And, surprisingly enough, Cheeto and his many indictments aren't part of it.
...First up: the big news of the week.
From AZ Family, written by Peter Valencia, dated 11/29 -
2 Cochise County supervisors indicted for 2022 election interference
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has announced that a grand jury has handed down an indictment against two Cochise County supervisors.
The indictment was filed Monday in Maricopa County Superior Court. According to the AG’s office, Peggy Judd and Terry “Tom” Crosby conspired to delay the canvass of votes cast in the county during the November 2022 General Election. Both now face felony offenses of conspiracy and interference with an election officer.
A press release from Attorney General Kris Mayes is here. The indictment itself (part of the press release) is here. From Maricopa County Superior Court records: the case number is CR2023-008495.
Arraignment is scheduled for 12/21/2023
Guessing that Kelli Ward and the other 2020 fake electors were hoping that election-denying would get lost in the hubbub.
My guess: Not so much.
Other news:
...The U.S. House expelled Rep. George Santos (R-NY) by an overwhelming margin this week. However, Arizona's representatives in Congress weren't exactly unanimous in the desire to expel the oft-indicted member.
From the vote:
All Democratic members from AZ voted to expel Santos, but four GOP members from AZ voted to protect criminality -
Crane (AZ2), Biggs (AZ5), Gosar (AZ9), and Lesko (AZ8).
Not surprising: Biggs and Gosar are relentlessly partisan bigots and Crane is their ideological saddle partner.
Surprising: Lesko. I figured that if there was a fourth AZGOPer to vote to protect Santos, it would be David Schweikert. He's got ethical issues of his own, thought he would vote to help one of his own.
I was wrong.
...Arizona Supreme Court Justice Bill Montgomery (R-Dougie) recused himself from a case involving Planned Parenthood, a group that he's demonized in the past.
From AZ Mirror, written by Gloria Rebecca Gomez, dated 11/30 -
Anti-abortion AZ Supreme Court Justice recuses self from abortion case
An Arizona Supreme Court judge who once accused Planned Parenthood of committing genocide has agreed to recuse himself from a case involving the organization that will determine the future legality of abortion in the state.
In October, Planned Parenthood Arizona called for Justice Bill Montgomery to step away from the case after the resurfacing of a 2017 Facebook post in which he said its national counterpart was responsible for the “greatest generational genocide known to man.” The organization, which runs four of the state’s nine abortion clinics and is the main litigant in the case, argued that Montgomery’s vehement opposition to it threatens to jeopardize its right to a fair and impartial trial.
There are many amicus briefs filed for this one.
It's scheduled to be heard by the AZ supes on 12/12.
..And in sad news, Arizona icon Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, has passed away at age 93
From AZ Mirror, written by Ashley Murray, dated 12/1 -
Sandra Day O’Connor, who made history as the first woman on the Supreme Court, dies at 93
The first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court is dead at 93.
Sandra Day O’Connor, a groundbreaking justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, died Friday in Phoenix, of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness, according to an announcement from the court.
President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor in 1981, and she was confirmed by the full Senate, 99-0, in September of that year
I didn't always agree with her, but always thought she was a decent human being.
My deepest condolences go out to her family and friends.
