Paul Gosar - not just an embarrassment in the state or the country; he's going international now

From Haaretz, dated 4/17/2023 -

GOP Lawmaker Spreads Blatant Antisemitism, Invokes Nazis on Holocaust Remembrance Day

 Rep. Paul Gosar, long considered among the most extreme Republicans in Congress and closely linked with white nationalists and avowed antisemites, accused the Biden administration of aiding a supposed Nazi regime in Ukraine while criticizing U.S. efforts to provide assistance to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.

“$100 billion of your tax money is going to help Nazis,” Gosar wrote in his weekly newsletter published Sunday morning, one day before Holocaust Remembrance Day. “I will never support Nazis and I condemn our country’s support and military aid to Nazis.”

Cheeto indicted! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Actually, it probably wouldn't happen to a nicer one, either. 

From CNN -

Donald Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury on more than 30 counts related to business fraud

Donald Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a Manhattan grand jury, according to two sources familiar with the case – the first time in American history that a current or former president has faced criminal charges.

The indictment has been filed under seal and will be announced in the coming days. The charges are not publicly known at this time. Trump will likely be arraigned in court early next week, according to his defense attorney, Joe Tacopina.

My question is this:  Will he do a perp walk before the arraignment?

Don't worry about our Cheeto, though - his acolytes, including some based in AZ, rushed to defend/protect him.  From NBC -

Trump allies erupt in fury over former president's indictment

Donald Trump’s most fervent Capitol Hill allies erupted in fury Thursday night as news of his indictment rocked the country. They rushed to his defense and blasted New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of the GOP presidential front-runner as a political witch hunt designed to influence the 2024 election.

“Outrageous,” tweeted Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who is using his roles as chairman of the Judiciary and Weaponization of the Federal Government committees to investigate Bragg’s work.

Certain folks from Arizona wanted to be sure that they weren't left out of the pro-Cheeto babble.  They took to Twitter.

Matt Gaetz is a tease

From The Hill -

Gaetz says he ‘will resign’ if Democrats help elect a moderate Republican for Speaker

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of the main opponents to House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) becoming Speaker, said Thursday that he “will resign” from Congress if Democrats help to elect a moderate Republican Speaker instead.

Fox News’s Laura Ingraham asked Gaetz in an interview if he would be alright with an outcome in which there’s “ultimately a deal” struck with moderate Democrats on a consensus candidate in exchange for some kind of co-control of House committees.

If any Democrat is seen as aiding and abetting the circular firing squad otherwise known as the House Republican caucus, that person will be forever tainted...if only for taking away a great source of entertainment from the rest of us.  The GOP tantrum is the best thing on C-SPAN right now.

Still...if he agrees to take Paul Gosar with him I'll advise him to not let the door hit him in the ass on the way out.

Time for some 2024 speculation

Yes, the 2022 election is barely in the books and the inevitable lawsuit has been filed but not resolved, but 2024 races have already started.

First, a few caveats:

1. No actual humans were spoken to during the production of this post.  This is purely about me throwing ideas against the wall and seeing what sticks.

2. Any names/people mentioned here are folks who I think may look at running for a particular office but that doesn't mean that I think that all will actually run for that office.

3. Anyone who currently holds an office will be presumed to retain that office, if they actually run for it.  Some will be vulnerable and will lose their offices.

US President:

The 2020 nominees, Joe Biden and Cheeto, are making noises about running (actually, Cheeto has already announced his candidacy).  However, I don't believe that either will actually run in 2024.  They'll both be *old*.  Right now, both are making noises about doing so because of Biden's desire to not to already be seen as a lame duck POTUS and Cheeto's desire to not be seen as incarcerated.

And his ego.  Cheeto's vanity is boundless.  For him, the presidency is less about public service and more about self-aggrandizement. And profit.

US Senate seat from Arizona:

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's seat is up for election, and her decision to change her registration to Independent opens up the Democratic primary in a big way,

The Republican primary was already going to be wide open but her move may make it wilder.

Doug Ducey, the current governor in AZ, has long been rumored to be eyeing Sinema's seat.

Mark Brnovich, the current Attorney General in AZ, may have lost the R Senate primary in 2022 and is term-limited as AG, but he doesn't seem to be going away - he's running radio ads catering to rural voters.  He may simply be burning off his budget, but I think that he's keeping his options open.

Paul Gosar and/or Andy Biggs, both are batshit crazy members of Congress.  Assuming they avoid going to prison over their involvement in the insurrection of January 6, 2021.

Kelli Ward, currently the batshit crazy chair of the AZGOP.  Assuming she avoids going to prison over their involvement in the insurrection of January 6, 2021.

An unnamed vassal of a rich guy who's looking to by a Senate seat.  Think: 2024 version of Blake Masters/Peter Thiel.

Other election-denying/anti-democracy Rs may also looking at the seat.

With Sinema's change, the R primary transitions from being the political equivalent of a pro wrestling battle royal to being an outright bar brawl.

If Sinema appears on the ballot, it will have the effect of siphoning votes away from the Democratic nominee, so if the R nominee isn't a batshit crazy ones, they'll win in a walkover; if the R voters pick a crazy nominee in their primary, the race will closer, maybe close enough for the D nominee to win.  For the record, while I consider Ducey and Brnovich to be poor public servants and simply lousy human beings, they're not batshit crazy.

The Democratic primary will be less wide open than the Republican primary but it will be more open than it would have been before Sinema left.

Ruben Gallego, current member of Congress, is the very early favorite here because he was already going to challenge Sinema in the primary when she was still a D.

Greg Stanton, current member of Congress and former mayor of Phoenix, has already made noises critical of Sinema.  From Twitter (pic taken yesterday) -

Other Ds who may be looking at the race -

Kate Gallego, current mayor of Phoenix.  Termed out and will not be in office in 2024.

Regina Romero, current mayor of Tucson.

Raquel Teran, currently in the AZ State Senate and the chair of the Arizona Democratic Party.  In AZ, it's almost a tradition that one doesn't become a state party chair without running for high office.

Kathy Hoffman. currently the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction.  She lost her re-election bid in 2022.

US Congress -

I expect that most of the current officeholders here will retain their office, but three of the Rs will be especially vulnerable - Juan Ciscomani in southern AZ and Eli Crane in Northern AZ because they will be first termers and David Schweikert because he's ethically challenged.

Also, if Ruben Gallego and/or Stanton run for the Senate, it wouldn't be surprising to see 1 or 2 (or more) of the others listed as potentially running for Senate to look at those seats instead.

Arizona Corporation Commission -

Three seats will be on the ballot.  They're currently held by D Anna Tovar and Rs Lea Marquez Peterson and Jim O'Connor.  While I expect that all of them will run for reelection I cannot and will not guess at what the primary fields will look like here.

Well, that didn't take long - Paul Gosar supplants Andy Biggs as the most embarrassing member of Congress from Arizona

It seems like just yesterday that I wrote that Biggs was back to embarrassing AZ.

Oh wait, it *was* yesterday. :)

It seems that Gosar couldn't allow Biggs to hog all of the notoriety.

From The Hill -

Gosar tweets, then deletes, support for Trump’s Constitution termination statement

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) tweeted and then deleted a post on Wednesday supporting former President Trump’s call for terminating the election rules in the Constitution. 

“I support and agree with the former President. Unprecedented fraud requires unprecedented cure,” he said, accompanied by a screenshot of Trump’s post on Truth Social. 

Paul Gosar looks to add "diplomat" to the list of things he's bad at

Pointed at this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

From Politico -

Paul Gosar invited Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Arizona for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

It's unlikely that the two foreign leaders will respond, given that Ukraine isn't ready to negotiate yet. 

What's happening: Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) invited Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Arizona to negotiate peace talks between the two countries, as Ukraine faces its eighth month of war against the Russian invasion.

The details: In a letter posted Wednesday on conservative social media platform Truth Social, Gosar invited the two leaders to Phoenix to "begin conversations to deescalate nuclear tensions, terminate the war, and end the death and destruction plaguing both your nations." Before his plea, Gosar put a disclaimer at the beginning of the letter that the lawmaker is "not a diplomat," but rather a "mere member of Congress" who wants to offer a means to pursue peace between the two countries.

Read that letter here.

The link above goes to Truth Social.  I won't go there, but readers can make their own decisions.

If they *do* meet (a big "if"), I expect the conversation to go thusly -

Gosar:[Looking at Zelensky] "What needs to happen for there to be peace in the Ukraine?"

Zelensky: [Looking at Putin] "Go away."

Putin; [Looking at both] "Nyet."

Gosar:[Looking at Zelensky]: "You've gotta give him something."

Zelensky: [Standing up and looking at Gosar] "You go away, too."

Well, I know who Paul Gosar will be dining with on Thanksgiving

From 12News, dated 7/14/2022 -

'Clearly unhinged': 3 of Paul Gosar's siblings endorse his opponent in Republican primary

Three of Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar’s siblings are endorsing one of his Republican primary opponents, Adam Morgan, declaring in a statement that their brother is “completely unfit for office.”

The three siblings say in a statement released Thursday that this is the first time they have endorsed a Republican. They are among several of Gosar’s nine siblings who have scorched their brother in videos, op-eds, and interviews in recent years.

He shares three things with Adam Laxalt, the R nominee for US Senate in Nevada:

1.  They both hail from states in the Desert Southwest.

2.  They're both dyed-in-the-wool trumpkins.

As for number 3, well,  from The Nevada Independent -

Fourteen members of Laxalt family endorse Democratic rival, Cortez Masto, in Senate race

Fourteen members of Republican Senate candidate and former Attorney General Adam Laxalt’s family announced Wednesday that they would collectively endorse his Democratic opponent, incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, in the heated race for Nevada’s U.S. Senate seat. 

The three-page letter, obtained by The Nevada Independent, does not mention Laxalt by name or his Senate campaign, focusing instead on praising Cortez Masto. That includes her positions on women’s issues, opposition to a proposed federal mining tax, public land preservation and her record as the state’s attorney general from 2007 to 2015. 

Should be interesting dinner conversation - 

Both have family members who believe that they belong to the "anyone but" club

With Louie Gohmert (R-TX) out of Congress next term, AZ will have the dubious distinction of having the craziest member of Congress

* - assuming Paul Gosar (R-AZ9) wins reelection, and since he's facing only write-in competitors in the general election, I don't believe that would be an undue assumption.

From Mediaite -

GOP Rep. Gosar Promotes Far-Right Nick Fuentes Documentary, Claims It’s Proof of ‘Persecution Against Christians’

GOP Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) shared the trailer for a film by far-right documentarian Paul Escandon featuring white nationalist Nick Fuentes on Friday and declared the film proof of “persecution against Christians and Conservatives by the Biden Regime.”

Fuentes stars in the film alongside avowed white supremacist Vincent James, who has recently called for “kidnapping the children away from gay people.”

[snip]

“If Americans do not have the freedom to dissent, then they have no freedom at all,” the Arizona Republican argued.

Dissent is OK with him...unless he disagrees with it.  He thinks then that the dissenter should be killed.

From NPR, dated 11/21/2021 -

Rep. Paul Gosar is censured over an anime video depicting him of killing AOC

Lawmakers in the House censured GOP Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona over an anime video that showed a character killing another character meant to be Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

NOEL KING, HOST:

The House of Representatives has censured Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar. He tweeted an anime-style video that showed a character that looks like him killing another character meant to be New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Here's NPR's Barbara Sprunt.

Of course, if he has a problem with being referred to as the "craziest" member of Congress, I could always refer to him as the most "craven" member of Congress.

Turns out that Finchem, Gosar, and Kern are finding out that bullshit has a cost

From the AZ Mirror, written by Jim Small -

Finchem, Gosar and Kern must pay ex-Dem lawmaker’s $75,000 legal fees for ‘groundless’ lawsuit

Republican secretary of state nominee Mark Finchem, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar and former GOP state legislator Anthony Kern must pay $75,000 in attorney’s fees to a former Democratic state lawmaker they sued after a judge said the lawsuit was “primarily for purposes of harassment.”

In February 2021, the three Republicans filed a lawsuit against Charlene Fernandez, then a Democratic legislator from Yuma, accusing her of defaming them by making disparaging remarks, connecting them to the violence of Jan. 6 and conspiring against them. 

The number for the case in question is S-1400-CV-202100146

The curious thing about the case was that there were more attorneys associated with the case (9) than there were parties (4).

Note: Kern's lawyer, Alexander Kolodin will be a state representative from LD3 (north Scottsdale).  They will not face any Democratic challengers.

Note2: Kern will probably be a state senator from LD27.  He faces a Democratic challenger in the general election, but it's a non-competitive district favoring Republicans.

Courtesy the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission -

Wonder if the threesome will ever pay the costs that they been ordered to pay, and if any payments will come out of campaign funds?

The grift continues; now Fredo is involved

From my email inbox -

Of course, being a Trump, Fredo wants to make money off of someone looking into his father's criminality.

Paul Gosar, the soon-to-be craziest member of Congress when Louie Gohmert is gone, wants to destroy the agency looking at Cheeto.

From the Arizona Republic via Yahoo! -

Gosar, GOP allies call for abolishing the FBI in response to Mar-a-Lago search

Just before 9 p.m. Monday, hours after it was announced that FBI agents had searched former President Donald Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago for documents illegally brought from the White House, close Trump ally Paul Gosar had something to say.

In five lines of text, Gosar, R-Ariz., invalidated a federal investigation, professed his continued alliance with Trump and called for the destruction of the FBI.

Screenshot of Paul Gosar's Twitter Account

It's a stark turn from conventional party rhetoric. Trump liked to bill himself as a “law and order” president; his supporters say they “back the blue.” Gosar's official Twitter account contains more than 50 deferential references to local and federal law enforcement.

What's the magic number? UPDATED

How many innocent lives have to be sacrificed because somebody with a gun feel fear or anger?

When will the apologists have their bloodlust sated?

From WISN -

Six people killed in mass shooting at 4th of July parade in Highland Park

Police confirm that six people were killed during a mass shooting at a 4th of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Highland Park is a Chicago suburb about 60 miles south of Milwaukee.

Approximately 2 dozen people were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Highland Park Police are still calling this an "active incident" as law enforcement agencies are searching for the suspect. The suspect is described as a white male, between 18-20 years old with long dark hair. A rifle was recovered from the scene

From CNN -

[UPDATED later on 7/4/2022]

From ABC -

Highland Park mass shooting live updates: 6 killed at 4th of July parade, person of interest apprehended

A 22-year-old person of interest has been apprehended in connection with a mass shooting Monday at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois, police said.

Six people were killed and about 24 others were seriously hurt in the shooting, according to officials.

Police said they apprehended Robert "Bobby" Crimo III during a vehicular pursuit Monday evening after an hours-long manhunt.

I'm not going to post his pic yet as at this point, he's only a "person of interest" (one can go to the ABC story for that), but I will say one thing -

Neck tats are almost never a positive character reference.

[/end UPDATE]

As expected, Arizona electeds and wannabes tend to be tone deaf -

To be fair, the last two pre-date the mass shooting in Illinois.

GOPer pushes for violence...toward other GOPers

Geez, and I thought AZ GOP primaries were crazy. 

Oh wait...they are.  It's just a question of how long before a candidate here goes to the same place.

My first guess: Blake Masters.

Second guess: Mark Finchem.

Third guess: Paul Gosar, but any AZGOPer could go here.

Actually, more than one could go here.

From CNN -

This GOP Senate candidate just released a video calling for some Republicans to be hunted

On Sunday, Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger said he received a letter in the mail a few days ago that threatened to execute him, his wife and their newborn.

"There is violence in the future, I'm going to tell you," Kinzinger said on ABC's "This Week." "And until we get a grip on telling people the truth, we can't expect any differently."

Less than 24 hours later, Eric Greitens, a leading contender for the Republican Senate nomination in Missouri, released a new video in which he is depicted as hunting RINOs (Republicans in Name Only).

"I'm Eric Greitens, Navy SEAL, and today we're going RINO hunting." Greitens says as he walks down a sidewalk with a gun in hand.

And violence toward anyone, even GOPers, is a bad thing that should never be tolerated.

The silence from AZGOPers is deafening.

Dear USPS: Got your next wall photos for ya

 I was going to title this with a "Dear USDOJ..." title, but it was too long.

As in "Dear USDOJ: A bunch of crazy people, insurrectionists, insurrectionist-enablers, and wannabes met in a rather infamous town...and bragged about it."

I don't know if it quite falls into the category of the 1957 Apalachin gathering of the Mob (as far as I know, no arrests happened today), but it seems to qualify as the modern equivalent.

I'll just leave this here for readers and their own punch lines

From Twitter, yesterday -

So who wants to tell Paul Gosar that "no grifters" means "no Trump"

Guessing that he's not making a break with Cheeto.

Blast from the past: Jack Harper is back

Like a bad case of dandruff, he just won't go away.

This time, he's running as a write in candidate in Congressional District 9.

From the website of the Arizona Secretary of State -

Harper adds a "special" kind of classy to the race against Paul Gosar.

In a race with the hardcore bigot/Russia invasion lover (Gosar), the subject of a criminal indictment (Dowling), a former employee of former Congressman Trent Franks (Kutz - from the Government Printing Office - 

), and, of course, Harper, the other person running in the R primary, as no Democrat is on the ballot in CD9, Adam Morgan may be the "least bad" option

Of course, it's been nearly 10 years since Harper was in the state legislature, but he hasn't become a better person.  Or updated his wardrobe, apparently.  

The picture that he submitted to the AZ SOS -

Biggs subpoenaed

Well, that didn't long.  Just yesterday I wrote that it was nice that AZ was in the news and that Andy Biggs or Paul Gosar (or any of the other usual suspects) was the cause.

That didn't last long.

From CNN (emphasis added by me)-

January 6 committee issues subpoenas to 5 House Republicans, including Kevin McCarthy

The House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol is taking the extraordinary step of sending subpoenas to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and four other Republican lawmakers who have rejected the panel's requests to voluntarily cooperate.

In addition to McCarthy, the Democrat-led panel is subpoenaing Republican Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

My only question:

Can Paul Gosar be far behind in the subpoena sweepstakes?

Want to find out if he's wearing diapers?

Knock on his door.

Maybe it's time to introduce Paul Gosar to his own petard

From Jerod MacDonald-Evoy at the Arizona Mirror -

Paul Gosar spent nearly $8,000 of taxpayer money to attend events with far-right groups

Prescott Republican Congressman Paul Gosar spent more than $7,800 for travel, lodging and vehicle expenses while attending events with far-right groups and white nationalists, according to a review of the congressman’s finances by a nonpartisan watchdog group. 

The Moonlight Foundation conducted a review of congressional travel that showed Gosar has spent more on travel than any other congressman in the past five years. An additional review of the data by CNN found he has spent nearly $1 million on travel since 2016 — including having taxpayers pay for his trip to speak at a white nationalist conference in Florida in 2021. 

The full report can be found here.

Based on his priorities, Gosar *really* doesn't like the American people.  Notwithstanding his protestations otherwise.

From Forbes, dated February 27, 2021 -

GOP’s Gosar Skipped Covid-19 Aid Vote To Speak At Conference With Ties To White Nationalism

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) faces backlash after he stated he was unable to attend the coronavirus aid bill vote in Washington on Friday due to safety concerns related to the pandemic, yet traveled to Orlando, Florida, that day as keynote speaker for the "America First Political Action Conference," organized by Nicholas Fuentes, who has espoused white nationalism.

Biggs and Gosar, Arizona's version of Beavis and Butthead, bring shame upon Arizona. Again.

From The Hill -

Here are the 10 Republicans who voted ‘no’ on the Ukraine lend-lease bill

Ten House Republicans voted against a bill on Thursday that seeks to create a lend-lease program that would make it easier for the U.S. to send military aid to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.

The legislation, titled the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, passed the House in a 417-10 vote. Three Republicans did not vote on the measure.

[snip]

GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Dan Bishop (N.C.), Warren Davidson (Ohio), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Thomas Massie (Ky.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Scott Perry (Pa.) and Tom Tiffany (Wis.) voted against the bill, and Reps. Rick Allen (Wis.), Troy Nehls (Texas) and Chris Stewart (Utah) did not vote on it at all.

Federal Committee update

From the website of the Federal Election Commission -

Republican Dowling, a disgraced former Maricopa County Schools superintendent is running for the Congressional seat in CD9 against Paul Gosar.  No Democrat has submitted nominating signatures for the race.

I have previously written about Dowling's husband, Dennis, and his quest for a school board seat in spite of his primary qualification being his obtaining an advanced degree from a degree mill.