Thread: Lawmakers reject 'anti-Minutemen' bill

Lawmakers reject 'anti-Minutemen' bill
Mary Jo Pitzl
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 5, 2007 06:22 PM

Armed people or groups who patrol to protect against illegal activity are not domestic terrorists, lawmakers decided early this evening in rejecting a bill that flamed fears and passions at the statehouse and beyond.

The hearing on House Bill 2286 was more about message than substance, as its defeat was all but sealed before the first comments were made.

Despite its near-certain fate, lawmakers spent nearly four hours discussing border security in a debate that veered from racism to hate mongers to free-speech and gun rights. advertisement




On a 7-3 vote, members of the Homeland Security and Property Rights Committee rejected the bill that had been introduced by Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix. Sinema became as much a target of discussion as the bill itself.

After her bill, which was largely viewed as an attempt to outlaw the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, was introduced, Sinema received protest e-mails. Many were laced with obscenities and statements that alarmed her to the point that she felt her personal safety was imperiled.

She asked the Republican leadership of the House to hold the bill, even while arguing that its intent - to crack down on armed vigilante groups - was a valid public policy that merited state action.

In response, House leaders in recent weeks deployed extra security, sent the e-mails to the state Department of Public Safety's counter-terrorism task force for review, and arranged a personal security detail for Sinema.

But the hearing went on because, as committee chairman Warde Nichols said, he believed it was important to have this divisive issue aired publicly.

"I think it was important we go through this debate today to let our individual constituencies know where we stand," the Chandler Republican said.

Cowgirl, that avatar is hysterical!!! Made me laugh right out loud!
Now that I'm done laughing, let me go back and actually read the article!!

I wonder if she or anyone else has ever introduced a bill to outlaw la raza mecha and the rest, who are invading our country and apparenlty trying to take over parts of it, or is it just Americans trying to protect American soil who are being hounded by knuckleheads like this one?

I wouldn't have threatened her but I would probably have had some "choice" swear words for her.

She's a pretty far out there liberal. She's the one that tried to arrest Sean Hannity for crossing the border and she also got public breast feeding approved. I was living there when that happened - it seems like everyone hates her guts so I have no idea how she still has a job.

cowgirl thanks for posting this I have been wondering how it was going to go. This is good news.

Originally Posted by TexasCowgirl

She's a pretty far out there liberal. She's the one that tried to arrest Sean Hannity for crossing the border and she also got public breast feeding approved. I was living there when that happened - it seems like everyone hates her guts so I have no idea how she still has a job.

Sounds to me like she needs to get her behind over the border...and stay there!

Yes, thank you cowgirl for posting the good news.

Thanks for all the thanks. I didn't really think it would have passed anyway, it was pretty outrageous.

How do these people get in office, there has to be alot of people out there not paying any attention when they go vote, of course I would never have voted for Rep,Sali and he got voted in, he's such an embarressment to Idaho as far as I'm concerned.