Congratulations to Randy Keating, friend and immediate past chair of the LD26 Democrats (Tempe and West Mesa) on his election as 2nd Vice Chair of the Maricopa Democratic Party! His energy and smarts will help guide the MCDP in its quest to restore some rationality to Maricopa County politics. Plus he's a hell of an organizer and knows a lot about what LDs here want and need to do to make gains.
...Apparently, outgoing AZSOS Ken Bennett has no desire to drift back from whence he came (aka - Prescott). He's the newly-elected chair of the LD24 Republicans (mostly east and central Phoenix) -
...Perennial candidate Vernon Parker also isn't fading away.
From the website of the Maricopa County Republican-
Don't be shocked if Parker (or a proxy) goes after Rep. Eric Meyer (D-LD28) in 2016. The Rs in that district absolutely *hate* the fact that there is a Democratic legislator from that district and go after him hard every cycle. I expect Parker to use his deep-pocketed contacts to fund a run at Meyer.
...Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio may not be feeling too festive this holiday season.
From the Arizona Republic, written by Sean Holstege -
U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow was telling him [Sheriff Joe Arpaio] Thursday that there was "a very real possibility" he would refer the popular sheriff to the U.S. Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution on contempt-of-court charges, later noting, "I fully intend to."
It was the latest showdown in a class-action civil-rights case that has dragged on since 2007.
That case, brought on behalf of Latinos who said immigration sweeps by the Sheriff's Office violated their civil rights, ended with a settlement and the imposition of a federal monitor to ensure it doesn't happen again.
...The unofficial title of the chief of staff for Governor-elect Doug Ducey (R) should be "Director of Dark Money".
From the Associated Press, via ABC15.com -
Governor-elect Doug Ducey has chosen former Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams to be his chief of staff when he takes office next month.
Adams is already serving as co-chair of Ducey's transition committee and will continue in that role.
The "dark money" part?
From an op-ed published by the Arizona Republic in 2012, written by David Berman, a senior researcher at the ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy -
Americans for Responsible Leadership, an obscure Arizona-based 501(c)(4) non-profit headed by former Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams and with no history of political activity in California, contributed funds to two political action committees there. One committee supported an anti-union initiative and the other opposed a tax increase, both on the California ballot in 2012.
The money, ultimately spent on political advertising, came to Americans for Responsible Leadership through a convoluted network of dark-money non-profit groups in Virginia and Iowa associated with the Koch brothers.
...The Arizona House of Representatives announced the committee assignments for the upcoming session.
From a press release -
Agriculture, Water and Lands (Thursday morning)
Chair – Brenda Barton, Vice Chair – Darin Mitchell, Regina Cobb, Karen Fann, Steve Montenegro, T.J. Shope, Jennifer Benally, Rosanna Gabaldon, Lisa Otondo
Appropriations (Wednesday afternoon)
Chair – Justin Olson, Vice Chair – Vince Leach, John Allen, Russell “Rusty” Bowers, Rick Gray, Warren Petersen, Tony Rivero, David Stevens, Michelle Ugenti, Lela Alston, Mark Cardenas, Stefanie Mach, Eric Meyer, Andrew Sherwood
Banking and Financial Services (Tuesday afternoon)
Chair – Kate Brophy McGee, Vice Chair – Jeff Weninger, John Allen, Eddie Farnsworth, Jill Norgaard, Diego Espinoza, Rosanna Gabaldon, Debbie McCune Davis
Children and Family Affairs (Monday afternoon)
Chair – John Allen, Vice Chair – Kate Brophy McGee, John Christopher Ackerley, Regina Cobb, Phil Lovas, Kelly Townsend, Sally Ann Gonzales, Juan Jose Mendez, Rebecca Rios
Commerce (Wednesday morning)
Chair – Warren Petersen, Vice Chair – Jill Norgaard, Jay Lawrence, Tony Rivero, T.J. Shope, Diego Espinoza, Charlene Fernandez, Stefanie Mach
County and Municipal Affairs (Monday afternoon)
Chair – Doug Coleman, Vice Chair – Tony Rivero, Paul Boyer, Karen Fann, Rick Gray, Lela Alston, Reginald Bolding, Rosanna Gabaldon
Education (Wednesday afternoon)
Chair – Paul Boyer, Vice Chair – Jay Lawrence, Doug Coleman, Jill Norgaard, Bob Thorpe, Reginald Bolding, Lisa Otondo
Elections (Tuesday morning)
Chair – Michelle Ugenti, Vice Chair – J.D. Mesnard, Heather Carter, Jeff Weninger, Ken Clark, Jonathan Larkin
Energy, Environment and Natural Resources (Monday afternoon)
Chair – Frank Pratt, Vice Chair – Russell “Rusty” Bowers, Brenda Barton, Heather Carter, Mark Finchem, Vince Leach, Ken Clark, Macario Saldate, Victoria Steele
Federalism and States’ Rights (Wednesday morning)
Chair – Kelly Townsend, Vice Chair – Noel Campbell, Mark Finchem, Darn [sic] Mitchell, Bob Thorpe, Rebecca Rios, Ceci Velasquez, Bruce Wheeler
Government and Higher Education (Thursday morning)
Chair – Thorpe, Vice Chair – Ackerley, Phil Lovas, Justin Olson, Warren Petersen, Kelly Townsend, Lela Alston, Jonathan Larkin, Macario Saldate
Health (Tuesday afternoon)
Chair – Heather Carter, Vice Chair – Regina Cobb, Paul Boyer, Jay Lawrence, Randall “Randy” Friese, Eric Meyer
Judiciary (Wednesday morning)
Chair – Eddie Farnsworth, Vice Chair – Sonny Borrelli, Anthony Kern, J.D. Mesnard, Randall “Randy” Friese, Albert Hale
Military Affairs and Public Safety (Thursday morning)
Chair – Sonny Borrelli, Vice Chair – Mark Finchem, Noel Campbell, Eddie Farnsworth, Anthony Kern, Frank Pratt, Richard Andrade, Mark Cardenas, Stefanie Mach
Rules (Monday afternoon)
Chair – David Stevens, Vice Chair – Steve Montenegro, David Gowan, David Livingston, Bob Robson, Bob Thorpe, Albert Hale, Ceci Velasquez, Bruce Wheeler
Rural and Economic Development (Tuesday afternoon)
Chair – T.J. Shope, Vice Chair – Russell “Rusty” Bowers, Brenda Barton, Vince Leach, Frank Pratt, Jennifer Benally, Sally Ann Gonzales, Juan Jose Mendez
Transportation and Infrastructure (Tuesday afternoon)
Chair – Rick Gray, Vice Chair – David Stevens, John Christopher Ackerley, Sonny Borrelli, Noel Campbell, Karen Fann, Richard Andrade, Charlene Fernandez, Victoria Steele
Ways and Means (Monday afternoon)
Chair – Darin Mitchell, Vice Chair – Anthony Kern, J.D. Mesnard, Justin Olson, Michelle Ugenti, Jeff Weninger, Mark Cardenas, Andrew Sherwood, Bruce Wheeler
- No commentary on these yet...
...Finally, the LD26 Republicans seem to have established a new holiday season tradition.
Honor the massacre of 27 people by Adam Lanza (his mother, 6 school staff members, and 20 children) in Newtown, CT by giving away an AR15, a higher-end version of the weapon used in the massacre.
From the announcement webpage for their holiday "party" -
For those who can't quite make out the small print -
Not the first time that they've done this. From 2013 -
And doing this in a school? Kind of craven, even for this bunch.
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