Lina Flake Hatch, Jeff Flake’s cousin, has been trying since March 9 to obtain answers from the politician who seems more interested in Washington than Arizona. She emailed Jeff on March 9, March 19, March 28, and again on April 17. She also sent her letter through the US mail twice to his Tempe office address in the envelope provided by his campaign requesting financial contributions. He has not answered her.
Maybe he’s too busy to send her a note. It’s tough, once you become a big, important politician after all.
Here is her original email
To: jeff@jeffflake.com
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2012 22:41:35 -0700
Subject: I request that this letter is read by Congressman Jeff Flake and I ask for a personal response.
Dear Jeff,
I received your mailer yesterday, and I must tell you that I have not supported you for several years because I feel you no longer represent me. I love your family very much – your parents are two of my favorite cousins – but blood relations aside, I can no longer support you because of your voting record. You took an Oath of Office to support the US Constitution. However, it appears you have strayed far from Constitutional principles in the following actions:
- Advocating and sponsoring “comprehensive Immigration Reform” that would have cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion plus and would add millions of new Democrat voters. In the last campaign, your position changed to strengthen the border, but still nothing has been done.
- Opposing Prop. 200 (as did Janet Napolitano and La Raza).
- Calling SB1070 “Imprudent.” You are from Arizona! Have you forgotten the people who are losing their lives, the increased crime, and the billions in dollars that illegal immigration has cost taxpayers every year. For someone who spends more time in Washington than in their District, I can see why these evils have slipped your notice. Protecting the lives of US and Arizona Citizens are just as important, if not more for your office, as protecting the lives and interests of illegal aliens.
- Failed to vote on Cap & Trade. I understand that you had family commitments. Please tell me what your vote would have been.
- Introduced a Carbon Tax Bill that imposes an increasing tax on carbon every year for the next 30 years (HR 2380). I fully realize that it was an offsetting tax, but please remember that it was a tax trick like this from a supposed “conservative” Republican that got us the 16th Amendment 99 years ago!
- Voted to make homosexuality a protected class (ENDA) which would grant them favored treatment.
- Voted to repeal DADT.
- Supported eased trade and travel restrictions with Cuba.
- Voted to enable Puerto Rico statehood.
- Supported a permanent voting seat in Congress for D.C.
- Your focus is earmarks which make up less than 1% of all Federal spending.
- You broke a promise to serve 3 terms in office.
If I made a mistake on any of the above, I sincerely beg your pardon and ask that you correct my misunderstanding of your voting record.
I am watching you faithfully, and I am deliberately campaigning for a social and fiscal conservative. Claiming one thing on your campaign literature and doing something else while in the Washington bubble is something I cannot support.
You don’t see it, but something has changed with you, and it worries many people. We never see you in the District at regular events. Besides a few Facebook posts about all your fundraisers, you are never to be seen in Gilbert, only red carpet events like the presidential debates. It seems your staff insulates you from honest feedback from people who care about our State and our Country.
Until I can see a marked course correction to a voting record consistent with a moral society, the Founders, your sacred Oath of Office, and Constitutional principles I must support someone who does. I’m asking every PC in Gilbert to do likewise. I want the old Jeff Flake back.
Most sincerely your cousin,
Lina Flake Hatch
Gilbert, AZ