AG Tom Horne and AZ state government: Do as we say, not as we do

But at least they're consistent about it - no matter what their angle of attack, they are always looking to protect well-connected and deep-pocketed corporate interests to the detriment of public interests.

Last week, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne (R-Disbarment waiting to happen) joined a group of red state AGs in a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Among other things, they are demanding that the EPA release some emails and other documents to them.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, written by Tim Talley (emphasis added) -

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt and the attorneys general of 11 other states sued the Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday demanding that the agency turn over documents the states allege will show a pattern of cooperation and collaboration with environmental organizations.

{snip}

The states’ lawsuit seeks to enforce federal Freedom of Information Act guidelines involving the states’ request for letters, emails and any other correspondence between the EPA and environmental organizations before they sue the agency. The attorney generals want to analyze the documents to determine the nature of EPA’s legal strategy concerning environmental groups.

In one instance, the lawsuit says the states made a FOIA request to EPA in February seeking records about the agency’s negotiations with environmental groups that led to binding consent decrees concerning state implementation plans for the EPA’s regional haze guidelines under the Clean Air Act.

Horne has even taken to bragging about it on the AZAG's official Twitter account -

 Sounds, well, not "good" (at least, not if you like breathing), but at least "straightforward".

Straightforward, that is, until you hear about the story broken by John Dougherty of InvestigativeMEDIA (emphasis added).

From the story - 

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is refusing to release more than a dozen emails with the governor’s office concerning the issuance of the air pollution permit for the proposed Rosemont copper mine.

Most of the withheld emails are between Kevin Kinsall, Gov. Jan Brewer’s policy advisor for natural resources, and Eric Massey, director of the ADEQ’s Air Quality Division. Kinsall and Massey exchanged a dozen emails between last Aug. 1- 8, 2012, during a crucial period when the state took control of Rosemont’s air pollution permit from Pima County.

The ADEQ announced last Aug. 3 that it was asserting authority over the review and issuance of Rosemont Copper Company’s application for the pollution permit for its massive open pit copper mine planned for the Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson. ADEQ stated it was assuming oversight of the permit to “ensure regulatory certainty and enhanced environmental protection.”

So, let me get this straight -

Tom Horne is suing the federal EPA to force the release of emails and other records while (apparently) turning a blind eye to the state's version of the EPA and its non-release of emails and other documents?

How long will it take for this to become the symbol of the Arizona Attorney General's Office?

Pic courtesy http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Two-Face

The Rolling Stone cover: glorifying a terrorist or sparking a conversation?

Rolling Stone magazine, long a window providing a view on pop culture and, more than occasionally, social issues, has stirred up a firestorm of controversy with the cover of its latest issue.

Pic courtesy Rolling Stone magazine

It shows a picture of Dzokhar Tsarnaev, one of the people responsible for the bombings at the Boston Marathon in April.

The controversy is not over the fact that they chose to run a pic of him on the cover, but one where he looks so *normal*. 

He is viewed by most of society as a monster and people want him to look like one.

Not as one talking head on MSNBC observed on Thursday, someone who looks like they should be "dating Taylor Swift".

from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52520817/ns/msnbc-all_in_with_chris_hayes/#.UerEzW0pjXs

While the right-wing has mostly just given vent to the faux outrage that they are known for -

- most of the rest of society has started to examine their discomfort with the cover.

From the Boston Globe, written Jesse Singal -

But we don’t want Tsarnaev to be normal. We want him to either be a pawn of abject evil, or to embody abject evil himself. If he were a psychopath, or if he had been seduced by a sprawling international conspiracy, we’d be able to guide ourselves through the bombing’s painful aftermath with a neat, clean story line: us versus them, good versus evil. When a State Police sergeant released photos of Tsarnaev’s apprehension to Boston Magazine on Thursday, it helped sate this need. The images of a bloody Tsarnaev leaving the boat in Watertown offer a rebuttal, an easy way to resolve our cognitive dissonance: No, he isn’t an otherwise normal kid who did a horrible thing. He’s evil!

Don't have much insight to add to the discussion on this issue, other than to say that I'm OK with the cover, both in a "free speech" way and in a "we need to talk about this" way.

I do believe that we need to talk about this, and I think that the RS cover has sparked some discussion of how the evil in the world can often resemble the good in the world.

And that is what I call journalism.

Committees update

...From the "familiar names not going away/trying to make a comeback" department:

- Republican former state rep. Terri Proud, fresh off getting fired from a state job even before she started the job, has formed a committee for another run for the legislature (House, LD11).  She actually lives in LD9, but that area is too Democratic-leaning, so she is picking up her carpetbags and sliding over to LD11, where there is a distinct R advantage.  There *will* be an R primary there, but the winners of that

- Republican Shawnna Bolick, a 2010 legislative candidate and wife of Goldwater Institute muckety-muck Clint Bolick, has formed a committee for another run at the lege (House LD28).  Apparently, this time around she's trying to humanize her campaign, in an "aww, shucks" sort of way - her campaign's listed email address is "forphoenixkids@yahoo.com".  

Awwww...


From the "it's early, but it's already getting crowded" department:

- Republican state rep. Justin Pierce, son of former legislator, current corporation commissioner and possible future candidate for governor Gary Pierce, has formed a committee to "explore" a 2014 run for Secretary of State.  He joins fellow Republican legislators Rep. Steve Montenegro and Sen. Michele Reagan in the race.


From the "speaking of Michele Reagan" department:

The supporters of the voter-suppression legislation in HB2305, led by Reagan, have formed a committee to fight efforts to refer that measure to the ballot.

Steve at Arizona Eagletarian has some background on the people behind the committee here and here.  They include the notorious Republican operative Nathan Sproul, who is well-known for his voter suppression/fraud efforts.

Steve quotes a passage from the Arizona Capitol Times' Yellow Sheet Report where Reagan expresses reservations about Sproul's involvement and speculates that Reagan may be trying to establish "plausible deniability" or something similar if the committee's activities go south (and given Sproul's involvement, that's probably more of a "when" than an "if") and she sees a need to distance herself from the committee.

I can't state definitively that the speculation is accurate, but it seems to fit with her setting up to be on both sides of any controversial issue (see: her voting *for* Medicaid restoration before she voted *against* Medicaid restoration).

What I find interesting is the working name of the committee, "Save Our Secret Ballot".

It's the same name as a 2010 committee that was formed to support an anti-union measure that year.

Now, it is possible that Reagan et. al. have short memories.

Or it's possible that they are lazy and uncreative.

Or it's possible that they plan to confuse their base into supporting the anti-voter measure by conflating it with 2010's anti-union measure.

Maybe I'm being totally cynical here, but I don't think that Reagan et. al. have memory issues or are lazy.

President Obama Speaks on Trayvon Martin

Update on 7/20 -

State Sen. Al Melvin (R-Slave Labor is a good thing) issued a response to the President's remarks that illustrates that the mentality that caused AZ to be subject to extra scrutiny under the Voting Rights Act still exists, even if the Supreme Court set aside part of the VRA -

"Inflammatory"??  Either Melvin didn't watch the press conference, or he is a complete moron.  Not that those are mutually exclusive states of being.

And if "race relations" have actually declined since Obama became President, it isn't because of any action on his part.

Other than, maybe, daring to exist in a world where the Melvins of that world think it should be subject to absolute all-white control.

- End update

The verdict in the killing of Trayvon Martin: Some people doubling down, AZ Edition

After Saturday night's acquittal of George Zimmerman on charges stemming from his killing of Trayvon Martin, reaction was swift across the country, including in Arizona.

State Sen. Steve Gallardo tweeted this in the aftermath of the announcement of the verdict -

And this -

Or former State Sen. David Schapira -

Sadly, other Arizona "leaders" aren't quite as thoughtful.

State Sen. Kelli Ward -

To Sen. Ward:  First, it was a "killing", not an "incident".  Second, truly, not every incident (read "conflict" in this context) between people of different races is a civil rights violation.  Two people arguing over a single parking spot at the local mall, perhaps accompanied by raised voices, mutual flipping of birds, and hurt feelings is probably not a civil rights violation.

The stalking and execution of an unarmed black teen by a white man, the tanking of the investigation and prosecution by white-dominated law enforcement agencies and an acquittal by a mostly (all?) white jury?  Probably a civil rights violation or two here (file this under "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...").

Or State Rep. Kelly Townsend, putting a partisan political spin on things -

To Rep. Townsend:  I don't know Mr. Zimmerman's ethnic background or political leanings, but even accepting your statement as fact, the response is the same - "So what?".

I don't know every Democrat or Hispanic in the state or country, but I can state unequivocally that none of the Democrats, Hispanics, or Hispanic Democrats that I know feel that partisan affiliation or ethnic background confers an immunity from responsibility for violent acts.

Unlike, say, someone we both know (but I'm guessing that you know him better than I do).

Note to readers: Townsend got into a bit of a Twitter discussion with Steve Muratore, publisher of the Arizona Eagletarian.  I don't think she helped her cause with her follow ups, not at all, but you be the judge -

Some of the pearls of wisdom were indirect, repostings of something others wrote and promulgated by AZ types.

For instance, Rep. David Livingston retweeted this one -

It seems that Rep. Livingston believes that it is unprofessional behavior for prosecutors to look into killings of unarmed teens.  As opposed to what the rest of society believes.  You know, that it is part of prosecutors' jobs.

It's not just the electeds, either.

For instance, Constantin Querard, noted political hatchet-man "consultant" here in AZ offered up this gem -

Actually, "not guilty" means "the prosecution didn't prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt".  Nothing less, nothing more.

Or Shane Wikfors, another noted political hatchet-man "consultant" here in AZ, serving up this retweet -

Don't know if he's trying to continue the stereotyping and smearing of Martin (falsely equating Martin's killing to being equivalent to "just another gang-related killing" and hence not something to worry about), criticizing liberals for not "fixing" every social problem, saying Martin's killing is OK because other black teens have died, or if he's maybe multitasking (don't want to insult Wikfors by implying that he can spew only one line of BS at a time).

Any way you cut it though, from Ward's ignorance through to Wikfors' stereotyping, it's despicable.

Let me say this up front: Zimmerman got away with murder. Literally.

And let me be clear: I am not impugning the integrity or intelligence of the jury in this case.  They can only evaluate the evidence and testimony laid before them.

Pic courtesy Facebook.  Not sure who actually created it, but it wasn't me and I can't take credit for it.

First, and most importantly, my deepest condolences go out to Trayvon Martin's friends and family.  I can only imagine, but I expect that the pain of today's slap in the face is exceeded only by the pain of Trayvon's actual killing.


The defense team, gloating in a press conference after the verdict, opined that they were glad that the verdict hadn't "turned a tragedy into a travesty".

However, when you see past their lawyers' version of the Snoopy Dance, you see that that's *exactly* what happened.

The investigation and prosecution were tanked from the outset by the Sanford (FL) PD and the state's attorney in Seminole County, and that seemed to impact the quality of the case presented to the jury.

The defense also put Martin on trial.  Not an unheard-of tactic, but given the nature of the crime, one that ripped open wounds, not just among Martin's family and friends, but all across the nation.

I don't have the educational or professional background to do a full dissection of this case and verdict here (other than to completely disagree with it, I truly don't have much to add in terms of technical analysis of the verdict), but do have a few observations:

1.  Practical understanding of "self defense" now includes "created a conflict and confrontation with someone who wasn't bothering anyone, and used that confrontation to rationalize executing that innocent person" in Florida, and any other areas with similar "kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out" laws and attitudes.  Including Arizona.

2.  It is now a matter of law, and practice, in Florida that one can use fear of someone, whether or not that fear is rational, as an excuse for killing that someone.

3.  Zimmerman may have used an irrational fear as motivation to confront and kill Trayvon Martin, and as a shield from being held accountable for the killing.  However. the "not guilty" verdict may end up being the worst thing that could have happened for him.

Now everyone he ever comes into contact with, even if the other party initiates the contact, has a rational, and well-documented, reason to fear him.

Trayvon Martin case: Murder, that's what I call it.

Not quite as tawdry as the Jodi Arias trial but with far greater potential significance for the rest of society, the jury that has been hearing the trial of George Zimmerman for the killing of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin began its deliberations today.

From CBSNews.com -

A jury has recessed for the day without reaching a verdict in the case of George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer charged in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.

The jurors were set to return Saturday morning at 9 a.m. to resume deliberations.

The jury, which consists of a panel of six women, is weighing a second-degree murder charge against the 29-year-old, who shot Martin during a confrontation last year in a gated Sanford, Fla. community. Zimmerman is pleading not guilty, claiming he shot Martin in self defense. 

The panel of six women, which has been sequestered as the proceedings stretched into the end of their third week, will also weigh a lesser charge of manslaughter.

There are many schools of thought on this matter, but they basically boil down to two sides:

- The NRA, white supremacists, and their apologists saying that Zimmerman was justified in killing Martin, even though Zimmerman created the circumstances and conflict that Zimmerman is using to rationalize the killing.

- Civil society, most of whose members are saying "not so much".

Most of the time, I have the words to sum up a position on an issue, *any* issue.  Today, however. I'm going to rely on the words of actor John Wayne.  In real life, and even in some of his roles, he was ultraconservative (check out the pro Confederate-era South themes in many of his Westerns, or the shameless pro-Vietnam War propaganda in the movie "The Green Berets"), but occasionally he put forth some genuine pearls of wisdom.

Consider a scene from his film "Rio Bravo".

In the scene,, he plays Sheriff John T. Chance speaking to John Russell (playing character Nathan Burdette) about the arrest of his brother, Joe Burdette (played by Claude Akins).

(L-R) Wayne, Akins, and Russell (pic courtesy http://www.peterbrown.tv/johnrussell.html)

The dialogue (courtesy IMDB) (emphasis added) -

John T. Chance: [explaining why Joe got beat up] He didn't take too kindly to being arrested for murder.
Joe Burdette: It wasn't murder.
Nathan Burdette: If he says it wasn't murder, why do you say it was?
John T. Chance: Man gets shot that's got a gun, there's room for reasonable doubt. Man gets shot that hasn't got a gun, what would you call it? But, you knew that already otherwise you wouldn't have set things up the way you did. 

I call it murder.

Karlene Keogh Parks endorsed by Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton

Karlene Keogh Parks, candidate for Phoenix City Council, District 6, has earned what is perhaps the biggest prize of the campaign season in Phoenix.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Dustin Gardiner -

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton endorses Karlene Keogh Parks in District 6 council race

 Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton made his first public foray into the upcoming City Council elections on Thursday, endorsing insurance executive and District 6 candidate Karlene Keogh Parks.

Keogh Parks is locked in a contentious race with Councilman Sal DiCiccio, who’s running for re-election. The district encompasses Ahwatukee and affluent communities in east Phoenix, including Biltmore and parts of Arcadia and north central.

This doesn't quite offset the deep pockets of DiCiccio's lobbyist supporters, but the endorsement of the most popular elected official in the Phoenix area (yes, respect for Stanton extends far beyond the Phoenix city limits) helps muster grass roots support in a way that can't be bought.

Rs eating their own: Tea Party Congressman Calls Out Senator John McCain

I don't usually publish videos of Rs hobnobbing for fun and profit, but this one... :)

Republican State Rep. Kwasman running for Congress

Making official something that had been an open secret for months, State Representative Adam Kwasman announced that he is exploring a run for the CD1 seat in Congress, currently held by Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick.

From Roll Call, written by Abby Livington -

Republican state Rep. Adam Kwasman announced today an exploratory committee to challenge Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., a top target for the House GOP in 2014, according to a press release from his new campaign.


Kwasman is the first Republican enter the 1st District race this cycle, but it is likely other GOP candidates will chase the seat as well. He was also the subject of a recent Roll Call story on potential Republican challengers for Kirkpatrick.

His exploratory website is here.

As the article mentioned, Kwasman may be the first GOPer in the CD1 race, but he won't be the last.  In fact, 2014 should be an outright brawl on the GOP side of the ballot, with CD1 being at the top of the card.

Kirkpatrick is viewed as the most vulnerable D, with a competitive and heavily rural district.  As such, a laundry list of Rs are looking at that race; one of those rumored to be looking is AZSOS Ken Bennett.  He's also rumored to be looking at a run for governor.  Since there will be an R primary for both offices, he may just go for the one with the one he thinks is the most winnable.

Assuming that both Bennett and Kwasman go for CD1, I expect at least two more "name" candidates to at least strongly consider jumping into the CD1 race, with "name" meaning "current or recent officeholder", two lesser-known but viable candidates, and two "tilting at windmills" candidates.

Kwasman may have one serious issue working against his candidacy - based on the way he has conducted himself in office and the way his (exploratory) campaign has started, he is running as a generic knee-jerk Republican.  He could be running in any other district in the state, or even the country.  Somebody with strong ties to the rural part of the district might be able to easily turn him aside.

Ties like the ones possessed by Kirkpatrick.

The next target on the R hit parade will probably be the CD4 seat currently held by Republican Paul Gosar.  AZ House Speaker Andy Tobin, term-limited out of the AZ House, is said to be mulling this one.  Gosar is still seen as a carpetbagger in the district, vulnerable to a challenger with a strong base of support in the district.

Based on current voter registration numbers, CD4 will almost certainly remain in the hands of the Republican party.  The only real question is which R will occupy the office.

After that are seats held by Democrats in two competitive districts.

CD9 is currently held by Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, who already has three announced R challengers, two of whom also ran in 2012.  Vernon Parker and Wendy Rogers have signed on for a return engagement.  Newbie Andrew Walter, whose claim to fame thus far is that he was a QB for the ASU football team a few years back, is also in the race.  The seat is attainable for the Rs, but Sinema was and is a strong candidate.  It will take a combination of factors to defeat her.  They will need a mix of Sinema messing up, the R candidate (whoever that may end up being) running a near-perfect campaign, and a national environment that is conducive to R victories.  In short, a wave.  Not necessarily one of 2010 proportions, but a solid one.

And given that, historically, the mid-term elections of a two-term president's second term usually see Congressional gains by the party that isn't the president's, this third factor seems more likely than not to come to pass.

Given Sinema's strength as a candidate, the race probably won't see a "big name" R, but one or two (or three or four) lower-profile Rs with some game who are willing to take a gamble.  The bigger name Rs will look for a surer thing.

After that one comes a district that, while competitive enough that the Rs won't give it a free pass, is going to take pretty near everything going right for the Rs for them to have a serious chance at taking the seat. 

Currently held by Congressman Ron Barber (D), CD2 shows a slight R edge in voter registration numbers, making it look like it is ripe for a takeover.  However, Barber is a strong candidate in an area where the Democrats are very energetic and involved, leading to high D turnout at the polls.

So far, just Martha McSally, the 2012 R nominee and loser in the general election, has signed on for the race.  It's likely that other Rs will get in CD2 race, but each of them will probably have some serious baggage weighing down their candidacies.


One interesting note: with Kwasman's announcement, it becomes official that though all will be running for office, none of the current LD11 legislators will be running for reelection to their current offices next year, and term limits aren't involved.

State Rep. Adam Kwasman - going for Congress.
State Rep. Steve Smith - going for the state senate.
State Sen. Al Melvin - going for governor. 

Doesn't mean much - LD11 is still a tough nut for Democratic candidates to crack (doable, but very tough), but it's still interesting.

In a political geek sort of way.  :)

Committees update

Note: when I write "nothing significant" (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), it's not an insult to the candidate committees that have formed at a particular level.  For the purposes of this post, "significant" mostly means "a candidate that we've heard of before"

Committees of note formed recently...

Federal level -

Martha McSally (R) declared her candidacy for the CD2 seat currently held by Ron Barber.

State level -

No significant new candidate committees that I could find, but the end of the legislative session was marked by a flurry of activity on the referendum front -

- Label GMOs Arizona, 201400138, supporting a initiative petition drive regarding the labeling of genetically modified foods.

- Representative Initiatives, 201400149, supporting an as-yet unidentified initiative or referendum petition drive.

- United Republican Alliance of Principled Conservatives, 201400140, seeking to overturn the lege's recent restoration of Medicaid eligibility levels via a referral to the ballot.

- Arizonans for Sensible Health Care, 201400167, opposing the proposed ballot measure above.  Fronted by the CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association.

- We The People AZ Against Common Core, 201400168, seeking to refer to the ballot a part of the state's budget that increased the bonding limit for school districts.  Fronted by Wes Harris, one of the state's more infamous tea party types.

- Equal Marriage Arizona, 201400163, supporting an initiative petition drive for a measure that would recognize same sex marriages.  Fronted by LGBT Republicans.

- Arizona Taxpayers Protection Committee, 201400171, supporting an as-yet unidentified ballot measure.  At least, that's how the AZSOS has them categorized on the SOS' website.  However, a perusal of the group's website shows that their goal is to support primary challengers to Republicans who supported Medicaid restoration.  Fronted by Tom Husband, former chair of the MCGOP and Shane Wikfors, a long-time GOP operative and blogger.

- Protect Your Right To Vote Committee, 201400177, seeking to refer to the ballot and overturn HB2305, the anti-voter measure passed by the Republicans in the waning moments of this year's session of the legislature.  Fronted by Julie Erfle.

- Safer Arizona, 201400153, supporting an initiative petition drive for a potential measure legalizing marijuana.  Fronted by Dennis Bohlke, a computer programmer who has run afoul of narcotics-related laws in the past.

Steve at Arizona Eagletarian has coverage of the ballot questions committees here.


Maricopa County level -

Nothing significant yet.


Municipal level (Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa) -

Nothing in Tempe or Mesa as yet.  There are a couple of filings of interest in Scottsdale, however.

- Michael Auerbach, operator of a personal chef for hire business, member of Scottsdale's Neighborhood Advisory Commission, and a Republican PC in LD23 (north Scottsdale), filed for a run for City Council.

- John Little, a former Scottsdale City Manager, has filed for a run for City Council.

Little was city manager of Scottsdale until he was fired, allegedly because of "conflicts" with the Council.  The interesting part of that firing was the fact that, seemingly, the only people who had a conflict with Little were the four members of the City Council who voted to fire him.  I haven't followed Little's career since the firing, but if he still has the same sort of community support, the race will be tough.

For the other candidates.

John Washington of Scottsdale Trails offers his take on Little's candidacy here.

Happy Birthday, America!

Pic courtesy ABCNews.go.com

Eight years, or one complete term limits cycle, worth of blogging

The year was 2006, and I was becoming more active politically (the combination of having the highly embarrassing JD Hayworth as my representative in Congress and the highly respected Harry Mitchell challenging him motivated me to get off of my ass).  The 2006 election was the first election in Arizona where I paid close attention to most of the races on the ballot.

Earlier this week, I was thinking about term limits (8 years for legislative and statewide offices) and thinking about their impact.  Doing the math, I realized that anybody who was first elected to a legislative or statewide office in 2006 and has continuously held that office since would now be term-limited out of that office.

Planning to write up a post on the term-limits status of current electeds, I began by looking at the results of the 2006 election.  Anybody who was first elected to a legislative or statewide office that year and has continuously held that office since would now be set to be term-limited out of that office in 2014.

During that research, I was struck by two things:

1. How few of the people elected that year will actually be affected by term limits this time around.  By my count, only five people elected that year will be affected by term limits on the office that they were elected to in 2006..

2. And how much pure turnover there has been in those offices since that election.

Much of that turnover has been self-inflicted (AZ does seem to have a number of politicos with domestic violence "issues"), but some is indirectly related to term limits - when one office holder is term-limited out of a particular office, another office holder who isn't term limited out of their own office may choose to run for the soon-to-be vacant office (i.e. - legislators running statewide)

To whit:

Governor - Janet Napolitano easily won reelection in 2006 and would have been termed-out in 2010, but she resigned in 2009 to accept a position in the cabinet of Barack Obama, the newly-elected president of the United States.

Secretary of State - Jan Brewer.  She *is* termed out of office this cycle, but not from the SOS job.  Her ascension to the governor's office in 2009 started the term limits clock on that office.

Attorney General - Terry Goddard.  He won reelection in 2006 but was termed-out in 2010.  That year, he ran for governor in a race eventually won by Brewer.  Has made noises about running for office in 2014 (SOS or AG).  Interestingly, the Republican he defeated in the general election, Bill Montgomery, went on to become Maricopa County Attorney and is now rumored to be mulling another run for AG in 2014.

State Treasurer - Dean Martin.  After a 2009 family tragedy (his wife died during childbirth), he challenged Brewer for the R nomination for governor, but came up short in the primary.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction - Tom Horne.  He was termed-out of that office in 2010, so he ran for AG and won.  He was rumored to be eyeing a 2014 run for governor, but his term as AG has been marked by scandals.  Now, he seems to be focused on holding on to the AG spot, but is likely to face strong opponents in both the R primary and the general election.

State Mine Inspector - Joe Hart.  First won election to the office in 2006, reelected in 2010, and termed-out next year, and...Who cares?  The job is less about inspecting mines than it is about padding an elected official's pension (and hobnobbing with mining industry lobbyists and execs).  It isn't in the line of succession for governor in the event of a mid-term vacancy.  Bottom line:  this shouldn't be an elected office.

State legislature (while the district numbers and lines changed with redistricting after the 2010 census, any member elected to a particular chamber during the 2006 election and still holding office in that chamber now is term-limited in 2014):

Using old LD numbers -

LD1 State Senate - Tom O'Halleran (R).  Lost a primary challenge mounted by Steve Pierce in 2008, who campaigned on a platform of "O'Halleran is a liberal!".  Ironically, Pierce is facing the same diatribes now over his support of Medicaid restoration.

LD1 State House - Lucy Mason and Andy Tobin (Rs).  Mason was termed-out in 2010 and hasn't run for a state-level office since.  Tobin is now Speaker of the House, but is termed-out next year.  There have been rumors of interest in either a run for Congress or for governor.

LD2 State Senate - Albert Hale (D). Was previously termed-out of the Senate; currently in the House.

LD2 State House - Ann Kirkpatrick and Albert Tom (Ds).  Kirkpatrick ran for Congress in 2008 and won, was swept out of Congress in the 2010 Republican wave, and swept back into Congress in the 2012.  Tom lost a 2010 primary and remains out of office.

LD3 State Senate - Ron Gould (R).  Termed out in 2012, ran for Congress.  Lost in the R primary, last seen: fronting an effort put the recent restoration of Medicaid eligibility to previous levels on the 2014 ballot, hoping to overturn it.

LD3 State House -Trish Groe and Nancy McLain (Rs).  Groe ran into a DUI-related issue and lost in the 2008 primary.  Last seen: moved to Gilbert (I think) and was/is active in the LD Republican party organization there.  McLain ran for the state senate in 2012; lost in the primary.

LD4 State Senate - Jack Harper (R).  Termed out of the Senate in 2010, ran for and won a seat in the House.  Chose not to run for a second term in the House.  Currently out of office.  I miss him.  :)

LD4 State House - Tom Boone and Judy Burges (Rs).  Boone was termed out of the House in 2010 and was later caught up in scandal involving conflicts of interest and misuse of funds at the Deer Valley Unified School District, ultimately resigning from the district's governing board.  Burges ran for and won the senate seat after now-former legislator Scott Bundgaard (R) was involved in a domestic violence incident by the side of a Phoenix freeway in 2011.

LD5 State Senate - Jake Flake (R).  Passed away in June 2008.

LD5 State House - Jack Brown (D) and Bill Konopnicki (R).  Brown retired in 2010 after close to four decades in the AZ lege.  Konopnicki ran for the Senate seat in 2010 but lost in the R primary.  He passed away in 2012.

LD6 State Senate - Pamela Gorman (R).  Ran for Congress in 2010, losing in the primary.  Last seen lobbying for Big Tobacco.

LD6 State House - Doug Clark and Sam Crump (Rs).  Crump ran for Congress in 2010 and came up short in the primary.  Crump is working as a lobbyist, based in San Francisco.  Clark isn't in office, but I don't know his story.

LD7 State Senate - Jim Waring (R).  Ran for Congress in 2010 and lost in the primary.  Ran for Phoenix City Council in 2012 and won.

LD7 State House - Nancy Barto and Ray Barnes (Rs).  Barto is now in the senate, continuing her work as Big Insurance's chief Arizona lobbyist.  Barnes ran for the Senate in 2010 and lost to Barto in the primary.  Barnes was colorful, to say the least.

LD8 State Senate - Carolyn Allen.  Termed out in 2010 and retired from electoral politics.  The last real "moderate" in the Republican caucus.  Current GOP "moderates" in the lege make Barry Goldwater, the man who, in 1964, was considered to be to crazy conservative to be president, look like a bleeding heart liberal.

LD8 State House - Michele Reagan and John Kavanagh (Rs).  Reagan moved up to the Senate when Allen retired after the 2010 session.  She is likely running for SOS in 2014.  Kavanagh is termed out of the House, but it likely running for the Senate seat.

LD9 State Senate - Bob Burns (R).  Served as President of the State Senate.  Termed out after the 2010 session.  Won a seat on the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2012.

LD9 State House - Rick Murphy and Bob Stump (Rs).  Murphy is currently in the Senate but may be facing term limits of the practical, not statutory, variety - he's facing allegations that he sexually abused some of the foster children placed in his care.  Stump ran for and won a seat on the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2008 and won reelection to that body in 2012.

LD10 State Senate - Linda Gray (R).  Retired from elected office after 2012.

LD10 State House - Jackie Thrasher (D) and Jim Weiers (R).  Thrasher served one term in the lege, falling victim to some Republican dirty tricks in 2008.  Weiers, a shill for the payday loan industry, was termed out after 2012.

LD11 State Senate - Barbara Leff (R).  Ran for State Treasurer in 2010, coming up short in the Republican primary.

LD11 State House - Adam Driggs (R) and Mark Desimone (D).  Driggs is in the Senate now.  Desimone resigned from office after an arrest on charges related to a domestic violence incident.

LD12 State Senate - Bob Blendu (R).  Did not seek reelection in 2008.  Occasionally makes noises about running for office again.  Still keeping his hand in, for fun and profit.

LD12 State House - John Nelson and Jerry Weiers (Rs).  Nelson moved over to the Senate for a couple of terms, but after redistricting, fellow R senator Don Shooter picked up his carpetbags and left his competitive district and moved to the other side of Yuma, which was placed in a safe R district.  He ultimately chose to step aside.  Weiers was termed out of the House and is now mayor of Glendale.

LD13 State Senate - Richard Miranda (D).  Was eventually termed out of the Senate and ran for and won a seat in the House.  He resigned from that office in 2012, citing health and family reasons.  Later pleaded guilty to federal fraud and tax evasion charges and sentenced to prison.

LD13 State House - Martha Garcia and Steve Gallardo (Ds).  Garcia remained in the House until 2010.  Gallardo is now in the Senate.

LD14 State Senate - Debbie McCune-Davis (D).  The long-time legislator is now in the House.

LD14 State House - Chad Campbell and Robert Meza.  Meza is now in the Senate.  Campbell is now Democratic leader in the House and is termed out in 2014.  Considering a run for governor in 2014.

LD15 State Senate - Ken Cheuvront (D).  Termed out after 2010.  Ran for a Justice of the Peace spot.  Lost the primary.  In 2012, ran for a return to the Senate.  Lost the primary.

LD15 State House - David Lujan and Kyrsten Sinema (Ds).  Lujan ended up in the Senate, ran for Attorney General in 2010 (lost in the primary), and is running for Phoenix City Council this year.  Sinema also ended up moving over to the Senate and then won a seat in Congress after redistricting in 2012.

LD16 State Senate - Leah Landrum-Taylor (D).  Still in the Senate, currently serving as Democratic leader.  Termed out in 2014, exploring a run at SOS.

LD16 State House - Cloves Campbell, Jr. and Ben Miranda (Ds).  Campbell served two terms in the House before being defeated in the 2010 primary.  Last seen: publishing the Arizona Informant.  Miranda left the House after the 2010 session.  Last seen: practicing law in Phoenix.

LD17 State Senate - Meg Burton Cahill.  Served in the Senate through the 2010 session.  Now serving as a Justice of the Peace in Maricopa County.

LD17 State House - Ed Ableser and David Schapira.  Ableser is now serving in the Senate.  Schapira moved to the Senate after the 2010 election, and ran for Congress in 2012, coming in second behind Sinema in the D primary.  Currently working as the Assistant Superintendent of the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT).

LD18 State Senate - Karen Johnson (R).  Served through the 2008 session.  Retired after that.  Occasionally flirts with running for something.  Last seen: living in Show Low.

LD18 State House - Mark Anderson and Russell Pearce (Rs).  Anderson served through 2008, ran for Congress in 2008 and lost in the primary.  Currently a Justice of the Peace.  Pearce moved to the Senate after 2008.  Became president of the Senate after the 2010 elections.  Became the first Arizona legislator ever recalled from office in 2011.  Making noises about attempting to return to office in 2014.

LD19 State Senate - Chuck Gray.  Briefly ran for Congress in 2012.  Last seen working for the eventual victor in that race, Matt Salmon, as Salmon's district director.

LD19 State House - Kirk Adams and Rich Crandall (Rs).  Adams later became Speaker of the House, eventually resigning to run for a seat in Congress.  He lost to Salmon in that primary.  Crandall eventually moved to the Senate and will soon be moving to Wyoming for a job.

LD20 State Senate - John Huppenthal (R).  Ran for and won the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2010.

LD20 State House - John McComish and Bob Robson (Rs).  McComish is currently in the State Senate.  Robson termed out after the 2008 session, took a term off (resetting his term limits clock) and returned to the House after the 2010 elections.

LD21 State Senate - Jay Tibshraeny (R).  The then-former mayor of Chandler served in the Senate through 2010, then made a return to the mayor's office in Chandler.

LD21 State House - Steve Yarbrough and Warde Nichols (Rs).  Yarbrough moved to the Senate, where he continues to undermine public education funding.  Nichols termed out after the 2010 session.  Last seen working as a lobbyist "business consultant".

LD22 State Senate - Thayer Verschoor (R).  Left the Senate after the 2010 session.  Ran for State Treasurer in 2010, losing in the primary; also spent time working as the executive director of the Arizona Republican Party.

LD22 State House - Andy Biggs and Eddie Farnsworth (Rs).  Verschoor and Farnsworth later faced off for the Senate seat, with Verschoor winning.  Farnsworth later returned to the House.  Biggs ran for the Senate in 2010 and won.  He is the current President of the State Senate.

LD23 State Senate - Rebecca Rios (D).  Swept out of office in the 2010 GOP wave.  Last seen working as a lobbyist/executive for a copper mining multinational.

LD23 State House - Barbara McGuire and Pete Rios (Ds).  McGuire was also swept out in the 2010 GOP wave, but has returned to the lege in the State Senate.  Pete Rios served in the House through 2008, later going on to serve on the Pinal County Board of Supervisors.

LD24 State Senate - Amanda Aguirre (D).  Held the Senate seat until 2010 when she was swept out of office by the GOP wave that year.  In 2012, she ran for Congress, losing in the primary.

LD24 State House - Lynne Pancrazi and Theresa Ulmer (Ds).  Ulmer lost her bid for reelection in 2008 but remains politically active.  Pancrazi is now serving in the State Senate.

LD25 State Senate - Marsha Arzberger (D).  Served in the Senate through 2008 and retired.  Still politically active.

LD25 State House - Jennifer Burns (R) and Manny Alvarez (D).  The relatively moderate Burns was hounded into not running for reelection in 2008 by the extreme wing of the Republican Party.  Burns is active with the Arizona Bar Association.  Alvarez moved to the Senate in the 2008 elections, but was swept out in the 2010 R wave.  Now apparently retired.

LD26 State Senate - Charlene Pesquiera.  Chose to not run for reelection in 2008.

LD26 State House - Lena Saradnik (D) and Pete Hershberger (R).  Saradnik resigned from office due to medical issues.  Hershberger ran for the Senate in 2008; lost in the primary to eventual general election victor "Atomic" Al Melvin.

LD27 State Senate - Jorge Luis Garcia.  Served as Democratic leader until he was termed out after the 2010 session.  Ran for Arizona Corporation Commission in 2010, but passed away suddenly during the campaign.

LD27 State House - Olivia Cajero Bedford and Phil Lopes (Ds).  Cajero Bedford moved to the Senate in 2010.  Lopes is retired from elected office, but is still politically active, serving as a Vice-Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party.

LD28 State Senate - Paula Aboud (D).  Stayed in the Senate through the 2012 session.  Briefly ran for Congress in 2012.

LD28 State House - David Bradley and Steve Farley (Ds).  Bradley was one of the Democratic nominees for Arizona Corporation Commission in 2010 (have I mentioned that was an R wave year? :) ).  He returned to the lege this year, winning a Senate seat last November.  Farley remained in the House, until he also won a seat in the Senate in November 2012.  Yes, due to redistricting, the House seatmates ended up in different districts for the 2012 elections.

LD29 State Senate - Victor Soltero (D).  Retired after the 2008 session.

LD29 State House - Linda Lopez and Tom Prezelski (Ds).  Lopez moved to the Senate after the 2008 election.  Prezelski was defeated in a wide-open 2008 primary.  Among other things, he has picked up blogging at the blog his brother started, Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion, cross-posting (like me) at Blog for Arizona.

LD30 State Senate - Tim Bee (R).  Served as President of the Senate, until he chose to run for Congress.  He lost in the primary.  Last seen: working as a lobbyist for U of A.

LD30 State House - Marian McClure and Jonathan Paton (Rs).  McClure ran for Arizona Corporation Commission in 2008, losing in the general election.  Paton moved over to the Senate, then became a perennial candidate for Congress, losing in the primary in 2010 and losing in the general election in 2012.


Looking at this, is it any wonder that the professional lobbyists make up the institutional memory at the Capitol?

State Sen. Jack Jackson leaving to take a job in D.C.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary Jo Pitzl -

Sen. Jack Jackson Jr. is trading in his legislative credentials for a newly created post in the U.S. Department of State.

The second-term state senator is moving to Washington, D.C., to become the first-ever liaison to Native American tribes on environmental issues. It’s a presidential appointment, and one that came looking for him.

Jackson, D-Window Rock, started the year by taking the oath of office for his second term as a state senator. About the same time, a colleague in Washington mentioned the State Department was looking for a Native American to fill a new senior-adviser position that would serve as the go-between for the Obama administration and tribes on environmental and cross-boundary issues.

Jackson's LD7 covers a significant portion of northern Arizona, extending from a small part of Mohave County east to the New Mexico border and encompassing part of Flagstaff and the portion of the Navajo reservation that's within Arizona.

Good luck to Sen. Jackson with his new job...except that I hope he fails in any effort to push the Keystone XL pipeline.

State Senator Rick Murphy under investigation over sex abuse allegation

Picture courtesy AZCentral.com

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary K. Reinhart -

Arizona Sen. Rick Murphy, a foster and adoptive parent who identifies himself as a leader on child-welfare issues, is under investigation by Peoria police and state Child Protective Services for allegations he sexually abused children in his care, according to police records.

Police said the investigation was launched Saturday, after an older teen reported repeated incidents of alleged abuse by Murphy going back at least six years. The teen also self-reported his own inappropriate sexual contact with another child in the home, the reports show.

The article goes on to chronicle the fact that this isn't the first time that Murphy has been the subject of similar allegations - in 2011, there was an investigation into abuse claims from another teen who was being fostered by Murphy and his wife.  At the time, the investigation was closed for insufficient evidence; according to the article, that investigation has been reopened in light of the current allegations.

It's too soon in the investigatory process for much specific comment ("allegations" aren't "facts" until they are proven), but here are a few general comments:

1.  I hope the allegations are untrue.  Not because I like Murphy; never met him.  Not because I like his politics; his politics are appalling.

Because if the allegations are true, that means there are more victims of sexual abuse in the world.  Not something that the world needs.

2.  If, however, the allegations turn out to be true, he should be tossed into the general population of the darkest, dankest hole that the Arizona Department of Corrections has to offer.  Something the world needs.

Having said all of that, I have to ask:

WTF is in the Kool-Aid that the friends and allies of Russell Pearce drink?

- Rick Murphy - see above.

- JT Ready - friend and protege of Pearce; multiple murders and suicide.

Ready (left) and Pearce, in happier days.  Pic courtesy the Phoenix New Times

- Chris Simcox - anti-immigrant ally of Pearce; arrested on child molestation charges.

- Scott Bundgaard, formerly majority leader and one of Pearce's chief allies in the state senate; ultimately resigned from the state senate after being involved in a domestic violence incident by the side of a Phoenix freeway.  Last seen suing the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix PD over their audacity in holding him responsible for his actions.

- Joshua Pearce, son and convict.  Who has faced child abuse allegations of his own in the past (all non-sexual, so far as I know).  Has some "interesting" tattoos.

Joshua Pearce mugshot, courtesy Phoenix New Times

- Don Shooter, current state senator and ally of Pearce while he was in the state senate; facing charges over his rampage in his grandson's charter school.


Don't know what "special ingredient" is added to the Kool-Aid at Pearce machine gatherings but they may wish to consider reducing the dosage.  It doesn't seem to be working out too well.

As for the Murphy allegations, those will shake out as they will.  Stay tuned...

Donna at Democratic Diva offers her significantly more Murphy-focused take here.