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Did Bill Montgomery violate state statute? Will he resign?
Montgomery should hold himself to the same standard he imposes on others
The daily reports that Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is taking flak for his recent boasts about legal questions he was researching on behalf of Doug Ducey, a political ally who is running for governor. Montgomery used his bi-weekly press conference to expound on the advice he has been providing Ducey. In response, Ducey issued this June 8, press release, acknowledging Montgomery was supplying him and his gubernatorial campaign with legal advice. This letter seeking legal advice was written to Montgomery the same day, on Ducey’s campaign letterhead.
Experts on both sides of the political aisle question the ethics of such political involvement since the statutory scope of Montgomery’s duties include but one client: Maricopa County.
Montgomery recently took the low ground, arrogantly demanding Arizona’s Attorney General Tom Horne abandon his reelection bid and resign the office to which he was elected. This haughty overreach came despite the decision by an independent administrative law judge clearing Horne of allegations of illegal coordination with an independent expenditure committee during his 2010 campaign.
The fact that Montgomery not only has endorsed Horne’s challenger —- a kindred McCain ally —- but helped recruit him, marginalizes Montgomery’s credibility even further. The challenger, who pompously campaigns on “restoring integrity” to the office, has his own problems in that regard.
Will Montgomery now hold himself to his own standard and step down? Should his recruit abandon his campaign?
Attorney General Tom Horne’s distinguished public service record is clearly conservative, and decidedly anti-amnesty. The hard fact is, those are the actual issues that render Horne unpalatable to the local leftwing media and the establishment elites.
The newspaper reports that the usually glib Montgomery refused to respond to requests for comment. Instead, his public information officer responded on his behalf —- by e-mail —- rather than engaging with the press and having to field embarrassing questions.
Going mute is uncharacteristic for the loquacious Montgomery. He’s likely pondering how he will respond to calls for him to step down.
Source: http://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/did-bill-montgomery-violate-state-statute-will-he-resign/
