CouesWhitetail Report post Posted February 28, 2006 All interested Arizona sportsmen: It is time to contact the members of the Senate Natural Resources and Rural Affairs committee. Let them know how you feel about Jennifer Martin's nomination. I have put her resume in this post. She is not a hunter or angler and hasn't served on any other boards or commissions. It is important to do this today! Senator Jake Flake, Chairman (Republican) jflake@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-5219 Senator Robert Blendu, Vice Chair (Republican) rblendu@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-5955 Senator Tim Bee, Member (Republican) tbee@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-5683 Senator Marilyn Jarrett, Member (Republican) mjarrett@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-5288 Senator Marsha Arzberger, Member (Democrat) marzberg@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-4321 Senator Robert Cannell, Member (Democrat) rcannell@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-4139 Senator Rebecca Rios, Member (Democrat) rrios@azleg.state.az.us 602-926-5685 please make your contacts with senate nrra committee members by tomorrow. time is short and we need to be sure our voices are heard. organizations opposed to the martin nomination: az antelope foundation az deer association az desert bighorn sheep society az elk society az predator callers az trappers association copperstate retrievers mohave sportsman club phoenix varmint callers southwest walleye anglers yuma valley rod and gun club jennifer_bio.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dds Report post Posted February 28, 2006 To be honest, I have not done enough research personally to decide one way or the other; however, I do know that the NRA is supporting the nomination. Here is an excerpt from the NRA. "Dear Arizona NRA Member, Governor Napolitano has nominated Jennifer Martin to the commission. She is a former Game & Fish Department employee, with a background in wildlife biology. In interviews with NRA officials she has expressed her support for expanding hunting opportunities, protecting and developing new shooting ranges, and has an extensive knowledge of the issues facing Arizona's sportsmen. The commission oversees all hunting policy, and manages numerous shooting ranges in Arizona. This is a critical appointment to hunters and gun owners in Arizona. The people who sit on the commission are very important to the future of hunting and the shooting sports in Arizona. Your NRA supports the Governor's nomination and encourages you to call your State Senator today and ask him or her to support the confirmation of Jennifer Martin to the Arizona Game & Fish Commission. You can find out who your senator is by calling 1-800-352-8404. Also please contact the members of the Arizona Senate Natural Resources Committee and tell them you are a hunter and a sportsman and you support Jennifer Martin's nomination." I am only hopeful that hunters benefit. Hope this helps. Thank you, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowhuntinmaniac Report post Posted February 28, 2006 The fact that the Governor supports her, and that she has never purchased a hunting or fishing license is enough for me to say NO WAY!! How can she expand hunting opportunities if she doesnt support Game and Fish thru hunting licenses?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowsniper Report post Posted February 28, 2006 Interesting that the NRA supports her. Besides not being a "sportswoman", her resume looks very weak. I can only conclude that she is one of the Governor's buddies. bowsniper Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wetmule Report post Posted February 28, 2006 IMO, she is a stealth appointee by the Gov. The NRA originally supported Mrs. Nancy Lewis who is a NRA life member and lifetime hunter, Ms. Martin is neither. Where the heck was the NRA when we were fighting the Taulman USO fight, they were nowhere to be found, probably fighting to keep assault weapons from getting banned. I'm all for gun rights, but I'm more for our hunting rights as sportsmen and women and the nomination of (MS.) Martin on our commission will Not be in the best interest of AZ sportsmen and will continue the downward spiral of an incredibly lousy and incompetent G & F commission. Sportsmen & women have only two friends on the commission right now, commissioners Gilstrap and Melton. Gilstrap is gone as soon as the new appointee joins the commission. If this nomination goes forward and MS. Martin joins it, you will see in the coming years the degradation of our sport and our wildlife and more crap going on like the G & F wanting to have archery elk hunts in Nov. etc. etc. -- we are in big trouble, IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted February 28, 2006 Objection noted and emails fired off. Thanks for the tip Amanda Text below if anyone wants to use this to start. ---------------------------------------------- Dear Senator: I would like to express my disapproval and ultimate concern for the nomination on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission board. I do not know Ms Martin personally but reviewing her resume leads me to believe that there are many more qualified people to appoint to this critical position. Ms Martin?s appointment recommendation as well as the motives of those involved with the process should be seriously questioned. Ms Martin may be a good researcher and consultant but on my estimation, she is not qualified for this appointment. Based on her own resume, Ms Martin is severely lacking in the experience and knowledge required to adequately manage the affairs of the sportsmen and women of the state of AZ. As a Hunter and Angler, I am appalled and outraged that the governor would attempt to place a non sportsperson in this critical position. The commission members are supposed to be the governing body that manages the state wildlife resources and a key part of that management process is knowledge of hunting and fishing. Without that knowledge, any commissioner is severely hampered at making well educated decisions. Ms Martin has not demonstrated a history of leading commissions, inquiry or advisory groups along a similar field. Ms Martin has not served on any commissions or advisory boards and her resume has demonstrated very little in leadership experience or characteristics. The fact that she participated in several studies for the AGFD is a plus, but cannot on face value offer an explanation for the recommendation of this otherwise inexperienced nominee. It should also be noted that many of the state sportsmen?s groups are key parts of the AGFD department resource management programs. Without the key qualifications important to state sportsmen, Ms Martin will be a detrimental to conservation cooperation from groups that currently support the commission. I urge the members of the State Natural Resources and Rural Affairs commission to vote down this candidate and seek one who is better qualified for the position. If one man?s opinion is not enough, my research also shows nearly every major sportsman?s group (listed below) opposed to this nomination. AZ Antelope Foundation AZ Deer Association AZ Desert Bighorn Sheep Society AZ Elk Society AZ Predator Callers AZ Trappers Association Copperstate Retrievers Mohave Sportsman Club Phoenix Varmint Callers Southwest Walleye Anglers Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club Thank you for your for your responsible vote against appointing Ms Martin to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KGAINES Report post Posted February 28, 2006 I sent mine also. You almost wonder if any of these senators ever check sites like this to get feedback, I am sure if they don't have time one of their interns could. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reddog Report post Posted February 28, 2006 Just sent mine, thanks for the heads up Amanda Reddog Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couestaxi Report post Posted March 1, 2006 The stance the NRA finally took was that Ms. Martin would be an "OK" commissioner and to save the battle for another day. Ms. Martin may someday be a qualified commissioner but Nancy Lewis is the most qualified by far! She is a big time ARIZONA hunter and knows our issues inside and out. Get the callls and or e-mails out ASAP. The thread on the deer issues above may be but a small issue if our AZGF commission is taken over by non-hunters. Bob Hermbrode, the last commissioner appointed is more for watchable wildlife than hunting. If Ms. Martin gets on we could have 2 of the 5 seats occupied by folks not as serious about our wildlife as we are. Our Governor is slowly taking charge of the AZGF thru the back door and may be changing the name to Eastern California Game and Fish! People wonder where the ideas for changing our elk and der hunts are coming from. The AZGF department is changing fast, unfortunately in the wrong direction. We have the best coues deer, elk, antelope etc in the world..........lets keep it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wetmule Report post Posted March 1, 2006 An "OK" commissioner is not acceptable with all that is at stake in this state as it relates to sportsmen and wildlife issues. IMO she will end up being far lees than "OK". This is a backdoor nomination that will not be good for AZ Sportsmen. The NRA, lets face it, is a gun rights lobbying group, that is what they do, and I appreciate them for it. They have Never been involved in AZ wildlife and sportsmen issues and they have never even shown an interest before. Napoloreno is a friend of the President of the NRA and thus the support for MS. Martin. The confirmation hearing is today @ 1:30 and is being held by the Senate Natural Resources & Rural Affairs Committee. I urge all that work in the downtown area or anyone that can make it to ATTEND. It is in SHR 109. You don't have to speak, you can voice your displeasure on paper before the hearing starts. If you can't make it, I urge you all to make those phone calls before NOON today using the phone numbers Amanda listed above, e-mails at this point will probably not make it in time. This is your chance to have an effect on your states Wildlife & Sportsmens future. I URGE You all to take advantage of it. THANKS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunDevil Report post Posted March 1, 2006 I just spoke with a staffer at one of the Senator's office. She indicated that as of yesterday the appointment of Ms. Martin was probably not going to be confirmed but that today the legislators were receiving very heated calls from NRA board members. She said it would be hard to say, one way or the other, what the outcome would be. Another staffer at another Senator's office indicated "the pressure from the NRA for this confirmation is tremendous." It sounds like some of our attention should be turned to the NRA and their support of this appointment. CB Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted March 1, 2006 Aside from the lack of experience, what are the other concerns? I would hope that the NRA wouldn't be pushing an anti-hunter. They know what side their bread is buttered. Without hunting, there is no Second Ammendment or NRA. Evidently she has publicly acknowledged a willingness to expand hunting and shooting. That is more than a couple of our current commissioners will say out loud. I expressed to my senators that I do not support the nomination, based on what the various organizations are saying, but I'll admit, I do not see the "we are doomed" scenerio coming to fruition if she is confirmed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rthrbhntng Report post Posted March 1, 2006 To those interested Jennifer's confirmation was approved in the Senate Natural Resource vote this afternoon. It was 4 yes and 3 no. Steve Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted March 2, 2006 Could it be that the NRA "political pressure" had something to do with this? It seems hard to believe the NRA would have anything to gain. I personally cannot believe someone so unqualified has been appointed. Even if she has "publicly acknowledged a willingness to expand hunting and shooting" , she does not meet what I would say is the minimum to be considered for this position. How can anyone trust our politicians when the pull an obvious political coue like this. Maybe it is not all doom and gloom, but we should try to improve things, not just do something that won't do too much damage. Wrap a single thread around your body and it is not too confining, and easy to breakaway. Wrap a string few more times around and it becomes more restrictive and harder to break free. I do not think this is the first string the AZ Sportsmen have been wrapped with and it appears it will not be the last. Thank you Governor Janet, and maybe the NRA? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KGAINES Report post Posted March 2, 2006 I am pretty ticked off about this, it is very apparent that she was put in there for reasons other than her background in hunting and fishing and I would really like to know what that is. The other thing that sucks about this is that we know that these senators were ( taken care of ) by the NRA for this, how else could they put tremendous pressure on these senators, the NRA is a national group with a mind set on gun owners rights, I am sure she gave them assurances that she wouldn't do anything against them on gun laws, but that sure opens the door on what she can do to hunting and fishing. I guess the NRA knows all about sleeping with the enemy, but does the governor and Ms. Martin, because now they are in control. I think I am going to try to get nominated for a seat on the commission, I am a mechanic so I think I meet all the qualifications. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
