AZ GOP Top Director Arrested At Party Headquarters

PHOENIX - Just as Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen was concluding a meeting this morning at the Arizona Republican Party headquarters, he and fellow Republican leaders and staffers watched in shock as police officers handcuffed and took into custody their top staffer, Executive Director Brett Mecum, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the party.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Mecum was photographed just after midnight on April 10 by a stationary photo enforcement camera driving his Ford Mustang on the 101 freeway eastbound near 59th Avenue driving 109 miles per hour in a 65 mile-per-hour zone.

The DPS statement says, "The state statute which covers criminal speeding applies to everyone equally. If there are valid criminal charges, the arrest of Mr. Mecum is like any other criminal speeding arrest. In this case, the charges speak for themselves."

Lee Miller, an attorney for the Arizona Republican Party, told the Arizona Capitol Times, "It was a silly, stupid thing to do and there is no excuse and there's no justification for it."

Six hours after Mecum's arrest, a fellow Republican Party staffer was still waiting to pick Mecum up from the Maricopa County 4th Avenue Jail in Phoenix.

Comments

[mdzend]

$0 miles above the spped limit is just a " silly thing"? wouldn't of been to funny if he's had hit someone.Wh­y does anyone vote for these people??????

[kgb999]

Wow. He shoulda gotten a big ticket and that's that ... W.TF's the deal with arresting people for speeding? AZ has some messed up cops.

[lynettema]

Losing control of the auto. Hitting someone else at that speed. What part of that don't you get?

[MikeK14]

As a Ariaona resident, I applaud the police. Arizona has an extreme speeding law--anytime over 20 mile per hour over speed limit, driver can be charged with an felony. Many times, people get killed by someone really speeding, so I have no sympathy for him.

[coffeeslug]

Please, is this what we want from our government, nanny cams busting us for every little offense? So he went fast in a fast car for a little stretch, no big deal. That speed in that car is quite controllable. Get off your soap boxes people. The fact that these cameras are getting more and more intrusive on our freedom is what should have people up in arms. First it's running red lights, then it's speeding, what's next? Encroaching on a crosswalk? Talking on your cell phone? Failure to use your blinker? These cameras are just straight up evil. And don't try to convince me that some stupid camera is making us safer by busting speeders. This is government gone too far.

[DarthMac]

Driving is a privilege not a right. This pinhead was endangering himself and anyone else who had the misfortune of being on the road at that time. What you libertarian loons seem to forget is that everyone else has rights as well — and the rest of us shouldn't be put in harms way so this jerk can indulge his juvenile whims. I hope he's fined heavily and has his license revoked.

[TNFarmer]

Yes, this is one of the safety programs I want. "...no big deal. That speed in that car is quite controllab­le." Yeah, tell that to the paraplegic victim whose medical bills are nearing $1million after a speeding pro football player's similar car hit and pushed the victim's car out of control. If it was just the driver who got injured or killed speeding along our highways, that's bad enough. But it generally isn't them, it's someone else's wife or kids who get hurt. Their stupidity raises all of our insurance rates. At that speed a deer running across the road can certainly cause a fatal accident, which is happening with increasing frequency around the country. A stalled car or one with a flat tire in the inside lane is another issue. Going 40 mph over the 65 mph speed limit isn't just something to blow off as a minor speeding infraction.

"What's next" with this kind of horrible, evil government intrusion into the PUBLIC sector - how about cams over ATM machines or in liquor stores or convenience stores to help catch thieves? And, yeah, these kinds of stupid cameras are making some of us a little safer.

[coffeeslug]

What if this happened? What if that happened? None of those things happened. I cannot believe all the people who want big brother spying on us 24/7 so that on the off chance something disastrous happens we have photographic proof of it? I am not one prone to slippery slope arguments, but I think with regard to these cameras it is appropriate. These things are a cash grab by city, county, and state governments. They are a way to tax us pure and simple. There is literally no end to the number of offenses they can add to their list of brilliant money making ideas all cloaked in the veil of "public safety". There are REAL criminals out there raping convenience store clerks and killing people for chrissake. Here's a guy on the freeway at night with no traffic going fast for probably a very short spell. I don't see the danger to the public. Ever driven between LA and Vegas? You can get very close to 100 mph just going along with traffic. This man is not a street racing hooligan endangering the citizenry; he's just a guy with a performance car.

[planetjeffy]

At least he didn't make this list

http://www.armchairsubversive.org/

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

Just another Republican that thinks he is above the law. Why not?

[SteadyVoice]

Yep, just like his democrat buddies...­.

[jsanti7]

Please give him back his job with that kind of judgement the money to turn even arizona blue will be less please give him back his job in the grumpy old party

[Zech Ehnert]

Whatever, guy was going fast. This country was built by law breakers. This is a minor offenses and hardly worth the pixels.

[Carl Christensen]

laws don't apply to Repubs, just ask Rove & Cheney!

[SteadyVoice]

Ooh and don't forget Clinton!!

[lynettema]

What do you mean? He was impeached for being unfaithful to his wife.

[ThermoChemist]

???

"In what regards, Charlie..?­"
==========­==========­=========

Clinton did NOT "get a pass" for any indiscretions (unlike Reagan and Dubya) and did NOT do anything falling into the category of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" (unlike Reagan and Dubya).

The impeachment of Clinton arose from a series of events following the filing of a lawsuit by Paula Jones (Jones alleged violations of her federal civil rights in 1991 by Clinton when he was Governor of Arkansas -- NOT President).

The name of Monica Lewinsky was first included on a list of potential witnesses prepared by the attorneys for Ms. Jones that was submitted to the President's legal team.

Summary:
-- Clinton was impeached by the House (acquited by the Senate of: Obstruction of Justice, Perjury, Abuse of Power).
-- Clinton was charged with CIVIL "Contempt of Court" for not testifying truthfully -- two months AFTER being acquited.
-- Clinton had a 5 year suspension of his Arkansas law license.
-- Clinton paid a $90,000 fine.

He did NOT get off "scott free"...! [the Law WAS applied..!­]

All the time, money ($80 million?), and effort spent for the "Repub led witch hunt" (?) amounted to nothing.

[EnoughOfThis]

He's got Jesus and sports....­just like all good Amurikans, so, since it is a free country, he can do whatever he likes.....­..........­..........­..........­..Hmmmmmm.­..........­..........­.

[noaxe397]

What did the republican say to the police officer when he was stopped for speeding?

"Officer, I was late for church."

[SteadyVoice]

and the democrat said, I'm late for prayers to Meca.. (Europe) :)

[ThermoChemist]

???

I'm thinking you meant Mecca (not "Meca").

I'm thinking you meant Saudi Arabia (not "Europe").

Be that as it may, I see no correlation between the different parts of your sentence.
[Are you somehow suggesting that all Democrats are Muslims...­???]

"Mecca is the holiest meeting site of the Islamic religion. Culturally, the city is modern, cosmopolitan and ethnically diverse. The modern day city is located in and is the capital of Saudi Arabia's Makkah Province, in the historic Hejaz region."

[jordan3189]

Does a speeding violation really warrant a huge GOP arrested banner? You guys are kind of reaching here.

[Shibiwan]

That's not the point. Everyone in AZ knows the 101 is photo radar central. His blatant speeding just shows his complete and utter contempt for the law in AZ.

Perhaps he figured he can use his GOP money/influence to buy himself out of another jam.

[jordan3189]

Complete and utter contempt for the law..... there's probably a spot in the administration for him. Speeding can't be as bad as tax evasion, can it?

[Pam Ouellette]

no different if the shoe were on the other foot...you have to agree.

while we are at it...conse­rvative talk shows were so quick to blame the falling dow etc on Obama...wh­at are they saying with the bounce back of the Dow...he still has his policies in place...yo­u see, it is one side slinging at the other with no real connection of facts...th­at is why talk shows etc. are not real news...jus­t a slant on the news to infect the viewing audience with misinformation

[jordan3189]

you were quick to blame bush for the falling dow, so what does that say about you liberals. If it falls again is it bush's fault again?? we'll see.

[roshni]

I think it's great!

[HonorJusticeTruth]

Had he been a hispanic, he would probably still be in jail waiting on papers to prove he was a citizen of this country.

[yosoyeldecider]

In general, big woo. But HJT is right on the whole driving-while-brown in Maricopa county.

[The Ogre]

Me bigshot. Law no apply.

[BUZZARDSTKE]

Good 'Ole Conservative values at work!!!...­..Proof is in the pudding no?

[LeftLeanWing]

I had a brand new Toyota Supra Turbo

It was pass 3:00 am in the Morning

Driving on I-95 from DC to Va Beach.

Cruise Control @95mph with my Foot on the Pedal

Doing around 105mph on an Open Flat Road.

Yeah... I got a ticket and Yes it was Foolish and Dangerous

But Oh what a Rush.

ps.
This was over 20 years ago.

[Who Knew Too]

Several weeks after I bought my first Lexus GS 300, I took it out on Highway 26 West late one evening.

I didn't slow down until after I hit 122 MPH! That was an incredible rush of adrenaline soaked excitement­.. This is something I have since NEVER repeated..­....

Oh yeah, I was not caught, photo-radared, nor ticketed for this joyous ride.

I was wrong to do it, but I am really VERY happy I did it........­...

This was only 9 years ago.....

[ThermoChemist]

I traveled to Germany often on business trips in the early 90's.

One night I went on the German Autobahn and did 150 MPH; just for the experience (to say I did it).

Never again. Like you, that was "something I have since NEVER repeated". It was very scary having everything pass by you in a blur. [there's no time to react to anything]