The new issue is here, online and ready for your perusal. Feel free to comment on its contents here!
As for extras … the Mexican is on what could become a permanent YouTube strike, and Dan’s too busy being a pundit to do any Savage Love extras as of late.
Thus, all I can offer you is our love and appreciation … which isn’t an extra at all, as it’s always offered.
This article appears in Sep 11-17, 2008.
Trust the Weekly with what they commit to paper and ink?
Read Mari Herrera’s take on the “activists” (label de jour).
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Opinion/Content?oid=oid:115593
Absorb witty gems of Faux News humor like, “Huckelberry does not have an MRI machine behind his desk, despite what some activists may believe.”
You can measure the tone and accuracy of this story against an alternative. Start with the following arrest link, then look at the clips to the left of the page:
http://www.fatallyflawedthemovie.com/pages/brakeyarrested.html
Some of you might agree that what’s at stake is far more important than another establishment ass kiss.
Aw, now, come on, J.T. It’s called a sense of humor. Sorry if we hurt your feelings.
You owe your apology to John Brakey.
In James Digiovanna’s movie review, he has what I consider to be some great sarcasm…
“I don’t know. This movie is so full of tricks, lies and deceptions that I was surprised it didn’t end with the words, “I’m John McCain, and I approve this message.””
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Cinema/Content?oid=oid:115600
I think John has a sense of humor, J.T.
An update to my review of “Working,” in which I said I thought I’d seen a version of the show at ATC a couple of decades ago, but could find no record of it at ATC’s Web site. I just got an e-mail from someone forwarding confirmation from actor Dave Orley, now a Gaslight regular:
“Speaking of the Gaslight, my dear friend Dave Orley (who doesn’t have an email account) wanted me to drop you a line letting you know that you were not ‘hallucinating’ but the Arizona Theatre Co. did in fact do a workshop version of Studs Terkel’s ‘Working’ 20 some years ago. He auditioned for it and it was directed by Gary Gisselman and performed at the Leo Rich.”
I didn’t *think* I was imagining the whole thing, but after a couple of decades, how accurate can one’s memory be?
This week’s Skinny by Herreras reminds me of the media’s coverage of Sarah Palin – fixated on “lipstick on a pig” issue instead of whether she’s capable of being VP or even president.
Boegle, you’ve said that the WEAKLY has the best coverage on this issue. Then why don’t you prove it and cover the real story instead of the personalities? Are you journalists or People magazine?
I sent Mari Herreras the following questions by email last night. No response so far, so I’ll post my letter here. I really would like to know why there’s no mention of Noel Day and his allegations. Perhaps Mr. Boegle or Ms. Herreras would care to explain. Perhaps someone else has knowledge or an opinion.
Thanks,
Mike
***
Dear Mari Herreras:
I’m really puzzled. Why are you making fun of a bunch of amateurs and underpaid activists who have poked and prodded around Pima County’s elections department and discovered, “There were some idiot (at minimum) things done in the elections division that should result in people losing their jobs.” That quote is from your editor in a blog in The Weekly on August 20.
Yes, there was a fuss over John Brakey’s removal from the audit. But the main reason for the fuss, and for Brakey losing his cool, was that 7 of the first 9 precinct bags (the ones preselected for the audit) were missing seals, had wrong seals, or were missing paperwork. That voided their chain of custody and made them inappropriate for auditing. Considering the idiot things done in the elections division, shouldn’t voters (and reporters) be concerned that such an incredible percentage of their ballots lack proof they were cast by registered voters? Brad Nelson is paid more than $100,000 a year to see that elections in Pima County are secure. If you think he’s performed the job adequately, I’d be happy to point out all sorts of very specific testimony to the contrary from the RTA trial and sworn affidavits given before it.
I was at the same press conference you were. Interestingly, I was unaware of that Trent Humphries was begged to do the patriotic thing and contest his race. I am aware, however, that former Pima Elections employee Noel Day stated that he walked in on a group of Pima Elections personnel who, without oversight, were going through ballots in an apparent attempt to fix the bag’s contents to match its reported count for a soon-to-follow audit in 2006. How could you fail to mention that little item? I mean, really, isn’t this a significant accusation, especially when so many seals were broken, missing, or incorrect at our primary election’s audit when Brakey was arrested?
I can’t understand why you play down the disappearance of the hard drive containing all the database files that we laughable elections integrity people won in a public records fight against the Board of Supervisors, represented by numerous attorneys from the Pima County Attorney’s office at a cost to taxpayers of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Shouldn’t Dr. John Moffatt, who is paid very generously for his part-time position as security adviser to the elections department, be aware of security issues like that when he takes both hard drives from the court vault? Film proves Dr. Moffatt was present when the box was sealed. He knew both drives were in it then. And that the box bore a document stating it contained both drives. It appears Dr. Moffatt simply made a mistake, but if one of the election integrity people had managed to remove the county’s hard drive along with their own, imagine the results. Search warrants would have been issued. Someone would probably have been arrested.
I’ll tell you what I told Mr. Boegle when I wrote him about Mr. Day’s accusation. I’m one of the lesser election integrity people The Weekly appears to enjoy mocking. I was vice president of Campbell/Grant Northeast Neighborhood Association when the RTA passed. I have been an officer eight of the last nine years–pay grade, zero. I would prefer not to see a section of my neighborhood destroyed to widen Grant Road. My neighborhood has already suffered a decline in our quality of life just because of the apparent result of that election–fewer owner-occupied residences and more rentals. My house is worth less than it would have been, and not just because of the housing bubble or our current economic disaster. When allegations were made that the RTA was flipped, I didn’t believe them. But as an officer of the association, it was my duty to find out what was going on. Now, I have serious doubts. But whether the RTA passed or not is of secondary concern to me. I’m involved now because I’m no longer confident our votes count in Pima County. That opinion is based on the hundreds of hours I’ve spent pouring over documents and attending hearings and the RTA trial–pay grade, zero. I did it because I love my country and believe our votes must count. Without any doubts. That if there is any reason to doubt, this is no longer the United States of America.
I realize you’re an alternative newspaper and it’s your job to poke fun at people. But how about poking your nose into some actual investigative journalism as well? Who is Noel Day? Why has no newspaper mentioned the allegations he made at a public press conference last week? How can we accept a level of incompetence in our elections department that allows so many precincts selected for an audit to have ballots without the required chain-of-custody proof to show they haven’t been compromised?
I look forward to your answers. Thanks for your time,
J.M. “Mike” Hayes
The problem here Mike is that some people out there, even if they agree with it or not, appreciate the Weekly’s point-of-view. You ask Mari to write more about this issue and if the Weekly care’s about what the county has done – but when I think back the weekly has done stories on this topic and has been instrumental in getting people interested in what is going on (I’ve passed those stories on to many friends interested in voting issues all over the country).
Mike not many people in the community care or people like Bronson and Valadez would not continue to get our vote. You are right; this is a group of activists that have made this subject the center of their lives. The weekly, Mari in particular, has written about this subject and blogged when not too many people were paying attention.
I think the leaders involved in this project think it should be all the Weekly writes about, and what everyone in this community should be working on or paying attention to. I’ve had this conversation with a few of them. It’s an important topic, but there are also other things going on in Tucson that people need help with. Every day Mike, people in this community meet regularly to talk about feeding people who are hungry or homeless, finding ways to make our schools work, the environment and water, and helping others raise families on very little.
I think the weekly does a fine job of looking at those other topics, too, from Mari, Jim, Tim and Dave. You’re mistaken to accuse the paper of being a People Magazine and not caring. I guess my problem is that I know both groups of people. I meet with Mari and other reporters from other papers regularly to talk about story ideas and things I am working on in the community. She has helped me through the stories she has bothered to take the time to pay attention to, and I think, just in getting to know her the little that I have she is the type of person who really cares about Tucson. Seems like the kind of local writer we should nurture Mike. That’s been my approach.
I’m also an active Democrat. I get the e-mails, and I go to the press conferences, too. I hung out after the press conference and watched a group of people talk to Trent Humphries. And I saw when Noel Day was introduced to everyone. After the press conference Mari told me she wondered why Noel was brought out now, rather than early on, like during the lawsuit or when the accusations first began last year. I didn’t know, but she made me think about why Noel Day was brought out as John was arrested and the elections department issues with broken seals made the news.
I was there when the last guy was introduced at the last press conference, and now, I’m thinking this is all a little too orchestrated, along with the knee-jerk tenor of the press releases and even your blog messages make me uncomfortable.
I want justice, I want a secure voting system and I want changes to begin in Pima County. I also want people who are going to represent us and our concerns in an ethical manner. We need more people involved in this topic, especially younger people. But something tells me this isn’t the way to go about that and your attacks on the blog are not the way to go about that. We also don’t want to create an atmosphere that will make people not go to the polls and vote in November. If we went around in hysterics I think it would do just that and cause problems for a topic we are working to resolve. People won’t vote. I’m not sure I want to be part of that.
I’m sure the Weekly will continue writing about this topic, despite how you and others complain, and I’m happy about that. I’m happy the Weekly is not in a position that it is beholden to me, or the county or to the Democrats. It can’t make everyone happy. I’ve come to realize that’s the way it should be Mike.
So in a backhanded fashion, Mrs Harrison, you suggest that AUDITAZ, John Brakey and Noel Day act unethically? I believe Noel Day’s affidavit was recorded by Risner and used legally long before this event. Could the relevance of compromised seals on ballot bags discovered during the primary audit be another reason why Noel Day was compelled to tell his story about catching people illegally opening ballot bags before an audit? Sure, the Weekly covers all kinds of other “progressive” issues, but how accurate could they be when they mislead the public so much about what’s happening with their votes? Whether you embrace this mentality or not, your post reminds me of Jello Biafra’s rendition of a Phil Ochs song:
Love Me I’m a Liberal
(Phil Ochs/Jello Biafra/The Toadliquors)
I cried when they shot John Lennon
Tears ran down my spine
And I cried when I saw “JFK”
As though I’d lost a father of mine
But Malcolm X and Ice-T had it coming
They got what they asked for this time
So love me, love me, love me
I’m a liberal
I go to pro-choice rallies
Recycle my cans and jars
I’ll honk if you love the Dead
Hope those funny grunge bands become stars
But don’t talk about revolution
That’s going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me
I’m a liberal
I cheered when Clinton was chosen
My faith in the system reborn
I’ll do anything to save our schools
If my taxes ain’t too much more
And I love blacks and gays and Latinos
As long as they don’t move next door
So love me, love me, love me
I’m a liberal
Rush Limbaugh and the L.A.P.D.
Should all hang their heads in shame
I can’t understand where they’re at
[Oprah] should set them straight
But if Neigborhood Watch doesn’t know you
I hope the cops take your name
So love me, love me, love me
I’m a liberal
Yeh, I read the New Republic(an)
Rolling Stone and Mother Jones too
If I vote it’s a Democrat
With a sensible economy view
But when it comes to terrorist Arabs
There’s no one more red, white and blue
So love me, love me, love me
I’m a liberal
Once I was young and had an attitude
Stickers covered the car I drove in
Even went on some direct actions
When there weren’t rent-a-cops to be seen
Ah, but now I’ve grown older and wiser
And that’s why I’m turning you in
So love me, love me, love me
I’m a liberal
If I offended you, Mrs. Harrison, I apologize. I thought my letter was more polite than The Skinny’s article. And I’m not the person who compared The Weekly to People magazine. Nor do I understand your comment about my attacks on this blog. I don’t think I’ve posted here more than half a dozen times, I believe I’ve always done so in a respectful manner.
The bottom line, though, is that I really would like to know why there’s no mention of Noel Day’s accusations. They seemed particularly important to examine in light of what happened at the primary audit and what Ms. Herreras has legitimately worried might occur in November. Is there some reason Noel Day should be ignored? Has his story already been discredited? The Weekly styles itself as a newspaper. This seems like news to me. So, please, won’t someone tell me why Day and his story are being ignored.
Thanks, if there’s anyone willing to answer,
Mike
But JT I don’t feel I’ve been misled or others I have talked to, and I think other issues progressive or not that are covered by the Weekly have been accurate. If they weren’t we’d have a whole other group out there storming this blog or other means. Where did you get the information about Noel’s affidavit? I thought it was mde pretty clear at the press conference it was not used before this event, although I was told it was taken before this event months and months ago. Thanks for the song. There’s more to the issues rather than labeling people JT. You don’t know me, or my background, but I guess it’s easier to slam someone and live in a black and white world rather than think beyond Fatally Flawed.
And Mike, pick up the phone and call to get your answer. Is it that difficult to call someone directly and just ask, or is it easier to blog it out. Mike, beyond getting an RTA recount (which I still hope happens), I hope you are figuring out ways to still advocate for your neighborhood. If a recount proves the election was fixed, great. Getting on this blog is not advocating for your neighborhood. Will the value of your home increase? People go to jail and we all get rebates and get to storm the road improvements done under the RTA so far? You bring the beer.
The recount has to happen for any of that to happen first and to validate the work done by the Democratic Party, so what are you doing to pressure the AG’s office to do an investigation or to approve a recount. I don’t think Terry reads this blog, although I know every Pima County elected official and administrator does read this blog.
But now I want to know Mike what are you doing to advocate for your neighborhood and get the count rolling?
Seems to me that that’s the true missing piece here. If my fellow election activists want to wait for Bill Risner’s last letter to Terry make a difference in this debate that means they just don’t get it; or what that really means is that a recount isn’t what this is about. And if that’s true, as I now suspect, I am left with more questions and I want answers, too.
Why aren’t we slamming the AG’s office with letters, showing up where he travels asking him to do the right thing. It seems that is what election activists need to do right now, or anyone who cares about our community moving forward. Hysterics isn’t the way, but putting real pressure on the AG’s office is what we need to do. I don’t see that happening and I don’t understand why that’s not happening. Can you explain why?
If you don’t feel misled, then maybe I need to be more specific. Spell it out. I’ve already spent time on this story for other projects, so pardon the links. The first thing I ask with this story is “How much emphasis was placed on the background and statements of the people involved compared to the emphasis placed on the implications of what has taken place?”
One very crucial statistical anomaly not reported by Mari was the the first nine ballot bags drawn had seven compromised chains of custody. This is a tremendous.
There’s so much emphasis on the arrest (which was likely a very dumb move by Nelson), that we are left with the impression that people want Nelson to leave because he arrested Brakey. Brakey’s arrest drew a lot of attention, but citizens called for Nelson’s resignation because the audit in the primary was compromised. Nelson’s ridiculous past performance didn’t help.
If a lot of time and detail is spent on Brakey’s arrest, you would expect the writer to get enough information from the person that was arrested.
Brakey was first handcuffed from behind. After he cried out in pain from his injury, he was handcuffed in the front. Brakey was still in handcuffs when he asked the cop to take a picture of him with his cell phone.
Brad Nelson was not the person that told John Brakey to refrain from questioning the auditors. It was Judy White of the Republican Party that told John not to ask individual questions from the auditors he was monitoring. Brad told Brakey to leave while he was asking questions of the auditors. John began his questioning of the auditors when he asked Brad himself if the bag Brad was holding had a proper chain of custody (it did not). No count had commenced at this time.
Outside of the more tabloid aspect, there is another crucial observation that this writer was obliged to make in her story:
Three members of the Pima County Board of Supervisors were the benefactors from the outcome of their decision to approve the primary election results. Primary election results with a compromised audit.
There is no mention that John Moffatt violated a court order. Both Moffatt and a vault clerk violated a court order when Moffatt took evidence in this case without the plaintiffs present – regardless of who’s hard drive it was. When Moffatt showed up with the box in his hand, he could have been arrested on the spot. The decision was not to have him arrested and not to file a police report.
Also not mentioned. There is no paperwork to be found on the release of this evidence. These database drives could have been lost forever.
The press conference spent the majority of its time with past election employees describing how they achieved timely, efficient election results before the days of modem transfers. No mention.
There’s simply way too much reliance on the county for this story.
Other ways we’ve been misled. Well, let’s see. We have overtly biased selling of the RTA plan before the 2006 election. Here is a last minute sucker punch to Kromko concerning a head count on sales tax (this was after the Weekly had already endorsed the RTA plan):
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=82099
Due to the timing of this hit-piece, no defense can be made until after the election:
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Opinion/Content?oid=82551
Here’s is a post election sell of the plan that seems straight out of “YES’s” play book:
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=82557
Here is a potential conflict of interest that was never disclosed by the author while he was playing “shill” for “YES!”. Carefully read this thread as it goes over additional tactics used to mislead (Feel free to ask for examples of the tactics listed).
http://blog.tucsonweekly.com/?p=1539#comments
Here’s the editor misleading the public about the nature of evidence:
http://blog.tucsonweekly.com/?p=1546#comments
I cannot emphasize enough the crucial role a free press has in a democracy. Unfortunately, we’re not going to get an educated electorate when the few remaining corporate papers are feeding you bunk.
Mrs. Harrison,
I’ll quote you. “There’s more to the issues rather than labeling people…. You don’t know me, or my background, but I guess it’s easier to slam someone and live in a black and white world rather than think beyond….”
You don’t appear to understand the issues here or much about neighborhood associations. You’re probably a very nice person, but you’re angry and you’ve got a closed mind. Because I’m busy doing my best for my neighborhood and my community, I don’t have time to argue with you. Have a nice life.
Mr. Boegle, Ms. Herreras, I’m still waiting if you’d care to answer.
Mike
Mike: Methinks you need to go back and re-read The Skinny. We didn’t play down the disappearance of the hard drive; we said the election-integrity folks justifiably freaked out. We’re still covering the story, and will continue to do so, no matter how many names people call us. Mari will answer more in-depth when she has time. We have a 152-page paper this week, so we’re kinda busy. Everyone needs to take a deep breath, calm down and quit being so goddamn paranoid and rude. (Mike, what’s up with the smackdown on Mrs. Harrison?) Sheesh.
As for J.T.’s last post … sorry it was delayed. Our spam filter automatically holds everything with multiple leaks. In any case, I let it out.
Thanks for the response, Mr. Boegle. Clearly, you aren’t prepared to answer about Mr. Day at the moment. If, someone, sometime, intends to do that, I’ll read it with interest. That’s all I wanted to know, so I’ll stop asking.
We’ll have to agree to disagree about your coverage of this story. JT has my complaints pretty thoroughly outlined above. I can’t comprehend how the hard drive was allowed to get out of the courthouse anymore than I can comprehend how so many precinct bags turned up without an intact chain of custody. If I were in your business, I’d be breaking down doors trying to find out instead of taking jabs at a band of concerned citizens. I’d want to report about government incompetence (or worse)by people paid a lot more than most of us and of whom security is a job requirement.
As for Mrs. Harrison, that wasn’t meant as a smack down, though I’ll admit I was tired and had lost my patience when I wrote it. I just found myself arguing with someone I don’t know and who doesn’t know me. She was full of advice about how I should direct my life and my precious free time. I honestly expect that she is a very nice person but I really don’t have time to justify to her what I have or have not done for my community and my neighborhood. Nor, I suspect does anyone else here care. To say nothing of how much band width a full accounting would require.
Thanks,
Mike
Mrs. Harrison writes: “Why aren’t we slamming the AG’s office with letters, showing up where he travels asking him to do the right thing. It seems that is what election activists need to do right now, or anyone who cares about our community moving forward. Hysterics isn’t the way, but putting real pressure on the AG’s office is what we need to do. I don’t see that happening and I don’t understand why that’s not happening. Can you explain why?”
Let’s get the facts straight. Numerous parties have been involved in encouraging people to contact the AG’s office about conducting a full investigation. I have personally contacted the AG’s office on a number of occasions during this process. I’ve sent out emails to a large list of contacts who I believed would share these concerns – many of whom also called or wrote to the AG. John Brakey and many others have made numerous posts to various blogs to encourage people to contact the AG’s office. John Kromko sent out thousands of campaign mailers stressing the importance of this issue and urging people to contact the AG’s office. JT Waldron has been filming and interviewing people document this story. In addition to all of these efforts numerous people have contacted media outlets (TW included) to urge them to investigate and cover this issue. To suggest that we’re all just sitting around waiting for the AG to respond to Bill Risner’s letter is just plain wrong.
I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your being uninformed is due to your relying on the Tucson Weekly for your news. FYI, here is an example of the mainstream media that gets the significance of this story. Why can’t the so-called “progressive” Tucson Weekly get it?
Our Opinion: Integrity in elections here, nationwide
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/97224.php
Jimmy Boegle may call me and others “rude”, but we’re just asking for some decent coverage of an important issue. The Weekly sure likes to dish out ridicule in the Skinny, but then they get all sensitive about concerned citizens who ask the tough questions that they should be asking.
I have the utmost respect for James Reel. He does a wonderful job at KUAT, and with the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music. The Tucson Weekly is greatly improved by his contributions. But what happened to him when he ate at Saffron? I have eaten at all the other Tucson Indian restaurants over the years. They are certainly adequate, and the two Mr. Reel mentions, Shere Punjab and Gandhi’s, are not at all bad. But Saffron is in a different league. The sauces have texture,and are not over-processed. The spicing is excellent: balanced and flavorful. The heat of the hot dishes is substantial. The breadth of the menu outdoes anything in Tucson, and the five or six dishes we have tried are uniformly excellent. There is nothing wrong with calling the food subtle, but to claim that it is for timid palates is simply wrong. Perhaps Mr. Reel went on chef’s night off. I am not sure exactly what “riotous flavor experience” means, but the flavor experiences I have had at Saffron in the two times I have been matches the flavors at some of the better (not the best) Indian restaurants in London and New York. Tucson at last has an upscale Indian restaurant. Please try it again, Mr. Reel, and help spread the word.
—- We have a 152-page paper this week…
all right! you guys and gals work away then!
152 pages of in-depth news reporting!
i can’t wait to read this!
finally some news about this town!
set the record straight!
fast pussy cat! write! write!
hard hitting details and information during this age of war and depression!
that’s my local alternative paper for ya!
yippeee!!!
(but hey, i hope its not one of those advertising slut fest yumbot issues.
ugh! i can read the yellow pages if if i want to know where to eat, drink and carouse)
Why are you hating on Best of Tucson, mister pibb? People like it; it’s done ethically; and it helps us pay the bills. Meanwhile, enjoy the yellow pages.
My thanks to David Owen for his kind words even as he disagrees with my restaurant review. On a related topic, I recently heard from a reader who reports that the falafel at El Saage that I praised so highly several months ago is now godawful, or at least it was when she visited a couple of weeks ago.
And one more postscript to my review of “Working,” in which I said I thought I’d seen a different version of it at ATC many years ago. Arizona Theatre Company’s David Ira Goldstein straightens things out once and for all:
“The show you were thinking of at ATC based on Terkel was ‘Dreamers of the Day.’ It was written (or compiled?) by Michael Grady and directed by Gary Gisselman – and I think it used period songs?”
The show was before his time at ATC, thus the question marks, but I’m grateful that he took the time to sort things out.
James, I discovered El Saage via your review and have been a loyal customer since — so thanks for that. For what it’s worth, I get the falafel there regularly and it’s always been great, never “godawful.”
— Why are you hating on Best of Tucson, mister pibb?
no hate. just kidding around.
i love when you guys do these advertising issues.
no wonder they are so popular.
like reading a young hip version of the desert leaf.
or maybe tucson lifestyles with an edge.
you guys are the best.
keep up the good work.
Why didn’t the Best of Tucson include any mention of the new Suede Lounge on Ft. Lowell & Alvernon?
Michael: Readers’ voting is done in April-June, and it didn’t come up on any of our writers’ radar for staff picks (which are written in July-August). I’ve personally never heard of the place.