PHOENIX
Laura Pastor, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Phoenix, has started a political career of her own in pursuit of a hotly contested seat on the Phoenix City Council.
As part of her campaign, Pastor is touting her leadership in a Maricopa Community College outreach program.
But The Arizona Republic reported Sunday that resumes and applications of the top three candidates for the job show that Pastor had the least experience in working with colleges or with outreach and scholarship programs.
The college district denies Pastor got the position because her father has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars into the outreach program, including $1 million in federal grants at the time his daughter was being interviewed in 2005.
Dr. Ken Atwater, South Mountain College’s president, has said Pastor was “by far” the best candidate for the job.
Laura Pastor says that she has never used her father’s connections to get ahead. “I wouldn’t have applied for the job if I wasn’t qualified,” she said. “My qualifications speak for themselves.”
