Recently Steve Pierce was summoned to Tucson by car dealer Jim Click to discuss removing Rio Nuevo District Board members Jodi Bain and Rick Grinnell. The gubernatorial hopeful dutifully responded with hat-in-hand to receive his marching orders. He then dutifully replaced the two watch dog members of the Board with Click’s choices.
Yesterday, after the news of the coup broke, Pierce could not remember with whom he had replaced Bains and Grinnell. When asked by late afternoon radio host John C. Scott, for the names of his two appointees, Pierce quickly mentioned the name of Fletcher McCusker, but could not remember the name of second appointee.
Listeners could hear the shuffling of papers as he tried to quickly find a document with the name of his second appointee on it at the same time he was telling Tucsonans he appointed great guys. Finally he answered offering the name of his second appointment; Christopher Sheafe. He forgot to mention SALC’s Ron Shoopman and Jim Click, but did say that Tucson’s Mayor Rothschild looked forward to moving forward.
It became clear to the listening audience that the befuddled senator knew little about what was occurring or what had occurred with regards to Rio Nuevo. He vaguely talked about the need to move forward.
Moving forward will require a few things. The audit that is expected in two weeks to expose a misspent and or missing $32 million will have to be swept under the rug. That can only happen with Bain and Grinnell gone. The investigation into the corruption which led to a missing or misspent $230 million will have to end. That can only happen with Bain and Grinnell gone.
Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik could not be happier. The city councilman despised Jodi Bain. At every turn he attempted to impugn her character, because he has none. He told the Arizona Daily Star that Bain was a “hindrance” to progress. In reality, she was a bane to his existence because Bain-the-bulldog, made the wannabe watchdog Kozachik look like a Chihuahua.
According to various sources, the staff at the Arizona Daily Star had copies of the removal letters before those who were removed. Of course, everyone knew it was coming, but the better part of valor would have required that Bain and Grinnell receive their letters first.
The Board could have experienced a more subtle coup had the Governor agreed to fill the vacancy left by Carlotta Flores, and replace the well respected Alberto Moore, who’s appointment is expiring , with city friendly members. However, the Governor reportedly balked at the request made a couple of weeks ago.
The driving force behind Click’s maneuver was Rio Nuevo board member Mark Irvin. Irvin, as campaign manager for Pima County Board of Supervisor Sharon Bronson and leasing agent for Turner Sundt, has many conflicts-of-interest, and apparently little if any interest in eliminating graft and corruption.
Irvin’s conflicts of interests recently were exposed by the Arizona Daily Independent. Irvin’s relationship with Turner/Sundt, a construction company whose Rio Nuevo work is under scrutiny and the subject of lawsuits and audits, should have prevented him from sitting on the Board all together. Instead he continually put himself in a position to engage in negotiations with the City about Sundt/Turner.
Senator Frank Antenori, the state’s fiercests watchdog, called the move by Pierce a “coup.” Antenori said that it is “clear that the City wanted Bain and Grinnell out of the way.”
Bruce Ash, a highly respected businessman in Tucson agreed in his appearance on the John C. Scott Show immediately after Pierce. Ash said that while McCusker and Sheafe are good men, the action by Pierce was a “coup” and unwarranted.
According to numerous sources, the Pierce/Click/Irvin/Shoopman group wants the FBI investigation to conclude without indictments, and they will get their way. The taxpayers want a public hearing on the matter and they will get their way if Antenori and Melvin have anything to say about it. Pressure from across the state is being brought to bear on Pierce to reconsider his appointment.
Ally Miller, the Tucson woman who fought to have the FBI investigation begin, is pledging to continue the fight for transparency. Miller, who decided to run for Pima County Board of Supervisors as a result of her work to hold government officials responsible for the debacle known as Rio Nuevo, is asking Tucsonans to write letters to Pierce demanding that he “come down here to account to the citizens of Tucson.”
As it stands now, no one will be held accountable for anything.
Related articles:
Rio Nuevo reform a no go, taxpayers lose
Special interests demand Governor’s action on Rio Nuevo
Rio Nuevo Board releases Depot Plaza audit: over $4 mil in questioned costs