EXPENSIVE RACES FOR CONGRESS

posted by Christopher Conover

A new report from the Federal Elections Commission shows that Congressional candidates raised $285.2 million dollars in the first six months of 2011. According to the FEC some Arizona candidates are some of the top fundraisers in the nation.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is 32nd in House when it comes to fundraising by incumbents. According to the FEC she raised $683, 964 between January 1 and June 30, 2011. Neither Giffords nor her staff has announced whether or not the Congresswoman will seek reelection in 2012.

In his race for the Senate, Congressman Jeff Flake has a number of top spots when it comes to fundraising. He is ranked 26th among Senate candidates when it comes to receipts. He brought in $ 1,863,591 during the first half of the year. Flake is number 24 when it comes to cash on hand with $2,002,620 in the bank. And he is 19th when it comes to expenses. The Flake campaign spent $488, 822 during the first six months of 2011.

To get a closer look at the campaign expenses of Giffords and Flake you can check out AZPM’s analysis of the numbers.

Other Arizona candidates making the list include Ann Kirkpatrick who is number 36 when it comes to fundraising by Congressional challengers. She brought in $243, 391 during the first half of 2011.

Kirk Adams is 39th amongst Congressional challengers when it comes to fundraising. He brought in $230,525 since declaring his candidacy.

COUNTY CONSIDERING ROSEMONT AIR QUALITY PERMIT

posted by Andrea Kelly

Rosemont Copper Company hopes to open a copper mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, but one of the hurdles the company must clear is to get an air quality permit from Pima County.

The company has to submit a plan for controlling air pollution in the proposed open pit mine, and the county is reviewing the plan and seeking public comment on it, starting Aug. 30.

But just how much sway does the county have to issue or deny that permit?

Ursula Kramer, director of the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, says not much. The mine either meets the requirements, and gets a permit, or it doesn't meet them and the permit is denied.

"There’s a set of laws and a set of rules our there that companies have to comply with depending on what type of an air pollution source they are, and if a company comes to us and they demonstrate that they can meet all of the requirements that are applicable to them, then we do have to issue an air quality permit to them. It’s not really a discretionary function,” Kramer said in an interview.

As a matter of disclosure, Rosemont Copper Company is an underwriter of Arizona Public Media.

WEALTHIEST MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

posted by Christopher Conover

Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill, has calculated the 50 richest members of Congress. The paper determined the ranking by adding up the minimum value of each Members total assets and then subtracted the minimum liabilities.

Only one Arizonan made the list, Senator John McCain. He ranks as the 28th richest Member of Congress. According to the report, McCain has $11.35 million in assets and $1 million in liabilities. By Roll Call’s calculation that gives him a value of $10.35 million.

The wealthiest Member of Congress is Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) who has a calculated value of $294.21 million.

NEW FEDERAL DEPORTATION PLAN RANKLES BREWER

posted by Andrea Kelly

The Obama administration's plans to review the cases of accused illegal immigrants scheduled for deportation has Gov. Jan Brewer fuming.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said yesterday the department will prioritize deportation for illegal immigrants who are convicted criminals.

Those without criminal records could get to stay in the country indefinitely, according to the Associated Press.

Brewer called the plan amnesty in a news release, and said it will make illegal immigration worse.

"This plan amounts to backdoor amnesty for hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of illegal aliens," she said in the news release. "Especially disturbing is that it comes in the wake of the Obama administration sanctioning the sale of weapons to Mexican drug cartels – even as border states such as Arizona come under threat from those same illicit organizations."

That last part is a jab at the Fast and Furious operation, in which federal agents tried to track Mexican drug cartels purchasing firearms in the U.S. Many of the weapons ended up at crime scenes across the border.

MORE GIFFORDS SECURITY

posted by Christopher Conover

The campaign for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is asking the Federal Elections Commission for permission to pay for security upgrades to the congresswoman’s home.

A campaign official says they want to spend about $2000 to implement changes suggested by the US Capitol Police.

EXPLORING CONGRESS

posted by Christopher Conover

Earlier this year, state Senator Frank Antenori (R-30) said he would not take on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in a race for Congress. However, Antenori has now filed the paperwork to form an exploratory committee for a Congressional campaign.

In a news release Antenori says the work of Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission is not yet finished and that means the boundaries of all of the state’s congressional districts are in flux. And he says a number of people have contacted him about running for Congress. So for those two reasons he is testing the waters. On his legislative campaign website, Antenori is also asking constituents for their thoughts on a possible run for Congress.

So far Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has not announced whether or not she’ll run for reelection. In the meantime, her campaign continues to raise money.