Monday, July 15, 2013

Phoenix City Council -- District 8 gets spicy and dicey

Because I do not live in Phoenix, and therefore cannot vote in any district for any candidate for its city council, I have been reluctant to get involved in any of the campaigns and have only been superficially paying attention to them.

Of course, I would LOVE to see Karlene Keogh Parks put Sal DiCiccio out of OUR misery in Council district 6.

District 4 has MANY candidates, several of whom could make very good council members.

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Then we come to council district 8.

Five candidates qualified for the ballot. I know a couple of them but have heard the most about three in particular, Kate Gallego, Lawrence Robinson and Pastor Warren Stewart. I only first learned about the two other district 8 candidates, Luis F. Rodriguez and Carolyn T. Lowery, this evening.

So, I gave those two a call.

Rodriguez says he's more conservative than the other candidates. Lowery told me she's facing resistance from the Black community because she's running against a pastor. Both are serious and committed candidates even though they do not enjoy broad community support to the same extent as Gallego, Robinson and Stewart.

One of the district 8 candidates, however, got my attention today. But NOT in a good way.

Guess which candidate enjoys the support of David Cantelme.


Dear Friend,Our campaign has received encouraging letters from all over our State letting us know why Pastor Stewart is the best candidate to represent District 8. It is my pleasure to share this letter of support from lifetime Phoenix resident, David Cantelme.
Dear Dr. Stewart:
You don't know me, but I have lived in Phoenix and the Valley all of my life, and have followed the good work you do from a distance. I was very pleased to learn of your decision to run for City Council. We badly need a person of your wisdom and experience to sit on the Council, and I am confident you will employ your talents for the betterment of our City. Please do me the favor of accepting my contribution of $450 to your campaign for Phoenix City Council.
While it may be a bit out of fashion these days to make a comment like this, I want you to know that you are in my prayers that the Lord will guide you and keep you through the tribulations of a political campaign.
Very truly yours,
David Cantelme
If you agree with David that Pastor Stewart is the most experienced leader for the job, please donate by "clicking" here. Your generous contribution will be used for canvassing supplies such as water, energy bars and campaign literature.Thank you for all your support,
Josh Zaragoza
Campaign Manager
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David Cantelme has been THE loudest and most dedicated voice working to undermine Independent Redistricting in and for Arizona's Congressional and legislative districts, at least since 2010.

The Arizona Eagletarian has documented his efforts since the Spring of 2011. He has been the chief spokesman and advocate for the clandestine lobbying group calling itself Fair Trust. I have consistently referred to that group by the title that more fairly characterizes what it represents to the vast majority of Arizonans, UNfair Trust.

Now, if I were a narcissist, I might think this is about me and that perhaps Cantelme invested the $450.00 in Stewart's campaign so that I would put this out to sabotage him. I don't think I have that kind of influence. And I am confident Cantelme does not think I have such influence.

Since this is not about the Arizona Eagletarian, or me, I have to figure that Cantelme (who I believe is as much of a snake as anyone in Phoenix) contemplated who might have the best chance to win the district 8 seat (unless he gave to more than one candidate, which is certainly not unheard of) and decided to purchase some favor, even if not outright favoritism.

By the way, without completely rehashing Cantelme's history with the AIRC, it's important to at least mention here that he was and is lead counsel to the plaintiff group that sued to nullify the legislative district map now in use. A court ruling is still pending, as the trial completed at the end of March.

I cannot let Cantelme's letter go without comment.

How sincere does Cantelme sound in his letter to Stewart?
I have lived in Phoenix and the Valley all of my life, and have followed the good work you do from a distance.
It was as if The Serpent from Genesis Chapter three had materialized to come and beguile Warren Stewart.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made...
What exactly does Cantelme want from Stewart (and from the Phoenix City Council)? I don't know the answer, but you can bet your bottom dollar that he either already wants something or he will want something once he gets his hands positioned to where he can control Stewart.

Do you think that Ben Arredondo was groomed like this by the FBI when they set up the sting that caught the former Tempe Councilman and state Representative?

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Election day is August 27, six weeks from now. Early ballots will go out, according to the Phoenix City Clerk, on August 1.

That Cantelme would want to grease the wheels for favors by future members of the Phoenix City Council is completely understandable. That Warren Stewart would ACCEPT a maxed out contribution from him should give voters, and community leaders pause.

Might Warren Stewart's supporters want to rethink that endorsement?

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