Howard Fischer PHOENIX — Arizona lawmakers voted Wednesday to make it a lot harder to find out where they live.Without dissent, the Senate Government Committee approved a measure that would allow, but not require, all state and federal lawmakers and all statewide elected officials to ask a court to prohibit the general public from accessing their home address, home phone number, personal photograph or photos of their home or vehicle.
"One of these days, somebody is going to be injured and somebody's going to be hurt in one of these incidents, especially as volatile as these incidents seem to be," he said."I had a gentleman come to my house, knock on my door, and then threaten me with all kinds of racist words," said Sen. Justine Wadsack, a Tucson Republican.
"I definitely get these threats all the time, too," Mendez continued, saying he and his wife, state Rep. Athena Salman, have had to install a security system and cameras."It's a little peace of mind but it still doesn't make things any easier." Nothing in SB 1061 would prevent someone from using other sources to find — and even publish — the personal information.
Shope conceded that becomes difficult, if not impossible, if the candidate's claimed address is not public. And then there's the problem caused by the fact Shope is piggy-backing his protections for elected officials on an existing law about confidential addresses for judges, police officers, prosecutors, child protective services workers and others as the model.
Maybe if the nut job righties would stop perpetuating lies and hostility, we might have a starting point.