NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday February 8, 2008

Sen. Bee, where are you?

The Arizona Democratic Party offered to help find Sen. Tim Bee today, after reports surfaced that he is away on “personal business.”

“If budget negotiations are going on without the Senate President, I’ll be curious to know just how much he’s shaping the compromise,” said Emily Bittner, spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party. “On the other hand, if they’ve been put on hold for his absence, I’m curious to know just why Arizona taxpayers have to wait for a budget solution.”

The Arizona Democratic Party distributed fliers at the Capitol today to offer help tracking down the senator.

Some have said Bee is in Washington, D.C., trying to raise money for his campaign. But his own staff doesn’t know where he is. According to the Arizona Capitol Times:

A secretary said Wednesday she did not know where Bee was and a Senate Republican spokeswoman would only say the senator was out of town.

According to the Arizona Republic, Bee’s absence is complicating budget negotiations. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0208bee-gone0208.html

It’s turning into the legislative version of Where’s Waldo: Where is Senate President Tim Bee?

The top official in the state Senate has been gone the past two days, prompting questions and quiet grumbling from fellow lawmakers that Bee is distracted by his congressional campaign.

Bee did not return a phone call seeking information about his Senate absences.

His Senate office said it didn’t know where he is, other than out of the office.

“This is exactly why Congresswoman Giffords gave up her safe legislative seat to run for Congress,” Bittner said. “She wanted her district to have a representative who could devote their full attention to the issues facing this state.”