Hmmmmm............

Certain things may not be related, but they reek of being related.  Of course, with trumpkin Rs involved, "reek" might be the right word.

From AP -

In rowdy scene, House censures Rep. Adam Schiff over Trump-Russia investigations

    The House voted Wednesday to censure California Rep. Adam Schiff for 

comments he made several years ago about investigations into Donald Trump’s 

ties to Russia, rebuking the Democrat and frequent critic of the former president 

along party lines.

    Schiff becomes the 25th House lawmaker to be censured. He was defiant ahead 

of the vote, saying he will wear the formal disapproval as a “badge of honor” and 

charging his GOP colleagues of doing the former president’s bidding.

“I will not yield,” Schiff, who is running for the Senate in his home state, said 

during debate over the measure. “Not one inch.”

Yet the censure by the Rs in the House came on the same day as this.

From The Daily Beast -

Adam Schiff Gets John Durham to Admit Russia Helped Trump

When Republicans brought Special Counsel John Durham to the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, they thought it’d be an opportunity to score points on Democrats—particularly Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who spent years hyping up Donald Trump’s connections to Russia.

What they got instead was a viral moment when Schiff got Durham—the man tasked with concluding whether the FBI’s investigation of Russia’s connections to the 2016 Trump campaign was appropriate—took Durham to task.

Schiff, a former impeachment manager against Trump, questioned Durham about whether President Trump flaunted information that was released by Russian hackers during the 2016 election. Durham repeatedly insisted he had no knowledge of the matter. But in the midst of the exchange, Durham clearly stated he doesn’t doubt the validity of evidence showing Russia was trying to help Trump—something many Republicans have vehemently denied.

It really looks as if Schiff's real offense was to publicly criticize their Dear Leader.

Accused criminal gives money to current and former legislators. Wonder if they'll return the money?

Can you say "ill gotten gains"?

From AZFamily -

Former Arizona Dept. of Education employee indicted on fraud, computer tampering

A former Arizona Department of Education employee has been indicted on six felony counts of tampering and fraud after allegedly funneling nearly $2 million over four years.

According to the state auditor, Tyler Grandil, the former Future Farmers of America executive secretary, opened a secret checking account back in 2011 and through 2015, deposited $1.7 million that should have been deposited into a department checking account. The report says that Grandil altered accounting records to hide his alleged crime. “Without the Department’s or AZFFA’s knowledge, Mr. Grandil spent this money for AZFFA and personal purposes,” the news release said.

State auditors say it is difficult to determine what amount was used for his personal use compared to the department since the accounting was comingled. However, a total of 28 checks worth $40,950 were determined to be issued to himself, his family members, or their companies.

Case information system is here.  His arraignment is scheduled for 6/27; the trial is scheduled (for now) for 11/22.

His LinkedIn profile does not list any direct employment with the AZ Department of Education.

The contributions?

From a report filed with the Arizona Secretary of State (AZSOS) -

Townsend was a state legislator who lost in the primary in 2022 (I blacked out the names and addresses of donors who aren't relevant to this story).  While she lost in 2022, my guess is that we haven't heard the last of her in AZ politics.

The contribution to a sitting legislator?

Well, from another report filed with the AZSOS - 

Kerr is the current Majority Whip in the State Senate.

My guess is that neither of them will return the money.  EVER.

Abortion: Republicans may oppose access to it, but most Americans do not

And by an ever-growing margin, they don't oppose it.

Pointed at this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

From USA Today -

Exclusive: Support for legal abortion rises a year after Roe v. Wade overturned-Poll

In what was surely a case of unintended consequences, the landmark Supreme Court decision one year ago overturning Roe v. Wade is putting abortion opponents increasingly at odds with public opinion and creating political perils for candidates on their side.

In a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, one in four Americans say state efforts that have followed to impose strict limits on abortion access have made them more supportive of abortion rights.

The Suffolk University polling page is here.

Tommy Tuberville is playing checkers while the Pentagon is playing baseball

And they're throwing brushback pitches now.

From NBC via Yahoo! -

Space Command builds out Colorado HQ as Congress members try to force Alabama move

The head of U.S. Space Command is building out his military command headquarters in Colorado, even as members of Congress try to force the Defense Department to move the headquarters to Alabama as planned by holding funding hostage, two congressional officials and two defense officials say.

NBC News was first to report that the Biden administration is reconsidering an approved move of the headquarters to Alabama because the state has imposed a near total ban on abortion.

.

.

.If the headquarters moved to Alabama, it would be at Redstone Arsenal, which does not have a base hospital, leaving staff members and dependents to rely on local civilian medical providers. The military would have to pay for female service members and dependents to leave the state for abortions and some reproductive care. The command is expected to have about 1,400 personnel, many of whom will be civilians, plus their families.

That last thing may be the most relevant part to Tuberville.

From CNN (emphasis added by me) -

Despite alternatives, Tuberville steadfast in hold against Pentagon nominations

Months into his hold on military nominees, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama is still not relenting despite efforts by some of his own Republican colleagues to try and give him alternatives to back off his blockade.

Since Tuberville announced his effort in March, there is now a backlog of 250 military appointments, a number only expected to grow in the months ahead. Pentagon officials have warned it’s having an impact on national security and military readiness, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell has publicly said he doesn’t back it and one Senate Democrat is warning it could become a campaign issue for the GOP.

.

.

.

But the Alabama senator pledges he won’t back down until he has a vote on the Senate floor on codifying the Biden-era Pentagon policy that ensures service members can access abortion services. Tuberville maintains he’s never heard from the White House nor from Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer to negotiate an end to his hold. Instead, he argued he’s only had a brief conversation with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and heard from colleagues who have attacked him for his tactic.

Something tells me that Tuberville would play checkers really badly.

Actually, I believe that there aren't many members of Congress who make former Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) look smart, but Tuberville is one.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/18/2023

It should be a relatively quiet week at the legislature; they're on vacation again until the end of July.

The vote on that -

Looks like a party-line vote to me.

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 t.o spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority.  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4 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 that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one. 

On Monday, 6/19 and Tuesday, 6/20 -

Nada

On Wednesday, 6/21 

-

Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets at 9 a.m. in SHR109.  They're scheduled to hear a few presentations focused on kids.

On Thursday, 6/22 - 

Nada.

Can you say "Cheeto doing Cheeto-ish things"?

From Vanity Fair -

Surprise: Trump Reportedly Stiffed a Restaurant Full of His Supporters He’d Promised to Buy Lunch

Donald Trump has long been known for two things: lying all the time and being extremely cheap. (And being really weird about dogs. And making wildly bizarre claims, like that Abraham Lincoln had it easy compared to him. But right now we’re focussing on the lies and the cheapness.) Anyway, these two traits converged on Tuesday in an event that, in retrospect, we all should have all seen coming.

After pleading not guilty to 37 felony counts brought by the Justice Department, the ex-president stopped by the Miami restaurant Versailles, where patrons prayed for him and sang “Happy Birthday” one day early. It was there that the former president declared, “Food for everyone!”

Most people would take this declaration to mean Trump was saying he was going to buy food for everyone in the restaurant. But according to the Miami New Times, that was not the case:

New Times wondered, did Trump—who famously fancies his chicken from KFC and his steaks well-done and slathered with ketchup but isn’t exactly known for picking up the check—treat his fan club to a spread of croquetas, pastelitos, and cubanos chased with cafecitos? It turns out no one got anything. Not even a cafecito to-go. A knowledgeable source assures New Times that Donald Trump’s stop at Versailles totaled about ten minutes, leaving no time for anyone to eat anything, much less place an order.

Tender sensibilities and hypocrisy: a primer on the behavior of the legislative majority

First, the Rs in the House tried to expel Rep. Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton, a Democrat and an ordained minister and, failing at that, censured her instead.  Her offense, something that so ruffled the feathers of the Rs?

She hid some Bibles.

From KJZZ, written by Ben Giles [clarification/correction added by me] -

AZ Republicans try to and fail to expel Democratic lawmaker over Bible prank

Arizona House Republicans tried, but failed, to expel a Democratic lawmaker who admitted to a Bible-hiding prank caught on hidden camera.

Instead, GOP representatives could only muster a 30-28 vote to censure Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton on Tuesday.

Stahl Hamilton, a Tucson Democrat and ordained Presbyterian minister, has never disputed the facts of the matter — on three separate occasions, swiping Bibles from end tables in the Arizona House members’ lounge and hiding them under cushions, and in one instance, a nearby refrigerator. She has described her actions as a playful commentary on the separation of church and state and a protest against the weaponization of religion in politics.

But many Republicans were outraged by what they called the “desecration” of scripture — some commented that they may have unknowingly sat on the Bible when it was hidden under seat cushions.

“To do so is flagrantly offensive, and something the House needs to take seriously,” said Rep. Justin Heap, one of three Republicans who filed an ethics complaint against Stahl Hamilton over the incidents.

Heap, who voted for expulsion, said the matter “really comes down to a simple question: What do we as a body value more? The reputations of Arizona politicians or the reputation of God in the world?” 

The vote for MIS013, the motion to expel -

The vote for MIS014, the motion to censure -

Turns out that there is an explanation for the hurt feelings of Heap and the others.  

From the AZ Mirror, written by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy [emphasis added by me] -

Flag flown by extremists posted on AZ Senate security desk

A flag flown by extremists and Christian Nationalists that was quietly removed from a Senate security desk last session has been put back on display on a security desk out of public view, the Arizona Mirror has learned. 

The white flag with a pine tree on it and the phrase “An Appeal to Heaven” was originally used by George Washington and the Continental Army. It was later adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as its naval and maritime flag from 1776 until 1971, when it was replaced by a similar flag that did not include the phrase “An Appeal to Heaven.” 

.

.

.The Secular Coalition of Arizona sees the flag as a violation of the constitutional doctrine requiring a separation of church and state. 

“Though this was originally a revolutionary war flag, it’s been co-opted by white Christian nationalists, and was prevalent in DC on January 6th, 2021 To deny this is willful ignorance,” Secular Arizona Executive Director Jeanne Casteen said in a statement to the Mirror. “One’s governance should not be based on biblical principles or any other religious principles. The Constitution should guide one’s governance, and this flag is a signal that notifies people that any elected official who displays it will push evangelical extremism and the will of the few over what’s needed for the Common Good.”

.

.

.

The flag was seen carried by a number of individuals during the violent events of Jan. 6, 2021. The flag has also been heavily adopted by hate groups and other extremist groups. The flag is mainly popular with Christian Nationalists and Christian Dominionists. 

So does the R caucus in the Arizona Legislature qualify as a "hate group" or an "extremist group"?  Or both?

Either way, if someone were to send them copies of the Koran and Torah (and other books considered to be holy in faiths of Islam and Judaism), the Rs would just consider them to be fuel sources for their book burning party.

If only Illinois was less humid than Phoenix

But it's not.

From KBEZ in Chicago -

Illinois becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban book bans

With the strokes of multiple pens, Gov. JB Pritzker made Illinois the first state in the nation to withhold funding from public libraries if they ban books.

“Book bans are about censorship, marginalizing people, marginalizing ideas and facts,” Pritzker declared at the Harold Washington Library, the crown jewel of Chicago’s public library system. “Regimes ban books, not democracies.”

The Arizona State Legislature and others like Mullah Herrod almost certainly approve of withholding funds from public libraries, but they want it to be for being actual libraries instead of tools for the Christian version of the Taliban.

Want to see some violence, real or implied? Visit Miami on Tuesday.

Cheeto is scheduled to arraigned there and then.

However, security there will be increased (the events of January 6th, 2021 are fresh in everyone's mind).

From WSVN in Miami, dated 6/9/2023 -

Stepped-up security in downtown Miami ahead of Trump’s arraignment; former president expected Monday at Trump National Doral

Former President Donald Trump is days away from surrendering in downtown Miami, and that means there will be stepped up security during his arraignment.

All eyes are on South Florida as Trump will be facing charges at the Federal Courthouse.

.

.

.

In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said everyone’s safety will be the top priority.

“We want to make sure that all of our citizens know that they’re going to be able to express their First Amendment rights, and at the same time, we’re going to keep them safe, and we’re going to make sure that there is no disorder,” he said.

.

.

.

“FBI domestic terrorism agents and analysts are actively working to identify any potential threats surrounding that upcoming court appearance,” said Former U.S. intelligence officer Josh Campbell. “They are looking at online platforms that are popular with extremist groups.”

Downtown Miami is expected to mirror New York City when Trump was indicted, with barricades, rooftop security, street closures and sharpshooters.

Of course, Cheeto's followers are spouting off about violence over their Dear Leader's indictment (hence the heightened security), but it's being pushed back on.

From The Guardian (UK) -

Kari Lake’s vow to defend Trump with guns threatens democracy, Democrat says

The Arizona Republican Kari Lake’s vow of armed resistance over Donald Trump’s indictment for retaining classified records “threatens the very core of our democracy”, an Arizonan Democratic congressman said.

Ruben Gallego is running to replace the former Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in the US Senate next year.

He said: “I know this language isn’t just hyperbole – it’s dangerous and it threatens the very core of our democracy.”

My guess (and it's only that) is that Lake still wants to be Cheeto's choice for his ticket's VP slot (hence her violent rhetoric) and this is normally where I would say get out your popcorn.

If you do, though, make sure the popcorn bowl is made out of Kevlar.

Just in case.

County-level Committee Update

Maricopa County Supervisor (District 3) Bill Gates has announced that he won't run re-election.

From AP, dated 6/1/2023 -

Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates says he’s not running for  re-election

Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates, who worked to bat down election 

misinformation and a hostile political landscape in 2020 and 2022, announced 

Thursday that he’s not running for re-election.

In a statement, Gates said he intends to “pursue other interests and opportunities” 

but will fulfill the remainder of his term.

Someone has already formed a committee to run for the seat; someone who I expect will be the first of many.

Attorney Tabatha LaVoie has formed a committee to run for the seat.  In a move that isn't unusual for downballot offices/races, the candidate will also be the committee's treasurer.  She's currently an officer for the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Steve Gallardo and Thomas Galvin, both current members of the Maricopa County BOS, have formed committees for re-election bids.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/11/2023

Well, the Arizona State Legislature returns from its vacation on Monday, and returns to imperiling civil society.

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 t.o spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority.  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4 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 that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one. 

On Monday, 6/12 

-

House Rules meets at 11 a.m. in HHR4.

There will be a large number of floor sessions to consider bills (the green one is a Senate floor calendar, the blue one [OK "bluish" ones] are for the House).  Many bad bills will receive floor consideration.

On Tuesday, 6/13 

-

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. in HHR1.  As one of the items on this agenda pertains to a line item transfer for the AZSOS relating to Election Services I expect this meeting to devolve into an election denialism propaganda session.

The Joint Committee on Capital Review meets at 9:45 a.m. or upon the adjournment of the meeting of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in HHR1.  I expect that first meeting to go longer than 15 minutes, so that "upon adjournment" proviso may become relevant.

On Wednesday, 6/14 and Thursday 6/15 - 

Nada for now, but I expect that there will be floor sessions on tap.

Insurrection Redux: Andy Biggs wants Cheeto's followers to get violent in response to his criminal indictments

The insurrection of January 6,2021 in response to Cheeto losing the 2020 election failed so Andy Biggs wants the next one to be more so.

Basically, Plan A didn't work for him and the other trumpkins, so his Plan B is to execute Plan A again, just with more guns and violence.

From Twitter -

So maybe Biggs is announcing his candidacy to become a capo in the Trump crime family.

Of course, he may just end up as Cheeto's cellmate.

Guessing that he would consider either one to be a promotion from his gig in Congress.

Cheeto makes history, and not in a good way: A former POTUS indicted!

From CNN (they have many articles on the topic; this quote is just from the first) -

The latest on the federal indictment of Trump in the documents probe

Trump's attorney confirms former president faces 7-count indictment

Donald Trump's attorney Jim Trusty confirmed Thursday night that the former president has been charged with seven counts – and revealed that the charges “break out from an Espionage Act charge.”

"It does have some language in it that suggests what the seven charges would be. Not 100% clear that all of those are separate charges, but they basically break out from an Espionage Act charge," he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

As could be expected, trumpkins didn't react well to the news.

From Google -

From Twitter -

From Newsweek -

Trump has maintained his innocence, often calling the DOJ probe a "hoax" and a form of "election interference." Several of the former president's political allies also condemned the news of his indictment over Twitter, including Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, who tweeted that it was a "Sad day for America."

.

.

.

"Democrats must literally shake with sweats when they see amazing packed out Trump 

rallies and overwhelming winning poll numbers week after week," said Georgia 

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who also shared screenshots of Trump's 

reaction on Truth Social. "They must awake in the night with panic at the thoughts of us 

winning in 2024."

Greene also wrote in length about the accusations against Biden's family, whom 

House Republicans have accused of an alleged bribery scheme based off an unclassified 

FBI forum shown to lawmakers on Thursday. Florida Representative Matt Gaetz also 

noted the form, tweeting, "Imagine being naive enough to believe that the Biden Bribe 

evidence and Trump indictment happening the same day was a coincidence."

.

.

.

Conservative political pundit Charlie Kirk demanded that Trump's opponents 

in the 2024 GOP primary take action and "show solidarity" with the 

former president, or risk being made "part of the opposition."

Of course, with Cheeto, the grift never stops.

From The Hill -

Trump immediately fundraises after saying he was indicted in documents probe

Former President Trump on Thursday swiftly moved toward fundraising efforts after claiming he’s been indicted in connection with the Justice Department’s investigation into his handling of classified documents. 

“We are watching our Republic DIE before our very eyes. The Biden-appointed Special Counsel has INDICTED me in yet another witch hunt regarding documents that I had the RIGHT to declassify as President of the United States,” Trump wrote in an email message asking supporters to donate.

Big Pharma has a creative definition for "negotiation"

Well, at least I have an answer for a question I asked a couple of days ago.

From AP -

Merck sues federal government, calling plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices extortion

Merck is suing the federal government over a plan to negotiate

 

Medicare drug prices, calling the program a sham equivalent to

 

extortion.

The drugmaker is seeking to halt the program, which was laid out in the 

Inflation Reduction Act and is expected to save taxpayers billions of

 

dollars in the coming years.

Unsurprisingly, most of their corporate PAC's (Merck PAC) go to Republicans (nationally; it was active in AZ until the end of 2018).

However, not *all* of their money goes to Rs; some of it goes to former Democrats.

From the FEC -

Is Kyrsten Sinema really a Republican at heart?

She sure fundraises like one.

From an email from her campaign -

There are a LOT of R talking points in her email; it's like she is trying raise fund from the R base.

Of course, every dollar they give her is a dollar that her hedge-fund running benefactors don't have to funnel to her campaign.