Frank Antenori, GOP Candidate For Gabrielle Giffords' Seat, Lashes Out At Police Officer

WASHINGTON -- A Republican Arizona state senator running for the U.S. House seat vacated by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) slammed a local police officer for opposing his legislation in a committee hearing, calling the officer a "six-foot-four, 250-pound crybaby," according to the Arizona Guardian.

State Sen. Frank Antenori laid into Phoenix police officer Walter Olsen Thursday when the officer testified against Antenori's bill aimed at reducing the number of drivers caught running red lights by cameras. Antenori accused Olsen of lying to the committee while swearing loudly and pointing his finger at him, the Arizona Guardian reports.

"I was very upset and I raised my voice but I never touched the guy," Antenori said afterward, according to the Guardian. "Trust me, if I assaulted him he'd know it. I can't help that a six-foot-four 250-pound crybaby felt intimidated by a little legislator."

Antenori, a former member of the U.S. Army's Special Forces, also accused Olsen of "being a shill" for Redflex Traffic Systems, the company that operates many of the state's enforcement cameras.

Antenori is one of four Republicans vying for Giffords' former seat. The other three candidates -- former Marine Jesse Kelly, Retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally and sports broadcaster Dave Sitton -- got a nod from the National Republican Congressional Committee on Monday for having reached "fundamental benchmarks" in their campaigns. Antentori told The Hill that he opted not to participate in the NRCC program.

"I just thought it wasn't necessary," Antenori told The Hill. "We met all the prerequisites, and we determined not to do it in the primary."

Giffords, who was shot in the head during the January 2011 shooting spree in Tucson, Ariz., announced in January 2012 that she was stepping down to focus on her rehabilitation.

UPDATE: 9:00 a.m. -- Days after the hearing, Antenori paid off an August 2009 photo radar speeding ticket that led to his driver's license being suspended.

Antenori paid $312.25 to a collection agency on Monday, the Arizona Daily Star reported. He got his ticket, via photo radar, for driving 57 mph in a 45 mph zone.

Antenori initially tried to get his ticket dismissed by claiming "legislative immunity." When that didn't work, he requested a hearing in February 2010 but never showed. That led to his license being suspended. A collection agency sent him four notices about the outstanding ticket, but he never paid it.

The state senator has another photo-enforcement citation pending for running a red light. The hearing for that ticket is set for May 12.

Comments

[tockeyhockey]

11:53 AM on 03/21/2012

while it seems as though this guy's intentions were completely selfish, he does have a point. red light cameras should be outlawed. they actually cause more accidents than they prevent, and they end up being a drain on public coffers, rather than a boon.

[walkerhds]

04:43 PM on 03/20/2012

"Antenori initially tried to get his ticket dismissed by claiming "legislative immunity." "

and yet the officer is the crybaby...

[Michael Kittredge]

04:08 PM on 03/20/2012

I'm against these red light cameras. The cure is worse than the disease. The other sides of the intersections have a couple second delay before they turn green to compensate for people clearing the intersection as it turns yellow. Problem that happens, is people fear losing hundreds of dollars from the camera fee and slam on their brakes when they see a yellow and cause rear end collisions. So by trying to prevent accidents these devices actually create more. The law of unintended consequences, and not doing enough studies ahead of time. But hey, when local governments want to scam money out of their constituents with regressive stealth taxes and tech companies want to sell their cameras, who cares!

And 312 dollars for going 12 miles over the speed limit? Outrageous! I'll say it again. Regressive, stealth, taxes. They're not designed to stop people from speeding, they're designed to bring in money to the government. I don't support that politician, but I do understand his outrage at being fleeced.

[mak4374]

04:35 PM on 03/20/2012

I have to say that my original reflexive response to the cameras was the same as yours. I freely admit that I am one of those idiots that zooms around Tucson at speeds I should be incarcerated for, and yes, I do see your point with the hesitation of all drivers at the intersections with cameras. But, and this is a big "but", after two years with cameras those intersections have become safer. By far. Even I cannot argue with the statistics. And yes, you are right about the stealth tax part, but look at it this way: remember when we had cops waiting for us in the intersections? Now we know where the cameras are, we are much more careful in those intersections, and they even make us habitually more careful in other intersections too. And I hate to admit it but I also learned to love the speed cameras in the middle of nowhere because we all know where they are, we slow down for those, and then we know that there are no cops around for miles! Give me more of those stationary cameras!

From the depths of my guilty psychic I would like to apologize to my fellow Tucsonians for all my speeding. Sorry, I am one of those morons that deserves to pay $312.00 on a ticket.

[Michael Kittredge]

05:13 PM on 03/20/2012

Scenario: you're driving 30 MPH, maybe 35 or 40, even 50, depending on what a street allows for a speed limit. You get within 50 feet of a light, going at this speed. The light turns yellow. There is a car close behind you. Do you A) Slam on the breaks to avoid running a red light at the last second, and get in an accident with the person behind you or B) go through and get fined? Even if you know where it is, you don't know when the light will turn yellow, and when it turns yellow, you have less than 3 seconds to make a decision. Timed wrong, even going at the speed limit, you can be put in a very difficult situation. I've been in court for traffic violations and seen people try to argue their case on this very subject. They're made helpless by the system though and there is no argument they can make, no defense against having to pay the fine, the cops and judges collude. It's a racket.

[looneydoone]

07:22 PM on 03/20/2012

Here's what other countries do...it doesn't generate revenue, but dramatically reduces intersection collisions. They set the signal timer to blink green 3 times before the light changes to yellow.

[mak4374]

07:52 PM on 03/20/2012

Bunch of commies! We don't take advice from "other countries". We have the bestest of everything! Even our potholes on our roads are bigger! And "green"?! Not on our roads!

Note: the above statement was-not-meant-to-be-factual (than you Senator Kyle for the vernacular). Did I forget to mention that we also have the "bestest" politicians in the nation, if not the world?

[watchingduck]

03:47 PM on 03/20/2012

it also seems obvious that he is/was driving with a suspended license......when is that hearing?

[bgofca]

03:36 PM on 03/20/2012

the gop guy is a bully, what else is news?

[commentary42]

03:19 PM on 03/20/2012

This guy sounds like a complete bully. Bullies come in all sizes.

[psnyder325]

02:43 PM on 03/20/2012

Boycott Arizona entirely. People who live there are simply nuts. Their state and local governments are medieval. No one needs to go to AZ for any reason. If their businesses suffer at a high enough level, the businesspeople there will put in some sane legislators.

[rda1911a1]

02:57 PM on 03/20/2012

Yes many nanny staters are afraid of the freedoms the people of Arizonia cherish. But we are free to boycott whomever we chose. I chose never to travel into any state or locality that does not honor my concealed carry permit

[Kevin73]

03:18 PM on 03/20/2012

and we are all glad that you dont travel much.....

[mak4374]

03:26 PM on 03/20/2012

Yes, you are right. Only we Arizonians, in the land of Arizonia, cherish freedoms. No one else does. Anywhere. Just us.

Then again, it is one thing to cherish freedom but another to moronically vote for those to take said freedoms away. Because after all it is more important to be able to carry a gun than actually be able to afford one.

Kind of interesting that the subject went from a politician who is running for Gifford's seat, insulting a police officer over traffic policies, to the rights of Arizonians to carry concealed weapons. What do they call that? The circle of the irony of life?

[mak4374]

03:35 PM on 03/20/2012

Perhaps not. Sanity here is in pockets, small but real enough to vote for someone like Gifford. I even know of some outside of these preserves and reservations. True, they live inside their circled wagons surrounded by the concealed-gun permit holders in the wilds of Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe, but once in a while some of us are able to penetrate the blockade and bring them sustenance of reality and sanity.

[HR Mickelson]

02:36 PM on 03/20/2012

'got his ticket, via photo radar, for driving 57 mph in a 45 mph zone and then tried to get his ticket dismissed by claiming "legislative immunity."' Typical Republican - the rules only apply to someone else not them, that is, until they are caught and exposed. Another in a long line of embarrassments for Arizona, I can only hope that the people of this state wake up and get rid of these folks.

[Hoosierbrad]

02:27 PM on 03/20/2012

A scofflaw, bully Republican? Somehow I am not surprised.

[AZHusker]

02:22 PM on 03/20/2012

Antenori is a former Green Beret combat veteran. I think he can a lot of people "cry babies" to include me. I did meet him once when he was promoting his book "Roughneck Nine-One". Nice guy who talked to any and everyone that came up to him. To include those who disagree with the Iraq War.

I would choose Retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally over him though, just my preference.

I'm for getting rid of the red-light cameras as well.

[pbr56]

03:00 PM on 03/20/2012

I guess safety is not a concern for you.

[Michael Kittredge]

04:02 PM on 03/20/2012

Why do you say that?

[nevernot]

04:09 PM on 03/20/2012

Read the studies pro and against red light cameras. There is one constant, safety does not improve when they are installed. The other constant is a roughly 20-25% conviction rate at best. Miami recently installed them, was promised a bit over $5 milion a year in revenue after paying for the equipment, we are currently in year two and have yet to see any revenue, in fact we currently are late on payments to RedFlex T.S.

[Kevin73]

03:19 PM on 03/20/2012

get rid of the cameras and you have to put feet on the street....they have to figure out where that money is coming from.

[AZHusker]

04:15 PM on 03/20/2012

This is what cops do all day long. They monitor certain intersections during certain hours of the day and do their job.

Where does the money go from these tickets/citations?

[edwcorey]

02:20 PM on 03/20/2012

What a putz. I think the GOP drafts its candidates out of mental institutions.

[mak4374]

08:25 PM on 03/20/2012

We still have mental institutions? Didn't the GOP close them back in the 80's? Weren't all the patients let out to roam among u....? Ooooh, now I see! The true lasting legacy of Reagan!

[lisaman]

02:20 PM on 03/20/2012

Anyone who would vote for this guy needs to have their heads examined.

[Hoosierbrad]

02:29 PM on 03/20/2012

ROFLMAO!

[mak4374]

08:26 PM on 03/20/2012

So many heads, so few lobotomy experts...

[TeaStrainer3000]

02:14 PM on 03/20/2012

Who needs cops with Arizona's liberal minority hunting, ah, I mean standing my ground to protect my Bible and family!?

[MtnGeek]

03:29 PM on 03/20/2012

Arizona's liberal minority? What on earth are you talking about?

[walkerhds]

04:59 PM on 03/20/2012

I think he was trying to infer that AZ won't need cops because white gun nuts can claim they are allowed to stand and defend themselves if they feel threatened and thus, when they see minority residents under the mildest of pretexts...

[Jeffin90019]

02:13 PM on 03/20/2012

Every time one thinks the GOP has reached the lowest level, one of their loons lowers the floor another 100 feet. We'll vote accordingly.

[HR Mickelson]

02:38 PM on 03/20/2012

Thank you and count me in.

[mak4374]

08:29 PM on 03/20/2012

Darling, this is the Grand Canyon state. We do not measure depth in feet, but in miles. We have a waaaaay to go to reach bottom around here.

[alguien]

02:09 PM on 03/20/2012

sounds like a real prince.

[mak4374]

08:32 PM on 03/20/2012

We live in the U.S.A. We do not have princes. Plutocrats with aspirations of micro-dictatorships do us nicely.