From NPR's profile of Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce, author of SB 1070 in 2008:
Pearce claims illegal immigrants are responsible for much of Arizona's crime and he admits to feeling uncomfortable with the way society is changing in Arizona. He attributes it partly to Mexicans' and Central Americans' way of doing business.
"Drive around parts of Phoenix. I get calls all the time and it's not that they're Hispanic, it's because the culture is different. The gangs are bigger. There's more violence, kidnappings are way up," he says.
It's not because they're Hispanic, it's just because they're Hispanic.
Fast forward to 2010:
Arizona Republican senators-elect on Wednesday chose illegal immigration hard-liner Russell Pearce to be the chamber's next president.
This isn't all that surprising. SB 1070 is popular, Republicans increased their majority, and the law may have single-handedly rescued Gov. Jan Brewer. The politics are such that the party doesn't mind elevating someone with ties to a hate group to a leadership position.
If nothing else, the raw politics of the matter is that Pearce helped bring cash to the table for those willing to go along with his agenda.
