Judge Lee Jantzen recently ruled against Mayor Jen Miles recall petitioners, based on a 2019 State Supreme Court ruling that claimed the Statutes required attachment of the recall application be attached to each petition page.
The Miles Recall was the first of numerous filed last year. The reason given by James Coffman was “Abuse of Power.” That was based on Miles’ extended Emergency Proclamation, with NO Council vote. Her refusal to take it before the City Council was later declared illegal by Attorney General Mark Brnovich. In October, a local Conservatives PAC filed second recalls against Mayor Miles and Jamie Scott Stehly, listing several other reasons. Sadly, people were confused about which ones they signed. Only the first one against Miles submitted sufficient signatures to qualify.
Successful recalls are rare, due to legal complexities and hostility of government officials. However, recalls are a VERY important part of Arizona’s history in gaining Statehood. The effort was delayed because President William Howard Taft, a lawyer and former judge, vetoed Arizona’s Enabling Act because the proposed Constitution contained a provision to recall judges. The citizens removed that provision from their proposal, which resulted in Arizona gaining statehood on Valentine’s Day, 1912. However, before the year was over, Arizona citizens amended the Arizona Constitution by voting overwhelmingly to reinstate the provision. President Taft lost!
Still, elected officials are hostile to recalls; and personally attack those who start them. The latest example is Dist. 4 Supervisor Jean Bishop and her supporters, along with Dist. 2 Supervisor Hildy Angius, going after Great American Pizza and others supporting that effort. Instead of responding to very valid reasons, they attack the messengers. They acted just like Democrats! They should remember the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees the right of the people “…to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Other valid reasons for recalling Miles and Stehly include voting for the illegal 1% Sales Tax increase in 2017; ignoring statutory procedures; then having to ratify their illegal action. Both supported prohibiting rodeos in Kingman! Yes, their proposal focused on circuses; but their goal was to stop rodeos. Were they serious? Miles then dishonestly claimed General Fund reserves were only 40% when they were over 80%, over $21 Million. Both consistently push for higher taxes and fees, not as a last resort, but as the first option. They are Kingman’s Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Further, both misled the people with their political designations. Miles, a life-long liberal and government employee, was “Party not Designated” (PND) since registering in 1994. After twice being elected to City Council, Jen Miles began her campaign for Mayor only after registering as Republican in December 2017. She wanted the endorsement of a local Republican Club. Let me be clear: I’m closer to being a Communist, than she is a Conservative! Stehly, is a liberal who’s a registered Independent. She supported the openly Marxist Black Lives Matter group. Since Kingman is dominated by solid conservatives, no Democrat gets elected. Jen & Jamie’s party designations are dishonest.
But the worst had nothing to do with them; rather the City leaders’ unethical conduct. Manager Ron Foggin and Attorney Carl Cooper were fully aware of the 2019 court decision, yet deliberately failed to direct Coffman to attach the Application for a Recall to the petitions. By contrast, the County Elections Director Tempert informed people filing for the Recall against Jean Bishop. The City set up the petitioners to fail. Their effort was “Dead on Arrival.”
This is the worst abuse of power by government. We talk about a “Swamp” in Washington D.C.; the City of Kingman officials in deceiving Kingman citizens, exposes a cesspool in Kingman government rivalling D.C. It’s time the citizens of Kingman get serious and pay closer attention to those governing Kingman. Hold elected officials accountable for their actions; Recall them when necessary.
Steven Robinson
Golden Valley
Probably Black Lives Matter people were conspiring with rogue CIA operatives to hide the recall petitions on the Rino Grassy Knoll. Just like the camouflaged ANTIFAS who you said attacked the Capitol, not the crooks following Gosar. I guess that covers some of the vast conspiracies, there, Steve.
What Steven Robinson is doing is called “BLAMING THE VICTIM”. Robinson is attempting to escape responsibility by placing the blame for the abuse at the hands of the victim. Robinson has been traveling throughout the county spreading vicious rumors about elected officials, and during the 4/5/2021 Board of Supervisors meeting he even claimed that a local business was fined “$1,180.00” for being in violation of Covid safety orders, which was quickly exposed as misinformation by Supervisor Ron Gould, questioning Denise Burley, asking “Have any businesses in the county ever been fined?”; Burley’s response; “No businesses have ever been fined”. This type of deception made by Robinson has caused uproar in the community.
The first paragraph posted in Robinson’s Letter To The Editor, cites a state Supreme Court ruling and the facts of the matter in regards to people filing recalls on public officials, and I quote; “Judge Lee Jantzen recently ruled against Mayor Jen Miles recall petitioners, based on a 2019 State Supreme Court ruling that claimed the Statutes required attachment of the recall application be attached to each petition page.” Notice how Robinson added the word “claimed”? That one word is an admission that there is a ruling that specifically claims that one has to abide by the rules of any recall procedure which Robinson is well aware of, proving his letter to the editor is a farce to fulfil the “blame the victim” tactic.
Again; a “state supreme court ruling”. Period! But not with Steven Robinson who by the way is in fact, (in his own words) behind all of the recalls that were started.
But even a Supreme Court ruling does not stop Steven Robinson from trying his hardest to appeal to the public with such an obvious cry for sympathy. You see, Steven Robinson acts as if he’s some kind of a savior to the people of Mohave County begging for recognition; as if his recalls are going to somehow make life better for the people, when in fact these recalls are costing this county thousands of dollars and putting this county in debt. And they are based on petty issues from a very small group of people who are playing on the sympathies of the public to gain monetarily. How so do we ask? Well, you might have noticed the businesses that have been started. You might have noticed all the fundraisers going on. You might have noticed all the merchandise that is being sold. You might have noticed that Steven Robinson has started several PACS where he is collecting an exorbitant amount of money claiming he is going to use it for the next election for Mayor,
So, as far as these recalls are concerned; have there been any illegalities or corruption on the part of Robinson’s victims?
These recalls are costing way too much money on the taxpayers. Paying for hours and hours of attorneys fees,could be spent on other things; spending countless hours counting signatures; and time that is being wasted by these few people far exceed whatever gripes people have against these officials.
The finance director stated that the cost of holding a special election for supervisors (and whoever gets targeted) would be in the $100k mark. PLUS the time and salary for staff to verify a minimum of 3000 signatures (or however many it takes) and place on the ballot. If the recall is contested, the county attorney and county witnesses salary is an additional expense.
Robinson has been doing these recalls for over a decade; Having all of this experience, and all sorts of instructions on “how to” procedures on a recall, along with an “ARIZONA SUPREME COURT RULING” isn’t enough for these people to blunder their attempts?
Robinson is free to challenge the Supreme Court since he does not like to honor Supreme Court rulings and thinks he is above the law. According to Steven Robinson, a Supreme Court ruling is supposed to be ignored because his little recall attempts failed. And now he wants to place blame on his victims? Typical Bully mentality.