Mesa Police chief George Gascon to pay for DC trip out of own funds, refunds "immigration reform" group

Earlier this month, Mesa, Arizona police chief George Gascon testified before Congress about his opposition to the 287g program. His testimony was sought by Rep. John Conyers and arranged through the agency of county supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox. Hiis trip to DC was paid for by what he called at the time a "group of nonprofit organizations that are seeking immigration reform". This caused a firestorm of protest, and now Gascon has decided to return the money, pay for the trip out of his own pocket, and count the time he spent in DC against his vacation time (link).

Now, here's something curious:

[In his statement, Gascon] said initially he was told a group of nonprofits "concerned with immigration reform and civil rights" were paying for his trip.

"Subsequently, I was informed that the cost was covered by Respect Respeto, a local non-profit," Gascon states. The Phoenix-based Respect Respeto describes itself as a human rights group.

If they didn't give him the money directly, who did? Was it sent to him in a plain envelope with no return address or something? Or - just wildly speculating here - was Wilcox the baglady?

As for Respect, they're headed by Lydia Guzman who's also VP of Somos America. Per the 2005 page votingrightsact.org/hearings/4705hearing/panelists.html:

Lydia Guzman serves as Outreach Director for the Clean Elections Institute, Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona. Ms. Guzman has more than 15 years experience with voter registration, education and Get Out The Vote campaigns. She was Arizona State Director for the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and prior to that was the Director of Voter Outreach for the Arizona Secretary of State. Ms. Guzman was a Clean Elections candidate for Senate in 2004.

Per a .doc file at azclean.org, she's been a member of MALDEF, League of United Latin American Citizens, and NALEO. In 2000, she was a state president of the Mexican American Political Association (englishfirst.org/be/arizona/az203anti.htm). She was named SVREP's Arizona director in 2004: svrep.org/press_room/press_releases/04/az/lydia_012704.html

Sun, 04/12/2009 - 00:39 · · Importance: 4