State Sen. Bundgaard (R-Peoria-AZ) involved in incident with girlfriend

[kpete]

Source: Arizona Central

State Sen. Bundgaard involved in incident with girlfriend

by Connie Cone Sexton - Feb. 26, 2011 07:40 PM
The Arizona Republic

Scott Bundgaard, the majority leader of the Arizona state Senate, was briefly taken into custody on suspicion of domestic violence Friday but was released because he was immune to arrest under rules of the Arizona state constitution.

Aubry Ballard, who Phoenix police said is his girlfriend and involved in a fight with Bundgaard, was arrested on one count of assault.

...............

When officers arrived, they said Bundgaard, 43, and Ballard, 34, his passenger, showed marks of a physical altercation, "which constituted an act of domestic violence," Thompson said. After being taken into custody, Bundgaard told officers that because he is an Arizona state senator, he is immune from arrest. Thompson said the department confirmed Bundgaard's statement and he was not arrested.

..............

Ballard was booked into a Maricopa County jail on suspicion of one count of assault. She was not released and is awaiting her initial city of Phoenix appearance.






Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/02/26/20110226bundgaard-arrest-violencebrk.html#ixzz1F7jf6HwJ

[msongs]

1. since when should the "political class' be immune from arrest for violent crimes? nt

[wordpix]

23. I guess that's allowed in AZ where you can be searched for walking-while-Hispanic

[udbcrzy2]

2. I don't understand that at all.

If he committed murder they couldn't arrest him? WTF. That's really a screwed up law.

[Bucky]

32. The law dates back to the English Civil War when the kings detained Mbrs of Parliament

Back when there wasn't a well established republicanism in the Anglosphere, it was an essential protection for the peoples' representatives against the power of runaway executive power. As recently as the 1930s the governor of Louisiana used armed troops to physically intimidate favorable legislation out of the state legislature.

[DeSwiss]

3. I wonder if they would have just let him go.....

...if he had murdered her?

- Because if so, she might want to find herself another boyfriend......

K&R

[kiranon]

5. Immune from going back and forth to legislature on official business

but not immune from domestic violence charge which has nothing to do with his legislative duties. That is my understanding of the law.

[femrap]

4. When did

state senators become above the law? And the woman is put in jail?

There's a lot we don't know about this.

I'm going to avoid AZ.

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. AZ Constitution states:

This is screwed up..should be amended or repealed


6. Privilege from arrest; civil process
Section 6. Members of the legislature shall be privileged from arrest in all cases except
treason, felony, and breach of the peace, and they shall not be subject to any civil process
during the session of the legislature, nor for fifteen days next before the commencement
of each session.
http://www.azleg.gov/const/arizona_constitution.pdf

[kpete]

8. but but but

THIS IS AMERICA
WTF
Somebody explain
kpete

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. soon to be renamed...

Americorp: Protection for those guys and jail for the rest ;)

[treestar]

13. It does have a purpose

"Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself. This reduces the possibility of pressing a member of the parliament to change his vote by fear of prosecution."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_immunity

It can be lifted; there is a process. No reason for the outrage all over the thread.

[CanonRay]

20. Note the word "felony"

Most domestic violence cases are not necessarily felonies. If it escalated, it could be a felony, however. It does seem unfair to arrest her and not him.

[CreekDog]

22. felony?

domestic violence is not?

[wordpix]

24. unfrickingbelievable

[southerncrone]

29. Do you know WHEN this amendment was passed?

[Ptah]

31. 1910

[LonePirate]

7. Words cannot describe how much of a sleazeball he is.

I swear each day these Repukes find a new way to disgust me.

[SpankMe]

9. Far be it for me to not slam a Republican

But, his story sounds reasonable.

And, AZ legislators have immunity from arrest for most offenses, but not immunity from prosecution. It's essentially a zero-dollar bail so they are not prevented from doing the people's business while sitting in jail for long periods awaiting court dates or trials. The rule is probably a holdover from the olden days. It shouldn't apply in this day and age.

[howmad1]

11. Did you folks know it's now legal:

for Arizona state senators to carry guns into senate chambers. Sounds like a great opportunity to kill their opponents and get off scott free. What a fucked up state I'm sorry to say I live in.

[former9thward]

12. This is not an AZ deal. The same provision is in almost all of the 50 states Constitutions.

Legislators are immune from arrest for non-felonies while the legislature is in session. The domestic assault described here is not a felony under AZ law.

[Tx4obama]

14. That law is bullshit and needs to be changed ASAP !!! n/t

[Shaman Omaha]

15. Domestic Violence and Denial

This is a classic case of institutionalized denial. My domestic violence clients will really be disturbed by this. Here in California, men have been arrested and sentenced to 1 year of domestic violence counseling for throwing their girlfriend's cell phone, for saying over the phone, "I'm going to kill you," as well as for actually laying hands on the woman. None of this is acceptable. The women of AZ should band together to recall this slime-ball.

[Shaman Omaha]

16. Rape Victims are now "Accusers" and the victim of DV gets arrested

Women of America heed these messages! The Repubasturds hate you. We are headed toward an American form of Sharia law. Will Bundgaard and his Repubasturd associates pass a law so they can stone Ms. Ballard to death for accusing the senator? Scalia and Alito and Thomas, the real cheese-dicks on the Supreme Court, would certainly find it is constitutional. How soon will the burqa be mandatory for women? Pretty soon, the Repubasturds will figure out they can balance the budget by denying education to women. That will reduce class size!

[Monique1]

17. Did you all miss the point?

He is the state's MAJORITY LEADER, not just a state senator.

I swear people are in la la land all over this country and accept that these people can do whatever they want. Is this freeperland here?

[Tx4obama]

18. Update - LOTS of info on the link below

Excerpt

The case will be submitted to the prosecutor's office for review. The immunity was not a "trump card," Thompson said. "The only thing it did was not allow him to be booked into jail."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/02/26/20110226bundgaard-arrest-violencebrk.html

[wordpix]

25. "I waive any and all 'legislative immunity.'" So, he's waived his "rights" & now should be treated

like the "regular" abuser he is. He drags a woman out of a car on a hwy median, "scraping" her knees. Sounds abusive to me. Not to mention, he can be prosecuted for disturbing the peace just like anyone else. Domestic violence IS disturbing the peace.

[Judi Lynn]

19. Immunity prevents Arizona lawmaker's arrest after freeway fight

Immunity prevents Arizona lawmaker's arrest after freeway fight
From Leslie Tripp,
CNNFebruary 27, 2011 5:44 a.m. EST


(CNN) -- Police say they did not detain an Arizona state senator who was involved in a domestic violence incident over the weekend because state law gives him immunity from arrest while the legislature is in session.

Officers responding to the scene of a reported altercation on a Phoenix-area highway Friday night found state Sen. Scott Bundgaard and his girlfriend, Aubry Ballard. Both had marks on them indicating they had been involved in a physical dispute -- constituting an act of domestic violence on the part of both individuals, Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson said.

Ballard was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault. Bundgaard was not, but could later face charges from the city attorney's office, Thompson said.

Bundgaard, a Republican and the state senate majority leader, said the dispute began on the way home from a charity "Dancing with the Stars" fundraiser, after Ballard accused him of "inappropriately touching" his dance partner.


More:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/27/arizona.senator.incident/index.html?hpt=T2

[fittosurvive]

21. Why is it always assumed that the man is guilty and the woman is innocent?

According to the article, both of them showed marks of a physical altercation.

[wordpix]

26. because it is usually the women and children who are hurt by men. Period.

http://endabuse.org/content/action_center/detail/754


http://www.nnedv.org/resources/stats/faqaboutdv.html
6. Are men victims of domestic violence?

* Yes, men are sometimes victims of domestic abuse.
* A 2001 U.S. study revealed that 85 percent of the victims were female with a male batterer. The other 15 percent includes intimate partner violence in gay and lesbian relationships and men who were battered by a female partner. <4>
* One in four women will be the victim of domestic violence at some point in her lifetime. <5>
* Women are 90-95 percent more likely to suffer domestic violence than are men. <6>
* When we talk about domestic violence, we’re not talking about men versus women or women versus men. We’re talking about violence versus peace. We’re talking about control versus respect.
* Domestic violence affects us all, and all of us – women, children and men – must be part of the solution.

[fittosurvive]

27. Well then, we should just do away with trials in cases like this.

After all, states are facing budgetary challenges and the process of prosecuting someone is a very costly procedure.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

33. Yeah, Republicans should always get the benefit of doubt!

Even when it doesn't make sense!

:eyes:

[southerncrone]

28. Well, this knowledge could open a can of worms in AZ.

Sounds like some citizens ARE ABOVE THE LAW in AZ!

I'm not an attorney, but would there be a Fed Law against Domestic Abuse? :shrug:

[shanti]

30. he's immune from arrest?

wow, that's a lot of power there, and he just wielded it.