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Plutonium Richard · 02-22-2008, 05:59 PM

Hey Zonies!! Remember this guy?? He had an uncanny ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Doonesbury did a week-long comic strip about him.

PHOENIX - Evan Mecham, a firebrand conservative who served 15 months as Arizona's governor before a dramatic impeachment trial removed him from office in 1988, died Thursday, a former aide said. He was 83.

Mecham, who always blamed his downfall on political enemies, had been in deteriorating health with Alzheimer's disease for years and was at the Arizona State Veteran Home in Phoenix until recent weeks, when he went into hospice care, said state Sen. Karen Johnson, who was Mecham's aide while he was governor.

"I just think Evan was a visionary, perhaps a little bit ahead of his time for some people and a great, great patriot and constitutionalist," Johnson said.

"He had such a drive to return state's rights to Arizona and the country and it will be a great celebration at his funeral to honor such a great man."

Mecham, a millionaire automobile dealer who served in the state Senate for two years in the 1960s, ran for governor four times before he finally won a three-way race in November 1986 with 40 percent of the vote.

Some said Mecham, a Republican, brought out the worst in Arizonans - racism, bigotry, intolerance. After taking office in January 1987, Mecham rescinded a Martin Luther King Jr. state holiday, saying its creation had been illegal.

In addition to canceling the holiday, Mecham said working women cause divorce and that he saw nothing wrong with calling black children "pickaninnies."

Others called him one of the last politicians gutsy enough to stand up for traditional family values and turn the state from liberal government interference. Mecham said his primary goal was to "return government to the people."

Mecham became the first U.S. governor impeached and removed from office in 59 years when, in April 1988, the state Senate convicted him of obstructing justice and misusing $80,000 in state funds allegedly funneled to his Pontiac dealership to keep it afloat. Secretary of State Rose Mofford, a Democrat, became acting governor.

Mecham claimed the funds were the proceeds of his inaugural ball, which had been intended as campaign contributions. He insisted it was his money to spend as he saw fit, except for political purposes.

Mecham's demise as governor began in January 1988 when he was indicted by a state grand jury on six felony charges of fraud, perjury and filing false documents alleging he concealed a $350,000 campaign loan. Weeks later, more than 300,000 signatures were certified on a petition for a recall election and the vote was set for May 17.

But events in the Legislature moved so swiftly, the recall was never held. The House voted 46-14 on Feb. 5 to impeach Mecham and later approved charges in connection with the $350,000 loan, the $80,000 protocol fund loan and an alleged effort to stop the investigation of a death threat against a former Mecham lobbyist.

The Senate dismissed the campaign loan coverup charge, but on April 4, it voted 21-9 to convict Mecham on the death threat obstruction charge, removing him from office. The Senate also convicted him of the charge involving the $80,000 protocol fund.

Two months after his impeachment, Mecham was acquitted in criminal court of six felony counts of violating campaign finance laws by allegedly concealing a $350,000 loan.

Through it all, Mecham maintained he was the victim of a widespread conspiracy.

02-22-2008, 05:59 PM
Plutonium Richard Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 144	Ex-Arizona Gov. Mecham Dies at 83 Hey Zonies!! Remember this guy?? He had an uncanny ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Doonesbury did a week-long comic strip about him. PHOENIX - Evan Mecham, a firebrand conservative who served 15 months as Arizona's governor before a dramatic impeachment trial removed him from office in 1988, died Thursday, a former aide said. He was 83. Mecham, who always blamed his downfall on political enemies, had been in deteriorating health with Alzheimer's disease for years and was at the Arizona State Veteran Home in Phoenix until recent weeks, when he went into hospice care, said state Sen. Karen Johnson, who was Mecham's aide while he was governor. "I just think Evan was a visionary, perhaps a little bit ahead of his time for some people and a great, great patriot and constitutionalist," Johnson said. "He had such a drive to return state's rights to Arizona and the country and it will be a great celebration at his funeral to honor such a great man." Mecham, a millionaire automobile dealer who served in the state Senate for two years in the 1960s, ran for governor four times before he finally won a three-way race in November 1986 with 40 percent of the vote. Some said Mecham, a Republican, brought out the worst in Arizonans - racism, bigotry, intolerance. After taking office in January 1987, Mecham rescinded a Martin Luther King Jr. state holiday, saying its creation had been illegal. In addition to canceling the holiday, Mecham said working women cause divorce and that he saw nothing wrong with calling black children "pickaninnies." Others called him one of the last politicians gutsy enough to stand up for traditional family values and turn the state from liberal government interference. Mecham said his primary goal was to "return government to the people." Mecham became the first U.S. governor impeached and removed from office in 59 years when, in April 1988, the state Senate convicted him of obstructing justice and misusing $80,000 in state funds allegedly funneled to his Pontiac dealership to keep it afloat. Secretary of State Rose Mofford, a Democrat, became acting governor. Mecham claimed the funds were the proceeds of his inaugural ball, which had been intended as campaign contributions. He insisted it was his money to spend as he saw fit, except for political purposes. Mecham's demise as governor began in January 1988 when he was indicted by a state grand jury on six felony charges of fraud, perjury and filing false documents alleging he concealed a $350,000 campaign loan. Weeks later, more than 300,000 signatures were certified on a petition for a recall election and the vote was set for May 17. But events in the Legislature moved so swiftly, the recall was never held. The House voted 46-14 on Feb. 5 to impeach Mecham and later approved charges in connection with the $350,000 loan, the $80,000 protocol fund loan and an alleged effort to stop the investigation of a death threat against a former Mecham lobbyist. The Senate dismissed the campaign loan coverup charge, but on April 4, it voted 21-9 to convict Mecham on the death threat obstruction charge, removing him from office. The Senate also convicted him of the charge involving the $80,000 protocol fund. Two months after his impeachment, Mecham was acquitted in criminal court of six felony counts of violating campaign finance laws by allegedly concealing a $350,000 loan. Through it all, Mecham maintained he was the victim of a widespread conspiracy. __________________ Words have meaning. The right words mean targeted traffic. Get your space now on the leading all-adult tag cloud before someone else does! Starting at $25 for two years. www.500AdultWebsites.com now fully integrated with www.WorldsBestThumbs.com for maximum exposure!