State Senate President Russell Pearce will face two challengers in the Nov. 8 recall amid accusations one of them is a fake candidate out to split the anti-Pearce vote.
Olivia Cortes filed her signatures with the Secretary of State Friday afternoon, the deadline to enter the race. She joins charter school executive Jerry Lewis.
Unlike Lewis, Cortes does not have a website, hasn't staged events or tried to get any publicity for her campaign.
Recall organizer Randy Parraz said a woman collecting signatures at the Mesa library on Cortes's behalf told passers-by that Pearce supporters would want Cortes on the ballot to dilute anti-Pearce votes. Parraz called Cortes a stealth candidate propped by Pearce supporters. Parraz had an audio recording of the discussion.
"This is really behavior that is not becoming of a senate president," Parraz said.
Cortes did not respond to a phone call or email.
Her petitions were submitted by Greg Western, who insisted that Cortes was "in the race to win" and not simply trying to siphon off anti-Pearce votes that would otherwise go to Lewis.
Western acknowledged he had read published reports that people gathering signatures on petitions for Cortes had said the real purpose was to help Pearce.
"Maybe that's why they were helping her," Western said, adding there might be Pearce supporters among the volunteers and paid circulators who gathered the signatures. "But they don't speak for Olivia."
Western, chairman of the East Valley Tea Party, acknowledged he had recruited Cortes to run in the special election, saying they both belong to the same Mormon church.
Pearce campaign chairman Ed Phillips said the stealth candidate allegations sounded made-up.
"That's absolutely not true," Phillips said. "We don't have anything to do with her. I don't even know who she is. That's her campaign and we're running our campaign. I know nothing about her or her campaign."
Cortes filed 1,177 signatures Friday. It takes 621 to qualify for the ballot. Lewis has filed 1,448 signatures. Pearce is automatically qualified as the target of the recall.
Like Pearce, Lewis and Cortes are Republicans in a west Mesa legislative district dominated by the GOP.
Parraz said he knows voters in legislative District 18 would examine the Cortes signatures and will consider challenging them. A challenge must be filed within 10 days, said Matthew Roberts, a spokesman for the Secretary of State.
Attorney Michael Kielsky had planned to run as a Libertarian but dropped out Friday to endorse Lewis. He said Cortes is trying to dilute anti-Pearce votes.
"I think everybody's pretty clear that Olivia is some kind of a sock puppet for Pearce," Kielsky said.
He backed Lewis after talking about issues including SB 1070, which makes it a crime to for undocumented immigrants to be in Arizona. He said Lewis agreed with him that it needs reform and helps create a police state.
"While I wouldn't call Jerry exactly a Libertarian, he's about as close as you can be to Libertarian and still remain in the Republican Party," Kielsky said.
Pearce has easily been elected to eight two-year terms in the Legislature but became a polarizing figure after SB 1070 was passed last year. But he failed to push through another broad immigration bill this year despite having a super majority of Republican lawmakers. His effort triggered a letter signed by some of Arizona's most powerful business executives, saying Arizona's approach to immigration was hurting the state's image and business climate.
Capitol Media Services contributed to this report.
chick posted at 7:53 pm on Fri, Sep 9, 2011.
Is the Tribune the sister paper of the Republic now? Running the same story? The same accusations without proof from Parraz? Neither Lewis nor Cortes sigs have been fully verified. I can't believe what passes for reporting. Juvenile rumormongering pushed by the local "news" sites. Embarrassing.
akamai posted at 7:56 am on Sat, Sep 10, 2011.
For anyone to believe that the Tea Party leader has turned his back on Mr Pearce by supporting this unknown is allergic to reality. The fact that he is so overt in his attempt to undermine the vote is absolutely numbing. This WILL be the final nail in the Pearce coffin and how appropriate that it comes via trying to get a helping hand from a Hispanic.
CooperG posted at 10:16 am on Sat, Sep 10, 2011.
Chick: no proof? You're not paying attention, are you? There are recordings on-line of her --paid-- campaign petition gatherers (the same type of people Pearce whines about) are on record saying she's a shill.
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/elections/3rd-candidate-in-recall-election-a-sham-9-9-2011
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150437232899408
What other proof do you need?
NothingButTheTruth posted at 10:46 am on Sat, Sep 10, 2011.
Just more accusations with absolutely no proof. The Fox 10 story is a sham, and that facebook page is gone now. Recordings online? Where? Whine all you like about a third candidate ruining the bishops chances of beating Pearce, but remember this is politics no worse than all the cry babies that forced a recall election cause they didn't get their way in the regular election. Remember that Parraz started the recall movement the very same day Pearce won reelection like the big cry baby loser that he is. This is a free election where anyone can run and if you don't like it then move to Cuba. Please, move to Cuba. No one will mind at all.
lfarknagel posted at 5:30 pm on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
Nothing, your comments demonstrate your unwillingness to consider the truth. At least three different sources reported that Cortes is a shill for Pearce and that Pearce is seeking to split the anti-Pearce vote through the Cortes nomination.
lfarknagel posted at 5:31 pm on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
Steve Lemons reported his personal conversation with a person who was circulating a Cortes petition @ http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com
lfarknagel posted at 5:31 pm on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
Gary Nelson from Channel 10 did the same thing. See it here:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2011/09/08/20110908mesa-pearce-recall-election-olivia-cortes-campaign0908.html
lfarknagel posted at 5:31 pm on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
Pearce's old adversary in the 2010 election, Andrew Sherwood, reported a similar conversation here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150437232899408
lfarknagel posted at 5:33 pm on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
Pearce is an embarrassment to the State of Arizona. He is a demonstrated liar and spouse abuser and will do anything to get elected as he, Mr. Western and Mr. Tolman have so well demonstrated. He loves the Constitution only to the extent that he can twist it to gain power. He loves the law only to the extent that it does not get in his way. Right thinking conservatives in District 18 will throw this sorry excuse for a legislator out because he deserves it. It won't be Randy Parraz or the Democrats, it will be his own party and that will make it all the sweeter. So long anything-for-free-tickets Pearce.
Lessismore posted at 8:53 pm on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
Here are the facts...I have seen the Cortes' petitions. They were passed by Franklin Bruce Ross, the plaintiff in the Pearce petition to stop the recall election. Petitions were signed by Logan Pearce, Russell Pearce's nephew, who happens to have a Pearce sign in his front yard where it has been for the past three weeks. Petitions were passed by Pat Oldroyd, East Valley Tea Party member and former District 19 (not District 18) chairman. She was knocking on doors saying that Olivia Cortes is an "attorney." Greg Western, a Pearce supporter, turned in Olivia Cortes' petitions. Shall I go on and on with the list of East Valley Tea Party people who signed the petitions...all of them Russell Pearce supporters. This is called "election rigging." It isn't illegal but certainly is unethical. East Valley Tea Party = ACORN. Will Russell Pearce disavow them Tuesday night in the 6:30 p.m. meeting at the Mesa Utilities Building on Mesa Drive. Don't hold your breath. They were only doing his bidding.
NothingButTheTruth posted at 8:39 am on Wed, Sep 14, 2011.
Lots of sources from anti-Pearce, open border, pro illegal alien, socialists saying the same thing does not impress me. They are no different than any other political force running for office who will say whatever it takes to get their man or woman elected.
How about both sides just stop with the smear tactics and just allow us voters to decide who we want to represent us. You want ethics? What would you know about ethics? The losers of the world know all about ethics. Obozo doesn't. Most politicians don't. This will be a very nasty campaign on all sides. The stakes are so high nobody wants to lose. The pro illegal and the rule of law immigration control forces have a tremendous amount of desire to win.
God help Arizona and America if Pearce should happen to lose. You can just about dismantle the border and let the rush of illegals begin. They will do to America what they have just about accomplished in California. The damage to our economy will be catastrophic at the least, and may spell total collapse.
Pearce and the Tea Party are about all there is between total amnesty and the establishment of the North American Union. You may hate Pearce for other reasons than what he has done on immigration control, but I assure you that immigration control is what this recall is all about, and if you allow Pearce to lose, you will lose in the long run.
A few days ago, the National Council of La Raza (the race) announced that they were ending their boycott of Arizona which began in May 2010, shortly after Gov. Jan Brewer signed that state’s get tough legislation on illegal immigration known as SB1070.
La Raza claims they are ending the boycott because their efforts in discouraging other states from passing similar legislation were successful. They did miniscule harm to Arizona, but they were successful in slowing down the movement to get the illegal invasion under control. Now if they can just unseat this countries anti-illegal immigration champion they will have really taught other states a lesson. Don't try to stop the invasion or look what we will do to you. Do you really want Arizona to become another California? Do you really want to see California's financial burden in our K-12 schools, welfare system, unemployment rolls, etc. etc.?
In the news:
California bill would protect unlicensed invaders from arrest.
California weighs college aid for illegals.
Calif. Legislature votes to restrict use of E-Verify system!
Illegal Immigration Costs California Over Ten Billion Annually! Is that what you want for Arizona and America? Then vote for the bishop. He will do exactly what his Mormon church tells him to do. Like governments, religions need more money. They see the new (illegal) immigrants as potential new parishioners, and more money for the church. Bishop Lewis will destroy Arizona for his church if he gets the chance. Even if you hate Pearce for other reasons than his illegal immigration stance he is the lesser of two evils. To me, there really is no other choice.