Short Attention Span Musing - justice system edition

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.

We lost two icons, Bill Richardson and Jimmy Buffet

One was big in the world of politics, one was big in the world of pop music, and this may be a bit of a surprise coming from a political guy, but the pop music denizen may be the bigger loss.

Not that the politics guy had an inconsiderable influence.

Pic courtesy NBCNews

First up: the guy from the political world, Bill Richardson.  A former member of Congress, a former governor of New Mexico, a former ambassador, and a former a lot of things.

When he ran for president in 2008, I nearly voted for him (he withdrew from the race well before the AZ primary).  After baby Bush and his administration, I thought the White House needed breadth of competence.

He may have bowed out of the race, but with the eventual winner, things turned out well for the country.

Very well, actually. 

He was 75.

Pic courtesy NPR

Singer Jimmy Buffet may have had a more noticeable impact on society at large, though.

He was best known for the song "Margaritaville", but, as great as that one was, I was always more of a fan on "Come Monday", "Cheeseburger in Paradise", and  "Son of a Son of a Sailor".

He was 76.

My condolences go out to their families and friends.

Nichelle Nichols dead at 89

:( :(

From CNN -

Nichelle Nichols, trailblazing 'Star Trek' actress, dies at 89

Actress and singer Nichelle Nichols, best known for her groundbreaking portrayal of Lt. Nyota Uhura in "Star Trek: The Original Series," has died at age 89, according to a statement from her son, Kyle Johnson.

"Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration," Johnson said in a statement shared to Nichols' official site on Sunday. "Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all."

Nichols died from natural causes, he said.

From the same article -

From People magazine -

Alister Adel dead. Wow.

From Peter Valencia at Arizona's Family -

Former Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel dies from ‘health complications,’ family says

Former Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel died Saturday morning from “health complications,” according to a family spokesperson. She was 45.

“This May we would have celebrated 20 years of marriage. My family and I are utterly heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. We are so very proud to call Allister wife and mom,” said her husband, David DeNitto. “We are asking that the press and the public honor her, her legacy, and our family by respecting our privacy at this difficult time,” he concluded. Funeral arrangements have not yet been publicly announced. Adel is survived by her husband and two children. Arizona’s Family is working on learning more information.

My deepest condolences go out to both her family and friends.  This sucks, and nothing that I, or any other observer of AZ's political scene, will change that, or their pain.

Howard Hesseman dies: it's official, 2022 sucks

From The Hollywood Reporter -

Howard Hesseman, Dr. Johnny Fever on ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ Dies at 81

Howard Hesseman, who made a career out of portraying off-the-wall characters, none more popular than the disc jockey Johnny Fever on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, has died. He was 81.

Hesseman died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles of complications from colon surgery he first had last summer, his wife, actress and acting teacher Caroline Ducrocq, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Sidney Poitier passes

From CNN -

Sidney Poitier, Oscar-winning actor and Hollywood's first Black movie star, dies at 94

Sidney Poitier, whose elegant bearing and principled onscreen characters made him Hollywood's first Black movie star and the first Black man to win the best actor Oscar, has died. He was 94.

Clint Watson, press secretary for the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, confirmed to CNN that Poitier died Thursday evening.

1967 was a good year for him - he starred in three classic movies that year - To Sir With Love, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, and In The Heat Of The Night.

In The Heat Of The Night was the first movie that I saw him in, and for that one alone (and he had many other iconic roles), I think he belongs in any list of the top 20 actors ever.

From IMDB -

2022 has started out as badly as 2021 ended.

Betty White is dead

 I inadvertently deleted the original post on this, so I'm reposting it...

From People -

Betty White Dies: The Golden Girls and Mary Tyler Moore Show Star Was 99

Betty White, TV's perennial Golden Girl, has died. She was 99.

"Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever," her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas told PEOPLE in a statement on Friday. "I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don't think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again." 

2021 has sucked.

Grant Wood dies

 From AZFamily.com -

Former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods dies at 67

• ARIZONA'S FAMILY DIGITAL NEWS STAFF
• POSTED 1 HR AGO
 

Woods said he handled every elder care case in the state for eight years as the attorney general.

(Source: 3TV/CBS 5)

Former Arizona Attorney General and politician Grant Woods died Saturday afternoon. Woods served as Attorney General from 1991 until 1999 and was a supporter of former senator John McCain.

Grant Woods, age 67 passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, according to his wife Marlene Galan Woods. His cause of death is unknown at this time. A husband, a father of five children, Woods leaves behind a large extended family, including a daughter he and wife Marlene also adopted.

The following statement from the Arizona House Democrats came through after I posted this -

Colin Powell dies of Covid

 Pic from CNN -

From CNBC - 

Colin Powell, trailblazing soldier and statesman who made case for 

Iraq invasion, dies of Covid at 84

Colin Powell, the trailblazing soldier and statesman, has died from Covid complications at the age of 84.

Powell, who was fully vaccinated against Covid, had several underlying conditions. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and had been treated recently for multiple myeloma, according to a Powell family spokesperson.

FWIW, I always thought that he, not Barack Obama, was best positioned to be the first African-American president.

He had lots of respect, from many places across the political spectrum.

Then he fronted for the Bushies in their desire to mount a Forever War.

His lies cost him, in any political aspirations he might have had, and, more importantly, the respect given to him, respect he would have needed in any political office.

State Sen. Chester Crandell (R-LD6) passes away

First and foremost, my deepest condolences go out to Sen. Crandell's family and friends.  Politically, we never agreed, on pretty much absolutely anything.  However, he was also very civil and even warm, even toward those with whom he disagreed.

He will be missed by many.

Picture courtesy the website of the Arizona Legislature

From the Arizona Republic, written by Alia Beard Rau -

Arizona Sen. Chester Crandell was found dead Monday afternoon after he didn't return from a horseback ride near Heber-Overgaard. He was 68.

Crandell, a fifth-generation rural Arizonan and rancher, had served in the Legislature since 2011.

Across partisan lines, Crandell was well-liked and well-respected:
  
From the Facebook page of State Senator Katie Hobbs (D-LD24) -

There may not be a lot that we agreed on, but I know that we shared the same passion for making sure we leave Arizona a better place than we found it. You did that Chester - thank you.

State Senate Adam Driggs (R-LD28) tweeted this - 

I will miss my friend Senator Chester Crandell. He was an Arizona statesman who worked w/ honor and integrity to make Arizona a better place.

Per news reports as of this writing, the investigation into Crandell's death is ongoing and no arrangements have been announced.


Now to the political details -


His seat is vacant now, and will be filled by a process where the Republican PCs of his district nominate three candidates whose names will be forwarded to the appropriate county's board of supervisors.  They will appoint someone to fill the seat until the end of the term.  Given that the legislature is adjourned and no special sessions are expected, the replacement will probably not have much to do.

As for his candidacy (he was running for re-election), he was the only R candidate, and there was no D candidate.  However, there is an Independent candidate, former state senator (and former Republican) Tom O'Halleran.

O'Halleran is *not* running unopposed now - Crandell will be replaced on the ballot in a process that has some similarity to the process to fill the Senate seat that is now vacant.

From ARS 16-343 -

A. A vacancy occurring due to death, mental incapacity or voluntary withdrawal of a candidate after the close of petition filing but prior to a primary or general election shall be filled by the political party with which the candidate was affiliated as follows:

{snip}

2. In the case of a vacancy for the office of United States representative or the legislature, the party precinct committeemen of that congressional or legislative district shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and affidavit complying with the requirements of section 16-311.

However, since ballots have been printed, section D looks to apply here -

D. A vacancy that is due to voluntary or involuntary withdrawal of the candidate and that occurs following the printing of official ballots shall not be filled in accordance with this section, however, prospective candidates shall comply with section 16-312. A candidate running as a write-in candidate under this subsection shall file the nomination paper no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth day before the election.

We'll see if any R write-in candidate garners enough primary votes to appear on the general election ballot.  Per the AZSOS' website, they'll need at least 427 votes for that to happen.

When services are announced, or when updates on filling the seat and/or ballot become available, I'll pass them along...


Note: Thanks to regular reader (and Twitter follower) "leewah" for pointing out section D of ARS 16-343.  In my rush to complete this post in a timely manner, I did not read far enough into that chapter of the law.

Manny Cruz and Bob Drye: RIP

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been taking an unscheduled hiatus from blogging due to the fact that it's an even-numbered year (meaning that campaign-related activities have eaten up a lot of my time recently).

The hiatus is coming to an end because of two pieces of sad news - the passings of Manny Cruz on May 12 and Bob Drye on April 29.

Cruz was the 2010 Democratic nominee for State Mine Inspector and was planning a second run for the office when he was diagnosed with cancer.  He withdrew from the race late in 2013 in order to focus on fighting the disease.

While he gained notice as a candidate in 2010, he was far more than that.

More importantly, he was an advocate for improving the safety of Arizona by closing abandoned mines.

Most importantly, he was a beloved husband and son (and one of the warmest, most genuine people that folks who knew him had ever met).

His funeral services are tomorrow, Friday, May 16.

The funeral (both service and burial) will be at noon at Greenwood Memory Lawn, 719 N 27th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009.

There will be a reception after at Bitzee Mama's, 7023 N 58th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85301.

I didn't know Manny as well as some, so here are some words about him from Terry Goddard (via Facebook) - 

"Very early this morning, Arizona lost Manny Cruz -- a big man in soul and heart, a champion for mine safety and for more responsive, responsible government. Manny, a fighter to the end, is at rest after a courageous battle with cancer. In politics and in the field closing abandoned mines, Manny made things happen. He liked to do things with a bang. But most of us will remember his great smile and gentle persistence. Truly, a happy warrior. He lived a remarkable life. We miss him already. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Valerie, and his mother, Sally, and all his family whose love surrounded him through the hard months. They are heroes."

The other tragic loss that hit our community recently was the passing of Bob Drye.

 
Most of us knew him as a dedicated and ever-present activist in Tempe, volunteering his wisdom, time, and energy to support Democratic candidates, the Democratic Party, and the community in any way he could. 

Long before he came to Arizona he was a family man (seven children, 18 grandchildren, and five [and counting] great-grandchildren) and an accomplished psychiatrist.

A service will he held Saturday at 10 a.m. at University Presbyterian Church, 139 E Alameda Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282.

Via email, from Phil Amorosi, one of Bob's many friends and someone that Bob mentored:

"Long time PC Robert Drye passed away on Tuesday, April 29. He was 86. Dr. Drye was one of the people that believed in me when I became chair and was instrumental in turning Dist. 27 (at the time) blue. He was the district secretary for many years, got signatures, always canvassed, a State Committeeman. He did whatever was asked. He was a life long Democrat from Vermont. He was very smart, started MIT when he was 16! He was a military man and as a psychiatrist helped set up the evaluation forms to recognize mental illness in troops. In his younger day he was a featured speaker at many forums."

My deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of both Manny and Bob.

Nelson Mandela passes away at 95

There aren't too many foreign leaders who become ingrained into the American consciousness - aside from Mandela, maybe the English royal family and the Pope - but Mandela not only became part of the American consciousness, he became an inspiration to most of a generation here.

And an absolute icon to most of the rest of the world.

There also aren't too many foreign leaders who have deserve to have an American national holiday in their honor, but Mandela is one, perhaps the one.

However, instead of commemorating his birth (July 18), showing respect for his death (December 5), we should honor him on the day he was freed after more than a quarter century's imprisonment by the apartheid regime in South Africa - February 11.

A brief bio of Mandela from Nobelprize.org is here (he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993).

President Obama's statement on Mandela's passing is here (text) and here (video).

I'm not going to link to a specific news story; there are too many good ones to choose from.  If you want to read some more in-depth stories (and you should), visit any MSM website or just Google his name.

Since his life was an inspiration to millions across the world, his death is not, and must not be, a cause for sadness.  

His speech upon receipt of the US Congress' Congressional Gold Medal -

Funeral arrangements for former state representative Ben Miranda

Highly respected attorney, community activist, and former state legislator Ben Miranda passed away suddenly last week.  His funeral services will be held tomorrow, Monday, November 25, 2013.

Picture courtesy Arizona Capitol Times

Details, courtesy his wife, Rep. Catherine Miranda -

Date: Monday, Nov. 25

Services -

Place: Saint Agnes Catholic Church, 1954 N. 24 St, Phoenix, AZ 85008

Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. followed by mass. 

Burial -

Place: National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ 85024 

Time: 2 p.m. 

Reception/Memorial -

Place: American Legion Post 41, 715 S. Second Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 

Time: Following the burial

Miranda was elected to the governing board of the Maricopa County Community College District in 2012.  From his bio page there:

Ben Miranda was born in Texas into a migrant farm worker family. In his younger years, the family traveled across the United States harvesting throughout the year. They finally settled in Gila Bend, Arizona, prior to moving to the inner-city projects of Phoenix. On this journey, he attended one room rural schools and resided in labor camps with up to 5,000 immigrant farm workers. He proudly served 13 months in the Vietnam conflict where he was awarded the country’s Bronze Star. After attending Phoenix College and undergraduate studies at Arizona State University (B.S. Political Science), he graduated with the Deans Award from ASU Law School (Juris Doctorate-Law), where he led a recruitment effort that increased minority law student enrollment by 50 percent.

In 1994, he received the City of Phoenix’s First Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Living the Dream” Award. He oversaw over $100,000 in donations from the firm and contributed hundreds of hours in support of Cesar Chavez of the United Farm workers. He served on the Roosevelt School Board where he has been recognized for the hundreds of volunteer hours that he contributes to children. He was elected to the State Legislature in 2002, he served with his brother senator, the first brothers elected to serve together as state level office holders. He has twice been selected by his peers to serve as Chair of the Arizona Latino Caucus of the State Legislature.

He has also served on the boards of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, American Red Cross, and Valle del Sol. He has represented the city of Avondale, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Local 383 Union. His passion for helping the underserved has led him to establish Proyecto Manzana which is focused on increasing access to a higher education for all youth in need.

He has acquired a well-deserved reputation for devoting countless hours of free legal advice to people in our community who could not otherwise obtain legal services.

Finally, and most important to him, he is married to Catherine, Arizona House of Representatives District 16 Member, and is a devoted father to his daughters Maritza and Elisa, son-in-law Aaron and grandfather to Mariella, Abraham, Erin Marie and Naomi.

 Deepest condolences go out to his family and many friends.

A very tough 24 hours for Phoenix first responders

From KPHO.com (Phoenix channel 5), written by Phil Benson -

A Phoenix police officer and a city firefighter have been killed in two separate incidents, city officials said a news briefing Sunday morning.

Bradley Harper, 23, a two-year veteran of the Phoenix Fire Department, died after being crushed between two fire vehicles at a mulch fire Saturday near Lower Buckeye and 35th Avenue, said Phoenix Fire Chief Bob Khan.

Darryl Raetz, 29, a six-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department, died from injuries suffered in a hit-and-run crash early Sunday morning, said Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia.

KPNX (Phoenix channel 12) has video of the press briefing here.

Condolences go out to the families, friends and colleagues of the two first responders who gave their lives while working to protect public safety.

Breaking: Former state legislator Bill Konopnicki passes away

Picture courtesy the Eastern Arizona Courier

Republican former legislator Bill Konopnicki passed away this evening.

The Eastern Arizona Courier published a story early Wednesday detailing Konopnicki's rapidly deteriorating health due to non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver.

Twitter is alive with remembrances of him from all across the political spectrum, and the non-political world as well.

Robbie Sherwood, a former reporter for the Arizona Republic, remembers Konopnicki as "old school" in that he came up through local service organizations, not party organizations, and that perspective affected his activities at the Capitol.

He was known as someone who was there to solve problems and "get things done", not to hold to a partisan ideological position, no matter how counterproductive that position.  His primary interest was in working for the best interests of his district and for Arizona.

Along with the late Jake Flake (R) and Jack Brown (D), they formed a trio of legislators who brought a small town sensibility to the lege (they represented northeastern Arizona; mostly small towns and ranches there).  As such, he (and they) were considered too conservative to be Democrats and too moderate to be darlings of the hardcore Rs who have taken control of the Capitol in recent years.

However, many of those from both sides of the partisan aisle with longer memories respect him as one of the last "true gentlemen" at the Capitol, as demonstrated by the outpouring of condolences for Konopnicki's family and friends.

According to his last legislative biography, he was born in Detroit and his family moved to Arizona when he was 5 years old.  He received his higher education at Arizona Western College, ASU, and U of A, before going on to operate a number of small businesses in Safford and the surrounding area over the next few decades.

One of Konopnicki's personal points of pride was that as the owner of some McDonald's franchises in Safford and eastern Arizona, he gave many of his neighbors their first "real" jobs.

Sherwood posted one of his memories of Konopnicki on his Facebook page.  It is reprinted here with permission -

Farewell to my friend former Rep. Bill Konopnicki who passed away this evening. A tremendously nice guy but tough as well. One lasting memory from following him on the campaign trail: on the day of his hometown Safford parade, Bill was suffering from an impacted tooth. He was miserable, hadn't slept and was in a lot of pain. He needed to see a doctor, but in small-town politics you don't miss an event like this. So Bill walked the entire mile-long route smiling, waving and shaking hands, all while carrying one of his little granddaughters in his arms. He was adored and respected by his constituents, embodied service before self and will remain an inspiration.

Koponicki harkens back to a day in Arizona politics where politicians could disagree without being disagreeable, and when there was a function middle at the Capitol that could actually solve problems. 

He will be missed greatly.

My condolences go out to Konopnicki's family and friends on their loss.

Bad Day In Arizona...

...Four people, including a 2 year-old toddler, were killed by infamous Arizona neo-Nazi/white supremacist JT Ready.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Jim Walsh and Lindsey Collom -

A border militia leader on Wednesday shot and killed four people at a Gilbert home, including a toddler, before committing suicide, sources said.

Sources identified the shooter as Jason "J.T." Ready, a reputed neo-Nazi who made headlines when he launched a militia movement to patrol the Arizona desert to hunt for illegal immigrants and drug smugglers.

At least one person survived the shooting, and was being treated at Maricopa Medical Center.

Authorities have not identified the other victims, but reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, Hugo Maderos said the victims were his ex-wife, Lisa; their daughter, Amber; Amber's boyfriend, whose name The Republic is withholding until his next of kin could be notified, and Amber's 18-month-old baby, Lilly.

First and foremost, my deepest condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of Ready's victims.

While today's events aren't really surprising to anyone who has followed Ready's activities over the years (one of my FB friends referred to him as a "ticking time bomb"), they are no less horrifying for the lack of surprise.

...Other events today would normally fall into the category of "horrific", but compared to Ready's mass murder...

Note: In addition to condolences and prayers, my apologies go out to the friends and family of Ready's victims.  I planned to write about the following items before the news of Ready's mass murder broke.  In no way do I intend to state or imply that the following items are as horrible as the killings in Gilbert.

- In an effort led by his allies in the legislature, Russell Pearce, former senate president and a friend and ally of Ready) is in line to receive more than $260K of taxpayer money to reimburse him for expenses related to the successful recall of him in November.  A conference committee made of two Democrats and four Pearce supporters amended SB1449 to include a path to payment for Pearce.

Three are in this picture, from election night in November as the Pearce camp realized that the voters of LD18 hadn't fallen for the usual smoke and BS-storm -

Pearce is at the mic, Rep. Eddie Farnsworth is to his right (left in the pic as we are looking at it), Sen. Steve Smith is directly behind Pearce, Rep. Steve Montenegro is to Pearce's left (right, when viewing the pic).  Also on the committee, but not in the pic: Sen. Andy Biggs.  I'm not sure, but I think he was there that night, but just isn't in this particular pic.  In this pic, however, are Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio (pic right, gazing at Pearce), Rep. Carl Seel (behind Arpaio), and Rep. John Kavanagh (barely inside the pic on the right, sort of behind Arpaio).


So far, Steve Pierce and Andy Tobin, the current Senate President and House Speaker, respectively, haven't said much about the scheme to give Russell Pearce a s---load of taxpayer money, but since they select the members of the conference committees, my guess is that they are completely on board.


- The House gave final approval to HB2503, a measure that exempts companies from punitive damages relating to defective or inadequate products or services if those products or services meet government regulatory standards.

Left unsaid in the bill:  The fact that industry lobbyists already write most regulations, watering them down to the point of being ineffective or even counter-productive.

- The Senate passed HB2571, Governor Brewer's plan to turn the state's merit employment system into a political patronage/spoils system designed to enrich her and her associates/handlers.  It returns to the House for a rubber-stamp vote on a minor amendment passed by the Senate.

- Republican legislators are working to join lawsuits seeking to overturn the recently-precleared legislative district maps, saying that the maps don't do enough to protect minority voting power.

This in spite of the fact that minority legislators are saying "the maps are fine, and since when do you folks look out for minorities, other than looking to demonize them for fun, profit, and votes whenever you can?" (OK, they didn't use those specific words, but it's a good summary.  :) )

...All in all, a bad day made tragic by events in Gilbert, which are still unfolding at this hour.  Federal agencies are on the scene handling a hazmat situation.  Apparently, Ready had a stockpile of chemicals and munitions at the house.

Ready (left) and Pearce, in happier days

Ready getting, well, *ready* for one of his immigrant hunts "patrols"

Ready in all of his glory











The above three pics courtesy the Phoenix New Times; the press conference pic courtesy a FB friend.

More candidate updates and other stuff...

...First, the "other stuff" -

On a sad note, Michael D. Ryan, the highly-regarded former Arizona Supreme Court Justice, passed away on Monday.  His funeral services will be held Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church on Central Avenue in Phoenix at 3 p.m.  Services will be preceded by visitation at 2 p.m.  As a veteran (a hero, actually), his body will probably be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Calling him "highly regarded" is an understatement.  He is one of the reasons that the Arizona Judicial branch is the branch of Arizona government that is respected across the country for its professionalism, in many ways because it now reflects the professionalism, diligence, and fairness that he brought to it as a prosecutor, Superior Court judge, and finally, as a Supreme Court justice.

My condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.


...Now for the "candidate" stuff -

...State Rep. Matt Heinz (D-Tucson) has announced his candidacy for the CD8 seat recently vacated by the recovering Gabby Giffords.  He is a likely candidate for the special election in June (though he has said that he will support Giffords staffer Ron Barber if Barber runs in the special) and a definite candidate in the regular election in November.  Because he is in the last year of his term in the lege, he won't have to resign under Arizona's "resign to run" law.

He may be the first candidate to jump into the race, and is the first state legislator to jump in, but he won't be the last, on either count.

Note:  State Sen. Frank Antenori (R-Bully) has announced that he will run for the seat in November.  I'm not sure about his plans for the special election.

...Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock has announced that he will not seek reelection.  He has been fighting the effects of a sex scandal involving his wife, his daughter, and an underaged boy.  He was already facing a strong GOP challenger, but this should open up the race completely.

Clarence Clemons passes away

Clarence Clemons, the physically imposing (6' 5", 270 lbs) saxophone player with a smile and personality that could brighten the darkest corners of any club, arena, or stadium, has passed away due to complications from a stroke he suffered a week ago.

While a noted and in-demand musician in his own right, he is easily best known for his decades of work with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, where his soaring solos became the hallmark of Springsteen's sound.

Many people have something to say on Clemons' passing -

USA Today has an obit/story here.

Rolling Stone has a story here.

From Bruce Springsteen's website -

It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform our friends and fans that at 7:00 tonight, Saturday, June 18, our beloved friend and bandmate, Clarence Clemons passed away. The cause was complications from his stroke of last Sunday, June 12th.


Bruce Springsteen said of Clarence: Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band.

All I can say is -

Damn.


My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and many, many fans.

Judge Armando Gandarilla passed away this weekend

Pic courtesy Judge Gandarilla's family, sent via the Maricopa County Justice Courts
















Edited to include the press release issued by the Maricopa County Justice Courts.  They did a much better job of writing about this than I did.  :)

Armando Gandarilla, Justice of the Peace for the Downtown (Phoenix) Justice Precinct, passed away this weekend.

He had been a Justice of the Peace since 2008, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy, and won election to a full term in November 2010.

Judge Gandarilla was noted for his many neighborhood and civic activities and awards, such as a Hon Kachina Award for Volunteerism (1981).

Prior to his service as Justice of the Peace, he spent more than a quarter of a century with the Maricopa County Adult Probation Office.

A colleague described him with one word - "Sweet."

Arrangements are pending.

My deepest condolences go out to Judge Gandarilla's family and many friends.


Edit begins...

From the press release email -

With great sadness the Maricopa County Justice Courts announce the death of Judge Armando Gandarilla, the Justice of the Peace for the Downtown Justice Precinct. Judge Gandarilla passed away at his home in Phoenix, Arizona on Monday, January 24.


“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our colleague and friend, Armando Gandarilla,” said Presiding Justice of the Peace Lester Pearce. “Those who knew Judge Gandarilla will remember him as a gentle and passionate person, who cared deeply for his profession and those around him”

Judge Gandarilla was first appointed Justice of the Peace for the Downtown Justice Court in 2008, upon the recommendation of Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox. He ran unopposed and was reelected in 2010. Prior to his appointment, he had more than 30 years of experience in the probation and justice arenas.

Judge Gandarilla held a bachelor’s degree in social work from Arizona State University and completed studies for a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. He was employed as a probation officer/supervisor for the Maricopa County Adult Probation Office from 1975-2002. During his career, Judge Gandarilla received several community honors including the Hon Kachina 12 Who Cares Award, Volunteer Probation Officer of the Year Award and the Spirit of Giving Award.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Judge Gandarilla’s two daughters and son during this most difficult time,” said Pearce.

There are 25 justice courts in Maricopa County that hear a combined caseload of more than 400,000 cases each year including civil lawsuits where the amount in dispute is $10,000 or less, landlord and tenant controversies, small claims cases and civil and criminal traffic offenses, including DUIs. Justices of the Peace also resolve other types of misdemeanor allegations and handle requests for orders of protection and injunctions against harassment.

At this time, arrangements are still pending.
 
End edit...

The victims of the shooting identified

The Pima County Sheriff's Office has released the names of the six victims of today's fatal shooting in Tucson.

From KVOA (Tucson) -

The Pima County Sheriff's Office has released the identities of the six people killed in this morning's tragic shooting.


-John Roll, 63, a federal district court judge.

-Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, Giffords' director of community outreach

-Dorwin Stoddard, 76, a pastor at Mountain Ave. Church of Christ.

-Christina Greene, 9, a student at Mesa Verde Elementary

-Dorthy Murray, 76

-Phyllis Scheck, 79

My condolences go out to the families and friends of all of the victims of today's tragedy.