Hmmm...

During my research for my weekly candidate committees post, I came across one new committee that while not a candidate committee, is still *very* interesting.

I generally don't cover PACs here, but I'll make an exception here.

The PAC has a Phoenix address, per its FEC paperwork -

Per GoogleStreetView, the building at that address has some interesting signage -

Per the Maricopa County Assessor, the building is owned by a division of Turning Point -

The Arizona Corporation Commission has this on that division -

Note: Olson was and is a member of the ACC and is running for the R nomination for U.S. Senate.

All of which is a long-winded way, and IMO, a slightly unnecessary way, of documenting the PAC's ties to Turning Point Action.

Nope, the interesting part is the address of the contact person/treasurer -

That address goes to the International Cheer Union, an organization that's headed by that same contact person/treasurer.  And has ties to Russia.

Pardon my cynicism, but when an acolyte of Cheeto fronts an international organization that's all about girls and young women all kinds of alarm bells sound off.

Ya know, of course, what's next, don't you? Contraception. UPDATED

Republicans have often been accused of wanting society to be returned to the '50s.

That seems to mean the 1950s, when coat hangers, lynchings, fire hoses, and other tools of oppression that Rs liked were ever present.

From Dillon Rosenblatt of the Arizona Mirror -

GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters wants to allow states to ban contraception use

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturns women’s constitutional right to abortion this summer, one Arizona Republican candidate for U.S. Senate thinks judges should also take aim at the right to buy and use contraception.

Blake Masters, a Tucson-based venture capitalist, boasts on his website that he will only vote to confirm federal judges “who understand that Roe and Griswold and Casey were ongly decided, and that there is no constitutional right to abortion.” Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, decided in 1973 and 1992, respectively, both upheld a constitutional right to abortion access.

But the ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965 protected a married couple’s right to buy and use contraceptives without government restrictions. The case centered on a Connecticut law that banned the use of contraceptives, which the court determined violated a married couple’s constitutional right to privacy, establishing the basis for the right to privacy with respect to intimate practices.

[snip]

President Donald Trump hasn’t yet endorsed an Arizona Senate candidate, but Masters is viewed as the favorite to receive his endorsement. His campaign is also being supported by his former boss and mentor, technology investor Peter Thiel, who is spending at least $10 million to bankroll a campaign to support Masters. Masters has already won the support of some extremist Republicans, most recently Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who spoke to a white nationalist conference earlier this year. Other media reports have noted his past praise for the Unabomber and Hermann Goering, one Hitler’s top military leaders and one of the most prominent members of the Nazi Party.  

Mother Jones magazine offers its take here.

[Updated on 5/8 to edit]

Well, that didn't take long.

From The Daily Beast -

Jake Tapper Grills Mississippi Guv: ‘Are You Going to Force’ Pregnancy on Incest Victims?

The CNN anchor also pressed Reeves on whether the state of Mississippi would outlaw and criminalize emergency contraceptives and IUDs.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper repeatedly confronted Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Sunday over that state’s trigger laws that will snap into effect if and when Roe v. Wade is overturned, pressing the Republican on forcing women to carry pregnancies resulting from incest to term.

Following the bombshell leak of a majority Supreme Court draft opinion that would strike down the landmark 1973 decision that established a federal right to abortion, much attention has focused on conservative-led states’ legislation that will automatically take effect if it is nullified. Mississippi, like many other Southern and Great Plains states, has a so-called “trigger law” that would effectively ban abortion right away, providing exceptions for rape and if the life of the mother is at risk.

[snip]

Eventually, Tapper turned his attention to Republican-led states seeking to potentially outlaw and criminalize the use of contraceptives because they are defining the moment of conception as fertilization. Louisiana, for instance, is considering a bill that would classify abortion as homicide—which could also conceivably include the use of emergency contraceptives and IUDs.

“So, I’m not making this up,” Tapper stated after flagging the potential Louisiana law. “These are the conversations going on in legislatures in your area. But just to be clear, you have no intention of seeking to ban IUDs or Plan B?”

Reeves wouldn’t fully take that possibility off the table.

“That is not what we are focused on at this time,” he responded. “We’re focused on looking at, seeing what the court allows for; the bill that is before the court is a 15-week ban. We believe that the overturning of Roe is the correct decision by the court. And so in Mississippi, we don’t have laws on the books that would lead to arresting individuals or anything along those lines.”

[/end edit]

Well, at least Ducey can dance

Hey, it's the Republican two step, but at least it's a dance.

Of course, I could describe it as "shameless hypocrisy," but I'm nicer than that.  Trust me. :)

From Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services, published by KJZZ -

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says his pro-life stance applies to abortions, not the death penalty

Gov. Doug Ducey said Wednesday his self-proclaimed "pro-life'' position covers only abortions and not executions — even those carried out in the name of the state.

Ducey said he believes in the death penalty in "certain rare situations.''

Ducey *is* consistent about one thing - he rarely grants clemency or pardons to those convicted of crimes, even wrongly.

Legislative schedule - week starting 5/8/2022

Another quiet week at the state legislature, at least in terms of the committee schedule.

, 

On Tuesday, 5/10, Senate Education meets at 1 p.m.in SHR1 to consider some executive nominations.

That's it.  I have to admit, I guessed that the Republicans in the legislature would have ironed out a budget and gone home by now, but I was wrong.

It's rare, but it happens. :)

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 propagate 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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one. 

Maybe it's time to introduce Paul Gosar to his own petard

From Jerod MacDonald-Evoy at the Arizona Mirror -

Paul Gosar spent nearly $8,000 of taxpayer money to attend events with far-right groups

Prescott Republican Congressman Paul Gosar spent more than $7,800 for travel, lodging and vehicle expenses while attending events with far-right groups and white nationalists, according to a review of the congressman’s finances by a nonpartisan watchdog group. 

The Moonlight Foundation conducted a review of congressional travel that showed Gosar has spent more on travel than any other congressman in the past five years. An additional review of the data by CNN found he has spent nearly $1 million on travel since 2016 — including having taxpayers pay for his trip to speak at a white nationalist conference in Florida in 2021. 

The full report can be found here.

Based on his priorities, Gosar *really* doesn't like the American people.  Notwithstanding his protestations otherwise.

From Forbes, dated February 27, 2021 -

GOP’s Gosar Skipped Covid-19 Aid Vote To Speak At Conference With Ties To White Nationalism

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) faces backlash after he stated he was unable to attend the coronavirus aid bill vote in Washington on Friday due to safety concerns related to the pandemic, yet traveled to Orlando, Florida, that day as keynote speaker for the "America First Political Action Conference," organized by Nicholas Fuentes, who has espoused white nationalism.

Gotta love the selective outrage

From CNN -

John Roberts calls Supreme Court leak 'absolutely appalling'

Chief Justice John Roberts said Thursday that the leak of a draft opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade is "absolutely appalling" and stressed that he hopes "one bad apple" would not change "people's perception" of the nation's highest court and workforce.

In his first public appearance since the leak on Monday, Roberts also said that if "the person" or "people" behind the leak think it will affect the work of the Supreme Court, they are "foolish."

Was Roberts publicly "appalled" when a sexual predator was appointed to the court?  No.

Was he publicly "appalled" when one nominee was railroaded out of an appointment to the court out of partisan tactics?  No.

Was he publicly "appalled" when a secretive partisan hack was appointed to the court?  No.

Was he publicly "appalled" when it turns out that one of his justices is married to an (alleged) traitor?

No.

There's more than one "bad apple" on the court, and the "people's perception" of the court is that while they are paid by society at large, the majority of them absolutely despise that society.

Gotta love hypocrisy

Ever notice that the people most in favor of court packing and railroading through judicial nominations are conservative.

At least, they favor it as long as they're the ones doing the packing and railroading.

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe vs. Wade, I just donated some money to Planned Parenthood.  Like most of us, I don't have much to give, but gave what I could, and recommend that all do the same.

Water?!? Why would the AZLege address AZ's water crisis when there are "red meat for the base" issues to address?

From KJZZ, written by Ron Dungan -

Rural Arizona groundwater bill languishes in the Legislature

A bill to help rural Arizona manage its groundwater has stalled in the Arizona House.

For most of rural Arizona, groundwater use remains much as it did in the frontier — unmanaged, a race to the bottom in which the person who drills the deepest well wins.

[snip]

“You know once the Legislature kind of gets through some of the stuff it’s working on right now hopefully they’ll turn their attention back to water, and we may see movement, and we’re hopeful that people are having those discussions on how we can do this. Because we need it. Communities are crying out for help,” {Audubon Southwest's Haley} Paul said.

She says that {Representative Regina} Cobb has introduced the legislation in the past but it has yet to gain traction.

Given that Cobb has already updated her LinkedIn profile to reflect her new gig as ED of the AZ Dental Association and that her water bill, HB2661 (I think), died without a hearing, I'm guessing that water isn't her highest priority.

The bill (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) could come back as a striker or could be heard in her committee, which can still meet with the permission of the speaker, but Paul (and the rest of Arizona) shouldn't count on any members of the legislative majority doing their jobs - I expect this legislature to adjourn soon, if not this week, and any such measure would still have to go through the entire process in the State Senate.

In other words, probably not gonna happen.

Did Putin learn to lie from Cheeto or did he know that already?

Pointed to this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

From the Telegraph (UK) -

Vladimir Putin 'poised to declare all-out war on Ukraine'

Army chiefs want the president to drop the term ‘special operation’ and declare war which would enable mass mobilisation of Russians

The rest of the piece is behind a paywall.

Funny, I thought attacking hospitals, schools, and civilian targets already qualified as "all-out war"

Oh, and Russian use of land mines doesn't change the idea that Putin and the Russians are already waging an all out war against the Ukraine,

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.

Legislative schedule - week starting 5/1/2022

Another relatively quiet week at the Arizona Legislature.  "Relatively" being the important word here.

On Monday, 5/2, the Senate Ethics Committee meets at 1:45 p.m. in SHR1 to discuss an ethics complaint brought against Senator Lisa Otondo.. I don't what that's about.

Om Tuesday, 5/3. Senate Education meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1 to consider/rubber stamp some executive nominations.

At least one of the nominees, Chad Heinrich, is an active lobbyist.

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 propagate 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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one. 

Commit voter fraud? If you want your wrists slapped over it, be a Republican

From AP, via Arizona's Family (emphasis added by me) -

Scottsdale woman avoids jail for voting dead mom’s ballot

A Scottsdale woman charged with illegal voting for casting her dead mother’s mail ballot in the November 2020 election has avoided jail time but will serve two years probation. Tracey Kay McKee was sentenced on Friday. In February, she had pleaded guilty to a reduced felony charge of attempted illegal voting. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office dropped an additional perjury charge. Prosecutors wanted at least 30 days in county jail because she lied to investigators and railed about the need to prosecute voter fraud.

In January, McKee appeared in court and admitted signing her mother’s name to an early ballot envelope and mailing it to Maricopa County during the 2020 election. McKee’s mother had died a month before the November 2020 general election.

The 64-year-old registered Republican sobbed as she apologized for committing the crime. She’s one of 10 Arizonans charged so far with illegally voting in the 2020 general election that then-President Donald Trump lost.

In the Maricopa County Superior Court, the case number is CR2021001430; the case summary is here.

What?!? Mark Brnovich sacrificing the interests of Arizonans on the altar of his political interests?

I'm shocked!  Shocked, I say!

For you newbys, that's sarcasm.  I'm not really shocked. :)

Pointed to this by a story at KJZZ by Lauren Gilger.

From Arizona's Family by Morgan Loew -

Arizona Attorney General using consumer fraud funds for politically charged legal fights

Consumer fraud complaints are rising dramatically across Arizona and around the country. In Arizona, defending consumers from scams and rip-offs falls to the office of Arizona’s Attorney General Mark Brnovich. Arizona’s Family investigators poured through years of budget records for the Attorney General’s office. The investigation found that Brnovich’s office has increasingly diverted funds earmarked for consumer protection to pay for legal battles that have nothing to do with consumer fraud.

“The Arizona Attorney General is the top cop,” said attorney Robert Rutila who’s submitted cases to the Attorney General’s Office on behalf of his clients on several occasions but says the AG’s office declined to take action. “It really doesn’t give a reason for declining the action,” said Rutila, reading the most recent letter from Brnovich’s office.

[snip]

However, in budget requests submitted by the Attorney General since 2018, the office has increasingly diverted money in the Consumer Protection and Fraud Revolving Fund to pay for other operations. Analysis of the operations shows they have little or no connection to protecting Arizona consumers.

[snip]

Brnovich, also running in the Arizona Republican primary for US Senate, has extensively touted the Federalism Unit’s work while on the campaign trail, including in several interviews on FOX News.

The unit’s current docket includes several lawsuits against President Joe Biden, including the decision to stop border wall construction. Earlier this week, a federal judge granted Brnovich a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) request after President Biden announced his decision to end Title 42 immigration restrictions. Brnovich also used the unit to file briefs in New York City and New Jersey gun rights cases.

Brnovich’s office said the Attorney General was busy when we repeatedly requested an interview. Instead, they offered to allow Sciarrotta to address questions about the budget.

Brnovich works against, not protects, the interests of Arizonans and now wants a promotion based on that?

Well, it looks like that he is adding "shameless" to go with his "hypocrite" status.

Federal Committee update

From the website of the Federal Election Commission -

Democrat Garcia Ramos is running for a seat in Congress -

Biggs and Gosar, Arizona's version of Beavis and Butthead, bring shame upon Arizona. Again.

From The Hill -

Here are the 10 Republicans who voted ‘no’ on the Ukraine lend-lease bill

Ten House Republicans voted against a bill on Thursday that seeks to create a lend-lease program that would make it easier for the U.S. to send military aid to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.

The legislation, titled the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, passed the House in a 417-10 vote. Three Republicans did not vote on the measure.

[snip]

GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Dan Bishop (N.C.), Warren Davidson (Ohio), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Thomas Massie (Ky.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Scott Perry (Pa.) and Tom Tiffany (Wis.) voted against the bill, and Reps. Rick Allen (Wis.), Troy Nehls (Texas) and Chris Stewart (Utah) did not vote on it at all.