AZ Schools Superintendent Caught Speeding in School Zone, Plus 5 Other Tickets, 2 Unpaid
PHOENIX, ARIZONA -- Arizona Superintendent of Public Education Tom Horne (R) has been ticketed for speeding half a dozen times over the last eighteen months, including one ticket for speeding in a school zone and two tickets in the exact same location two days in a row.
But Horne, who aspires to run in 2010 for Arizona Attorney General (the chief legal/law enforcement officer of the state who happens to have the responsibility for enforcing traffic laws on state roads, including photo-radar enforcement), is not taking responsibility for his lead foot.
On Thursday, Horne told local media a speed trap is to blame for two incidents, his son is to blame for one incident, he is "confounded" by the school-zone incident, and his failure to pay his speeding tickets was just "an oversight." On Friday, in my exclusive interview with Horne, he first said, "The problem is photo radar." Later he laid more blame on his son, saying his son is probably at fault for "more than one" these tickets.
Horne also couldn't remember how many of these tickets were photo radar or how many tickets he had before this spate of speeding tickets. He says he "only has memory of" being pulled over by a police officer once.
Horne also told Arizona Republic that the ticket he received just outside of the Pappas school "was frustrating because there was no school." Indeed, the school was closed down -- but not until three months after Horne was cited for speeding in front of it.
When I asked Horne to clarify his story based on the timing of the school closure, he first stuck to his story, then said the ticket must have occurred after of school hours "because I have no memory of seeing kids or crossing guards." But Horne also could not remember whether he received this ticket by photo radar or by being pulled over by a police officer.
Two of Horne's speeding tickets were incurred on the same stretch of Arizona State Highway 51 on two days in a row. Horne says these tickets are the fault of a speed trap, "It's not like I was driving recklessly on the 51. If you don't pay close attention, it's easy to do."
Horne publicly blamed another incident on his son Thursday. When I asked if he had any qualms about publicly blaming his son (a young man in his twenties who is not a public official) to the largest newspaper in the state, Horne said 'no' and explained that a reporter had questioned him about a ticket incurred at 3:00 AM. Horne said he had no regrets, "I didn't want people to think I was out at 3:00 AM."
Horne says he bought his son's car while his son was attending law school so that his son could obtain insurance, and Horne is still listed as the owner. Horne added that he believes more than one of these tickets was the fault of his son.
For many in the community, the most concerning issue is the failure of a candidate for Attorney General not to respond to court summons -- Attorney General is Arizona's highest legal enforcement office.
In Arizona, when a photo-radar citation is issued, the court first mails a summons, then hires a process server. If the process server is unable to personally serve the summons within so many days, the citation will be dismissed. In fact, two of Horne's photo-radar tickets were never paid and were eventually dismissed after Horne failed to respond to the court summons.
I asked Horne if the summons was actually sent to him by mail and he did not respond, and he said, "yes." After a moment's hesitation, he added that he would normally respond to a summons but that a mailed summons is not enough in Arizona, a summons must be served in person (actually, the law says receiving the summons is enough). Then he reiterated that it was an oversight. Horne also told the Arizona Republic that he gave at least one summons to his son to pay.
When I asked why his wife refused to identify herself to the process server who was able to finally serve a summons, he did not have an answer.
Other high-profile officials have also received unwanted negative attention for speeding, and blamed it on photo radar. In the spring Arizona Republican Party Executive Director was arrested for criminal speeding after being caught driving 109 miles per hour (44 mph above the speed limit) on a local freeway after midnight. Mecum, like Horne, also said he "has no memory" of the incident.
UPDATE: Here's a picture of the speeding ticket.
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To be fair, I bet I know where on the 51 he got his picture taken - after a limit of 65, it drops to 55, and then you come down a small hill, and right at the bottom - a flash. Happened to me the other night, and I never drive more than 7 over the limit (10 is the minimum to get your portrait did up nice).
It is a bit of a speed trap. I'm sure i was at 66 or so, thanks to the hill. Otherwise, I never would have gotten the flash. I just hope they didn't get a good pic.
Where is your compassion? Photo radar is not fair!
Its perfectly fair, unbiased, and gets people (some people anyway) to slow down.
What is unfair is a 9% sales tax.
Hey, It's Arizona. We don't need no "stinkin" laws.
Yeah, and Clinton couldn't remember what the meaning of is is. hardeharhar!
Hey, if Mark Sanford can forget that he flew in first class while his staff flew in coach.....
how to talk. Rove can't remember to tell the truth. Cheney can't remember that his friend is right behind him when he shoots a "quail"...
Those poor guys......
Republicans don't have to obey the Law. They are above the Law. They are chosen by jeebus to rule the world.
maybe he'll revoke speed limits and change all stop signs to yield signs. it's what america deserves
The fact that Horne can't man up and admit his mistakes certainly brings his character into question. This is one Arizonan who never has, and never will, vote for him.
Arizona is turning into Somalia-where lawlessness and guns are part of everyday life. As Arthur Frommer has recently said, a good reason to stay away.
What I don't get-according to the story, if you hide long enough from the process server, your ticket is dismissed? What kind of a stupid rule is that? In California, you can be served by publication in the newspaper if you evade personal service.
His "I don't recall" defense sounds like he learned it from watching Alberto Gonzalez testify before Congress. Like the rest of the GOP, he doesn't think the law applies to him.
"Arizona is turning into Somalia-where lawlessness and guns are part of everyday life."
Yes, by all means, let's become hyperbolic.
Rational discourse is so dry.
Do you live here?
A traffic scoff as the Attorney General in Arizona? The land where you can carry an assault rifle into a crowded political even? Arizona is fast becoming a laughing stock of a state. The first President not given an honorarium for the commencement speech because "his body of work was before him" by the University of Arizona, was not, apparently, an oversight but an out rigger of the Arizona mentality.
It was ASU, but why worry about small details.
Another lying Republican in Arizona. What else is new?
Well, would one expect a Republican to take responsibility and tell the truth? DuH?
I am disgusted with this lack of accountibility and holier than thou attitude of these so called politicians. Sheriff Joe is just doing his job - this is why he is being basically harassed by the politician
this school superintendent has just put the nail in his idea of being elected as Atty Gen of AZ. He has no credibility as far as i am concerned.
We peons need to live up to our need for speed and if we exceed the speed and photo radar is the law then we have options - driver school as long as the infraction doesn't happen within two years.
I would like to see the sheriff pull his butt into court - imagine - in a school zone..we had headlines for the first day of school in AZ - IF YOU EXCEED THE SPEED IN THE SCHOOL ZONE YOU WILL BE TICKETED..
My husband (semi-retired) is a school bus driver in scottsdale and has stories everyday - everyone passes him, tries to beat the bus..gives the bus no consideration - i would like to see a police officer ride for a day or just shadow a school bus - any bus on any given day - talk about filling the coffers.
Turning AZ blue
Speeding tickets are just a gateway to....
Can't stand the guy! Will not be voting for him with or without his lousy memory or failure to educate himself on the law! Have had to suffer through him and the other lousy republicans in Phoenix for toooo long, given that I am a native. I cannot wait until they are all out of office.
I'll vote for him if he vows to get rid of photo radar!
My wife just got back from Wickenburg and told me she had almost been hit three times by people turning right at fairly high speed while she was crossing an intersection with the walk light ON.
Are people in Arizona more stupid or more selfish than most?
Yes, I'm sure that's it.
That's on the test before you're allowed to move here.
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