Just when you believe they can't get any lower, Kari Lake give a stump speech in front of a Confederate flag

From The Guardian (UK) -

Revealed: Trump ally Kari Lake gave speech in front of Confederate flag

Video shows Arizona Senate candidate repeating election-fraud claims at event with Confederate flag behind her

The Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake addressed supporters with a Confederate flag displayed behind her during a campaign event at a Trump merchandise store in Arizona last week, where she repeated false claims about election fraud.

In footage obtained by the Guardian, Lake is seen speaking into a microphone, surrounded by a group of supporters, at the Trumped Store in Show Low, Arizona. Behind her, a Confederate battle flag and a yellow “Don’t Tread On Me” flag are affixed to the wall. Both flags are available for purchase on the website of Trumped Store, which sells an array of merchandise with the former president’s name and likeness.

I admit it - I've got nothing to add here.

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.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/9/2024

One thing that they haven't dealt with is a budget; as in "the main reason for the existence of any state legislature is to craft a state budget."

The Arizona State Legislature seems to have abdicated that duty.

This week, three Senate committees are meeting to consider some executive nominations to boards.

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one. 

On Monday, 6/10 - Nada.

On Tuesday, 6/11 

-

Senate Judiciary meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills, six nominations.  For the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments: Karen S. Smith; for the Commission on Trial Court Appointments in Maricopa County: Margaret E. Baze, Kaitlyn M. Neff, Paul C. Senseman, Sheri Lynne Toomb, and Javier Torres. 

Senate Transportation, Technology and Missing Children meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2. On the agenda: no bills, one nomination.  For the State Transportation Board: Jamescita Mae Peshlakai.

On Wednesday, 6/12 

-

Senate Finance and Commerce meets at 9 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills, three nominations,  For the Arizona State Lottery Commission: Mario L. Aniles, Tereza Fritz, and Shannon Scheel**

Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets at 1 p.m. in HHR1.   On the agenda: no bills, a bunch of, surprise, surprise, "audits."

On Thursday, 6/13 - Nada.

Cheeto doesn't want to be POTUS, he wants to be a petty and vindictive dictator of the US

From Newsweek -

Donald Trump Says It Is 'Very Possible' He Will Imprison Political Opponents

Donald Trump has floated the possibility of imprisoning his political opponents

 

 if he wins back the White House in November.

Trump made the comments days after a New York jury found him guilty of

 

34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment

 

to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He denied he was guilty

 

of any wrongdoing.

Speaking to the conservative outlet Newsmax on Tuesday, Trump added to his recent false claims that he had never called for his rival in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton, to be jailed.

It's not just Cheeto; "petty and vindictive" seems to be a GOP thing.

From USA Today -

GOP plots revenge in Congress amid raging views on Trump conviction; fundraising surges

Republican lawmakers are seeking revenge for the historic conviction of former President Donald Trump in a New York hush money case, which they’re calling a miscarriage of justice and a pointed political maneuver.

In the Senate, a cohort of conservative lawmakers are pledging to stop all Democratic priorities and block Biden administration nominees from approval. 

Ummm...instead of being petty and/or vengeful over conviction and/or criticism of bad acts, one could not engage in bad acts in the first place.

Guess which option Cheeto and his fellow travelers have chosen?

AZ's legislative Rs try to boost the turnout of their base by putting hate on the ballot

From The Guardian (UK) -

Arizona legislature overrules governor on proposal criminalizing non-citizens

The Republican-controlled Arizona legislature gave final approval Tuesday to a proposal asking voters to make it a state crime for non-citizens to enter the state through Mexico at any location other than a port of entry, sending the measure to the 5 November ballot.

The vote came as Joe Biden unveiled plans Tuesday to restrict the number of people seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border, saying: “This action will help to gain control of our border, restore order to the process.”

[snip]

The proposal bypasses the Democratic governor Katie Hobbs, who had vetoed a similar measure in early March and has denounced the effort to bring the issue to voters.

House Republicans closed access to the upper gallery of the chamber before the session started Tuesday, citing concerns about security and possible disruptions. The move immediately drew the criticism of Democrats, who demanded that the gallery be reopened.

“The public gallery should be open to the public. This is the people’s house,” said the state representative Analise Ortiz.

[snip]

The proposal is similar to a Texas law that has been put on hold by a federal appeals court while it’s being challenged. But the Arizona ballot proposal contains other provisions that aren’t included in the Texas measure and aren’t directly related to immigration. Those include making it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl that leads to a person’s death, and a requirement that some government agencies use a federal database to verify a non-citizen’s eligibility for benefits.

The measure passed by the Republicans in the legislature (and have no doubt, that one was passed with only Republican votes) is HCR2060 and is here.

Mark Lamb, R candidate for U.S. Senate, has a rather "flexible" relationship with telling the truth

That's something he shares with Cheeto.

Of course, that may not help much in that primary - his opponent there, Kari Lake, is also afflicted by the same character flaw.

He appeared on channel 12's Sunday Square Off this morning, ostensibly to respond to Kari Lake's claim the he's a coward (his response: "No, I'm not"), but mostly because he's thought to be rising in the polls in that race, probably because of Lake's utter despicability as a person.

Lamb may be more likeable, but he's no better a human being than Lake.

He started off by claiming that the jury verdict convicting Cheeto of 34 felonies was due to "unequal justice."

Later, he went on to prove that there's an unequal system of justice in the U.S. by urging the deportation of 15-20 million people, presumably without 15-20 million trials.

He also continued propagating the right-wing trope that that judge in Cheeto's criminal trial instructed the jury that they didn't have to be unanimous in finding him guilty.  That's false.

He also tried to say that  election denialism it a bipartisan thing by citing Hillary Clinton and Stacy Abrams.  He lied.

He said frequently that "the border"/illegal immigration was the biggest issue facing the U.S. and as his job is to protect his community in Pinal County (he's the sheriff in Pinal County), he's going to "work the border."  There's one problem with that.  Miles of Pinal County that border another country: 0.

He also claimed that fentanyl overdoses were the leading cause of death in the U.S.  However, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the leading cause of death for Americans in 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available) was heart disease at over 702K deaths.  Yet, according to the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were just under 108K overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2022.

He also stated that crime was rising in the U.S..  It isn't.  Not even close..

His penchant for lying may help him in the Republican primary, but no matter who emerges from that primary, everyone should vote for Ruben Gallego in the general election.

Pic taken from his website

Short attention span musing

...From the "Is anyone really surprised by this?" file:

From AP -

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia registers as independent, citing ‘partisan extremism’

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced Friday he has switched his registration to independent, raising questions about his political plans since the move could help his chances should he seek elected office again in a state that has turned heavily Republican.

Manchin, 76, has often been at odds with the Democratic Party and an obstacle to many of President Joe Biden’s legislative priorities. But he played a central role in helping Biden get a landmark climate change and health care bill over the finish line in 2022.

Maybe he can caucus with Kyrsten Sinema.  Probably not gonna happen though.

Both would want to be considered the leader of that particular caucus, and she may be the one person in the U.S. Senate who is as utterly self-focused as him (and that's saying something in a body that numbers Ted Cruz among its members.)

...From the "It worked so well on January 6, 2021 so it should be done again." file: 

From Reuters -

Trump supporters call for riots and violent retribution after verdict

Supporters of former President Donald Trump, enraged by his conviction on 34 felony counts by a New York jury, flooded pro-Trump websites with calls for riots, revolution and violent retribution.

After Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, his supporters responded with dozens of violent online posts, according to a Reuters review of comments on three Trump-aligned websites: the former president's own Truth Social platform, Patriots.Win and the Gateway Pundit.

Some called for attacks on jurors, the execution of the judge, Justice Juan Merchan, or outright civil war and armed insurrection.

“Someone in NY with nothing to lose needs to take care of Merchan,” wrote one commentator on Patriots.Win. “Hopefully he gets met with illegals with a machete,” the post said in reference to illegal immigrants.

On Gateway Pundit, one poster suggested shooting liberals after the verdict. “Time to start capping some leftys,” said the post. “This cannot be fixed by voting."

...From the "It's not just the GOPer base." file:

From Axios -

GOP senator aims to block floor action over Trump conviction

Eight Republican senators are vowing to vote against any spending bills, judicial nominees or other Democratic legislation brought to the floor in protest of former President Trump's conviction on 34 felony charges.

[snip]

Driving the news: "Strongly worded statements are not enough," Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who led the effort, tweeted. "Those who turned our judicial system into a political cudgel must be held accountable."

• He was joined by two Trump VP contenders — Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Oh.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — as well as Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) who recently announced a bid for GOP leader.
• Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kans.) also joined.
• Lee plans to keep the letter open for the foreseeable future, and is calling on more Senators to join their pledge of non-cooperation.

...From the "One can be despised by lousy human beings and still be a lousy human being." file:

Also from Axios -

Johnson urges Supreme Court to "step in" on Trump verdict

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called for the U.S. Supreme Court to "step in" to overturn the guilty verdict against former President Trump in his New York hush money trial.

Why it matters: It's one of the starkest examples yet of Republicans, furious about the jury's decision, calling for some form of intervention to protect the ex-president.

Johnson has faced withering criticism from the loons in his caucus who are more right-wing than he is.

...From the "At least in Arizona, 'petty snit' is an accepted partisan position." file:

From AZMirror, written by Caitlin Sievers -

House Republicans who investigated AG Mayes say she should be impeached

A group of Arizona House Republicans is calling for the impeachment of Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes based on allegations that she abused her power, neglected her duties and “committed malfeasance.” 

House Speaker Ben Toma created the House Committee on Executive Oversight in late March, specifically to examine the duties and powers of the attorney general, to investigate allegations against Mayes and to make corresponding recommendations to the House amidst allegations from Republicans that Mayes was unconstitutionally picking and choosing which laws to enforce. 

Mayes, along with all the Democrats assigned to the committee, refused to participate in its meetings, calling the entire undertaking a “sham”. Republicans on the committee chided the Democrats for skipping out. 

In a letter to Toma on May 28, Rep. Jacqueline Parker, the San Tan Valley Republican who chaired the panel, recommended that the House adopt a resolution to impeach Mayes for “malfeasance in office.”  

 The committee's agenda from 4/17 is here.

Speaking of "malfeasance," the fake electors hadn't yet been indicted; if they had been, I'm pretty sure that would have been added to the laundry list of unfounded Republican whines/complaints about Mayes.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/2/2024

At this point, there's nothing scheduled, though the House may hold a floor session to consider some of the Republicans' propaganda measures.  But that's not on the schedule as yet.

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one. 

Cheeto: guilty on all counts!

My mood right now -

From Zazzle.

From Politico -

Inside the courtroom: A drumbeat of ‘guilty’ and a blank stare from Trump

The first count landed like a hammer: “Guilty.”

In business-like fashion, the foreman of a Manhattan jury transformed Donald Trump — the former president of the United States and possibly the next one — into a convicted felon. Then he said it 33 more times.

While he almost certainly isn't as wealthy as he wants others to believe and is nowhere near as wealthy as he himself wants to be, he's not living paycheck-to-paycheck (as too many of us are), as such, I expect that receive a rich man's sentence for this conviction -

Probation and a fine.

I believe that the only way he even sniffs the inside of a cell over this is his adamant refusal to accept responsibility for his bad acts.

From an email that I received today (and I again edited out his pic and added emphasis with the red brackets {the yellow highlighter was already part of the email) -

Actually, the folks who, in my opinion. merit the most sympathy here are the members of his Secret Service detail.

If he's incarcerated, one or more of them will voluntold to be his cellmate.

Pretty sure none of them signed up for that.

I'm a little torn over today's verdict -

It's a sad day for America because a former POTUS is now and forevermore a convict.

On the other had it's a great day for America because even a former POTUS is subject to the rule of law.

Dear Cheeto: Hell, NO.

I'm on some interesting email lists (when John McCain ran for POTUS, I signed up for email updates from his campaign; which someone evidently sold after his death so I ended up on some bizarre lists), but today, I found out I'm on one of Cheeto's.

Earlier today, I received an email from buildingourmovement.com looking to raise funds for Cheeto.

From that email (and I deliberately did not include Cheeto's pic in the snippys) -

No Donnie, you don't have my support and I've never voted for you.

Prediction: AZ Secretary of State Adrian Fontes will run for higher office

And for my next prediction, I'll go out on a limb and predict that Cheeto will cheat at golf.

OK, not too far out on that limb. :)

Anyway, I've got a couple of reasons for believing that.

1. It's not an absolute, but in AZ, statewide office is considered a steppingstone on the path to higher office (higher statewide office or a federal office).

Except for State Mine Inspector.  I can't remember the last time one of them sought higher office.

2. He's raising his national profile.  This morning he appeared on NBC's Meet The Press and wasn't reticent there.

From CNBC -

Threatening U.S. election officials is ‘domestic terrorism,’ 

says Arizona’s Secretary of State

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is calling out threats against this country’s election officials as “domestic terrorism.”

“One of the ways that I have been looking at this and addressing this is telling the really hard truth, and that is this: Threats against elections officials in the United States of America is domestic terrorism,” Fontes said in a Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He defined terrorism as “a threat or violence for a political outcome.” “That’s what this is,” Fontes said.

From Rolling Stone -

State Election Officials Speak About Rising Threats:

 

‘This Is Domestic Terrorism’

FOUR SECRETARIES OF state are speaking out about the threats they receive regularly simply for doing their jobs, thanks in large part to election denialism perpetuated by Donald Trump and members of the Republican Party.

“Threats against elections officials in the United States of America is domestic terrorism. Terrorism is defined as a threat or violence for a political outcome. That’s what this is,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said on Meet the Press. He spoke as part of a panel of four secretaries of state who appeared on the show Sunday.

From The Hill -

Arizona secretary of state decries threats to election officials as ‘domestic terrorism’

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, decried rising threats to election officials as “domestic terrorism,” and said that he and other offices are working with law enforcement nationwide to handle the issue.

“And I think back to what we were talking about just a moment ago, one of the ways that I have been looking at this and addressing this is telling the really hard truth,” Fontes said during his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” part of a recorded episode that will air on Sunday. 

Poll: Gallego leading Lake

Though in AZ, Biden vs. Trump is too close to call.

Pointed at this by fivethirtyeight.com.

I saw this today, and, while I firmly believe that when it comes to elections, there's only one poll that counts (and it's held in November, this poll is current enough to merit a post.

From fivethirtyeight -

The poll in question is from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and from and Mainstreet Research.

From FAU's press release -

BATTLEGROUND STATES NEVADA AND ARIZONA TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Click here for Full Crosstabs and Other Products From FAU/Mainstreet

Download Nevada Report

Download Arizona Report

With the 2024 election cycle fast approaching, new polling data from Nevada and Arizona reveal a deeply engaged and starkly divided electorate in these pivotal battleground states.

The FAU Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research polls highlight the intense partisan polarization and motivations driving voter sentiment, including economic concerns, the legal proceedings against former U.S. President Donald Trump, and the potential entry of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a third-party candidate.

[snip]

Ruben Gallego, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Arizona, is currently outperforming incumbent Republican Gov. Kari Lake (44% to 37%) suggesting that Lake has had a difficult time getting traction in this race.

Like Trump, Lake is leading only with voters under age 49, and more than 20% of voters in that age bracket indicate they are still undecided. The close numbers forecasting a fight for control of the House in Arizona underscore how the congressional generic ballot highlights the intense battle being waged across the state’s districts.

According to the full survey report, Gallego has a 7% lead among registered voters and an 8% lead among likely voters.

One note about the press release: it cites Lake as the incumbent governor.  She's not.  She was the 2022 R nominee for AZGov. She just wishes she was governor, and has filed lawsuits to overturn the results.  None of those have been successful in overturning the election; of course, that may not have been the real purpose of the lawsuits.

Her rubes supporters have sent her a lot of money based on her claims.