Pearce Protestors Challenge County Treasurer

Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 - 10:08am
Updated: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 - 10:11am

Protestors flooded the office of Maricopa County Treasurer Charles Hoskins yesterday, bringing with them the chant "fire Pearce."

Former state Senate President Russell Pearce works for Hoskins. His opponents want Pearce out, after remarks he made on a talk show suggesting it’s okay to sterilize women who apply for Medicaid. 

Pearce resigned this weekend from a leadership position with the state Republican Party because of the comments.

“The Republican Party just said that they didn’t want him because of his ridiculous statements," said Fred Barlam of Citizens for a Better Arizona. "Why are we putting a man like that over, one of the areas he’s going be supervising is a program to support elderly poor.”

The group contends Pearce is unfit to serve in the Treasurer’s Office.  Pearce said he resigned from the GOP leadership because he didn’t want his comments to reflect on the current Republican slate of candidates.