Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Az Democratic Party: Republicans Recruiting "Sham Green" Candidates

Posted By on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 12:10 PM

Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic reports:

The state Democratic Party is alleging possible voter fraud in what it called a scheme to undermine its candidates by recruiting "sham" Green Party hopefuls.

In a complaint filed late Monday, the party seeks an investigation by federal, state and county law-enforcement officials.

The complaint names Rep. Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix; Steve May, a Republican candidate for the Legislature; and a House Republican staffer as complicit in an effort to register at least a half-dozen people as Green Party members so they could run as write-in candidates in last week's primary election.

Republicans accused of the ploy denied any wrongdoing.

An interesting detail:

Weiers, a former House speaker, called the complaint "cynical" and said people have a right to run under whatever political banner they choose. "If somebody wants to do it," he said of the last-minute registration change, "there's nothing illegal about it. There's nothing immoral."

He acknowledged that he talked to Chris Campbell about his bid to run on the Green Party ticket for state Senate in District 10 but said he did not recruit the recently re-registered Republican. Campbell is the roommate of one of Weiers' daughters.

District 10, which Weiers represents in the House, has a competitive Senate race, as Democratic challenger Justin Johnson seeks to unseat veteran Sen. Linda Gray, R-Phoenix.

Campbell on Monday said he was running at his own initiative and won't wage a campaign.

"I'd just like to get on the ballot," he said.

Read the whole thing here.