The Arizona Supreme Court has today issued an order approving the filing of three amicus briefs regarding case CV-10-0405-SA. This is the special action filed by Senate President Russell Pearce and House Speaker Kirk Adams against the screening panel responsible for compiling the list of eligible candidates to become Independent Redistricting Commissioners.
The order issued today states the briefs have not yet been filed, but must before noon on Friday, January 14.
The individuals or groups who intend to file briefs are 1) Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk; 2) Arizona's GOP Congressmen (Flake, Franks, Quayle, Gosar and Schweikert) and; 3) Lattie Coor, Paul Johnson (former mayor of Phoenix), the Valley Citizens League and the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise.
When I can get access to those briefs, I will post about it and will include links to view them online.
In other news, the Arizona Legislature is now working to pass an emergency (so it will become effective immediately upon the signature of Governor Brewer) bill to make protests which disrupt funerals in Arizona a crime. This is a response to announcement by the Westboro Baptist Church that it intends to protest the funeral of 9-year old Christina Green, who was killed last Saturday when an attempt was made to assassinate Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson.
The bill, modeled after an Ohio law which has been ruled constitutional by a federal court, has already passed the state senate and is expected to be sent to (and signed by) Brewer today. Ms. Green's funeral is scheduled for Thursday, January 13 at 1 pm. Pima County Democrats and Republicans are organizing a counter-protest to gather citizens to provide a peaceful buffer zone around the locations of this and other funerals or services of victims of this horrific tragedy.
UPDATE: The Arizona Republic is reporting that the state legislature unanimously passed this bill and it's on its way to Governor Brewer's desk for signature, which is expected to take place today.
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