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Mayor Vernon Parker for Governor. Make that U.S. Congress … or perhaps Rachel Ray’s co-host

Republican Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon B. Parker spent part of MLK day before TV cameras. He wasn’t talking about politics; he was on 3TV sharing his recipe for lump meat crab salad and plugging his forthcoming book, Eating Right

Where’s Vernon headed to now? Now he’s in the PV mayor’s office, but he’s got his eye on the state capitol. No. Wait. Now he’s headed for the kitchen. Where did he ...? Vernon? Vernon? Where’s ... oh! There he is ... running for Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District. Maybe.

Republican Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon B. Parker spent part of MLK day before TV cameras. He wasn’t talking about politics; he was on 3TV sharing his recipe for lump meat crab salad and plugging his forthcoming book, Eating Right. He told viewers the title also referred to politics – get it? Mildly funny.

Turns out the multifaceted PV mayor and once 2010 GOP gubernatorial hopeful has changed his mind. He’s not so much interested in the governorship now but in U.S. Rep. Shadegg’s congressional seat instead.

“I am going to spend the next couple of days listening and considering,” Parker said via press release.

Then, on January 19 he made the official announcement. “The biggest constant in my public life has been to serve to the fullest, to use whatever talent God has given me to the utmost degree possible.”

Are we to assume that Congress is a higher calling? “I believe my skills, my experience and my passion are made for Congress,” he said.

What about Eating Right in Arizona? We’re not sure his constituents will swallow this. 

Parker is an attorney, an entrepreneur, and now a cookbook author. He’s also founder of The VBP Group, a company specializing in human resource management and public relations. Parker was nominated by ex-President George W. Bush as the first-ever assistant secretary for civil rights at the United States Department of Agriculture. Parker also served as general counsel of the United States Office of Personnel Management in Washington, D.C., and at the White House as special assistant to ex-President George H. W. Bush.

Unfortunately, Parker may be better known known for his “encounter” with the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, an independent arm that investigates claims of fraud and abuse within the federal agency.

Parker allegedly submitted documents that were “false or of questionable authenticity” according to a federal report, and he also allegedly “falsely certified that he was not a federal employee” so he could get his consulting firm certified through an SBA program. His firm then received a contract worth $1.2 million from the SBA to help small businesses apply for government contracts. Parker contends he was not an employee but a consultant.

The saga prompted the Paradise Valley mayor to include a page entitled “SBA Myth” on his website www.vernonparker.com (separate from his other website, Parker for Arizona Governor, at www.parker2010.com), where he claims the investigation was “initiated by a Democratic congresswoman during an election year when it was big sport to go after anyone associated with the Bush administration – especially if you can get a New York Times headline out of it.” He adds, “With the help of former U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton, we’ve fought back to clear my name and to ensure that when government abuses its power, it will be challenged, and defeated.” He has filed a notice of claim (read: future lawsuit) seeking $2 million in damages from the Feds. “I won’t let happen to you, what happened to me,” he contends in his website. 

If Parker can simultaneously fight the federal government and oversee the successful functioning of a municipality, a small business, an exploratory committee to run for governor, and now make that a run for Congress – not to mention he’s ALSO promoting his new cookbook, AND making TV appearances...Well, then! He’s earned the title of consummate multitasker. Too bad there are no government posts for that.

Did we mention that Parker also loves to tweet? He even sent out a press release about his “Tweet of the State” informing the public he would be commenting live during Gov. Brewer’s State of the State address. Last year he also tweeted about how he “enjoyed spending time with and being recognized by Sheriff Joe at the Fountain Hills Republican picnic” and that he loves coaching his son’s basketball team. Maybe he can share with us his time-management secrets. Follow the multitasking and versatile PV mayor on Twitter: @Parker4Gov. Now he’ll need a new Twitter handle.