Thread: Isabel Garcia update

Published: 08.06.2008
Pima County lawyer slammed, defended over sheriff piñata
B. POOLE
Tucson Citizen
Controversy continued Tuesday over Isabel Garcia, the Pima County legal defender who carried a paper-mâché head of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in front of a cheering crowd during a protest last month.
The issue was not on the agenda for Tuesday's Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting, but about 20 speakers - about half in support of Garcia and half in protest of her actions - came to a microphone during a call to the audience.
During a July 10 protest she organized, Garcia, who is a defense attorney, was seen holding the paper head - which had been beaten off of a piñata by youths wielding sticks - while the crowd cheered. The episode sparked calls for Garcia's disbarment and firing.
The issue is not about immigration or Joe Arpaio, who was in Tucson for a book signing, but about Garcia, who is also director of the Coalición de Derechos Hermanos, inciting children to violence, Kendra Wood said.
"I don't think she has any business holding a position of public trust," Wood told the supervisors.
Kat Rodriguez of Derechos Hermanos, sent the supervisors a letter supporting Garcia. The letter contained 739 signatures supporting a woman who has worked tirelessly for immigrants' rights, Rodriguez said.
The protest was not intended to incite violence; it was a traditional form of protest, she said.
"It was a symbol of the oppression we have seen," Rodriguez said.
Lori Oien seemed less concerned about Garcia's actions than the county's reaction.
"What is concerning to me is your approval by silence," she said.
County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said after the meeting that the county is looking into Garcia's actions. The Legal Defender's Office, which Garcia heads, takes indigent defense cases the Pima County public defender can't because of conflicts or other reasons.
"It's under review," he said.
Several speakers decried Garcia's actions as hurtful to law enforcement officers. Larry Lopez, president of the Tucson Police Officers Association, demanded an investigation.
"Law enforcement around this state does not think this is funny," he said.
Leilani Clark was at the July 10 protest and held the piñata. She denied Garcia had any hand in what the youths did.
"She had no control over us. . . . We acted on our own," Clark said.
In other business, the supervisors:
• Approved a $20 million, two-year contract for psychiatric care at the Pima County Jail. The contract with Conmed Healthcare Management will boost available psychiatric care from 10 hours a week to 80 hours.
• Postponed a resolution affirming the county's support of the Clean Water Act. The resolution comes after the Army Corps of Engineers first deemed parts of the Santa Cruz River navigable, then announced a plan to reverse that decision. That reversal is not yet in effect.
If the river is deemed navigable, Environmental Protection Agency regulations kick in that could restrict building along the river and its tributaries.
The county will meet with interested parties, including the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection and the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, before voting on the resolution.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/brea ... /92881.php

thank you -I haven't forgotten her. Just today on a Chicago site someone posted this. We need to contact Chuck Huckleberry again. How dare they bring up Dr. King in this letter.

Can you post his email and phone number again?


Pima County Administrator H. Chuck Huckleberry
130 West Congress Street, 10th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

CC: Ann Day, District 1
Ramón Valadez, District 2
Sharon Bronson, District 3
Ray Carroll, District 4
Richard Elias, District 5

RE: Support for Isabel Garcia

4 August 2008

Dear Mr. Huckleberry and Members of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, I
write to you today in support of Isabel Garcia and in concern for the current
campaign for her dismissal. Her long history of dedication to and support of
social justice and human rights is highly representative of her integrity as a
person. Ms. Garcia's passion and commitment as the Pima County Legal Defender
are unmatched. However, when not on the job, her passion and commitment to her
own beliefs and her First Amendment Rights must also be considered.
I have been horrified to see the abuses that have been reported under the
rule of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and have become increasingly alarmed
as the rule of law has been eroded under a man who seeks to build wealth and
power. He has created division and fear that has resulted in Arizona being known
as the most intolerant, anti-immigrant state in the country, hardly a reputation
to be proud of. Most people are proud of the fact that Pima County has not
engaged in this sort of intolerance. On July 10th, more than 100 people gathered
to protest Sheriff Arpaio and to send a clear message to Pima County officials
that his sort of xenophobic behavior will not be tolerated in Pima County.
Present was Ms. Garcia, on her time, to stand up for what she believes in.
The people behind the recent attacks against Isabel Garcia are
disinterested in ethical journalism or a civil discourse that would lead to an
exchange of ideas, and their hate radio should not be tolerated. We would be
doing irrevocable harm not to take a stand against this type of damaging and
destructive force in our community. Ms. Garcia has been making our community a
better place for many years, and taking her job would be a grave mistake. How
are the personalities at 104.1 helping our community? How is a divisive smear
campaign helping to transform our society into one that recognizes the value and
respect for all human beings equally? To bend to the will of these hate mongers
or opportunists is akin to complying with their ideology. We must stand firm and
raise our voices against them. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
"silence is betrayal," and we must not betray Ms. Isabel Garcia or our
community. In Solidarity with Isabel Garcia,

Buró de Asesores PolÃ*ticos
www.burodeasesorespoliticos.com

Noé Hernández
Ex-Consejero del CCIME (2003-2006)
noehernandez@... , noehernandez5@...,
Tel. 1(559) 393-1644
P.O. Box 1016
Parlier CA. 93648

Francisco Duarte
Coordinador de Centro Azteca en Fresno CA
fduarte@..., fresnohouse@...,
Tel. 1(559)459-0744
2203 Norris Dr. W
Fresno CA 93703

Julio César Aragón
Presidente de la Asociación Social, Cultural y Deportiva Mexicana de RI
Ex-Coordinador Suplente de la Comisión de Asuntos PolÃ*ticos (CAP-IME)
Ex-Coordinador de la Mesa del Voto (CAP-IME)
juliocaragon@..., julio885@...,
Tel: 1(401)274-1038, 1(401)440-9405
Providence , Rhode Island 02908

We, the following, stand in solidarity with Isabel Garcia:

1 Abie Morales
2 Adalberto M. Guerrero
3 Adolfo Ruiz Jr.
4 Adolfo Ruiz Sr.
5 Adrianna Patla
6 Africa Sosa Hernandez
7 Alan Leibensperger...

650 Will Brenner
651 William J. Collins
652 William McQuillen
653 Winton Woods
654 Yaya
655 Yolanda Bay
656 Zotero Amavizca

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cimechicago/message/9100

I'm glad that Tucson law enforcement spoke up. Let's put some heat on these supervisors. Anyone remember their contact info?

The protest was not intended to incite violence; it was a traditional form of protest, she said.
"It was a symbol of the oppression we have seen," Rodriguez said.

The violent beating and beheading of a human effigy IS NOT AN AMERICAN TRADITIONAL FORM OF PROTEST! These people need to take their cultural ignorance back to Mexico and do business there and NO, Garcia is NOT worthy of "holding a position of public trust." She is advocating for illegal aliens, not IMMIGRANTS as this piece likes to call these law breakers!

I think that Sheriff Joe and Maricopa county's rep for being intolerant is something to be celebrated by Americans and legal immigrants.

Kat Rodriguez of Derechos Hermanos, sent the supervisors a letter supporting Garcia. The letter contained 739 signatures supporting a woman who has worked tirelessly for immigrants' rights, Rodriguez said.

Illegal invaders are not immigrants!!

Her agenda is so obvious to a 5th Grader, but apparently is over the top for the City Council.

Update on Isabel Garcia : Her Job Targetted by Jon (In)Justice
16:30 H | Topics: Activism - Arizona - Controversia - Immigration - Women

It wasn't enough for Jon Justice to violate human rights activist Isabel Garcia by sexually assaulting her in effigy. Now he wants to make sure that she can't support herself.

Now, according to WOC PhD, Jackass’s efforts to have Isabel Garcia removed from her position as a public defender is in full swing. The Arizona state bar is investigating her because she participated in a protest against Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s latest book, full of racist and xenophobic diatribes against Latin@ immigrants. (This is the same Arpaio facing lawsuits from the ACLU for refusing to transport pregnant inmates to abortion clinics upon their requests and for racial profiling of Latin@s in Maricopa County.)

This is more than about a woman losing her job. This is about an attorney who has dedicated her life to human rights, specifically immigrant rights, losing her job at a time when we need attorneys defending those under attack.

You can help and support Isabel Garcia by signing on to a letter (PDF file)

Also:

1. Contact Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry in support of Isabel Garcia. 520.740.8661 or e-mail: chh@pima.gov
2. Contact the Journal Broadcast Group, expressing your opinion of Jon Justice and the tactics of 104.1FM, and your concern that local KGUN 9 would be associated with an outlet that is so obviously NOT an objective media source. Contact Julie Brinks: 520.290.7600 or e-mail: jbrinks@journalbroadcastinggroup.com
3. Contact the Board of Supervisors, voicing your support of Isabel Garcia, who has broken no rule or regulation as a Pima County employee.

Pima County Board of Supervisors
30 West Congress Street, 11th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701
Receptionist - (520) 740-8126
Fax - (520) 884-1152

Ann Day, District 1
Ann.Day@pima.gov
(520) 740-2738

Ramón Valadez, District 2
district2@pima.gov
(520) 740-8126

Sharon Bronson, District 3
district3@pima.govT
(520) 740-8051

Ray Carroll, District 4
district4@pima.gov
(520) 740-8094

Richard ElÃ*as, Chairman, District 5
district5@pima.gov
(520) 740-8126



We have a serious problem when a white man can keep his job after promoting sexist and racist stereotypes as part of his job, but a Latina woman risks losing her job because of her fighting for the right thing.

Via / WOC PHD, Problem Chyl

http://vivirlatino.com/2008/08/12/updat ... ustice.php

I have sent several e-mails to the other people on the list but when I send one to Huckleberry it never goes through!