Recall Phil Gordon-Redux

Like Troy Hayden of Fox 10, media types may be tempted to reflect on the recall of Phil Gordon in a sympathetic tone. It's not his fault that Phoenix has an illegal immigration problem. He doesn't have authority to deal with immigration issues, they could say.

Well not exactly.

Mayor Gordon didn't have authority to change Op Order 1.4 which he admitted, but he put on a charade and hired a panel to affect changes anyway. Mayor Gordon doesn't have authority over the county sheriff, but nothing stopped him from publicly excoriating the sheriff and calling him and the rest of Phoenix racists.

Mayor Gordon may not have authority to arrest illegal immigrants personally, but no one made him send a letter to the U.S. Attorney General complaining that the only elected official who had such authority was in fact arresting illegals.

Actually, he did have authority to mediate complaints by local business owners about loitering, littering, and the public nuisance in front of their stores caused by illegal immigrant day workers. No one made him renege his agreement with Pruitts Furniture to help resolve that problem.

He's had mucho opportunity to advance the best interests of legal residents in Phoenix regarding illegal immigration, and he refused them all. The city is in shambles with trash, gangs, violence and dangerous roads, but anytime anyone does anything about it, he leads with the racist, white supremacy rhetoric.

It's too late for sympathy, someone should have pulled him aside a long time ago and explained to him the ABC's of being a mayor.