SB 1070 Decision: Why Local Talking Heads Don’t Know Squat

Anyone, and I mean anyone, who tells you with certainty the precise day that the U.S. Supreme Court will issue its opinion on Arizona’s breathing-while-brown statute Senate Bill 1070, is full of something that rhymes with the word “twit.”I wish I had a dime for every journo, TV talking head…

Joe Arpaio and MCSO Did Not Arrest a 6-Year-Old

Despite what you may have heard — and how Joe Arpaio-ish it sounds — Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies did not arrest a 6-year-old on Friday.MCSO spokesman Chris Hegstrom tells New Times deputies arrested 16 people during a human-smuggling operation, but the 6-year-old found in the van wasn’t one of them.”We’re…

Obama Blocks DREAMers’ Deportations, Outflanks GOP

Republicans are stumbling all over themselves to denounce President Barack Obama’s executive action today to block the deportation of students who would benefit from the proposed DREAM Act. And in doing so, they’re bumbling right into the trap the White House has laid for them. Obama’s move, initially announced with…

Russell Pearce To Bash Mexicans at Mexican Restaurant

Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., just about all of the anti-Mexican bigots in Arizona politics are scheduled to be in the same place: at the Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen on Central Avenue in Phoenix, raising money for disgraced, recalled ex-state Senate President Russell Pearce.So beware a run on white…

Joe Arpaio’s Latest Dead Latino: Raymond Farinas (w/Update)

Channel 3’s report on Farinas’ death Given Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s track record when it comes to dead inmates, it’s difficult not to anticipate foul play in the death of Raymond Farinas, the latest Latino to die in MCSO custody. Particularly when Arpaio-victim Marty Atencio’s family just filed notices of claim…

Joe Arpaio Lawyers: Discriminating Against Spanish-Speakers Doesn’t Violate Civil Rights

Lawyers for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio responded to the Justice Department’s lawsuit alleging racial discrimination by the Sheriff’s Office by, not surprisingly, asking that the suit be tossed.You would expect that answering allegations of the worst racial-profiling tactics in the country’s history would require an interesting response, and Arpaio’s legal team…

Joe Arpaio Invites Puente to His Office; Puente Flips Him Off

I’ll give Sheriff Joe Arpaio one thing, the guy is a class-A schmoozer. The almost-octogenarian knows how to butter up his adversaries for public consumption, all while he’s plotting to have them arrested, investigated, tailed, or worse. Though Arpaio is nominally in law enforcement, this is a classic la cosa nostra…

SB 1070-Influenced Operations Order Leads to Alleged Racial Profiling Incident by Phoenix PD

No doubt you’ve heard of driving while brown, particularly regarding Arizona’s infamous ethnic cleansing law Senate Bill 1070. Well, if you’re Hispanic and plan to continue living in this state, get ready for running-out-of-gas-while-brown, walking-to-the-7-Eleven-while-brown, picking-up-your-kids-from-school-while-brown, going-to-work-while-brown, and while you’re at it, add in witnessing- or being-a-victim-of-a-crime-while-brown.Not that blatant racial…

Joe Arpaio’s Tent City: Shut It Down, Puente Protest Demands

Shut down Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s notorious outdoors-deathtrap Tent City? Sounds like a solid idea to me, and one the Phoenix human rights organization Puente will be pushing Saturday, June 23 during a rally and vigil outside Joe’s al fresco gulag.I had to look twice at the announcement for this action…