A.J. LaFaro GUILTY of resumé padding and R3volution, straw man touts 42 years as GOP activist - 90% of credentials new in 2012

Burnin' down the house

Sarah Palin called it “Putting lipstick on a pig”.  A.J. LaFaro calls it 42 years of Republican activism.  We call it deceitful yet predictable election year spit polish from some of the most ineffective and divisive GOP leaders Arizona has ever had:  Tom Morrissey, Rob Haney and AZGOP HQ sofa sloth Phil Mason.

On September 10, 2012, the MCRC announced that LaFaro was a bonafide candidate for MCRC chairman.  Most people had never heard of LaFaro and wondered who the guy was.  Within days, it was obvious.  LaFaro was the hand-picked MCRC replacement for the outgoing leader of the B-Team, Rob Haney.

Haney, Tom Morrissey and Phil Mason had been quietly grooming their selected protégé for most of 2012.  LaFaro needed a lot of smoke & mirrors to be transformed into the 42 year Republican activist he now claims to be.

A.J. LaFaro’s election “credentials” have been emailed, posted and touted on blogs and in GOP meetings for months. But a closer inspection of LaFaro’s many patriotic sounding claims paints a picture of a desperate man trying hard to be seen as far more important and inside the GOP than he really is or ever has been. 

Since LaFaro only became a PC in the 2010 primary (as a write-in), Haney & Co. had to think quickly and stuff the ballot box pad his resumé with an exorbitant amount of Republican sounding credentials. 

While LaFaro makes numerous claims of GOP activism, he neglects to say that he was recently appointed to or afforded positions that would allow Haney & Co. to qualify and sell his candidacy to gullible precinct committeemen, many of whom were just elected for the first time.

A cursory fact-check shows:

LaFaro claim:  LaFaro currently chairs the AZ GOP Statewide Voter and PEVL Registration Committee, serves on both the MCRC and AZGOP Bylaws Committees. 

Truth:  He began these posts in 2012 after being appointed by Tom Morrissey and Rob Haney.

LaFaro claim:  LaFaro is a South Tempe precinct committeeman.

Truth:  He was first elected as a write-in late 2010.  In 2012, he officially filed to be on the ballot and was again elected as a PC.  He was unable to recruit a full quota of PCs in his own precinct.  His white, upper-middle class Corbell precinct voted for Obama and Sinema.

LaFaro claim:  A Pachyderm Coalition member.

Truth:  Since 2012

LaFaro claim:  Is a founding member of the AZGOP Military & Veterans Services (MAVS).

Truth:  Tom Morrissey founded this group in 2012 and appointed Vern Bagley as the chairman.  In Morrissey’s inaugural MAVS announcement, he makes no mention of LaFaro.  Morrissey supports LaFaro’s election as chaiman of the MCRC.  

LaFaro claim:  Is a longtime Tempe community activist.

Truth:  Agreed, although his definition of activist includes some audience affinity, homophobic, and stalkerish tendencies.  Republicans should pray that he does not conduct this brand of activism in the name of the GOP.  More to come in the next few days here at Politico Mafioso.

LaFaro claim:  Chairman of the Arizona Citizens Tired of Public Employee Unions.

Truth:  This independent expenditure PAC was founded in April 2012 for the Tempe mayoral race.  Following the lead of his illustrious GOP handlers, LaFaro raised stole (only) $149 from the LD-17 bank account to fund this IE PAC.  LaFaro claimed his PAC was unaffiliated with any sponsoring organization but used the address and phone number of the AZGOP HQ in his statement of organization filed with the City of Tempe.  

LaFaro claim:  Member of the Tempe TEA Party.

Fact:  Member of the Ron Paul R3volution masquerading as the TTP.  Following his election as a write-in PC in 2010, LaFaro ramped up efforts to recruit PCs for Paul through 2012.

LaFaro claim:  He appeared regularly on the Voice ofVeteran’s radio show.

Truth:  He talked about registering voters a few times and only during the 2012 election season, right before he announced his candidacy for MCRC chairman.  Phil Mason is the co-host of this radio show.

LaFaro Claim:  He fought against inappropriate manipulation of so-called Republican Victory Funds by AZ Republican leadership. 

Truth:  He followed the lead of hot-head & former Pinal County GOP chairman, Stephen Kohut, and called for the ouster of Andy Tobin and Steve Pierce.  LaFaro said the incumbent leadership should be punished and suggested a public gallows be erected in the town square in Prescott where Tobin and Pierce could be hanged to death.  Andy Biggs replaced Steve Pierce when Kimberly Yee played turncoat and voted for the EV guy.  Biggs held a fundraiser meet &greet for AJ LaFaro this week at the home of Dwight Farnsworth.

AJ LaFaro’s incompetent GOP handlers have tried to turn the Tempe & Ron Paul activist into a suave slickster who is eager to lead the Republicans of the 4^th largest county in the United States. 

Like his predecessor, LaFaro’s leadership will keep the MCRC six-feet-under and full of angry, vengeful vampires who have sucked the life out of the GOP.  With the lifeblood of the party gone from the Red, White and Blue, LaFaro will leave Arizona bruised and battered, hanging from the gallows in the town square…..a deep shade of blue.