Legislative Democrats are finally calling for fellow Rep. Daniel Patterson to resign. I wrote about the story last September
If the Senate--and the media--have decided to investigate Bundgaard why has the House and the media ingored State Representative Daniel Patterson? Patterson's wife alleges drug use and verbal abuse and it's widely known that Patterson doesn't live in his district.
Then in January, when Republican Senators Ron Gould and Steve Yarbrough provided the deciding votes* to investigate Bundgaard, I referred to the story again.
Republicans will do the right thing with Bundgaard. It will be interesting to see if the Democrats ever do anything about Rep. Daniel Patterson.
It would have been nice if the Democratic Caucus had stepped up to police Patterson's behavior just like Republicans stepped up to police Bundgaard's behavior. The allegations against Patterson--ongoing drug abuse, verbal abuse, neglect of his wife and child--were arguably more serious than the charges against Bundgaard. Unfortunately, Patterson--who moved out of his district to live with his girlfriend--was involved in another domestic violence incident, this time against the girlfriend.
Now she has an order of protection against him and his caucus has asked him to resign.
The Republic wrote scores of Bundgaard articles, but never covered the allegations against Patterson. Today's Republic has a story about the Democrats' call for his resignation. If the Republic is your sole source for news, then this is the first time you have heard of Rep. Patterson.
Let's hope that he resigns soon. If not, let's hope that media covers Patterson to the same extent they covered Bundgaard.
The Republic will give it minimal coverage; much of it will be how courageous the Dems are for calling for Patterson's resignation.
It is also quite possible the Republic will be mistaking Daniel Patterson for Greg Patterson and ask for the guillotine.
Posted by: RonJ | February 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM
He's such a unsavory looking guy. If he didn't weigh so much and beat on women he'd be a total joke, but he's a threat to the public with his violent tendencies and his propensity to do drugs. Nice tip on padlocking gates so you can't be served....
Posted by: Obamanation | February 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM
The trolls are quiet today... to quiet...
Posted by: Its a Dry Heat | February 28, 2012 at 07:39 PM
When did the Republican Caucus ask Sen. Bundgaard to resign?
Posted by: Kenny Jacobs | February 28, 2012 at 10:11 PM
The political insider piece by alia rau: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PoliticalInsider/156272 really reminded me of this old onion story http://www.theonion.com/articles/christopher-hitchens-forcibly-removed-from-trailer,165/
Posted by: Ross | February 28, 2012 at 11:41 PM
Keep watching; more to come.
Posted by: RonJ | February 29, 2012 at 03:39 PM