Stephen Lemons and Dennis Gilman of the Phoenix New Times attended the meeting and Dennis Gilman recorded the exchange. Fox 10 used that video in the following report.
Pearce was asked about Olivia Cortes and his response:
“They love myths and that’s how they win, character assassination, try to divert the truth.”
Pearce then stated “Jerry Lewis is a plant.”
ABC 15 video
“I’ve never talked to her. I’ve never talked to her campaign people.”
These “campaign people” include Justice of the Peace Lester Pearce (Russell’s brother) and his nieces Megan Sirrine and Shilo Sessions.
Prior to the first hearing held on September 29th, attorneys Tom Ryan and H. Michael Wright had offered to drop the case if she voluntarily resigned her candidacy. The offer was refused and she testified in the hearing.
Pearce later stated;
“She says she’s not a sham, I read that in the paper today, she in fact made it very clear in court”.
Judge Burke’s Ruling
Judge Burke found several things clear in court.
“The court finds that Ms. Cortes was persuaded to sign her Political Committee Statement of Organization and run for the Senate by Western, a Pearce supporter. The evidence was crystal clear that without Western’s assistance, and that of others who have circulated nominating petitions and erected signs supporting Cortes, her name would not be on the recall election ballot. It is also clear that those who have assisted Cortes have done so to divert votes from Lewis for Pearce’s benefit.”
He also ruled against removing her name from the ballot, stating they had followed the letter of the law.
However, on October 6th, only one one day before many of Pearce’s family, friends and supporters were scheduled to testify under oath as to their actions regarding Cortez’s campaign, she abrubtly resigned.
“This morning, they asked if the offer was still open,” states co-council H. Michael Wright.
The investigation into Olivia Cortes’ campaign funding is ongoing. Meanwhile in Pearce’s disclosure he has raised over 230,000, mainly from sources outside of his District 18.
“Jerry Lewis is a plant.”
Umm… doing a little character assassination yourself there, Pearce?
This hypocrite will do anything he can to “divert the truth” from making up a sham candidate to calling a real contender fake. I’m waiting to see what his camp pulls next…