Just when it seemed Quartzsite Town Management was finally going to "play nice" (albeit at the point of a court order), today they returned to their normal game plan and refused to let Mayor Ed Foster enter the play ground!

 

ARFighter is reporting this morning (Friday, October 26th, 2012) that interim Town Manager Laura Bruno and Town Clerk Terry Frausto refuse to let newly sworn and seated Mayor Ed Foster access to Town offices! The two have summarily demoted the Mayor of Quartzsite to a regular citizen, not allowing the Mayor access to Town Hall beyond the public business counter! quartzsitearizona.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-honeymoon-is-over.html

 

(This reporter confirmed this story with Mayor Foster.)

 

Mayor Foster, who was prevented from being seated for 5 months by the Town's illegal legal maneuvering (despite winning an overwhelming majority of votes for Mayor in May) knew this might happen. So his attorney, Julie Labenz, who recently won the Writ of Mandamus action that forced the Town to seat the Mayor parkerliveonline.com/2012/10/17/foster-to-be-seated-by-court-order/ shrewdly added verbiage to Judge Burke's court Order to the effect that Town must also cooperate with Mayor Foster as he performs his official duties as Mayor. (That is, not just seat him as Mayor, but allow him to perform his duties as Mayor.)

 

As such, Mayor Foster believes that Interim Town Manager Lauro Bruno and Town Clerk Terry Frausto are in contempt of court. Moreover, Mayor Foster believes they both have committed a crime, violating A.R.S. 12-2029.

 

(This reporter adds A.R.S. 13-2810, Interfering with judicial proceedings, a Class 1 misdemeanor.)

 

 

azleg.gov/ars/13/02810.htm

 

Mayor Foster believes the only way these people will play nice is if they're disciplined for not playing nice. Mayor Foster's attorney, LaBenz, is currently unavailable (at trial), but Mayor Foster intends to contact her today to seek Emergency action by Judge Burke.

 

The mayor has attempted to contact the La Paz County Attorney, Sam Vederman, to initiate criminal proceedings. But Mayor Foster hasn't been able to reach Mr. Vederman.

 

Mr. Vederman saw the "systemic political corruption" in Quartziste earlier in the year, and filed a complaint with the FBI's Public Corruption Unit over the matter. (He has since been promoted to Superior Court Judge, to replace retiring Judge Burke in December.)

 

(Credit for the earlier Quo Warranto, which forced two usurpers off the Town Council, goes to La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman. After the former Mayor finally left his seat (a few weeks after losing the election) it was up to Mayor Foster to actively seek to be seated.)

 

It appears the systemic political corruption continues, even though the Town hired a new interim Town Manager who vowed to "right this ship."