USDOJ finds that the Phoenix PD abused the public's trust

As can be expected, spokespeople for Phoenix PD objected...to the findings documenting and publicizing their behavior, not the underlying behavior itself.

From AZFamily, written by David Baker, Amy Cutler, Dennis Welch, Cody Lillich and Ben Bradley, dated 6/12 -

Justice Department finds Phoenix PD used excessive force, discriminated against certain groups

Following a nearly three-year investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice has found that the Phoenix Police Department violated people’s rights, discriminated against certain groups and has used excessive force, including “unjustified deadly force.”

A 126-page report released Thursday morning says the department discriminates against certain races, as well as people with behavioral health disabilities. The report also found that Phoenix police detain and arrest people who are homeless without reasonable suspicion that they committed a crime and unlawfully dispose of their belongings.

“A person’s constitutional rights do not diminish when they lack shelter,” the report says.

The AZFamily article contains the report itself; I recommend downloading it in its entirety...if a reader is in search of some light reading.

According to an article from Phoenix' Channel 15, the City of Phoenix rebutted the findings with "But that's not us NOW."

Again, I recommend downloading response from the City of Phoenix.

The head of the Phoenix police union, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, or PLEA, has already issued threats to reduce staffing at Phoenix PD.

From Phoenix' Channel 12, written by Joe Dana, dated 6/13 -

Supporters rally around Phoenix officers amid DOJ criticism

The law enforcement community came to the defense of rank-and-file Phoenix police officers after a damning report from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Phoenix Police union leader Darrell Kriplean says the chance of a multi-year federal court monitor would hurt a department already struggling to fill its ranks.

“It would decimate morale,” said Kriplean of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. “I think you would see a lot of our officers, the senior officers, maybe retire early, or some of our younger officers make lateral moves to a department that isn't constrained by DOJ.”

It seems like Kriplean has issued an "or else" statement, as in "let us continue to be bigoted and violent toward the public on the public's dime or else we're going to leave you on your own."

It's easy to forget that base of the reports, denials, and articles are some real world victims.

From Phoenix' Channel 12, written by Jonathan McCall, dated 6/15 -

He was new to Arizona and out on an afternoon drive. Then the Phoenix police arrested him.

In 2022, then 44-year-old Jeffery Henderson moved to Arizona from Texas looking for a fresh start in life. 

“I moved to Arizona for the opportunities as an electrician and I thought this was a place that I could call home for years to come,” Henderson said.

In June 2022, the Army veteran says he received an unpleasant greeting from Phoenix Police while driving near 19th and Dunlap avenues while out for an afternoon drive. The experience is one his attorney shared with the United States Department of Justice, and as a 34-month investigation into the conduct of the Phoenix Police Department found, not an uncommon experience. 

Or

From the Innocence Project -

Ray Krone

On the morning of December 29, 1991, the body of the thirty-six year old victim was found, nude, in the men's restroom of the Phoenix, Arizona bar where she worked. She had been fatally stabbed, and the perpetrator left behind little physical evidence. Blood at the crime scene matched the victim's type, and saliva on her body came from someone with the most common blood type. There was no semen and no DNA tests were performed.

Investigators relied on bite marks on the victim’s breast and neck. Upon hearing that the victim had told a friend that a regular customer named Ray Krone was to help her close up the bar the previous night, police asked Krone to make a Styrofoam impression of his teeth for comparison. On December 31, 1991, Krone was arrested and charged with murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault.

At his 1992 trial, Krone maintained his innocence, claiming to be asleep in his bed at the time of the crime. Experts for the prosecution, however, testified that the bite-marks found on the victim’s body matched the impression that Krone had made on the Styrofoam and a jury convicted him on the counts of murder and kidnapping. He was sentenced to death and a consecutive twenty-one year term of imprisonment, respectively. Krone was found not guilty of the sexual assault.

From KJZZ, written by Kirsten Dorman, dated 6/14 -

Victims of police violence and their families gather in downtown Phoenix

Victims of police violence and their families gathered in downtown Phoenix on Friday to tell their stories and support accusations of racial discrimination in policing in the Department of Justice’s recently released report.

Dravon Ames, his then-pregnant fiancée and their two young daughters received nearly half a million dollars from the city of Phoenix in 2020 for what happened when officers who suspected them of shoplifting were seen on video pointing guns at the family.

"I was beaten up by the cops and Tased and choked unconscious. And it just got completely dismissed," Ames said.

One officer was fired, and another received a written reprimand.

Employment termination?  A written reprimand? For assault with a deadly weapon?

If members of civil society who engaged in such violent behavior were subjected to the same penalties, society would soon fall into chaos.

Kind of like the Phoenix Police Department.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/16/2024

Today (Friday, 6/14), the Arizona Legislature is scheduled to do something they should have done months ago - consider a budget for the state.  There is some doubt whether they can pass one - some of the R members won't vote for it and the D members aren't coming to the aid  of the R majority.

As of this writing, both chambers are "on break."

My guess is that the leadership of both chambers is trying to whip votes right now.

If they're able to pass one, they'll adjourn; if not, there's nothing scheduled for next week.

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 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, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally 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. 

New campaign slogan for Cheeto: "Wahhh!"

 From CNN -

Inside Trump’s gripe-filled meeting with House GOP and his reunion with McConnell

Former President Donald Trump led House Republicans through a gripe-filled closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill on Thursday, airing grievances about his legal and electoral challenges, attacking his critics in the room, and only briefly addressing policy matters like abortion and taxes, according to multiple GOP lawmakers in the room.

In his first time returning to the Capitol campus area since leaving office after the January 6, 2021, riot, the former president met with lawmakers for over an hour.

Arizona Republican Party: "Arizona" in name only?

On 6/11, the AZGOP sent out a rather non-specific press release touting their fundraising prowess.

From that email -

Th

The email was unclear as to which 13 weeks they were talking about here, but one thing was clear: they really shouldn't pique the interest of wiseasses with time available to be, well, *wiseasses.*

I took a look at their May monthly report to the FEC, which is the most current report available.  It covers only their April activity, and April is just 4+ weeks long, but I'm presuming that those 4+ weeks are part of the 13 weeks touted in the press release

I'm not saying that they lied in their press release, but April is ~1/3 of the period mentioned in the press release.

During that 1/3 of the period, they raised ~1/10 of the total mentioned in the press release.

From the summary of the report:

According to their April report, the AZGOP raised a little less than $133800 (caveat: my reading/analysis of the report showed that they reported $146K in donations, but some may not have been actual donations )

Of those donations, 

37 were thru WinRed (an online fundraising tool for Republicans that's similar to ActBlue for Democrats) for an average of ~$179.

49 were from out-of-state individuals, for an average of ~$646

15 were rom PACs or other committees, for an average of ~$5365.  Some of that money may be earmarked for specific purposes, even though this is a genal fund/committee.  For example, the NRSC (National Republican Senatorial Committee) gave them over $46K in one contribution.  I presume that was done with the understanding that the funds go toward helping their eventual nominee for U.S. Senate.

139 were from AZ individuals, for an average of ~$218.

The "not Arizona" part of "Arizona Republican Party"?

More than 75% of their funds raised came from committees or from out-of-state individuals.

Note: that total does not include the WinRed donations, because those were usually paired with an individual donation in the same amount and on the same day.  Some of those were from Arizona, but the vast majority were not.

The FEC report can be found here.

The FEC sent them a letter regarding a problem with a donation from the Hitler Youth PAC MAGA PAC Turning Point PAC.  The letter is here.

The AZGOP committee's FEC ID is C00008227.

Just when you believe they can't get any lower, Kari Lake give a stump speech in front of a Confederate flag

From The Guardian (UK) -

Revealed: Trump ally Kari Lake gave speech in front of Confederate flag

Video shows Arizona Senate candidate repeating election-fraud claims at event with Confederate flag behind her

The Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake addressed supporters with a Confederate flag displayed behind her during a campaign event at a Trump merchandise store in Arizona last week, where she repeated false claims about election fraud.

In footage obtained by the Guardian, Lake is seen speaking into a microphone, surrounded by a group of supporters, at the Trumped Store in Show Low, Arizona. Behind her, a Confederate battle flag and a yellow “Don’t Tread On Me” flag are affixed to the wall. Both flags are available for purchase on the website of Trumped Store, which sells an array of merchandise with the former president’s name and likeness.

I admit it - I've got nothing to add here.

The indicted Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Christian Taliban) isn't shy

Generally speaking, people who are under indictment don't publicly associate with convicted felons, but State Sen, Anthony Kern is "special."

From the AZ Republic via MSN, written by Laurie Roberts -

Arizona senator puts ignorance on display with stunning call to put Jesus in government

Surprising to see Sen. Anthony Kern coming out today for Donald Trump’s Town Hall in Phoenix.

Kern, as you may recall, is Arizona’s speaking-in-tongues state senator, the indicted fake elector who wants the Ten Commandments posted on classroom walls.

His Ten Commandments bill, SB1151, was vetoed by the governor.

He may like the Ten Commandments, but they include a rule against lying.  Which is interesting, since that was what he was indicted for.

Even though he considers lying to be wrong...under specific circumstances.  His SB1144, which added to those circumstances, passed the Senate but was never heard in the House. 

Of course, the reason he was on stage because of his very public fealty to Cheeto.  

His SB1475, proposed by him but never even considered in the Senate.  It specified that someone convicted under criminal law or found liable under civil law could still be a candidate for POTUS.

It seems prescient, almost as if he *knew* that Cheeto would become a convicted felon and someone who was found to be liable for sexual assault.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/9/2024

One thing that they haven't dealt with is a budget; as in "the main reason for the existence of any state legislature is to craft a state budget."

The Arizona State Legislature seems to have abdicated that duty.

This week, three Senate committees are meeting to consider some executive nominations to boards.

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 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, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally 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, 6/10 - Nada.

On Tuesday, 6/11 

-

Senate Judiciary meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills, six nominations.  For the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments: Karen S. Smith; for the Commission on Trial Court Appointments in Maricopa County: Margaret E. Baze, Kaitlyn M. Neff, Paul C. Senseman, Sheri Lynne Toomb, and Javier Torres. 

Senate Transportation, Technology and Missing Children meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2. On the agenda: no bills, one nomination.  For the State Transportation Board: Jamescita Mae Peshlakai.

On Wednesday, 6/12 

-

Senate Finance and Commerce meets at 9 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills, three nominations,  For the Arizona State Lottery Commission: Mario L. Aniles, Tereza Fritz, and Shannon Scheel**

Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets at 1 p.m. in HHR1.   On the agenda: no bills, a bunch of, surprise, surprise, "audits."

On Thursday, 6/13 - Nada.

Cheeto doesn't want to be POTUS, he wants to be a petty and vindictive dictator of the US

From Newsweek -

Donald Trump Says It Is 'Very Possible' He Will Imprison Political Opponents

Donald Trump has floated the possibility of imprisoning his political opponents

 

 if he wins back the White House in November.

Trump made the comments days after a New York jury found him guilty of

 

34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment

 

to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He denied he was guilty

 

of any wrongdoing.

Speaking to the conservative outlet Newsmax on Tuesday, Trump added to his recent false claims that he had never called for his rival in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton, to be jailed.

It's not just Cheeto; "petty and vindictive" seems to be a GOP thing.

From USA Today -

GOP plots revenge in Congress amid raging views on Trump conviction; fundraising surges

Republican lawmakers are seeking revenge for the historic conviction of former President Donald Trump in a New York hush money case, which they’re calling a miscarriage of justice and a pointed political maneuver.

In the Senate, a cohort of conservative lawmakers are pledging to stop all Democratic priorities and block Biden administration nominees from approval. 

Ummm...instead of being petty and/or vengeful over conviction and/or criticism of bad acts, one could not engage in bad acts in the first place.

Guess which option Cheeto and his fellow travelers have chosen?

AZ's legislative Rs try to boost the turnout of their base by putting hate on the ballot

From The Guardian (UK) -

Arizona legislature overrules governor on proposal criminalizing non-citizens

The Republican-controlled Arizona legislature gave final approval Tuesday to a proposal asking voters to make it a state crime for non-citizens to enter the state through Mexico at any location other than a port of entry, sending the measure to the 5 November ballot.

The vote came as Joe Biden unveiled plans Tuesday to restrict the number of people seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border, saying: “This action will help to gain control of our border, restore order to the process.”

[snip]

The proposal bypasses the Democratic governor Katie Hobbs, who had vetoed a similar measure in early March and has denounced the effort to bring the issue to voters.

House Republicans closed access to the upper gallery of the chamber before the session started Tuesday, citing concerns about security and possible disruptions. The move immediately drew the criticism of Democrats, who demanded that the gallery be reopened.

“The public gallery should be open to the public. This is the people’s house,” said the state representative Analise Ortiz.

[snip]

The proposal is similar to a Texas law that has been put on hold by a federal appeals court while it’s being challenged. But the Arizona ballot proposal contains other provisions that aren’t included in the Texas measure and aren’t directly related to immigration. Those include making it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl that leads to a person’s death, and a requirement that some government agencies use a federal database to verify a non-citizen’s eligibility for benefits.

The measure passed by the Republicans in the legislature (and have no doubt, that one was passed with only Republican votes) is HCR2060 and is here.

Mark Lamb, R candidate for U.S. Senate, has a rather "flexible" relationship with telling the truth

That's something he shares with Cheeto.

Of course, that may not help much in that primary - his opponent there, Kari Lake, is also afflicted by the same character flaw.

He appeared on channel 12's Sunday Square Off this morning, ostensibly to respond to Kari Lake's claim the he's a coward (his response: "No, I'm not"), but mostly because he's thought to be rising in the polls in that race, probably because of Lake's utter despicability as a person.

Lamb may be more likeable, but he's no better a human being than Lake.

He started off by claiming that the jury verdict convicting Cheeto of 34 felonies was due to "unequal justice."

Later, he went on to prove that there's an unequal system of justice in the U.S. by urging the deportation of 15-20 million people, presumably without 15-20 million trials.

He also continued propagating the right-wing trope that that judge in Cheeto's criminal trial instructed the jury that they didn't have to be unanimous in finding him guilty.  That's false.

He also tried to say that  election denialism it a bipartisan thing by citing Hillary Clinton and Stacy Abrams.  He lied.

He said frequently that "the border"/illegal immigration was the biggest issue facing the U.S. and as his job is to protect his community in Pinal County (he's the sheriff in Pinal County), he's going to "work the border."  There's one problem with that.  Miles of Pinal County that border another country: 0.

He also claimed that fentanyl overdoses were the leading cause of death in the U.S.  However, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the leading cause of death for Americans in 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available) was heart disease at over 702K deaths.  Yet, according to the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were just under 108K overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2022.

He also stated that crime was rising in the U.S..  It isn't.  Not even close..

His penchant for lying may help him in the Republican primary, but no matter who emerges from that primary, everyone should vote for Ruben Gallego in the general election.

Pic taken from his website

Short attention span musing

...From the "Is anyone really surprised by this?" file:

From AP -

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia registers as independent, citing ‘partisan extremism’

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced Friday he has switched his registration to independent, raising questions about his political plans since the move could help his chances should he seek elected office again in a state that has turned heavily Republican.

Manchin, 76, has often been at odds with the Democratic Party and an obstacle to many of President Joe Biden’s legislative priorities. But he played a central role in helping Biden get a landmark climate change and health care bill over the finish line in 2022.

Maybe he can caucus with Kyrsten Sinema.  Probably not gonna happen though.

Both would want to be considered the leader of that particular caucus, and she may be the one person in the U.S. Senate who is as utterly self-focused as him (and that's saying something in a body that numbers Ted Cruz among its members.)

...From the "It worked so well on January 6, 2021 so it should be done again." file: 

From Reuters -

Trump supporters call for riots and violent retribution after verdict

Supporters of former President Donald Trump, enraged by his conviction on 34 felony counts by a New York jury, flooded pro-Trump websites with calls for riots, revolution and violent retribution.

After Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, his supporters responded with dozens of violent online posts, according to a Reuters review of comments on three Trump-aligned websites: the former president's own Truth Social platform, Patriots.Win and the Gateway Pundit.

Some called for attacks on jurors, the execution of the judge, Justice Juan Merchan, or outright civil war and armed insurrection.

“Someone in NY with nothing to lose needs to take care of Merchan,” wrote one commentator on Patriots.Win. “Hopefully he gets met with illegals with a machete,” the post said in reference to illegal immigrants.

On Gateway Pundit, one poster suggested shooting liberals after the verdict. “Time to start capping some leftys,” said the post. “This cannot be fixed by voting."

...From the "It's not just the GOPer base." file:

From Axios -

GOP senator aims to block floor action over Trump conviction

Eight Republican senators are vowing to vote against any spending bills, judicial nominees or other Democratic legislation brought to the floor in protest of former President Trump's conviction on 34 felony charges.

[snip]

Driving the news: "Strongly worded statements are not enough," Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who led the effort, tweeted. "Those who turned our judicial system into a political cudgel must be held accountable."

• He was joined by two Trump VP contenders — Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Oh.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — as well as Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) who recently announced a bid for GOP leader.
• Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kans.) also joined.
• Lee plans to keep the letter open for the foreseeable future, and is calling on more Senators to join their pledge of non-cooperation.

...From the "One can be despised by lousy human beings and still be a lousy human being." file:

Also from Axios -

Johnson urges Supreme Court to "step in" on Trump verdict

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called for the U.S. Supreme Court to "step in" to overturn the guilty verdict against former President Trump in his New York hush money trial.

Why it matters: It's one of the starkest examples yet of Republicans, furious about the jury's decision, calling for some form of intervention to protect the ex-president.

Johnson has faced withering criticism from the loons in his caucus who are more right-wing than he is.

...From the "At least in Arizona, 'petty snit' is an accepted partisan position." file:

From AZMirror, written by Caitlin Sievers -

House Republicans who investigated AG Mayes say she should be impeached

A group of Arizona House Republicans is calling for the impeachment of Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes based on allegations that she abused her power, neglected her duties and “committed malfeasance.” 

House Speaker Ben Toma created the House Committee on Executive Oversight in late March, specifically to examine the duties and powers of the attorney general, to investigate allegations against Mayes and to make corresponding recommendations to the House amidst allegations from Republicans that Mayes was unconstitutionally picking and choosing which laws to enforce. 

Mayes, along with all the Democrats assigned to the committee, refused to participate in its meetings, calling the entire undertaking a “sham”. Republicans on the committee chided the Democrats for skipping out. 

In a letter to Toma on May 28, Rep. Jacqueline Parker, the San Tan Valley Republican who chaired the panel, recommended that the House adopt a resolution to impeach Mayes for “malfeasance in office.”  

 The committee's agenda from 4/17 is here.

Speaking of "malfeasance," the fake electors hadn't yet been indicted; if they had been, I'm pretty sure that would have been added to the laundry list of unfounded Republican whines/complaints about Mayes.