Would you trust this man around your children?
This is YOUR State Republican Party Executive Director, and they don't want you to know about this! They are trying to cover it up!
In a shockingly arrogant display of blog censorship, the Arizona Republican Party has forced the political blog Sonoran Alliance to remove a post about their Executive Director/dirty.com party animal /Phoenix New Times celebrity Brett Mecum. The Yellow Sheet reported yesterday that Brett Mecum admitted pressuring Sonoran Alliance into removing the offensive content.
Fortunately, a reader sent in a copy of the entire blog post and comments, which we've reproduced below. The State Party should not be censoring bloggers for exposing criminal behavior and sexism in the party - instead of trying to cover up Mecum's inexcusable behavior, they should fire him.
Mecum sauntering by his car at the Arizona Republican Party headquarters.
Mecum sauntering by his car at the Arizona Republican Party headquarters.SonoranAlliance.com
Wed 3 Jun 2009
Dismissed!
Posted by Pat under Constitutional Law , Judicial , Public Relations , Public Safety ,Transportation
Credit to EspressoPundit who first posted on this.
Arizona Republican Party Executive Director, Brett Mecum, has had the charges of driving 109 dismissed with prejudice. That means that he cannot be charged again. The judge presiding over the charges is none other than John C. Keegan the former mayor of Peoria, a “moderate” Republican who ran against Trent Franks in the CD-2 primary in 2002 and the husband of former Superintendent of Public Instruction and Deputy County Manager, Lisa Graham Keegan. (It is fair to say that the Keegans are liberal on social issues.) Keegan was elected to the post in November, 2006
Keegan is outspoken on the issue of photo radar. He believes the system is unconstitutional. Many of us agree with Keegan. Although it is the law, Keegan decided to dismiss the case against Mecum based on his objection to the law. According toTheNewspaper.com, Keegan made the following statement on enforcement of photo radar:
The clear meaning of these provisions of the Arizona and United States constitutions is that it is unconstitutional to create one set of laws that applies only to a particular class of defendant and not to other defendants based solely on the mechanism employed by the government,” Keegan ruled. “Given the not uncommon set of circumstances where two drivers are traveling on the same highway, at the same speed in excess of the speed limit, at the same time, in essentially the same location and are cited by the same agency into the same court, [the freeway photo radar statute] ARS 41-1722 creates a distinction whereby one class of defendant is subjected to a significantly different array of penalties than another class of defendant based solely on the use of photo enforcement.
It is the determination of this court that the provisions of ARS 41-1722 are unconstitutional and unenforceable within the jurisdiction of this court.
It’s pretty clear what the dismissal of charges against Mecum signal:
1. Anyone can drive whatever speed they want in Judge Keegan’s jurisdiction and a photo radar ticket will be thrown out. This doesn’t mean a traffic cop ticket will be dismissed.
2. Photo radar will remain controversial in Arizona and will likely work its way through revisions in the legislature and courts.
3. If you’re a party official, it helps to know someone in elected office to get you off the hook.
4. Republicans with fast cars can ignore the conventional wisdom that driving at excessive speeds is dangerous.
Democrats are going to have a field day with this.
25 RESPONSES TO “DISMISSED!”
Gerald Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 am
This post is very unfair. The case was dismissed in large part because the defendant’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss and the county attorney’s office failed to respond.
Amy Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:21 am
I want to know why someone like that is still holding the position of Executive Director for the State Republican Party. In addition to criminally violating the law, he has no respect for women as indicated in these sleazy pictures of him posted on thedirty.com -http://thedirty.com/2009/05/21/az-republican-party-exec-director-loves-his-job/
As a woman, I am offended and do not feel that someone like this should be representing my interests in the Republican Party. As long as he is still Executive Director of the party, I will not give the GOP one dime, and I will be telling the members of my Republican Women’s club not to either.
Pricinct Committeeman Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
This post is very unfair?
What is unfair is that an official of my political party was driving more tha 40 mph over the posted speed limit and blamed the cops for his problems.
More unfair is the appearance of a drunk at a Halloween party doing stupid things in a parking garage. Does that mean he was drinking and driving?
What’s really unfair is that there is nothing we can do about it. Randy Pullen is the only person who can fix this mess by getting rid of the immature brat who doesn’t care how he acts in public or how he endangers other people Mecum must go.
That would be fair.
Sean Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
Apparently Pat, who wrote the original post, does not believe in the constitution or the rule of law. Seig heil, Pat!
DSW Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:05 am
There are a lot of crappy laws on the books but that doesn’t mean we can break them all. The guy who shot Tiller in KS didn’t agree with the “law of the land” but he probably wasn’t interested in working toward changing it.
George of the Desert Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 am
Would anyone who’s posted here tell the Justice of the Peace to NOT dismiss the charges if THEY were the person in the dock?
Mecum is lucky he was speeding in Keegan’s jurisdiction. That’s all he is: lucky.
Amy Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
As long as this guy is still E.D. of the party he is going to be a distraction. Politico Mafioso has a brutal post on it.http://politicomafioso.blogspot.com/2009/06/captain-america-109-and-feelin-fine.html He’s going to just be fodder for the blogs as long as he continues to represent the party. This is a disgrace.
I noticed there is a significant amount of public sentiment against him (see the comments on espressopundit -http://coaching.typepad.com/espresso_pundit/2009/06/mecum-case-dismissed.html). When is he going to do the right thing for the party and resign? Every time I see those pictures it enrages me that someone that disrespectful of women is allowed to get away with it.
Erica Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:54 am
Mecum is an embarassment to the party and needs to resign. This isn’t a left wing conspiracy, he simply broke the law. The next time Mecum debates a Democrat or writes an article in the paper he is rendered useless. His political career is over but just does not realize it yet.
Conservative does not mean Republican Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm
The debate on whether or not photo radar cameras are constitutional is irrelevant to the real issue here. The real issue is why Randy Pullen continues to employ Mecum as the executive director of the party after this incident? Randy continues Pull-en the party down with his out of touch decisions.
RepublicansRNODifferent Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I have to agree with the first sentence in #9. Regardless of what we think about photo radar, this whole situation is feeding into the perception that Republicans are inept in following the law and cleaning their own house. The outside observer like me, already know that Democrats look for every opportunity to skirt the law. Indicents like this make me see Republicans as being no different. Is it any wonder why conservatives (not trusting the GOP) are disgusted with the GOP and see it no different from the Dems?
marissa Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
This guy is a real piece of work, I just read the post at http://politicomafioso.blogspot.com/2009/06/captain-america-109-and-feelin-fine.html about him. How can anyone working with him take him seriously after seeing pictures like those? I am a grassroots activist and I’ve decided as long as he is at state headquarters, I’m no longer going to be volunteering. He obviously has no respect for women. I would feel uncomfortable around someone like that and I suspect other women do too.
Megan Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
This guy is a massive tool. Where is the oversight on people like this? How can Mecum feel confident to walk into work every day. He has damaged the Republican Party. How can the party raise money when we have public relations nightmares like Brett walking around.
Fast cars, Fast women Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Is there any way to force someone like this to resign? I don’t know anyone who actually likes him. He’s arrogant, rude, and flaky and does a poor job representing the Republican Party. My female friends say he leers at them. Maybe Randy Pullen is trying to arrange for someone in the private sector to hire him. Would be the best option at this point. The longer he sticks around, the more he hurts the party. If he’s partying like that at age 30, he’s not going to change his immature ways. I’ve done my share of partying, but it was in college when I was 18-21. Then I grew up! I was also never stupid enough to take pictures of myself in compromising positions - and I never had a high-level job either but I still didn’t do anything that dumb.
Where is Arpaio and other leaders on this? Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I want to know why our public officials are cowering under their desks and not denouncing the demeaning treatment of women Mecum demonstrated in the dirty.com photos. Where is Sheriff Arpaio? Would he approve of his #2 Hendershott treating women like that? Of course not. Sheriff Arpaio needs to do the right thing for the party and condemn this kind of behavior. If not, it gives the perception that it is condoned.
Diogidog Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Girls, girls, girls:
What you really need is a dog like me. Quit doggin’ on the man and let’s get barkin’ Woof!
Now I suppose you’ll cut up that check to the ASPCA, too?
AZRep Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Keegan’s opinion is just embarassing. We are going to throw out a traffic ticket involving speeding 44 mph over the limit because photo radar violates the United States Constitution on EQUAL PROTECTION GROUNDS?! What a moron. This is why placing non lawyer political activists in quasi judicial roles is a bad idea people (the JP in my district is a politically connected former prison guard, who would not hesitate to wax eloquent on the Constitution when someone he knows gets in trouble). As for Mecum, he is a creepier George Costanza and Pullen needs to show some leadership on this soon.
Joe Gonzales Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Just a lot more sore Lisa James losers looking for any punching bag they can find.
Jeff Vath who writes Politico Mafioso hates the Republican platform and conservative Republicans. That’s news?!
Where did the “Unity Slate” go after losing the county and state? Off to start their own PACs. Not fooling anyone.
Flaccid and Furious Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:09 pm
OK, RINOs and Lisa James supporters are losers and hypocrites for not walking in goose step behind the Champions of Conservative Principles and the GOP Platform… accepted.
Now… what don’t the rest of you understand about “illegal”?
Just because a JP throws out the charge, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t illegal just the same.
The hair-splitting technicalities and flimsy justifications employed to cover Brett Mecum’s shame sounds just like those amnesty-promoting businesses that whine about hiring illegal workers. They say they have no other choice and claim there’s no way to really know who’s illegal anyway! Real Conservatives now better. Real Conservatives understand what “illegal” is all about.
Randy Pullen?
When it comes to his E.D. problem, he must think those little blue pills is all he needs to take.
Joe Gonzales Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 5:23 am
Now here is where those griping about Brett Mecum are really coming from. Why don’t they just split off and start the Great Moderate Party? They can be like their leader McAmnesty. We stand for everything!
http://amcongop.blogspot.com/2009/05/mccain-hit-man-targets-pullen.html
Joe Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Is Joe Gonzales really Bob Haran or Brett Mecum?
Maricopa GOP Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 6:57 am
I disagree with Mecum’s actions, but to indicate that Keegan - not one of my favorites by the way - took this action for Mecum because he is a political entity is preposterous.
Keegan BELIEVES that photo radar as run in this state is unconstitutional. So do many of the legislators including the majority who have legal training.
Blame Nappy and the RINOS for setting up this mess as a revenue generator instead of a law enforcement tool.
Since this is about Keegan and his ruling, I will defer comments about Mecum’s value to the Party and whether he should resign.
John Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 8:52 am
The problem with the situation is that although speed cameras are bad and need to go, Mecum was still criminally speeding. We all know he was. And he was probably drinking since it took place in the middle of the night and was such a stupid thing to do. He has a reputation for late night partying so none of this is surprising. Combined with his immature actions featured on thedirty.com, he should resign from his position at the State Party.
Pricinct Committeeman Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 8:53 am
This isn’t about Keegan or the stupidity of the cameras.
This is all about Mecum.
He was the reckless driver who endangered hundreds of people with his hyper-speeding. He is the man in the photo as the caped-Captain America looking for a hummer in the parking garage.
If Mecum doesn’t embarass you, whether a RINO or a conservative, then you have a set of moral values different than most of us.
The guy has to go. (So do the cameras, but that is a separate battle.) Mecum shouldn’t be standing-up for my party anymore.
John Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Now the Phoenix New Times is running the pictures of Mecum. Looks like Mecum is turning into quite a celebrity in a bad way. http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2009/06/alleged_racy_pictures_of_brett.php
1 comment:
Charles is a loser. I've decided :)
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