Pullen for the Party

AZGOP: PELOSI, DEMOCRATS WRONG ON BORDER POLICY

PHOENIX, AZ – “It is unfortunate that Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi believes that unprotected, open borders which allow the free-flow of drugs into Arizona schools and risk the passage of gangs and terrorists across our border is better policy than protecting our communities,” said Arizona Republican Party Communications Director Brett Mecum. “Her refusal to endorse and support common sense steps to gain operational control of our southern border is very disturbing and makes America less safe from outside threats.”

Mecum’s comments come after Pelosi called building the border fence a “terrible idea” at the Rio Grande Valley for the annual Hispanic Engineering, Science & Technology Week conference held at the University of Texas-Pan American. Pelosi went on to say that, "I have been against the fence, I thought it's a bad idea even when it was just a matter of discussion…" [link]

“It’s no wonder why Congress has the lowest approval ratings in history when the liberal Speaker of the House chooses to do her utmost to derail a project that is aimed at helping keep America safe and secure. The Democrat controlled Congress with Pelosi at the helm cares little for border security and the rule of law and they care very little about legislating and doing their job. It seems the only thing they do care about is the preservation of their own political power,” concluded Mecum.

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AZGOP LAUDS HOUSE REPUBLICAN EARMARK REFORM

Takes Democrats to task for stifling reform

PHOENIX, AZ – “While campaigning last year, the Democrats made unfulfilled promises to the American people about how they were going to run the cleanest, most ethical Congress in history,” said state GOP Communications Director Brett Mecum. “It seems those statements were misleading and deceitful on the part of the Democrats.

“House Republican Leader John Boehner and his Republican conference should be commended and lauded for their relentless efforts this year to reform earmarks and bring a very secretive and obscure process out of the shadows.”

Mecum’s comments come as congressional Republicans called on House Democrats to implement reform measures aimed at making the earmark process more open and subject to greater accountability.

“It’s time the Democrats practiced what they preach,” continued Mecum. “With the antics the Democrats have engaged in since taking charge, from Gabrielle Giffords keeping her earmarks secret to Harry Mitchell stealing votes on the House floor, it’s no wonder that the Democrat controlled Congress scored an embarrassing 11-percent approval rating this week. They have lost the faith, confidence, and support of the American people. They have an opportunity to do the right thing, the ethical thing and support expanded earmark reform. But sadly, they would rather hurl partisan rhetoric and insults rather than trying to clean up their own house.”

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PULLEN CONGRATULATES FLAKE, FRANKS, AND SHADEGG;

CHIDES MITCHELL AND GIFFORDS ON ANNUAL CLUB FOR GROWTH “RePORK” CARD

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, congratulated Arizona Members of Congress Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, and John Shadegg for their efforts in combating wasteful “pork” spending in Congress. Flake, Franks, and Shadegg were part of a group of just 16 out of 435 Members of Congress who earned perfect 100% ratings on the annual Club for Growth “RePORK” scorecard.

“The outstanding scores, earned by three Republican members of our congressional delegation, show very clearly that when it comes to reducing wasteful government spending, it’s Arizona Republicans that are leading the nation,” said Pullen. “I congratulate Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, and John Shadegg for the amazing work they are doing on behalf of the people of Arizona. Please keep up the great work.”

In contrast, Arizona freshmen members of Congress Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords earned an abysmal 2% scores from the Club for Growth, having voted for only one out of the fifty anti-pork measures.

“It is disappointing that both Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords are two of the biggest offenders in the United States Congress when it comes to reckless earmark spending,” said Pullen. “During the campaign last year, Democrats like Mitchell and Giffords promised to change Washington. Then, as soon as they arrived, they turned their backs on the very people that elected them. Clearly, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords have no respect for the office, their constituents, or the hard-earned dollars of the Arizona taxpayers whose trust they are betraying. With report cards like these, it’s no wonder that Mitchell and Giffords have helped to bring congressional approval ratings to their lowest point in history,” concluded Pullen.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

Bruce Ash On Recess In Congress

Republican National Committeeman from Arizona, Bruce Ash, tackles the pressing issues of the day.

This week's commentary:
Recess in Congress

Click below to listen:
Download bruce_ash_on_congress_recess.mp3

THIRD TIME IS NOT THE CHARM FOR GIFFORDS, DEMS

Press conference on fiscal responsibility postponed for third time

PHOENIX, AZ – “Gabrielle Giffords and her Democrat comrades talking about fiscal responsibility is like Hugo Chavez extolling the virtues of capitalism,” said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

Pullen’s comments were in response to news that Gabrielle Giffords and fellow members of the so-called “Blue Dog” Democrats had postponed a press conference on fiscal responsibility for the third consecutive time.

Pullen continued, “This would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. How can the American people trust Gabrielle Giffords and the Democrats to lead in Congress when they can’t even agree to hold a press conference?

“Beyond that, what kind of fiscally responsible record has Gabrielle Giffords or any Democrat had since taking control of Congress in January? They supported the largest tax increase in U.S. history. They proposed record amounts in pork barrel spending (which Giffords and other tried to keep secret.) It’s no wonder why the polls show that the Democrats have taken Congress to historic lows.

“When it comes to Giffords and the Democrats on fiscal responsibility, it’s three strikes and you’re out,” concluded Pullen.

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PULLEN CALLS HOUSE VOTE ON IRAQ “NEGLIGENT”

Phoenix, AZ – Yesterday, just hours after the White House released an interim assessment report on the situation in Iraqi, Democrats in Congress, including Arizona’s four Democrat U.S. House Members, voted to pull U.S. troops from their war against terror by spring. According to Arizona Republican Party chairman Randy Pullen, the vote put American troops and American lives at risk.

“History will show that at 6:12 (EDT) in the evening on July 12, 2007, Harry Mitchell, Gabrielle Giffords, Raul Grijalva and Ed Pastor voted to surrender the nation of Iraq to the terrorists,” said Pullen. “On November 4, 2008, the voters will have their chance to say exactly how they feel about Arizona Democrats who surrender to anyone.

“The report these representatives got from the White House talked about eighty Syrian suicide bombers entering Iraq each month. Is the answer to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq when the Iraqi government has provided the three brigades of troops they fulfilled their commitment to provide? Certainly the answer wasn’t to defy the U.S. State Department and stab Israel in the back by negotiating directly with state sponsors of terrorism in Syria, but we couldn’t stop Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from doing exactly that. Her reward was the votes of Mitchell, Giffords, Grijalva and Pastor yet again,” Pullen said.

“How many times do Democrat U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democrat US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have to call for our surrender to terrorists before Mitchell, Giffords and others figure out that Congress should not be trying to run the war? Their job is to support our troops,” Pullen said. “This isn’t just a do-nothing Congress, it’s a stop-trying Congress, and that’s more than just cowardly. It’s the reason why only 14-percent of American voters approve of the job this Democrat-controlled Congress is doing, and it’s the reason next year’s elections couldn’t come soon enough.”

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org

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PULLEN TO MITCHELL AND GIFFORDS: STOP PLAYING POLITICS AND DO YOUR JOB

PHOENIX, AZ – With Congress on a week long break, Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, suggested to Arizona’s two freshmen members of Congress that they stop with the useless political rhetoric from the DCCC playbook and start actually doing their jobs and pass meaningful legislation when they return to Washington.

“Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell may have joined their fellow Washington Democrats in supporting the liberal fringe of their party, but they have done little to address the real issues facing Arizona and America,” Pullen said. “The American people have made their opinions quite clear: the Democrat-led Congress has the lowest ratings in the history of congressional polls. The Democrats’ have done little since taking power other than engage in political rhetoric and partisan attacks. Unfortunately, the victims are the people who elected them.”

Since taking control of Congress in January, Democrats have worked overtime to appease their far left constituencies. They:

• Promised to address and fix the rising gas prices, but have done nothing to address the problem. Since Democrats took over Congress, gas prices have gone up, not down.
• Tried to force and early retreat from Iraq and delayed funding to our troops.
• Supported the addition of pork spending on non-combat related items to the Iraq funding bill.
• Supported stripping away privacy rights and the right to a secret ballot in the union formation process.
• According to the NRCC, Gabrielle Giffords has voted with liberal Speaker Nancy Pelosi an astounding 96% of the time, while Harry Mitchell votes with her 90% of the time.

“With all the bad Democrat legislation and support for Nancy Pelosi and her extreme liberal agenda, Arizonans and Americans are much better off when Giffords and Mitchell are on vacation and away from Washington,” quipped Pullen.

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PULLEN LAUDS SENATE REPUBLICANS FOR DEFEATING UNION CARD CHECK

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, was elated that the entire Republican Conference held together and defeated a cloture vote on the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, which Pullen dubbed “the Democrats egregious anti-business, anti-jobs payback for unions who funded Democrats’ campaigns in 2006.”

“This sends a strong message to the American people that the Republican Party will continue to defend your right to a secret ballot and will continue to protect American workers from union threats and intimidation.”

Pullen continued, “I think that US Senate Republican Leader McConnell along with our own Arizona Senators, John McCain and Jon Kyl, did a tremendous job of derailing this anti-worker and anti-American bill.”

The motion for cloture on the “Employee Free Choice Act” failed in the senate by a vote of 51-48 with all Republicans voting against the measure. The measure had previously been passed by the House of Representatives by a vote 241-185 on March 1, 2007.

During passage in the House, Arizona’s two freshmen Democrat members, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords, voted with Nancy Pelosi and the liberal extremist wing of the Democrat Party to approve this anti-jobs legislation.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

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PULLEN LAUDS GOP LEADERS ON EARMARKS

Phoenix, AZ – “I am proud of the courage and conviction that John Boehner has shown in the current showdown over earmark rules in the U.S. House,” said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party. “The only thing standing between the Democrats and a secret earmark slush fund is the tenacity of the Republican Caucus.”

Pullen continued, “It’s unfortunate that Nancy Pelosi and David Obey have decided to go back on their word to the American people and transform a very open process into a process of secrecy with little accountability. John Boehner and the rest of the Republicans should be lauded for their steadfast support of fair debate about each spending bill and holding Pelosi and Obey in check and keeping from enacting their multi-billion dollar spending spree.

“Arizonans can be proud of their Republican members of Congress. John Shadegg has been a leader on the Republican Study Committee, fighting for lower taxes and a more responsible government for years. Jeff Flake has been on the forefront of earmark reform and takes aim on a weekly basis at the various congressional ‘pork’ projects. Trent Franks is a leader in the fight to streamline the tax code and implement the ‘Fair Tax’ system in this country. Finally, Rick Renzi has been a reliable vote to balance the budget and bring needed tax relief to Arizona families.

“Arizonans can be proud of Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, John Shadegg, and Rick Renzi for their efforts now and in the past to balance the budget, reduce taxes, and cut wasteful government spending,” concluded Pullen.

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From Congressman John Shadegg

Shadegg Arizona Republic Op-Ed: Heated Emotions Won’t Solve Immigration Crisis

Washington, DC- Today, the following op-ed by Congressman John Shadegg (R-AZ) appeared in The Arizona Republic: Heated Emotions Won’t Solve Immigration Crisis

By Congressman John Shadegg

Immigration reform is a very divisive issue. Two years ago, as House Policy Chairman, I recognized that the same divide we see in the public existed among the Republican Members of Congress. To help bridge the divide, I held a series of Unity Dinners with members of the two most extreme camps and some in between.

Some argued that with America's declining birth rate, we need additional workers. Others asserted that trying to deport roughly 12 million illegals would be impractical, do significant damage to our economy and would be inhumane.

Critics made the valid point that we are a nation of laws and that rewarding illegal conduct would be unfair to those who have come legally and those still waiting in line. We had a heated debate on the significance of citizenship.

Opponents of the draft Senate bill at that time noted that it not only allowed people to become U.S. citizens without first demonstrating their loyalty to this country but involuntarily pushed them toward citizenship by compelling them to obtain a green card to keep their job. They pointed out that it would have forced illegals who had no desire to become Americans to nonetheless pursue citizenship. They saw such a policy as destroying the significance of being an American and changing our nation forever.

The recent personal attacks leveled at Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl are inappropriate and counterproductive. It is appropriate for any of us to express our views on the merits or flaws of any proposed legislation. However, personal attacks or challenges of individuals' honor or patriotism are unbecoming and out of place, especially on issues of such magnitude.

At the same time, the criticism by President Bush and Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez of those who disagree with them are equally inappropriate and counterproductive and only serve to further divide the nation on this issue.

President Bush's comment that those who disagree with the bill “don't want to do what's right for America” was intemperate and offensive. He presumptuously asserted that anyone who does not support the bill hasn't read it. For those who may not read all 347 pages, let me address just three of the provisions I believe raise legitimate concerns.

First, while it requires that illegal aliens who want a probationary “Z-visa” undergo a background check, stunningly, it provides that if this background check is not completed within 24 hours, the illegal alien is to receive the visa regardless.

Second, the bill prohibits employers from using the newly created system to check whether or not a job applicant is legally in the country before offering the prospective employee a job. Rather, the employer may verify the potential employee's status only after the employee has been hired. Even more bizarre, the bill prohibits an employer from firing or taking any other action detrimental to an employee when the employer receives notice that the employee is not lawfully in the country if the employee files an appeal. Such an appeal could take months or years. Employers trying to do the right thing are in a Catch-22.

Third, the bill treats illegals dramatically better than lawful guest workers. Illegal aliens who come forward may remain in the country forever, while guest workers who enter lawfully may only stay for a total of six years and must leave twice during this period for a year each time. Then they may never enter the country again in this status. Illegal aliens who obtain “Z-visas” may chain migrate numerous family members; lawful guest workers cannot.

The bill will encourage anyone considering illegally entering the country to do so immediately to obtain these enhanced benefits. While the bill requires illegal aliens to prove that they were in the country before January 1, securing fraudulent documents or statements to support such a claim will be simple and will be enticing given the favorable status afforded to illegals.

I cannot support legislation with such troubling provisions left intact. At a minimum, Z-visa applicants should go through a thorough background check before getting any visa regardless of how long it takes; employers should be allowed to determine the eligibility of job applicants before hiring or spending money to train them; Z-visa holders should not be offered a new path to citizenship or enhanced benefits not offered to guest workers.

As a native Arizonan, I strongly support legislation that would include border security, interior enforcement, employer enforcement, and a lawful mechanism for those seeking employment as guest workers. Regrettably, I do not believe this bill and the extreme rhetoric it is inciting are leading toward a solution.