Political Notebook: Effort to recall Sheriff Nanos looks doomed

As of this week, the Recall Nanos campaign had collected about 15,000 signatures, Daniel Butierez said. He's the congressional candidate who started the recall campaign in March. 

The state law surrounding such recalls makes them a nearly impossible challenge without a paid signature-gathering effort: The campaign needs to get about 122,000 valid signatures before July 10.

And you can never get just the number required — any such signature-gathering effort requires at least a 10% margin of error. Butierez said in March he was aiming for 135,000. 

"This was much harder than I thought," Butierez said this week by text message.

"Most people aren't as driven as myself," he added. "I will work on it till I fail, though, because I'm just not a quitter."

Butierez, a Republican, pulled the petitions March 12, citing two main reasons for the recall against the sheriff, who is a Democrat: Nanos' handling of the case after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Catalina Foothills home, and revelations that he obscured his troubled history with the El Paso Police Department before joining the Pima County Sheriff's Department in the 1980s.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors considered taking action against Nanos, using a territorial-era statute that allows them to remove the sheriff if he does not provide them testimony. But Nanos answered the board's questions, and they chose not to pursue expulsion.

Nanos won re-election to the sheriff's seat in 2024 by a tiny margin of 481 votes.

This week, his deputies accused three YouTube streamers of public nuisance for their actions as they stream video commentary for hours a day outside of Guthrie's home. Butierez said the arrests have boosted interest in the recall.

But with the effort needing more than 100,000 valid signatures in less than a month, the challenge is likely too great.

Video of Nanos TSA episode published

An awkward episode in Nanos' recent career re-emerged this week thanks to a Fox News report.

The network obtained video of Nanos' questioning by a Transportation Security Administration officer at Tucson International Airport in November 2024 after Nanos was caught with an undeclared, loaded gun in his bag.

It was Nov. 6, 2024, the day after Election Day, and Nanos and his wife were headed to Laguna Beach, California, via Los Angeles, Nanos said. 

The officer read Nanos his Miranda rights, and the sheriff, with a sheepish near-smile, acknowledged them and said "sure" when asked if he would answer questions. 

"Last night, we had election night, so we went to the Starr Pass Resort, stayed there," Nanos said. "I had my gun in the car, didn't want to leave it in the valet, so I stuck it in the bag, in that backpack.

"Took everything to the room, got up this morning in a rush, we were late, and just threw everything there."

Nanos was later released and allowed to travel on.

Cunningham opposes free fares

In case it wasn't clear enough before, Tucson City Councilmember Paul Cunningham has publicly stated his opposition to the city's free-fare policy for buses and the streetcar.

Cunningham has frequently questioned whether the free-fare policy, which began with federal aid during the pandemic, is working. 

In an opinion piece published by the Tucson Sentinel this week, Cunningham acknowledged changing his mind on free fares, which he previously supported.

"It has become clear that a system with no fares or passes has compromised the social contract that is expected and has made it harder to maintain the safe and welcoming environment that riders and operators deserve," Cunningham wrote.

His statement comes as the city prepares to approve next year's budget, which includes continued funding for free fares. 

The majority of the City Council supports continuing the policy, despite growing public criticism, but fellow Council Member Nikki Lee cast the only vote against next year's budget in part out of opposition to the free-fare policy.