Ariz. Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Barring City Council Candidate From Ballot Over Poor English Skills
- Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:02pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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The Arizona state Supreme Court has upheld an order barring a city council candidate from appearing on the ballot because she doesn’t speak English proficiently.
As The Blaze previously reported, a judge ruled last month that Alejandrina Cabrera’s name could be removed from the ballot in the March 13 race for the San Luis City Council after her English skills were questioned. State law requires elected officials know English, but Cabrera‘s attorneys said the law doesn’t define language proficiency.
Following the judge’s ruling, Cabrera appealed to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the order Tuesday. The Arizona Republic reported the state’s high court did not provide a reason for its decision. A full written ruling is expected at a later date, a state Supreme Court spokeswoman said.
John Minore, an attorney for Cabrera, told the newspaper his office is considering ways to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cabrera has acknowledged she needs to improve her English, but said her language skills are adequate for serving San Luis, a border city where Spanish is used as often as English.
The initial ruling keeping Cabrera off the ballot was handed down based on tests conducted by a sociolinguistics expert, as well as Cabrera’s inability to respond to questions posed to her during an English hearing, The Blaze previously reported.
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Comments (73)
WendyM
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:04pmwhatever happened to that assimilation thingy? Why do so many in her district not speak English, I mean really, My kids are FORCED to learn spanish in public school – reverse not so much? Or is it racist to expect illegals to speak english? Bet this useful idiot knows the word “amnesty” and can vote yes for Obama team. She certainly couldn’t converse with her peers on council unless the taxpayers paid for a translator. Not on my watch she gets on the ballot-sorry chickie:/
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:41pmThat thingy got thrown with that other “multicultural” thingy. The multicultural thingy was a bright red and the water was really hot . . . Anyway, you still got the assimilation thingy, and you’d better start using it if you know what”sgood for you. Barry says so! (Day after day after day)
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 8:25amWe speak english in America, baby. If you don’t realize that then you definitely have no business being in a position of authority in our country! Take an immersion course. You’ll be speaking english in about six months!
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:38pmYou must full command of the english language to undrstand issues..laws and all that comes with it…….now when are we going to get the proof of citizenship…..birth certificate.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:03pmLa Raza will give the skank a job
Report Post »Rob Adkerson
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 11:08pmDefine irony.
Report Post »c.foster4722
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:19pmJust make English our offical lanugage! No speck to bad, your SOL peroid!!!!
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:33pmYou have to be fluent in both spoken and written English to pass the citizenship test
Report Post »idarusskie
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 11:16pmthe citizenship test requires limited English skills. Really its just a few questions about the government.
Report Post »buck762
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:17pmSi, Ustados Unitos el Nuevo
Report Post »hammer71
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:08pmThe more I hear out of Texas and Arizona, the more I like them. If only the asylum known as the Northeast would follow suit. I’ll be relocating as soon as possible…
Report Post »Eraty Bab
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:04pmSo sad, too bad.
Report Post »buck762
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:02pmSi, mas es bueno!
Report Post »conbones
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 12:37amagread :)
Report Post »buck762
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:01pm“We don‘t no stickin’ badges!”
Report Post »DD313
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:56pmIf you are running for office in AZ, be very afraid.
Report Post »buck762
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:01pmno hablo einglis, no govt. job!
Report Post »WTF!!
dadsrootbeer
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:59pmLook for Holder and DOJ to appeal
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 1:58amYup. Der Obamasar will NOT be amused with this.
Report Post »SoupSandwich
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:52amWe are now paying for counsel for illegals…paying to ship back, paying to detain, paying to feed and house while detained, paying for medical, paying to clean up after, paying for accidents and crime all over. And we should borrow more from china to send to mexico and any other narco/commie sud american pissant country so we feel better about something or other. Imagine what California would still be if they hadn‘t blown a fraction of what they have on another country’s problem. Just a fraction. MD is on the way, parts of NC, MA, Jersey, you pick. Little Tiajaunas all over and who cares who speaks what and shut your pie hole and so what if 9 people in the 2 bedroom apartment down the street all have the same social. Who cares. All the road signs should be in espanol and the banking and finance needs to be shariah compliant. We watched Britain completely F herself over with PC bs and multi culti fecal matter and we intend to do it better by the looks of things. Que?
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 10:28amDemocracy
Multiculturalism
Immigration
Pick any TWO.
Report Post »gemmeri
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:53pm‘Bout time!
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:48pmA ‘Man bites dog!” story. Judges displaying common sense, a triumph of essence over existence! What a contrast with the 9th Circuit court.
Report Post »Laus Deo
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:39pmYes!! In your pinche face, paisa!
Report Post »spirited
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:36pmAs the man behind the counter said when picking up dry-cleaned clothing:
>No tickey, no washey
Report Post »KeithOlberdink
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:28pmPOS Holder will sue
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:25pmThe judges should probably get ready to be attacked by holder and his thugs, professionally and personally.
Report Post »Not supposed to rock obama’s boat, you know.
It seems that things are slowly turning. Santorum’s wins yesterday, the AG of S. Carolina suing holder and the DOJ over voter id mandates, obama going too far with the Catholic issue and Boehner at least ostensibly standing up to him…and now this.
Could the tide be turning?
Stoic one
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:58pmWe can only hope & pray from the point of view we have here at this screen
Report Post »barnsy
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:15pmWow finally a sane court ruling! I live in Arizona and have been following this case.What really chaps my a$$ is that this women was born in the U.S. In all that time she was either too lazy or stupid to learn English? Yea thats someone you want on a city council.
Report Post »308prof
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:58pmYou hit the nail on the head – BORN here and still does not speak the language. Were her parents here legally? If a cat gives birth in an oven it doesn’t make her offspring biscuits!! Abolish anchor babies!!!
Report Post »Briguybart
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:14pmGood, learn English, then run!
Report Post »spirited
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:31pmNothing that “Rosetta Stone English” could’t fix.
>Hurry up Alejandrina !
Report Post »barbhubley
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 3:00pmReally…she was born in the US? How did she graduate HS if she can’t speak english? Public Schools at their best!
Report Post »mdy616
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:13pmWay to go Arizona!!! Why would she think she can be a leader of anything in the United States if she cannot speak the language? You come to the US LEARN THE LANGUAGE!! Why should the US change for her? These lawsuits make me so angry. I am so glad Arizona is still showing common sense!!
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:15pmWell, one could argue that we elect presidents that don’t know how many states are in this country let alone how to lead a country.
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:04pmThere should be a constitutional proficiency test to hold office…
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:12pmSo sad, too bad. Learn to speak English lady.
Report Post »WendyM
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:24pmLike :)
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:12pmGood .. it used to be you could not become a citizen unless you could prove that you spoke English proficiently. We should go back to that standard .. then this would not be an issue.
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:11pmGood.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:10pmWhy do I get the feeling, that this ruling will be challenged sometime soon, by an Arabic speaking person?
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:19pmObama will challenge this He loves kicking Arizona’s states rights…Makes hm feel like a dictator
Report Post »OneRepublic4us
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:10pmThree cheers for Arizona and America!!! Now I want the schools this woman attended investigated. Her grade school diploma should be stripped along with her high school diploma.
Report Post »txjb
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:10pmSo there is some pulse left in this body of government of ours.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:51pmSi.
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:20pmWhenever you see a pulse, look next for a kick to the teeth…
Report Post »txjb
Posted on February 8, 2012 at 11:29pmCabrera will probably get her way , she loves illegals and the left needs her in the local government .
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