Short Attention Span Musing

...Yes, AZ teachers underpaid and yes, the fetid minds of the Republicans at the state legislature think the best way to address that problem is to take money away from public schools via ESAs.

Not only that, AZ teachers are woefully underpaid in comparison to their similarly well-educated peers.

From Economic Policy Institute -

The teacher pay penalty reached a record high in 2024

Summary: Over the past three decades, stagnant weekly wages of public school teachers have fallen further and further behind those of college graduates who chose other careers, resulting in an ever increasing teacher pay gap that hit a record high in 2024.

[snip]

[snip]

...Tom Horne has regained the title of the "Worst Human Being to Head a State's Public Schools".

From The Guardian (UK) -

Oklahoma superintendent who put Trump Bibles in classrooms resigns

Oklahoma’s superintendent, who has attracted national attention as he sought to install religion and rightwing viewpoints in Oklahoma schools, will resign to run a conservative education non-profit.

Ryan Walters, who has led public schools in Oklahoma since 2022, has put Donald Trump-endorsed Bibles into classrooms and required teaching 2020 election conspiracy theories.

...Mike Johnson (R-LA) may be the Speaker of the U.S. House but he's showing that he believes his primary job is to protect wealthy pedophiles.

From The New Republic, via Yahoo! -

The GOP Effort to Hide the Epstein Files Just Hit a Disgusting New Low

Recently-elected Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva could deliver the tie-breaking vote to release the government’s files on alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. That is, if House Speaker Mike Johnson doesn’t delay her swearing in—and it looks like he’s planning to.

Grijalva, who won 68 percent of the vote in a special election for Arizona’s 7th congressional district earlier this week, is set to tip the scales for Democrats and their few Republican allies hoping to force the government’s hand on the long-awaited release of documents on Epstein. But when exactly she’ll be sworn-in isn’t set, and it’s cause for concern.

...Republicans like to tell everyone that they're "pro-life."

No, they aren't.

From AZMirror, written by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy, dated 9/25 -

GOP lawmaker calls for Dem congresswoman to be executed for urging Trump protests

An Arizona Republican lawmaker on Wednesday called for the execution of a Democratic congresswoman because she urged people upset with President Donald Trump to protest in the streets.

Kingman Republican Rep. John Gillette wrote on the social media site X that U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington, was calling for the the government to be overthrown and should be hanged.

 

Arizona Legislature 101: The Double Standard

Newbies at the Arizona State Legislature (or perhaps people who are newly-minted lege-watchers) may have an idealized view of it, thinking that it's a legislative body looking out for the best interests of the people of AZ.

The reality of the AZ lege is somewhat different.

If there were a course on it, the syllabus for that course would include a section on "The Double Standard."

To whit (because this stuff would be certain to be covered in such a course) -

From KXNV (Phoenix channel 15), written by Rachel Louise Just, dated 9/5 -

Sen. Analise Ortiz faces ethics investigation over ICE warning repost

State Senator Analise Ortiz is facing an ethics investigation and calls for expulsion from the Arizona Senate after she reshared a post that included the location of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation.

This week, State Senator Jake Hoffman, R-LD12, formally asked for an ethics investigation into Ortiz, hoping it would lead to her expulsion.

"I think it's a clear violation of that oath of office," Hoffman told ABC15.

Yet, 

From AZMirror, written Jerod MacDonald-Evoy -

Ethics Committee won’t investigate Islamophobic comments from Republican representative

The House Ethics Committee will not investigate an ethics complaint by Democratic leaders against Kingman Republican John Gillette, after he called Muslims “f***ing savages” and posted a series of Islamophobic comments on social media calling members of the faith “terrorists” from “sh*t hole countries” intent on destroying America.

House Ethics Committee Chairman Lupe Diaz, R-Benson, said he would not be taking the matter further and claimed that Democratic leaders were “weaponizing” the House Ethics complaint process. Diaz has not responded to multiple requests for comment about Gillette’s comments or the ethics complaint from the Arizona Mirror.

 

Whatever could be the difference between the two members? (that's sarcasm folks - I know what the difference is)

Arizona politics is like a small town - another Biggs is a candidate for office

Mylie Biggs (R-Chip Off The Old Block) is a candidate for the state senate seat in LD14, currently held by Senate President Warren Petersen, termed out and running for Arizona Attorney General.

She's the daughter of Andy Biggs, a MAGA Congressman and 2026 candidate for AZ Governor.

From the website of the Arizona Secretary of State:

Her Statement of Interest (SOI) -

.Her committee information -

As of this writing, no other R has filed an SOI or formed a committee in order to challenge her in the primary (I expect that to change as the cycle goes on).

Given the overwhelming R registration advantage in the district, the victor in the R primary should win the general election.

However, she's made things interesting.

From KJZZ, written by Camryn Sanchez -

Biggs’ daughter said women shouldn’t hold public office. But she’s running for AZ state Senate

Congressman Andy Biggs’ daughter Mylie said women shouldn’t hold public office. But she’s running for a seat in the Arizona Senate.

Mylie Biggs, 25, is running for the Legislature in Arizona’s 14th legislative district, which encompasses most of Gilbert.

Last August, she appeared on a podcast called The Matt MacCurdy Program and said she thinks women should not hold office in general, but instead should run the home.

Assuming that she goes on to be victorious in the primary, she seems to be ready for membership in the R caucus -

She's already got "open hypocrite" part down pat.

Normally, this sort of hypocrisy would be disqualifying in a Democratic primary.

In an R primary?  This may help her coast to victory.

5 Cs, 4 Cs, what's a C between friends?

Of course, U.S. House Speaker isn't a friend.

On Tuesday, he ejected Representative Al Green (D-TX) from the House chamber for having the utter audacity to disagree with Cheeto.

Today, the Republicans in the House censured (reprimanded) Green.

House Democrats didn't react well.

From ABC News -

Screaming match breaks out in House after vote to censure Democrat Al Green

The House voted on Thursday to censure Democrat Al Green over his outburst at President Donald Trump's speech to Congress on Tuesday night.

The Republican-led effort passed 224-198 with two members voting present, one of them being Green. Ten Democrats voted to censure Green

[snip]

"Mr. Speaker and still I rise," Green said, "and still I rise a proud, liberated Democrat, unbought, unbossed and unafraid."

Green continued to criticize Trump's agenda and animatedly explained why he and other Democrats sang in the well, calling it an "act of incivility."

"We have to not allow [Trump's] incivility, his requirement of fealty, to prevent us from taking the necessary actions to protect liberty and justice for all, to protect government of the people, by the people, for the people ... We have to do what is necessary. I believe we have to engage in a level of positive, righteous incivility.

[snip]

Moments before the vote, Johnson had told ABC News he took "no pleasure in making history like this" and hoped Green would "acknowledge his mistake."

From Bluesky, Green's response -

Not sure if Green's response will appease Johnson.

One thing I'm sure of - while Arizona has five Cs, Johnson has just four.

Arizona Cs, from the website of the Arizona State Library -

Arizona's Five C's are: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus and Climate.

Johnson's Cs, from me -

He was installed as Speaker of the House, not as Cheeto's Chief Collaborator in Congress.

Even though he behaves like one, not a leader of a co-equal branch of government.

The Gaetz report: A little light Christmas reading for ya

My gift to you :) .

This CBS News article has the full report.

From the summary -

It's not really a surprise that Cheeto wanted this guy to be the nation's Attorney General.

Threats of violence directed at Trumpkins? "Unhinged". Threats directed at Democrats? Crickets.

Gotta love shameless hypocrisy.

From The Hill, via Yahoo! -

Johnson on threats against Trump nominees: ‘This is dangerous and unhinged’

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday the threats against President-elect Trump’s nominees and appointees are “dangerous and unhinged” and called on President Biden and other Democratic Party leaders to condemn the incidents.

“This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump,” Johnson said in a Wednesday post on social platform X, referring to a shooting during a Pennsylvania rally over the summer when Trump’s ear was grazed with a bullet and another incident at his Florida golf club where agents thwarted an apparent attempt on his life before shots were fired.

“Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats,” he continued. “This is dangerous and unhinged. It is not who we are in America,”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the U.S. House, voiced a slightly different attitude.

From Politico -

Jeffries office: Bomb threats made against Dem lawmakers ‘unacceptable’

The office of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries denounced Thanksgiving Day threats made against Democratic members of Congress that ranged from “detailed threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting.”

Each of the threats was “signed with ‘MAGA’ at the conclusion of the message,” the minority leader’s office said in a statement on Friday.

That makes it sound as if he was as bad a human being as Johnson.  Except he went on.

From the same article -

"Threats of violence against elected officials are unacceptable, unconscionable and have no place in a civilized society,” the statement from Jeffries’ office said. “All perpetrators of political violence directed at any party must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Leader Jeffries' full statement is here,  Johnson?  Nada.  He seems to find political violence and threats of the same acceptable...if the recipients are Democrats.

Cheeto's lies about the federal response to Hurricane Helene: does he believe the response was too little or too much?

From CNN -

Fact check: Six days of Trump lies about the Hurricane Helene response

Former President Donald Trump has delivered a barrage of lies and distortions about the federal response to Hurricane Helene.

While various misinformation about the response has spread widely without Trump’s involvement, the Republican presidential nominee has been one of the country’s leading deceivers on the subject. Over a span of six days, in public comments and social media posts, Trump has used his powerful megaphone to endorse or invent false or unsubstantiated claims.

[snip]

Monday: Trump falsely claims Biden hasn’t answered calls from Georgia’s governor

[snip]

Monday: Trump cites baseless ‘reports’ about anti-Republican bias in the North Carolina response

[snip]

Thursday: Trump falsely claims the Biden-Harris response had received ‘universally’ negative reviews

[snip]

Thursday: Trump falsely claims Harris spent ‘all her FEMA money’ on housing illegal migrants

[snip]

Friday: Trump falsely claims $1 billion was ‘stolen’ from FEMA for migrants and has gone ‘missing’

[snip]

Saturday: Trump falsely claims the federal government is only giving $750 to people who lost their homes

[snip]

Saturday: Trump falsely claims there are ‘no helicopters, no rescue’ in North Carolina 

To be fair to Cheeto,, he's got a history of believing that a minimal response to natural disasters is a good response.

From NBCNews, dated 10/8/2017 -

Trump Defends Throwing Paper Towels to Hurricane Survivors in Puerto Rico

President Donald Trump defended throwing paper towels into a crowd of Puerto Ricans at a relief center in the hurricane-ravaged territory earlier this week and lauded federal relief efforts.

“They had these beautiful, soft towels. Very good towels,” Trump told Mike Huckabee during an interview Saturday with Christian network Trinity Broadcasting.

[start sarcasm]

Cheeto would *never* criticize people who are less soulless than him, right?

[/end sarcasm}

Q: What do you call a lawmaker who's actually a scofflaw? A: Justine Wadsack

Hat tip to AZ PBS' Horizon for the head's up on this.

I don't normally cover stuff in Pima County here, mostly leaving that to the writers at Blog for Arizona.  They know the area and its players far better than I do.

However, this involves a sitting state legislator, which is kind of in my wheelhouse. :)

From the Tucson Sentinel, written by Dylan Smith -

Sen. Justine Wadsack claims 'political persecution' over Tucson 

criminal speeding ticket

Clocked driving twice the legal limit; Southern Az Republican's citation 

delayed by legislative immunity during session

Arizona Sen. Justine Wadsack, a Tucson-area Republican, is claiming "political persecution" over a criminal speeding ticket dating from a March incident 

that police allege saw her driving her Tesla down Speedway at more than 70 mph.

Wadsack was pulled over on Friday, March 15, just after 10 p.m., after being 

observed "traveling at a high rate of speed" heading east on Speedway near North Euclid Avenue by a Tucson police officer on DUI patrol, according to a TPD report.

According to Tucson police, Wadsack was clocked going more than twice 

the legal limit: 71 mph in a 35 mph zone.

[snip]

Wadsack was not cited at the time, as her immediate introduction of 

herself as "Senator Justine Wadsack" resulted in the officer contacting 

his superiors. 

I've got three pieces of advice for Sen. Wadsack:

1. Don't speed.

2. Pay the fine and take the points.  You earned 'em.

3. Quit whining.

The indicted Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Christian Taliban) isn't shy

Generally speaking, people who are under indictment don't publicly associate with convicted felons, but State Sen, Anthony Kern is "special."

From the AZ Republic via MSN, written by Laurie Roberts -

Arizona senator puts ignorance on display with stunning call to put Jesus in government

Surprising to see Sen. Anthony Kern coming out today for Donald Trump’s Town Hall in Phoenix.

Kern, as you may recall, is Arizona’s speaking-in-tongues state senator, the indicted fake elector who wants the Ten Commandments posted on classroom walls.

His Ten Commandments bill, SB1151, was vetoed by the governor.

He may like the Ten Commandments, but they include a rule against lying.  Which is interesting, since that was what he was indicted for.

Even though he considers lying to be wrong...under specific circumstances.  His SB1144, which added to those circumstances, passed the Senate but was never heard in the House. 

Of course, the reason he was on stage because of his very public fealty to Cheeto.  

His SB1475, proposed by him but never even considered in the Senate.  It specified that someone convicted under criminal law or found liable under civil law could still be a candidate for POTUS.

It seems prescient, almost as if he *knew* that Cheeto would become a convicted felon and someone who was found to be liable for sexual assault.

Is being utterly venal a prerequisite for being elected to the lege from N. Scottsdale/Fountain Hills?

That legislative district (LD3), like all LDs, elects three people to the state legislature, one state senator and two state representatives.

LD3 has sent Reps. Alexander Kolodin and Joe Chaplik and Sen. John Kavanagh to the state legislature.

Kolodin is an attorney, with an attorney's regard for the truth.

Kavanagh is a retired police officer with a PO's regard for the Constitution.

Chaplik was a rather unremarkable ideologue.  

Until this week.

Not he's catapulted right past Kolodin and into Kavanagh territory.  Kavanagh may still be the most craven member of the lege, but now part of his competition for that title is from his own LD.

From AZMirror, written by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy -

House Ethics Committee drops complaint against GOP Rep accused of signature fraud

An ethics complaint filed against Republican state Rep. Austin Smith, after he was accused of petition signature fraud, was dropped by the House Ethics Committee Friday. 

Smith dropped his reelection bid last month after he was accused of personally forging more than 100 petition signatures to get on the 2024 ballot. Now the lawmaker is facing a possible criminal investigation after state election officials forwarded his petition signatures to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. 

Chaplik is the chair of the House Ethics Committee and while they have dropped consideration of the complaint against Smith for his (alleged) crime, he and they are continuing to look into the complaint lodged against Democratic State  Representatives Analise Ortiz and Oscar De Los Santos, who are accused of, wait for it, making Rs feel bad about themselves for their support of Arizona's pre-statehood near-total ban on abortion.

The House Ethics Committee is known for giving a free pass to Republican members, no matter how heinous their words or (alleged) crimes.

Note: The now-former member of the lege mentioned in the article, David Stringer, is running for County Attorney in Yavapai County.  Apparently, his campaign is utterly self-financed - 

It seems that Chaplik (and the other R members) feel that bringing disrepute to the body is acceptable...if the one behaving badly is a Republican.

He/they also believe that the bad behavior by a Republican shouldn't be criticized...if the one doing the criticizing is a Democrat.

AZ Republicans show their true colors

From The Guardian (UK) -

Arizona Republicans block abortion-ban repeal after denouncing court ruling

Republicans in Arizona halted an effort by Democrats on Wednesday to repeal an 1864 law banning almost all abortions, which the state supreme court this week ruled could go into effect.

The move came after Republican lawmakers in the state had denounced the court’s decision, including some who previously expressed support for the law. Donald Trump and other high-profile Republicans, such as the Senate candidate Kari Lake, had also declared their opposition to the ruling with Lake urging lawmakers to “come up with an immediate commonsense solution that Arizonans can support”.

[snip]

Some Republicans in the state had, surprisingly, come out against the court’s decision. “This decision cannot stand,” Matt Gress, a Republican state representative, said. “I categorically reject rolling back the clock to a time when slavery was still legal and we could lock up women and doctors because of an abortion.”

Gress had tried to bring forth a bill to repeal the ban but then voted with other Republicans to move to recess.

The move to adjourn was MIS005.

It passed by one vote

.

That vote -

I don't think that there was any real doubt that the adjournment motion was going to pass.  Nope, the only real question about this was whether the grifters lobbyists at the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) were busy tugging on the leash that runs between them and the Rs in the AZ legislature or if they spent their time rubbing their hands together gleefully.

My guess is that it wasn't the leash, and I have two reasons for believing that:

1. The AZ legislature doesn't need any prompting to come to CAP's heel.

2. CAP does seem rather gleeful.

Dear Cheeto: People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

I'm not a fan of the "open letter" format, but as I'm never going to meet Cheeto (at least, I hope not), so I'm going with it here.  Maybe someone in his circle will read it to him.

Dear Cheeto,

First from AP -

Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in New York hush-money criminal case

Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order ahead of his April 15 hush-money criminal trial, making a fallacious claim about his daughter and urging him to step aside from the case.

In a social media post, the former president suggested without evidence that Judge Juan M. Merchan was kowtowing to his daughter’s interests as a Democratic political consultant. He also made a claim — later repudiated by court officials — that she had posted a social media photo showing Trump behind bars.

Ummm...two points here -

1. Don't involve family.  Even if the target of your bile  treats you fairly (and I expect that this one will), it'll tick off a lot of other people. .Even some of folks who support you might lower their opinions of you (OK - probably not.  They're thoroughly besotted.  But some undecided voters...)

2. If you're going to criticize someone else's children, yours better be better.  They're not.  Not even close.

Me