Cheeto now has more indictments than marriages

Indictments: 4

Marriages: 3

Hope Melania has a lucrative, and ironclad, prenup.

From CNN -

Former President Donald Trump’s fourth indictment, annotated

A grand jury in Georgia has indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 allies on state charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat in the Peach State.

The 41-count indictment was unsealed Monday and is the fourth criminal case that Trump is facing.

Just a guess here, but Cheeto seems to think of himself as a cross between two fictional movie characters - Vito and Michael Corleone of the Godfather saga, portrayed by Marlon Brando/Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, respectively.

You know, perceptive, smart, and tough.

Instead, he's more like Joe Pesci's Tommy DeVito character from the movie Goodfellas.

You know, ego-driven, insecure, and volatile.

BTW, I heartily recommend viewing Godfather I and II, and Goodfellas.  While they're very different movies, all are very good.

Trump-appointed federal judge orders some corporate attorneys to be indoctrinated by a hate group

From AP via Yahoo! -

Legal experts question judge's order telling Southwest lawyers to get religious-liberty training

A federal judge has set off a debate among legal scholars by ordering lawyers for Southwest Airlines to undergo “religious-liberty training” by a conservative Christian legal group.

Critics say that if the judge believes such training is necessary, he should have found a less polarizing group to conduct it.

U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr made the decision after ruling that Southwest was in contempt of court for defying a previous order he issued in a case involving a flight attendant who said she was fired for expressing her opposition to abortion. She sued Southwest and won.

Starr, nominated to the bench by former President Donald Trump, said Southwest didn't understand federal protections for religious freedom. So this week, he ordered three of the airline's lawyers to undergo religious-liberty training. And he said that the Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, “is particularly well-suited" to do the training.

Ummmm......

ADF has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center

Starr is the nephew of noted, and late, conservative ideologue Ken Starr.

Starr was nominated by Cheeto and confirmed by the US Senate on a party-line vote, supported only by Republicans.  Even Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, then a Democrat in Name Only, now a Senator in Name Only, voted against confirming him.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis goes for the soulless vote in his quest to become POTUS

From WESH (Orlando), emphasis added by me -

Suspended state attorney's chief of staff fired during maternity leave

There's been more fallout and controversy after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended the state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties.

We heard from Monique Worrell's chief of staff, Keisha Mulfort, who says she was fired while on maternity leave.

[snip]

"It is unacceptable. I am on FMLA and y'all are coming here like I'm a criminal. Regardless of what has happened at that office, regardless of what you have with Monique Worrell, I am on FMLA and y'all should have made arrangements," Mulfort said. "That would have been the respectful thing to do."

Yes, they not only fired someone on a maternity leave, they used armed police officers to do so

Welcome to Ronnie's world; just as petty, vindictive, and bigoted as Cheeto but with fewer marriages.

Note: In Florida, county-level state's attorneys are independently elected, so when deposing the state's attorney for those counties, he overturned an election.

Hope David Schweikert (R-Ethics Issues) isn't claustrophobic

'Cuz the field to unseat him is a crowded one.

There's a new entrant on the Democratic side of race - 

Ireland-born Wall Street guy Conor O'Callaghan.  Long-time Democratic activist Jeanne Lunn will serve as his committee's treasurer.

As of right now, Democrats O'Callaghan, Kurt Kroemer, Marlene Galan-Woods, Andrei Cherny, Amish Shah, and Andrew Horne are running for Schweikert's seat and I expect that they won't be the only entrants in the Democratic primary.

A list of statements of interest filed with the Arizona Secretary of State is here.

Plus, I expect that Schweikert will be challenged in the primary, from his party's right wing.

While, like most R electeds, he has ethics "issues," he doesn't seem to be quite as bigoted as fellow R Paul Gosar.

Caveat1 - This is my district now, but I have *not* decided who to vote for, and I won't make that decision until I have a ballot in hand.

Caveat2 - Forming a committee or filing a statement is no guarantee that someone will be on a ballot, nor is such required before being on a ballot.

Would-be insurrectionists lose appeal and have to pay an intended victim's court costs

Evidently, objecting to being referred to as possible traitors can be the opposite of lucrative.

From KJZZ, by Greg Hahne, Jill Ryan, and Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services -

Gosar, Finchem, Kern lose appeal, ordered to pay court fees

The state Court of Appeals has ruled that Congressman Paul Gosar and two former GOP state lawmakers will have to pay the legal fees of another representative they sued for defamation.

The appellate decision was unanimous.

The story is a *little* wrong about one thing - Finchem is currently a former legislator, but was a member at the time, but Kern, while a former legislator when the suit was filed, is currently a member of the Arizona legislature.

From the court's pdf of the decision, emphasis added by me -

"Irrelevant", "groundless",  and "bad faith"?

Sounds like Gosar, Finchem, and Kern learned something from Cheeto, and their lawyers learned from his.

Kari Lake is running for Senate; Axios is treating as big news, but as secrets go, it's a poorly kept one

Pointed at this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

From Axios -

Scoop: Kari Lake prepares to enter Arizona Senate race

Former Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake is staffing up for a Senate campaign in anticipation of an October launch, making Arizona ground zero to replay — and relitigate — GOP losses in the last two elections.

Why it matters: A potential three-way battle, with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema running as an independent, will expose deep divisions in both parties on whether to appeal to their bases or independents in a critical 2024 battleground state.

• The race will have implications in the presidential campaign and give President Biden an opportunity to run against the "ultra MAGA" mindset that Lake represents, even if former President Trump isn't Biden's opponent in November 2024.
• Lake, who has not conceded her gubernatorial loss in 2022, is one of Trump's most ardent defenders and frequently amplifies the false election claims at the heart of the former president's most recent indictment.

Is "conservative populism" all about "violent rhetoric"?

If so, it would explain a LOT.

Engaging in violent rhetoric is the go to method in certain circles. See: the reaction of gun nuts enthusiasts to efforts to curtail gun violence.

There's been some pushback, but I'm not sure it's enough.

From AP, emphasis added by me -

Prosecutors ask judge to issue protective order after Trump post appearing to promise revenge

The Justice Department has asked a federal judge overseeing the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Washington to step in after he released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.

Prosecutors on Friday requested that U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issue a protective order concerning evidence in the case, a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss and block the peaceful transition of power. The order, different from a “gag order,” would limit what information Trump and his legal team could share publicly about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

It's not just Cheeto.

From Government Executive, dated 8/3/2023, emphasis added by me -

DeSantis vows to 'start slitting throats' of federal workers on Day One of presidency

It has become a common trope for politicians: provide red meat to constituents by promising to reduce the size of the federal workforce. A top presidential candidate this week echoed that proposal, but used some novel language to describe his potential actions. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., who is in a distant second place in most polling of the 2024 Republican presidential field, told supporters in New Hampshire he would slit the throats of federal bureaucrats on his first day in office. The governor has frequently used fiery rhetoric and has not shied away from high profile fights, but the comments were met with swift pushback. 

“We’re going to have all these deep state people,” DeSantis said at a barbecue in Rye, N.H., when speaking about the federal bureaucracy, according to reporting from New Hampshire Public Radio. “We’re going to start slitting throats on day one.” 

There's been some pushback, but most of that in civil society-based (and Cheeto and his supporters *hate* civil society), or are money-based (and while Republicans in general *love* money, Republican candidates love votes from their base more).

From Politico -

DeSantis’ conservative populism has left some donors chafing

When Ron DeSantis unveiled his economic platform last week, he presented himself as a conservative populist; a skeptic of corporations inside a party often allied with them.

But DeSantis’ rhetoric hasn’t always matched his record. As governor, he has done his share to support corporations. And as a presidential candidate, he has relied on contributions from titans of the business world.

Legislative schedule - Sine Die edition

As the AZlege has adjourned sine die, meaning that won't convene again until January unless Gov. Hobbs calls a special session of the legislature, this will be the last post on this topic, unless there's activity of interest, as there is this week.

While the lege isn't in session, the propaganda-spewing on the taxpayer dime will continue.

On Monday, 8/7

,

A joint meeting of three committees, Senate Natural Resources Energy and Water, House Natural Resources Energy & Water, and House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs meets at 5 p.m. at 700 W. Beale Street in Kingman,

Kingman is in Mohave County, a hotbed of election denialism

On the meeting agenda?

The Washington Post just published a story on just this subject -

Biden expected to create Grand Canyon national monument to block new mining, sources say

President Biden is leaning toward designating a vast area near the Grand Canyon as a national monument to safeguard it from uranium mining, according to five people familiar with the plans.

Leaders of local tribes and environmentalists have spent years lobbying to protect areas near the park from potential uranium mining, which they say would threaten aquifers and water supplies. They have asked Washington to double the protected area around the canyon by including 1.1 million acres of public lands in a Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument.

Between the location and the topic, expect there to be a lot of anti-society/anti-tribal/anti-POTUS propaganda to be spewed.

On Wednesday, 8/9 

-

Two interim committees are scheduled to meet.

Hydrogen Study Committee meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.

Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Study Committee on Air Quality meets at 3:30 p.m. in SHR1.

Both are scheduled to hear some pro-industry presentations.

Poll that says a 3rd party run by Kyrsten Sinema doesn't mean a victory for the GOP in the 2024 US Senate election

I don't believe it, but I'm going to leave this here.

From Noble Predictive Insights -

The Sinema Situation: Gallego's Edge and the Enigma of Sinema's Independent Run

Sinema's Third-Party Run Does Not Guarantee a GOP Victory in Arizona Senate Race

As the 2024 Arizona Senate race looms, recent public opinion polling data fromNoble Predictive Insights’ (NPI) – formerly OH Predictive Insights (OHPI) – latest Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP) sheds light on some intriguing dynamics that challenge conventional political wisdom. Contrary to initial assumptions, the potential entry of Senator Kyrsten Sinema as a third-party candidate does not necessarily guarantee a GOP victory. The poll results indicate that Sinema faces challenges within her own party, which might make her path to victory more complex.

This AZPOP, conducted from July 13 – 17, 2023, surveyed 1,000 registered voters in Arizona and had a margin of error of ± 3.1%.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema: Under Water With AZ Voters

Hope she has gills.

From MorningConsult -

U.S. Senator Rankings: Manchin, Sinema Are Among America’s Least Popular Ahead of Potential Campaigns

How the senators stack up

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming boasts a 70% approval rating in his state, making him the most popular senator, according to surveys Morning Consult conducted April 1-June 30 in all 50 states.

On the other side of the coin, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell remains America’s most unpopular senator, with roughly 3 in 5 Kentucky voters expressing disapproval of his job performance. His current position is in line with his standing in the first quarter of 2023, driven by his continued poor standing among Republican voters following his 2020 re-election.

[snip]

It's not all bad news for Sinema - she's marginally above water with D voters.

On the other hand, she's doing worse with Independent voters...and they represent a plurality among AZ voters.

My guess is that poll numbers won't mean anything to her.

According to her latest FEC filing (period ending 6/30/2023), she has more than $10.75 million in cash on hand

Prediction 1: The only way she *doesn't* run is if she finds a way to give her committee's cash to herself.

Prediction 2: The only way she wins is if Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) drops out of the race (seems very unlikely as he's outraising her by a wide margin) and the Rs nominate someone as crazy as Rep. Paul Gosar (not exactly out of the realm of possibility).

Cheeto indicted in January 6 probe!

I would say that there is a God in heaven, but I'm going to save that for when/if he's convicted.

From AP -

Trump indicted for efforts to overturn 2020 election and block transfer of power

Donald Trump was indicted on felony charges Tuesday for working to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the violent riot by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol, with the Justice Department acting to hold him accountable for an unprecedented effort to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power and threaten American democracy.

The four-count indictment, the third criminal case against Trump, provided deeper insight into a dark moment that has already been the subject of exhaustive federal investigations and captivating public hearings. It chronicles a months-long campaign of lies about the election results and says that, even when those falsehoods resulted in a chaotic insurrection at the Capitol, Trump sought to exploit the violence by pointing to it as a reason to further delay the counting of votes that sealed his defeat.

The fake electors have something to worry about, too, even if most of them may not have been directly involved in the riot of January 6.

From The Guardian (UK), emphasis added by me -

Indictment includes six co-conspirators

The indictment lists six co-conspirators but does not name them. They are:

• Co-Conspirator 1: An attorney who was willing to spread knowingly false claims and pursue strategies that the Defendant’s 2020 re-election campaign attorneys would not.

• Co-Conspirator 2: An attorney who devised and attempted to implement a strategy to leverage the Vice President’s ceremonial role overseeing certification proceeding to obstruct the certification of the presidential election.

• Co-Conspirator 3: An attorney whose unfounded claims of election fraud the Defendant privately acknowledged to others sounded “crazy.” Nonetheless, the Defendant embraced and publicly amplified Co-Conspirator 3’s disinformation.

• Co-Conspirator 4: A Justice Department official who worked on civil matters and who, with the Defendant, attempted to use the Justice Department to open sham election crime investigations and influence state legislatures with knowingly false claims of election fraud.

• Co-Conspirator 5: An attorney who assisted in devising and attempting to implement a plan to submit fraudulent slates of presidential electors to obstruct the certification proceeding.

• Co-Conspirator 6: A political consultant who helped implement a plan to submit fraudulent slates of presidential electors to obstruct the certification proceeding.

Anyone wanna bet against against the possibility/likelihood that Co-Conspirator 5 or 6 have ties to AZ?

Well, it's not as if Swalwell was *wrong*

From Taegan Goddard's Political Wire, dated 7/27, quoted in its entirety because the underlying source, The Daily Beast, is behind a wall -

McCarthy and Swalwell Get in House Floor Feud

July 27, 2023 at 5:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 352 Comments

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) nearly came to blows when they ran into each other outside of the House chamber, the Daily Beast reports.

Said McCarthy: “If you ever say something like that to me again, I’m gonna kick the shit out of you.”

Another member provided context: “They were in each other’s faces. Basically nose-to-nose. And Swalwell said something like, ‘Are we really gonna do this?’”

After some back-and-forth, McCarthy issued a challenge to Swalwell: “Call me a pussy again, and I’ll kick your ass.”

Said Swalwell: “You. Are. A. Pussy.”

After both men stared each other down for another moment, McCarthy eventually relented.

Pretty sure a couple of McCarthy's AZ supporters would agree with Swalwell, but won't do so publicly, because even members of the Freedumb Caucus realize that whoever deposes McCarthy would be less likely to appease them than McCarthy.

Failed election deniers don't go away; they just run for a seat in the AZ lege

Failed candidate for Arizona Secretary of State (AZSOS) Mark Finchem made noises about running for Maricopa County Recorder, which would have necessitated a move, sine he doesn't actually, you know *live* in Maricopa County.

Apparently, that aspiration has gone by the wayside.  He's now formed a committee for a run for a seat in the legislature.

From the AZSOS -

He may not actually live at that address, though.  Also from the AZSOS

From his 2022 financial disclosure -

That address goes to a condo in Phoenix.  He didn't always report that as his address, though.  From a previous disclosure -

Neither address is in the district he's running in. 

From the website of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission -

Oro Valley isn't in LD1; neither is Phoenix.

My guess is that Finchem is, like a certain other state senator (Republican election denier, of course), and is district shopping here.   His listed campaign address goes to a manufactured/mobile home.

The current state senator from LD1 is Ken Bennett, who has some election-denying cred of his own.