Once again the Quartzsite Town Clerk, Terry Frausto, appears to be involved in a felony-and a conspiracy-for the old cabal.
Attached [sic, linked] is
her carefully worded (I say) response to Quartzsite Councilwoman Patricia Workman's "record request" for former incumbent Jerry Lukkasson's campaign finance records. (Frausto used to be the Town judge, so presumably knows some law. Lukkasson owns The Eatery restaurant, where the incumbents frequently met for illegal meetings.)
The record has disappeared, said to have "been removed without permission." (It's a felony if you "knowingly" destroy a public record.)
Now, that's odd for two reasons: First, you may recall that the Town has implemented a policy where neither Mayor Ed Foster or Councilwoman Workman (the new guard) cannot inspect records without filing public record requests. But apparently everyone else, including former Councilman Lukkasson, has unfettered access to records and can take them at will?
Second, this is the problem with the Town requiring Foster and Workman to file public record requests every time they want to perform government oversight. The Town is tipped off over what records to destroy or change. (There were local rumors about Lukkasson getting outside money and other irregularities.)
As you may recall, Mayor Foster has written Goldwater and the AG requesting guidance as to what constitutes a "proper request of a public servant" for a record, per A.R.S. § 13-2407(A)(5). It could be a felony to deny Foster or Workman access to public records just for the asking. (AFAIK, Mayor Foster has not received a response.)
The Town clerk, Terry Frausto, admitted in January to altering petitions for candidacy (again, a felony) which resulted in the current lawsuit, Prutch v. Quartzsite, which the Arizona Court of Appeals is taking up today in conference. Due to Frausto's selective alteration of the petitions, Mr. Prutch was locked out of appearing on the ballot against incumbent (and still Councilman) Jewitt in the May election.
(Frausto isn't smart enough to know how to selectively alter the petitions to accomplish the incumbents' goals. The conspiracy being, then, she was told by the old cabal (probably Martin Brannan) what to do. As you know, two Councilmen refused to step down after losing their election, and the Town steadfastly refused to seat winners Orgeron and Foster until ordered to do so by a federal and state court.)
