With apologies to Fall Out Boy
The Fire Starter Has to Go
More than a year ago, in February 2023, a grandmother wrote her very first letter to the editor. The newspaper, a weekly, was published in #FountainHills, a town known for its “close-knit community,” “tranquility” and “spectacular views.”
The subject of the letter was #AllenSkillicorn, who barely six weeks into his tenure as a member of the Town Council appeared intent on burning the whole place down. The letter included the following paragraph:
Following his ignominious retreat from Illinois politics Skillicorn has attempted to recast himself as a “rugged individualist” and “agent of geopolitical chaos” ready, willing and able to command Arizona’s political stage. Skillicorn’s aspirations appear unrealistic considering his recklessness and lack of political acumen. It would be easy to dismiss Skillicorn but dangerous to do so. In the process of attempting to elevate himself to Arizona’s regional and national platform Skillicorn has and will continue to do damage to our town.
There has been so much damage since that letter was written. Fifteen months into Skillicorn’s four-year term Fountain Hills is no longer known for its close-knit community or its tranquility – although the views remain spectacular.
Today, Fountain Hills is known for the chaos and ugliness Allen Skillicorn brought with him when he fled Illinois, a failed politician. Skillicorn arrived in our town, slapped a cowboy hat on his head and began employing the only “skills” he has: pandering to the powerful; attacking his perceived opponents; and setting fires fueled by lies and bigotry. In the process he has repeatedly made a fool of himself and brought dishonor to our town.
In his never-ending quest for the spotlight Skillicorn has filed sham police reports against his constituents; attacked members of the LGBTQ+ community; compared our schools to Sodom and Gommorah; repeatedly lied about the mayor; accused a town employee of being a “sign thief”; and called his colleagues on the Town Council “Corruptocrats” and ”Marxists.” Now, Skillicorn has upped the ante and decided to set a big fire by suing the town he was elected to serve.
Skillicorn has filed a Civil Rights action in Federal Court accusing Mayor Dickey, and Councilmembers Kalivianakis, McMahon. and Grzybowski of violating his First Amendment Rights by sanctioning him for repeated violations of the town’s Code of Ethics. The suit (https://dockets.justia.com/…/azdce/2:2024cv01074/1377270) also names Tina Vannucci, the outside attorney who conducted the investigation and made the determination, as a defendant. Gerry Friedel, who condemned Skillicorn’s conduct but lacked the courage to vote his conscience, was not named as a defendant.
Skillicorn is represented in the lawsuit by Timothy LaSota. LaSota has been actively engaged in right-wing lawfare for several years. He represented Kari Lake in her futile effort to overturn the results of the Arizona governor’s race and is also representing ROT in the litigation arising out of the Four Peaks Referendum.
The allegations of the Complaint bear little resemblance to the facts that led to the imposition of sanctions. For example, Skillicorn alleges that when he pursued Peter Lucchese, the Enforcement Officer who removed the illegally placed sign, he flashed his lights “in a request that this driver stop so that (he) could ask this government official what the legal basis for his removal of the sign was.”
In addition to seeking damages from the Town and the individual defendants Skillicorn is seeking an order from the court that would prevent the Town from issuing additional sanctions based on his failure to comply with the directive that he apologize to Mr. Lucchese.
Skillicorn is also seeking an order from the court that would preclude the Town from investigating or taking action on a pending Ethics Complaint filed by Bethany Culp (erroneously identified as Beverley Culp) on the grounds that he was engaging in Constitutionally protected speech.
Hopefully, this latest attempt by Skillicorn to torch our town will be resolved quickly and decisively. There is Supreme Court precedent directly on point. In Houston Community College v. Wilson, 595 U.S. ___ 2022 the Court found that the protections afforded by the First Amendment do not preclude a public body from sanctioning one of its members for ethical violations. Unfortunately, a quick resolution of this lawsuit will not undo the damage that Skillicorn has done to our community or prevent him doing more damage.
We can take some comfort in the fact that Skillicorn is doing himself no favors by continuing to put himself under the spotlight. He can’t pull it off. His plea to “patriots” to provide financing for his lawsuit will fall on deaf ears because he is neither likeable nor trustworthy. Many of the right-wing celebrities he forces to pose with him seem uncomfortable. There is no indication that Skillicorn is viewed by any in his party as a viable candidate for state or federal office. They too, see him as toxic troublemaker with no redeeming qualities.
Skillicorn will hold a press conference that few will attend. Reporters who represent reputable publications will not see him as a champion of the First Amendment. They will see him as he is: a singularly inarticulate, socially awkward attention seeker who lacks the charisma and political savvy to succeed as a politician. They will see him as a phony “entrepreneur” whose only registered business has its headquarters at a PostNet in Payson.
We can’t wait for Skillicorn to self-destruct. The distraction and dissension caused by the fire-starter is ruining our town. We need to get him out of office.