any complaints about illegal searches or seizures, and he insisted that no such illegal searches or seizures ever took place. However, Chief Gilbert declined to say why the officers were fired, citing pending litigation.
Ruiz asked Ponce what his life has been like since losing his job.

"It's been a roller coaster. I've been trying to rebuild and try to figure out how to move forward," Ponce said. "I've been working for a lawyer as an investigator. We're all trying to find work. Some of the guys haven't been able to gain employment, its a tough market out there right now unfortunately with the economy."

In his search for another job in law enforcement, Ponce says the Quartzsite controversy has left him blacklisted.

"It's definitely a problem. As soon as I walk in the door and I say I'm a certified officer their eyes light up. And then I sit down and I tell them my story and then they kind of step back. And you can tell that they're very hesitant to even deal with this and I would be too," Ponce said. "I have a little bit of, I guess you could say baggage, that I have to carry with me so it has tarnished my record."
And as Ponce struggles to move forward, so does Quartzsite- divided and trying to recover.

"The negative publicity has really hurt us a lot. Because it's out there in the world of how horrible everything is but in actuality you look around and the people are, the majority of the people are very happy," Golden-Bear said.

"I still think there's hope for this community to come back together once things finally come to light," Ponce said.

Jennifer Jones' citation for disorderly conduct eventually was dismissed.
The state Department of Public Safety investigated the town's conduct in the matter. DPS said it turned its report over to state Attorney General's Office in February. The Attorney General's Office declined to discuss the case with KGUN9 News, saying that the office cannot comment on the status of the investigation at this time.

"Nine on Your Side" investigates Quartzsite

http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/150148735.html

What is going on in Quartzsite, Arizona?

Reporter: Stephani Ruiz



It's a mess you might expect to find overseas. But right here in Arizona- a story with more drama than a soap opera.



A citizen arrested for speaking her mind.



A police chief accused of unlawful searches- and firing 80 percent of the force for voicing concerns about it to the council.



Government leaders meet in secret to oust the mayor- who says he was protecting democracy and won't go without a fight.



"I'm a marine and this is not the kind of democracy that i raised my right hand to defend, i'll tell you this is unbelievable what goes on in Quartzsite, Arizona," Ousted Mayor Ed Foster told KGUN 9.



How will Quartzsite move past all these antics? And who is being held accountable to keep people safe?



Nine On Your Side Investigates Monday night at 10:00.

Principal caught making out with married secretary on the clock!

Prutch v Jewitt and Town Cabal

http://aview.info/A-View/Library/PDF/QTZ-Town/PRUTCH/Prutch-Complaint-CV2012-052056-12-04-04.pdf

Let's hope John's attorney Riper-s them a new one! Maricopa County Courthouse, 2 O'clock pm...BE THERE! (If you Demand Justice for Quartzsite, AZ that is)

Justice is served - Charges dismissed against Foster!

Today, all charges were dropped against former Mayor and current mayoral candidate Ed Foster. This didn't sit too well with Ms. Graft. At 4 pm yesterday, she reportedly told Special Prosecutor Tom Jones that he was fired, but Judge King stated that with a trial date set, only the court could remove an attorney. Undaunted, the town mismanager marched herself right into Foster's final pretrial conference and attempted to pass a note to the court. King was flabergasted and although he would not take exparte in her conspiracy, he would be speaking to her about it. Who wishes they could be a fly on the wall for that spanking?

Because we say so, that's why - Jewitt v Prutch runoff

This just in from Starr Bearscat (sounding eerily like Rain) on Parkerliveonline - According to recent information from County and Town Hall "the Election is a Quartzsite Election and the Town Attorney and Town Clerk will make the final decision" .

Joni Hoffman, General Counsel League of Arizona Cities and Towns, had sent out a memo in October informing "Attorneys; Clerks" that "During the 2011 legislative session, SB 1318 (Chapter 271) was enacted.specifying how vacancies on a general law city or town council,including the office of mayor, will be filled."The email memo stated emphatically that, "The vacancy is filled for the remaining two years at a.regular city/town election, not a special election." I guess Marty Brannon and Terry Frausto must have hit the delete button on that one.

Someone needs to remind Marty that Ms. Hoffman's memo also stated: "This new law supersedes any city or town code provisions you may have on filling council vacancies to the extent those provisions conflict with this new law.

"We will see what happens at the next Council Meeting if it was decided to be a Special Election for Mr Jewit or not. " says the Bear to Goldilocks. Yes, lets all see if they are going to break the law while being investigated by the FBI Public Corruption Unit!

All seats to go to run off on May 15th

http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AZ/La_Paz/38473/75726/en/summary.html

Despite Foster trouncing Lukkasson in the primary, the 15 provisional ballots and 23 mail ins that arrived in time to be counted altered the total vote count just enough that it will go to a run off for the mayor's seat, along with the three seats on the council.

Incumbents Cowel and Winslow will face challengers Workman and Orgeron for 2 four year terms.

In a primary, the candidate must get 50% +1 vote to avoid a run off, and in the ever so special 2 year election, Jewiitt will now have to run against Prutch with both names on the ballot. Bye bye Mikey!

Quartzsite voters tell Lukkkasson to roll up his sewer hose

http://aview.info/A-View/Library/PDF/QTZ-Town/TOWN/Election%20Results%20Quartzsite-12-03-13.pdf

626 votes were cast. The unofficial results show  

Ed Foster had 50.98% with 312 votes. 

Jerry Lukkkasson had 38.40% with 235 votes.

Jenny Mills had 9.15% with 56 votes.

There were 9 Write-in votes cast.

9 candidates were seeking two Town Council positions:

Barbara Cowell had17.79% with 212 votes.

Pat Workman had 15.86% with 189 votes.

Joe Winslow had 14.43% with 165 votes.

Mark Orgeron had 13.84% with 165 votes.

It appears these top four will be in a run-off election in May.

Other candidates:

Jennifer Jones had 11.24% with 134 votes.

Starr Bearscat had 8.72% with 104 votes.

Dean Taylor had 6.29% with 75 votes.

Sean Austin had 5.79% with 69 votes.

Bill Moore had 4.19% with 50 votes.

There were 22 write-in votes cast.

In the Vacancy Council Member race:

Mike Jewitt received 51.97% and 251 votes.

There were 232 write-in votes cast for former town manager John Prutch with 48.03% of the votes. 

74.87% of the voters rejected a resolution to replace town ordinance asking to appoint the mayor, rather than by vote.

Clearly the voters of Quartzsite do not want Jerry Lukkkasson appointed as mayor or grand high poo-bah in perpetuity. The resolution was started by Jerry and Michele Lukkkasson but failed to garner enough signatures. Then the council placed it on the ballot, yet it still failed three to one.

This election has been the subject of ballot tampering by the town government and civil rights violations by the chief of police in an effort to bully potential voters who would have supported opposition candidates. Despite these efforts the people of Quartzsite are clearly fed up with the current town government and desire a regime change.

Town mismanager blows community center grant

Alex Taft's mismanagement will cost Quartzsite about $235k. Quartzsite was awarded $235k in Community Development Block Grant monies, ("free money") last year, and promised the town a community center. They even orchestrated a public show of support for the project. But not surprisingly, Ms. Graft could not fulfill the grant requirements correctly.  The Arizona Department of Commerce gave them notices and warnings that went unheeded.  Now it seems Ms. Graft failed to show up to an informal meeting on the topic so a formal notice was issued and formal hearing set to terminate the award.  When it gets to this point in the road there is no salvaging the situation.

What a rip off!

http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/La-Paz-County.aspx

Anybody out there want to contribute a report of their own?