I have tried several avenues to get a chance to ask a representative of Goldwater Institute a few questions that would help clear up what I think are anomalies in reality versus public statements, mostly regarding the now over three year Coyotes fiasco. There has never been a clear statement from Goldwater regarding what their interest in the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes has been since board member Jerry Moyes put the team into bankruptcy. I’ve been accused of being a tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorist, and that may eventually turn out to be the case. But for now I’m sticking with all of my theories and I believe that, given enough correct information, my basic theory that Goldwater is acting as a hired gun to eliminate the Coyotes from Arizona regardless of the negative economic impact said departure would wreak upon Glendale in general and the Westgate area in particular. I believe that they were very nearly successful in their endeavor and, had they not been completely inept, the Coyotes were essentially gone on June 9, 2012.
Fortunately for Coyotes fans, workers, team members, supporting businesses and the rest of the citizens of Glendale, the Goldwater Institute proved that dressing snazzy and having an advanced education doesn’t necessarily give you what it takes to do your job any better than the Three Stooges would.
So, if there are legitimate reporters with access to Goldwater that I will never have who would care to ask a few of these questions, I’d really appreciate hearing the answers. Obviously, one answer could lead to another question for follow up, but these 20 questions will do for now.
- What is the procedure for arranging an interview with Goldwater Institute representatives and what exact credentials are required?
- Do you plan, at any time, to challenge the Jobing.com arena lease deal between the City of Glendale and Arizona Hockey Arena Management?
- Do you plan, at any time, to challenge any activity related to the Arizona Diamondbacks current or future lease agreement for the stadium in which they play?
- Your organization often mentions you don’t have enough information to decide whether to sue when implying a “gift clause” suit may be forthcoming regarding the currently approved Jobing.com arena lease agreement. What information, exactly, do you feel is lacking?
- Will your organization be paying court costs incurred by Ken Jones and Joe Cobb?
- Two Goldwater employees were observed with Ken Jones on July 9, what was the nature of their visit on that day and who assigned them to that task?
- Did Carrie Ann Sitren have a conversation with Glendale Councilmember Phil Lieberman on or about July 9, 2012 regarding the petition for referendum for the arena lease deal?
- If, as stated by Clint Bolick in a recent interview, Goldwater was assisting their “allies” with understanding the rules of a referendum petition application, why were there multiple fatal flaws in the application that could have been avoided by simply following the instructions in a 60 page document?
- Assuming that an individual in your organization eventually discovered the fatal flaws in the referendum petition documents, as did Glendale City and Glendale First! PAC, on what date were these flaws discovered? If you did know of the flaws, why did you not inform Cobb and Jones so they could cease their signature gathering in the 100 plus degree heat? If you did not know of these flaws, would you characterize your assistance of your “allies” as a success or a failure?
- If, as stated by Clint Bolick in a recent interview, Goldwater Institute and/or Scharf-Norton were not representing Joe Cobb and Ken Jones beyond the complaints adjudicated on June 19, why were Goldwater employees sent to speak with Ken Jones on July 9?
- While Scharf-Norton was officially the legal representatives for Mr. Cobb and Mr. Jones, were they advised by Scharf-Norton or Goldwater Institute to NOT attempt obtaining the necessary petition application documents until July 15? If so, why? If not, why were the documents not requested until July 15?
- When was the 1.2 million dollar loan made by your organization to Shamrock Farms repaid in full and what was the interest rate being charged? Since your Vice President is Norman McClelland who also happened to be the President of Shamrock Farms, do you feel there is any conflict of interest using monies donated by private citizens to your 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, assuming these individuals donated their money making the assumption it would be used to further the stated purpose of your organization, for a loan to one of your own staff?
- If a 1 million dollar donation from your Chairman John Norton was used to initiate the Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation, doesn’t making a loan to another officer of your Institute for a strikingly similar amount shortly after constitute a misuse of the donations made to your organization by donors led to believe their monies would be utilized to further the stated mission of Goldwater Institute? The question would be, if you had a 1.2 million dollar surplus shortly after receiving a 1 million dollar check, enough of a surplus to make a sizable loan to a private company, what was the source of that 1.2 million dollars?
- Since your organization has specifically recommended Phoenix Monarch Group as a potential arena management company for Jobing.com arena, it is apparent you have had at least enough contact with the owners of that company to be willing to stake your reputation as a judge of business acumen and, of course, business ethics. What relationship does your organization or any member thereof have now or in the past with Phoenix Monarch Group?
- What relationship does your organization or any member thereof have now or in the past with One-Consulting, LLC?
- What exactly is the relationship between your group and the Tohono O’odham Nation especially in the context of the proposed Glendale casino issue?
- Goldwater representatives have, on more than one occasion, mentioned the Tohono O’odham Nation and some proposal made that would benefit the City of Glendale in resolving its problem with Jobing.com arena and the Coyotes. Is said proposal in writing? Do any Glendale city officials have access to that information? If so, do ALL Glendale city officials have access to that same information? Mr. Tindall denied ever seeing any information about any “deal” with the Tohoho O’odham in this regard. Since members of your organization have implored the City of Glendale to “let in the sunshine” on their matters, perhaps you’d agree that the same could be asked of your Institute?
- Do you feel that conversing and sharing explicitly or implied confidential information with one or more Glendale City elected officials while at the same time suing their City represents a conflict of interest for either your organization and/or the City officials?
- What, if anything, is the current relationship between Goldwater Institute and former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes? If Mr. Moyes is no longer a board member of Goldwater Institute, on what date did he relinquish his board membership?
- Because the Kendrick family has real estate investments that would benefit greatly by having the similar City North project falter, for example because of a “gift clause” impropriety, why do you not feel that having a Kendrick family member seated as a Director of Goldwater Institute constitutes any conflict of interest?
I don’t expect any person from the Goldwater Institute to answer any of the above questions. I am quite certain that, if any acknowledgement was given them at all it would be to smugly dismiss them as misguided, misinformed, unimportant and any other of man dismissive words. However, if the people and organizations that provide the fuel, cash, to this organization started asking the questions they would have to take notice. People will only accept the money that they donated to what they honestly felt was a good cause, a good use for their money to perhaps better our country, being OBVIOUSLY misspent in such reckless and inept fashion for so long.
The dry edges of the pond of respect Goldwater enjoyed are already showing, people and media in the Phoenix area have begun to roll their eyes at the mention of the Goldwater name. The smugness and self-importance of their attorneys will shortly wane as their defeats mount up. Then, once the donations dry up or somebody ends up in jail for some sort of economic malfeasance, the Institute will fold.
When will that be? That’s question 21, for now.