WASHINGTON – When Gov. Jan Brewer asked private donors last year to help pay legal fees to defend the state and its controversial SB 1070 immigration law against lawsuits, thousands of Arizonans responded.
And so did thousands of people from other states. And other territories and other countries.
Donations to the fund, which totaled $3.8 million as of Sept. 1, have come from all 50 states in the nation, several territories, the District of Columbia and countries as far-flung as Canada, Costa Rica and Micronesia.
Those donations have swamped the contributions from Arizonans, who make up about 15 percent of the 45,402 donors and about 10 percent of the total donations.
Supporters of the law say the broad reach of the donations is proof of the popularity of SB 1070.
“The geographic diversity of donors to the (fund) is a point of pride for the governor,” said Matthew Benson, a spokesman for Brewer, in an email. “People from all over the country have not only sided with Arizona on SB 1070, they’ve put their money with their mouth is.”
But critics said the “geographic diversity” of donors just shows that the law is not supported back home in Arizona.
“I’ve always believed that outside sources were going to fuel these anti-immigrant laws,” said Dee Dee Garcia Blase, founder of Somos Republicans, an Arizona-based conservative Hispanic organization.
“It’s outside influences that are controlling these laws,” said Blase. She pointed to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who wrote both Arizona’s and Alabama’s immigration law, as an outsider promoting anti-immigrant sentiment in the state.
Among other controversial measures in SB 1070, which passed last year, the law originally let police officers ask suspects for their immigration status if there was reason to believe they were in the country illegally. Opponents said this would have let law enforcement engage in racial profiling.
Brewer opened the legal fund last year in a dispute with then-Attorney General Terry Goddard over who should defend the state against court challenges to the law. Brewer decided to hire private lawyers to handle the case and sought the public’s help in paying them.
Pro-immigrant organizations had already filed suit and the U.S. Department of Justice subsequently sued, claiming that the state law trespassed on federal responsibilities.
A federal judge blocked parts of the law last summer, and that decision was upheld in April by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Brewer has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the high court has not yet said whether it will hear the case or not.
In the meantime, contributions have continued to come in to the legal defense fund. Of the $3.8 million raised as of Sept. 1, Benson said about $2.06 million had been spent in legal fees.
Benson said the governor’s office has a Web site for the fund, but has not otherwise advertised it. But the money has rolled in.
The largest donations came last year, and most of those came from outside Arizona. Wyoming resident Timothy Mellon, who owns a railroad and other business interests, wired more than $1.5 million to the fund in 2010, the largest single donation.
There was also Joey Vento, owner of Geno’s Steaks, a Philadelphia restaurant, who donated nearly $67,000. Vento, who died in August, was known as an English-only advocate after posting signs in his business asking customers to “please order in English.” Vento was sued over the signs, but won.
The largest single in-state contribution came from a Joseph Van de Loo, who was listed as giving $10,000. The fund information provided by Brewer’s office and gave no other information than the donor’s name, home state, donation amount and date.
Mellon did not return a phone call and Vento’s family declined to comment. Cronkite News Service could not locate Van de Loo.
“The state’s vigorous defense of SB 1070 has, in part, been made possible by these generous donations,” Benson said. He said there is no expiration date for the fund so supporters of the law can still donate.
Donations ranged from Mellon’s all the way down to 25 cents, with the average donation nationwide at $84. But that number was skewed by Mellon’s contribution: With his donation taken out, the national average contribution was $49.84.
The average donation from Arizona was $55.
State Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, said since Arizona has only donated 10 percent into the fund, it proves that SB 1070 is not as popular as many think.
“People have turned to Arizona and see it as a place where crazy ideas can become reality,” Gallardo said.
Dave Wells, a political science professor at Arizona State University, said it is only natural for the country to weigh in on Arizona’s immigration law since immigration has become a national issue.
“SB 1070 touches on an issue that other states have an interest in,” Wells said. “So, it’s really no surprise why people around the U.S. have an interest in it.”
Uriel J. Garcia is a reporter for Cronkite News Service.
cwms2005 posted at 10:37 am on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
The fact we even have to defend the bill against our own government due to federal government not undertaking one of its prime responsibilities is sickening. And the fact we have a state senator being the democratic apologist is equally sickening.
samkat posted at 1:09 pm on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
Contrary to what the opposition portrays, it is obvious that the public sentiment is in favor of enforcing our immigration laws and if the current administration is in disagreement, they may find themselves voted out of office.
quietgardens posted at 1:10 pm on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
I feel like a broken record here...what the media keeps missing is that Arizona is anti-illegal immigration. If people from other countries want to get a work visa, then come over...or apply for citizenship, go through the procees, then come over, that is great!
What we have a hard time with is people coming over unannounced and assuming residency here without the knowledge of our government. Many of them work hard, and take care of their families. That is good also, but there are many benefits they receive from our tax dollars that we, Americans, pay. When you combine the large amount of families here illegally, with the economy in the toilet, there is too much of a drain on our government finances.
I believe that is where many of us disagree between SB 1070 supporters, and those that are against it. Get the facts straight. Come here legally, then welcome to America!
SunWorshiper posted at 3:30 pm on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
State Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, says: "... since Arizona has only donated 10 percent into the fund, it proves that SB 1070 is not as popular as many think."
What Gallardo should have said is that so many hard-working/hardly-making-it Arizonans have been taxed to cover the drain on education, medical, police, city services,etc. etc.) by those here ILLEGALLY---all the while paying full share for their own family--- that they have none (or little funds) left to send to the SB 1070 defense accoiunt BUT they fully support SB 1070!!
Masterrogue666 posted at 7:36 pm on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
“I’ve always believed that outside sources were going to fuel these anti-immigrant laws,” said Dee Dee Garcia Blase, founder of Somos Republicans, an Arizona-based conservative Hispanic organization. -- Hey Dee Dee, have you asked WHOM IS FUNDING the recall effort on Pearce? Why is it that THEY WON'T TELL? The reason Kris Kobach is involved is because HE'S AN EXPERT in immigration law. If you want a law to be effective, and legal, wouldn't it make sense to get someone that knows what's permitted to help craft the law?
"Vento was sued over the signs, but won." -- VICTORY!! I remember a Doctor/Dentist that got SUED because he declined to perform a procedure on someone that could not speak/understand English. The "translator" was a child of the person. However, since the Doctor COULD NOT BE SURE that what he stated WAS TRANSLATED CORRECTLY (because the procedure was dangerous), the Doctor/Dentist ADVISED the patient of a Doctor/Dentist that DID SPEAK/UNDERSTAND Spanish, and that could also do the operation. HE DID THE RIGHT THING, yet got sued. He won that case, but he had to pay for it out of his hard earned income.
"number was skewed by Mellon’s contribution: With his donation taken out, the national average contribution was $49.84. The average donation from Arizona was $55." -- So, USING YOUR WORDS, Arizonians donated MORE on average than those people outside of the state, save Mellon's one donation? Sounds like people from AZ DO SUPPORT SB1070!!!
Since it seems that the funds have been somewhat depleted, then I will AGAIN donate. I'd rather my money go to defend SB107 than have it go to ENTITLEMENT MINDED INVADING FOREIGN NATIONAL CRIMINALS!!!
@ URIEL J. GARCIA: Once thing you seem to have missed. CALIFORNIA is the second highest contributor (if you take out Mellon's skewed donation). Did Californian's want to BOYCOTT Arizona? Since they seem to be our biggest supporter, I'd say you should rethink your conculsions. The only thing your article did for me is inspire me to redouble my support since the coffers have been drained. I wonder, will I be the only one? I doubt it.
phxvato1202 posted at 7:45 pm on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
as i see the donations from the top 10 states it's apparent that what Senator Gallardo has said is totally 100% correct. the simple fact that if no one from anywhere outside AZ makes a contribution then the state has only raised 379,000 dollars. It's a laugher to read all the self righteous comments before mine with a big belief that this bill is so popular throughout this country.
@sunworshipper, keep up the good jokes okay, sure ther is waste of tax dollars but our politicans waste them on anything and then will blame illegals. Whether you want to admit it or not Illegals that work do pay their taxes which is taken from their pay so you are not giving illegals all the freebies that you claim. You worried about fraud and abuse of our tax dollars just look to COLORADO CITY and then let's see if you can justify the abuse and fraud committed on the hard working arizonans that you quote about.
phxvato1202 posted at 8:15 pm on Mon, Oct 31, 2011.
@masterrogue666-- boy kris is such an expert that almost all the laws he has written have been stopped by the courts? a true fact? and not just in arizona and if you want someone who knows the law apparently he doesn't know it well enough thus all the stops the courts are giving his educated law writings.
Masterrogue666 posted at 7:43 am on Tue, Nov 1, 2011.
@ phxvato1202: Actually, they aren't "stopped". I guess you don't know how the court system works. Most intelligent people realized that laws like SB1070 will have to go through the system all the way to the Supreme Court.
If you bother to check about Kris's background, you'd see that indeed he's an expert. But don't take my word for it, research it yourself. Unlike you, I check things out so that I can make an INFORMED opinion.
What I found most interesting about Kris is that he served as a missionary to Uganda in 2005 and 2006. Previously, he had volunteered to help build a school in a South African township through the Get Ahead Foundation. Seems he's not the racist pro-supporters claim he is..... [wink]
phxvato1202 posted at 9:01 am on Tue, Nov 1, 2011.
@masterrogue666--Maybe i should clarify my point that i was trying to make. out of most of the laws written by kris almost every one of the laws he has written have had many portions of those laws put on hold, especially the portions that had what supporters thought was the meat which in essence makes them ineffective until the supreme court hears those cases. But he has been given many thumbs down by the courts through out the country. And we will have to wait and see if these will be upheld or not.
Masterrogue666 posted at 12:23 pm on Tue, Nov 1, 2011.
That I would agree with. However, the man does have experience....
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:12 pm on Wed, Nov 2, 2011.
Forgot to add that most reasonable people knew in advance that laws like this will have to go all the way to the Supreme Court. It's expected going in....
catskinner posted at 4:23 am on Fri, Nov 4, 2011.
It's very important that SB 1070 get to the Supreme Court as soon as possible. It's also worth noting that the Alabama law that went to a different court of appeals received much kinder treatment. Now the blind administration has sued South Carolina. This is the issue that will send Obama back to Chicago.
KevinMyrers posted at 11:32 pm on Wed, Nov 9, 2011.
Dear Mr. Garcia ,
Also take note, this recall effort was two years in the making for an office of two years. It probably won't be repeated.
Also, you better hope the open boarder/illegal alien sympathizers didn't make this man a martyr. Russell has already received requests to travel to other states and help out in their legislation.
Now maybe the good Sheriff can retire, remember he wanted to move on last election but didn't want leave the office to some open boarder sheriff.
The law of unintended consequences. Mmmmm, lemonade.
Jesus Christo de Nogales posted at 2:14 pm on Sun, Sep 2, 2012.
Mr. Owebama. How is allowing 1,760,000 illegal occupiers to stay in the US and giving them work permits going to help lower unemployment? Do you not understand that these young, educated, motivated and potential small business creators are the only possibility for improving the standard of living in the poor Spanish speaking countries they came from? And you want to keep them in the US instead of helping our poor neighbors? Shame on you! No wonder the Spanish speaking peoples of the world hate the United States that steals their best and brightest. Shame on you.
Americans need to unite to help Mexico and Central America by returning these illegal occupiers back to their home land. You keep them in the US and you are only helping one person. Send them back and you are helping millions of their fellow citizens. Are you with me America?