When Arizona Congressman Raul Grijlava issued a call to action on behalf of his daughter Tucson Unified School District Governing Board member Adelita Grijalva union leaders went to work. Despite the fact that union leaders contacted members demanding their participation only four members headed the call.
In an email to supporters paid for by “A Whole Lotta People for Grijalva”, the congressman wrote, “We see T-Party Republicans running candidates for governing board in school districts such as Tucson Unified School District and Sunnyside School District, with the purpose of eroding Public Education for all children. If you are a teacher, parent or student who still believes our public schools can and will be the most integrative and productive social institution in our country, then we need your help.”
Grijalva called for help defending “public schools and public education” for a “new generation of Americans” by joining him “for a walk to emphasize to voters the need to vote this upcoming November and to promote our public schools this Saturday, September 27 at the Grijalva HQ located at 309 E. 7th St. at 9:00 a.m.”
Teacher unions leaders made calls themselves trying to coerce union members to join the congressman, but to no avail. According to source within the school district, Adelita Grijalva has allowed the superintendent to take choices which will put their jobs at risk.
The Congressman has had waning support from the people of his District due to their growing desperation for the very jobs he has been blocking with the support of radical environmental groups. As it stands now, the drug cartels and the Center for Biological Diversity are some of the few groups supporting his effort to maintain an open border while preventing the creation of the legitimate high paying jobs groups like the Pipefitters Union desire.
Despite the unpopularity of Grijalva, the Koch bothers and the Republican Party have ignored the people of the District as well. The Party failed to field a serious candidate once again, and the District has been written off as unwinnable. Now, it is one of the few congressional districts that has not gained the attention of the traditional players.
One Pima Democratic Party operative told the AZDI that Grijalva’s email appears to violate federal campaign laws due to the fact that the use of federal campaign resources were used for a local race. A complaint will be filed with the FEC according to sources.