WATCH: McCain Defends Hagel's Integrity, "No One...Should Impugn His Integrity"

To contact us Click HERE
The Senate Armed Services Committee meeting this afternoon considering the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) as Secretary of Defense was considerably lengthened after the statement by new Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).  Cruz claimed that it is unclear whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups."

Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-MI) engaged in a lengthy discussion with Cruz about the calls for more time and more information.  Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) then criticized Cruz for "over the line" attacks on Hagel's patriotism.

Arizona Senator and former Hagel friend John McCain (R-AZ) then got a big thank you smile from Nelson when he decided to enter - and end - the tense debate:  "I just want to make it clear, Senator Hagel is a honorable man.  He has served his country, and no one on this Committee, at any time, should impugn his character or his integrity."



That got the statements back on track, and McCain voted "no", along with the rest of Hagel's former GOP colleagues.  However, the nomination was passed along to the rest of the Senate.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: Rep. Schweikert and His Wife Play Funky Game, On Valentine's Day?!?; Minority Youth Don't Need Higher Minimum Wage, Need Training Wage

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD6) was a guest this morning on C-Span's Morning Journal program.  The first question out of the box was about his reaction to President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage over the next two years to $9/hour.

Schweikert responded by talking about a game he and his wife like to play.  On Valentine's Day, that sounded like a dangerous opening.

"My wife and I have a little game we play.  It's called 'Think Like An Economist.'  If the President really, really is concerned about, you know, urban unemployment of youth, particularly minority youth, which is just astronomical numbers, you would have thought the proposal would have been for this population, for these urban areas, I'm going to do a training wage, those things necessary to expand employment.  Because we know in the economics models, you know, think like an economist, raising the minimum wage, what, almost 20%, is going to raise their unemployment.  So, look, it's great pandering to the political base, but it's really bad economics."



As noted in this Los Angeles Times article, there ARE a number of economists who are not certain that this is the right time to raise the minimum wage.  The article also points out that the average hourly wage in this country is currently close to $20/hour.

In the 45-minute interview, Schweikert weighed in on many issues, including the gun violence debate ("Time to do policy by facts, not feelings") and the GOP's lack of hoped-for success in last year's elections ("Actually, I lay it out as somewhat of a failure of telling our story").






We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

McCain, Kelly Both On NBC's Meet the Press On Sunday

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona continues its over-sized presence on national Sunday news shows - and, on the national political scene in general - this weekend, as senior Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and ret. Space Shuttle Commander - and husband of ret. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) - both are interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press.

McCain will primarily be questioned about the ongoing drama surrounding the nomination of former friend and GOP colleague Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.  McCain joined his fellow Republican Senators in opposing the nomination in the Armed Services Committee and in opposing bringing it to a vote in the full Senate, but he did defend Hagel's integrity when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was questioning whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups".

McCain was among the Republican Senators at the forefront of refusing to allow the nomination to be brought to the floor for a vote this week, stating that he and others still had questions about the President's knowledge and actions during the Benghazi attack.  McCain has signaled that - even though the Administration did not appear to further answer any of the questions - he would support voting on the nomination after the Senate returns from its week-long recess.  (Expect David Gregory to question him about this apparent gamesmanship.)

Mark Kelly has become one of the most prominent voices in the front-and-center debate on reducing gun violence.  Kelly and Giffords formed Americans for Responsible Solutions to support elected officials/candidates who support measures such as universal background checks.  Here is the ad that Kelly and Giffords planned to air earlier this week surrounding President Obama's State of the Union address.

While Kelly and McCain have been Arizona's* two most prominent voices on Sunday morning news shows so far this year, several other Grand Canyon Staters have taken part in the Beltway tradition, easily outpacing what would be Arizona's per-capita representation on the national stage.  (I will do the numbers if challenged on this, but I am Nate Silver-confident in this statement.)


* Kelly is probably spending more living time in Arizona since Giffords retired and moved back to Tucson to continue rehab, and McCain is probably spending less since spending every Sunday in D.C. studios.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

READ: Gov. Brewer Lists Qualities She Admires In Nation's Leaders

To contact us Click HERE
The Governor's Office re-sent me Gov. Jan Brewer's Presidents' Day message this morning, which I took as an indication that they really, REALLY want me to post it.  Frankly, I had ignored it the first time it hit my inbox over the weekend - these kind of things are not usually very newsworthy or interesting.

But, lo and behold, I found this one to be both.

Perhaps, it is because of the Governor's well-known interaction and feelings toward our current President;  her message pointedly - and, properly - honors "past" Presidents.  But, more likely, it is because she notes qualities that she admires, which would apply equally to leading the nation as to leading the state.

She pays the somewhat-obligatory homage to Washington and Lincoln before praising her "favorite president (sic) and personal hero, Ronald Reagan" for his "eternal optimism and shining patriotism".  The Governor - love her or not - seems to seek to emulate those qualities.

Brewer then gets to the meat of her message.  She notes that the "greatest presidents put our country's hopes and dreams before their own."  She points out their "demonstrated dignity", "statesmanship even through the darkest of hours", and that they make us feel assured.  She praises their "optimism, humility and grace."

Her complete message is below the jump:

“On Monday, Arizonans and Americans take time to pay tribute to the visionary leaders who have helped shape this nation for more than 200 years: our presidents. Whether President Washington, who led us from tyranny and paved our path to liberty and freedom, or President Lincoln, whose unmatched courage and leadership saved the Union, our nation’s leaders have guided us through the toughest of times.
“I’m reminded today of my favorite president and personal hero, Ronald Reagan. His eternal optimism and shining patriotism inspired millions of Americans and moved us toward an era of prosperity and growth. He truly believed America was the shining city on a hill, a beacon of freedom to which the whole world looks for example.
“Our greatest presidents put our country’s hopes and dreams before their own. They demonstrated dignity and statesmanship even through the darkest of hours, and we felt assured under their leadership. As America strives to emerge stronger from our Great Recession, we should look to – and learn from – the optimism, humility and grace of our past leaders.
“I wish all Arizonans a wonderful Presidents’ Day. May God continue to bless Arizona and the United States of America.”

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

DOJ Gave Millions to Illegal Alien 'Sanctuaries,' Report Finds

To contact us Click HERE
DOJ Gave Millions to Illegal Immigrant 'Sanctuaries,' Report Finds

The Department of Justice has spent tens of millions of dollars this year to compensate more than two dozen states, counties and cities for their costs of jailing illegal immigrants -- even though those communities have adopted policies that obstruct immigration enforcement, according to a recently released report.

"Subsidizing Sanctuaries: The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program," a report from the Center for Immigration Studies, found that the federal grant program commonly known as SCAAP allocated $62.2 million -- more than 15 percent of its $400 million total -- to 27 jurisdictions that are widely considered to be "sanctuary communities."

Some of those jurisdictions -- including San Francisco, Chicago and California's Santa Clara County -- are even trying to opt-out of Secure Communities, a program that automatically alerts Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials when criminal illegal immigrants are booked into jail, according to the report.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies and a co-author of the report, said that the grant system as currently structured makes little sense.

"Basically, the federal government is subsidizing through this grant program jurisdictions that on the one hand are complaining about the cost of illegal immigration and demanding reimbursement from the federal government, while at the same time they have policies in place that make their locality a magnet for illegal aliens," Vaughan told FoxNews.com.

"And that's just illogical," she said.

According to Department of Justice figures cited in the report, five of the top 10 SCAAP grants to localities and two of the top 10 grants to states went to jurisdictions that are considered sanctuaries. That includes $14.2 million to Los Angeles County, $13.4 million to New York City and $88 million to the state of California.

Rather than award SCAAP grants to jurisdictions that incur costs of incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens, Vaughan said federal officials should use the grant program as an incentive for communities to participate in immigration enforcement programs like Secure Communities or the 287(g) program, which trains deputies to check the immigration status of individuals they arrest and has identified more than 180,000 illegal immigrants for deportation nationwide
since 2006.

In a statement obtained by FoxNews.com, U.S. Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., said he disagreed with funding sanctuary cities using SCAAP grants and called on the Obama administration to take action.

"In its lawsuit challenging the Arizona immigration law, the Obama administration claims that the law creates a patchwork of immigration enforcement," Miller's statement read. "If this is the case, then the Obama administration should also sue sanctuary cities, for their policies are arguably a 'patchwork' of immigration enforcement as well. It is time for the administration to end its double standard."

To that end, Miller has authored legislation -- the Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act, or LEAVE -- that would prohibit sanctuary communities from receiving both Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security funds.

"I hope the next Congress will take up this commonsense proposal and penalize sanctuary cities for their irresponsible policies," Miller's statement concluded.

In a statement to FoxNews.com, the Department of Justice said it administers the SCAAP grants in accordance with legislation authorizing the program and passed by Congress.

"Funding under this program is provided to any eligible jurisdiction that incurs costs associated with detaining criminal aliens," the statement read. "SCAAP does not inhibit, but rather supports the accountability process by reimbursing local agency costs for detaining illegal aliens who commit crimes."

The statement continued, "Making any jurisdiction ineligible for these funds could have an unintended consequence -- creating a disincentive to detain criminals who are greater flight risks and pose a danger to our communities. The Department of Justice is committed to providing support to our state and local partners to protect the safety of communities."

Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform
, suggested that the number of sanctuary communities would reduce significantly if the DOJ grants were discontinued.

"One of the best fixes is to deny state and federal funding to the places that harbor illegal aliens," Dane said. "The entire country is slowly but surely moving from a sanctuary mentality to a 'fix it' mentality, but you've got these remaining pockets of resistance, many of them in big cities."

Dane continued, "You hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet, and maybe they'll get it. We're reimbursing cities for a problem of their own making."

Source - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/12/doj-gave-millions-sanctuary-communities-report-finds/

WATCH: McCain Defends Hagel's Integrity, "No One...Should Impugn His Integrity"

To contact us Click HERE
The Senate Armed Services Committee meeting this afternoon considering the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) as Secretary of Defense was considerably lengthened after the statement by new Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).  Cruz claimed that it is unclear whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups."

Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-MI) engaged in a lengthy discussion with Cruz about the calls for more time and more information.  Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) then criticized Cruz for "over the line" attacks on Hagel's patriotism.

Arizona Senator and former Hagel friend John McCain (R-AZ) then got a big thank you smile from Nelson when he decided to enter - and end - the tense debate:  "I just want to make it clear, Senator Hagel is a honorable man.  He has served his country, and no one on this Committee, at any time, should impugn his character or his integrity."



That got the statements back on track, and McCain voted "no", along with the rest of Hagel's former GOP colleagues.  However, the nomination was passed along to the rest of the Senate.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: Rep. Schweikert and His Wife Play Funky Game, On Valentine's Day?!?; Minority Youth Don't Need Higher Minimum Wage, Need Training Wage

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD6) was a guest this morning on C-Span's Morning Journal program.  The first question out of the box was about his reaction to President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage over the next two years to $9/hour.

Schweikert responded by talking about a game he and his wife like to play.  On Valentine's Day, that sounded like a dangerous opening.

"My wife and I have a little game we play.  It's called 'Think Like An Economist.'  If the President really, really is concerned about, you know, urban unemployment of youth, particularly minority youth, which is just astronomical numbers, you would have thought the proposal would have been for this population, for these urban areas, I'm going to do a training wage, those things necessary to expand employment.  Because we know in the economics models, you know, think like an economist, raising the minimum wage, what, almost 20%, is going to raise their unemployment.  So, look, it's great pandering to the political base, but it's really bad economics."



As noted in this Los Angeles Times article, there ARE a number of economists who are not certain that this is the right time to raise the minimum wage.  The article also points out that the average hourly wage in this country is currently close to $20/hour.

In the 45-minute interview, Schweikert weighed in on many issues, including the gun violence debate ("Time to do policy by facts, not feelings") and the GOP's lack of hoped-for success in last year's elections ("Actually, I lay it out as somewhat of a failure of telling our story").






We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

McCain, Kelly Both On NBC's Meet the Press On Sunday

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona continues its over-sized presence on national Sunday news shows - and, on the national political scene in general - this weekend, as senior Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and ret. Space Shuttle Commander - and husband of ret. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) - both are interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press.

McCain will primarily be questioned about the ongoing drama surrounding the nomination of former friend and GOP colleague Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.  McCain joined his fellow Republican Senators in opposing the nomination in the Armed Services Committee and in opposing bringing it to a vote in the full Senate, but he did defend Hagel's integrity when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was questioning whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups".

McCain was among the Republican Senators at the forefront of refusing to allow the nomination to be brought to the floor for a vote this week, stating that he and others still had questions about the President's knowledge and actions during the Benghazi attack.  McCain has signaled that - even though the Administration did not appear to further answer any of the questions - he would support voting on the nomination after the Senate returns from its week-long recess.  (Expect David Gregory to question him about this apparent gamesmanship.)

Mark Kelly has become one of the most prominent voices in the front-and-center debate on reducing gun violence.  Kelly and Giffords formed Americans for Responsible Solutions to support elected officials/candidates who support measures such as universal background checks.  Here is the ad that Kelly and Giffords planned to air earlier this week surrounding President Obama's State of the Union address.

While Kelly and McCain have been Arizona's* two most prominent voices on Sunday morning news shows so far this year, several other Grand Canyon Staters have taken part in the Beltway tradition, easily outpacing what would be Arizona's per-capita representation on the national stage.  (I will do the numbers if challenged on this, but I am Nate Silver-confident in this statement.)


* Kelly is probably spending more living time in Arizona since Giffords retired and moved back to Tucson to continue rehab, and McCain is probably spending less since spending every Sunday in D.C. studios.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

READ: Gov. Brewer Lists Qualities She Admires In Nation's Leaders

To contact us Click HERE
The Governor's Office re-sent me Gov. Jan Brewer's Presidents' Day message this morning, which I took as an indication that they really, REALLY want me to post it.  Frankly, I had ignored it the first time it hit my inbox over the weekend - these kind of things are not usually very newsworthy or interesting.

But, lo and behold, I found this one to be both.

Perhaps, it is because of the Governor's well-known interaction and feelings toward our current President;  her message pointedly - and, properly - honors "past" Presidents.  But, more likely, it is because she notes qualities that she admires, which would apply equally to leading the nation as to leading the state.

She pays the somewhat-obligatory homage to Washington and Lincoln before praising her "favorite president (sic) and personal hero, Ronald Reagan" for his "eternal optimism and shining patriotism".  The Governor - love her or not - seems to seek to emulate those qualities.

Brewer then gets to the meat of her message.  She notes that the "greatest presidents put our country's hopes and dreams before their own."  She points out their "demonstrated dignity", "statesmanship even through the darkest of hours", and that they make us feel assured.  She praises their "optimism, humility and grace."

Her complete message is below the jump:

“On Monday, Arizonans and Americans take time to pay tribute to the visionary leaders who have helped shape this nation for more than 200 years: our presidents. Whether President Washington, who led us from tyranny and paved our path to liberty and freedom, or President Lincoln, whose unmatched courage and leadership saved the Union, our nation’s leaders have guided us through the toughest of times.
“I’m reminded today of my favorite president and personal hero, Ronald Reagan. His eternal optimism and shining patriotism inspired millions of Americans and moved us toward an era of prosperity and growth. He truly believed America was the shining city on a hill, a beacon of freedom to which the whole world looks for example.
“Our greatest presidents put our country’s hopes and dreams before their own. They demonstrated dignity and statesmanship even through the darkest of hours, and we felt assured under their leadership. As America strives to emerge stronger from our Great Recession, we should look to – and learn from – the optimism, humility and grace of our past leaders.
“I wish all Arizonans a wonderful Presidents’ Day. May God continue to bless Arizona and the United States of America.”

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

DOJ Gave Millions to Illegal Alien 'Sanctuaries,' Report Finds

To contact us Click HERE
DOJ Gave Millions to Illegal Immigrant 'Sanctuaries,' Report Finds

The Department of Justice has spent tens of millions of dollars this year to compensate more than two dozen states, counties and cities for their costs of jailing illegal immigrants -- even though those communities have adopted policies that obstruct immigration enforcement, according to a recently released report.

"Subsidizing Sanctuaries: The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program," a report from the Center for Immigration Studies, found that the federal grant program commonly known as SCAAP allocated $62.2 million -- more than 15 percent of its $400 million total -- to 27 jurisdictions that are widely considered to be "sanctuary communities."

Some of those jurisdictions -- including San Francisco, Chicago and California's Santa Clara County -- are even trying to opt-out of Secure Communities, a program that automatically alerts Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials when criminal illegal immigrants are booked into jail, according to the report.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies and a co-author of the report, said that the grant system as currently structured makes little sense.

"Basically, the federal government is subsidizing through this grant program jurisdictions that on the one hand are complaining about the cost of illegal immigration and demanding reimbursement from the federal government, while at the same time they have policies in place that make their locality a magnet for illegal aliens," Vaughan told FoxNews.com.

"And that's just illogical," she said.

According to Department of Justice figures cited in the report, five of the top 10 SCAAP grants to localities and two of the top 10 grants to states went to jurisdictions that are considered sanctuaries. That includes $14.2 million to Los Angeles County, $13.4 million to New York City and $88 million to the state of California.

Rather than award SCAAP grants to jurisdictions that incur costs of incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens, Vaughan said federal officials should use the grant program as an incentive for communities to participate in immigration enforcement programs like Secure Communities or the 287(g) program, which trains deputies to check the immigration status of individuals they arrest and has identified more than 180,000 illegal immigrants for deportation nationwide
since 2006.

In a statement obtained by FoxNews.com, U.S. Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., said he disagreed with funding sanctuary cities using SCAAP grants and called on the Obama administration to take action.

"In its lawsuit challenging the Arizona immigration law, the Obama administration claims that the law creates a patchwork of immigration enforcement," Miller's statement read. "If this is the case, then the Obama administration should also sue sanctuary cities, for their policies are arguably a 'patchwork' of immigration enforcement as well. It is time for the administration to end its double standard."

To that end, Miller has authored legislation -- the Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act, or LEAVE -- that would prohibit sanctuary communities from receiving both Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security funds.

"I hope the next Congress will take up this commonsense proposal and penalize sanctuary cities for their irresponsible policies," Miller's statement concluded.

In a statement to FoxNews.com, the Department of Justice said it administers the SCAAP grants in accordance with legislation authorizing the program and passed by Congress.

"Funding under this program is provided to any eligible jurisdiction that incurs costs associated with detaining criminal aliens," the statement read. "SCAAP does not inhibit, but rather supports the accountability process by reimbursing local agency costs for detaining illegal aliens who commit crimes."

The statement continued, "Making any jurisdiction ineligible for these funds could have an unintended consequence -- creating a disincentive to detain criminals who are greater flight risks and pose a danger to our communities. The Department of Justice is committed to providing support to our state and local partners to protect the safety of communities."

Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform
, suggested that the number of sanctuary communities would reduce significantly if the DOJ grants were discontinued.

"One of the best fixes is to deny state and federal funding to the places that harbor illegal aliens," Dane said. "The entire country is slowly but surely moving from a sanctuary mentality to a 'fix it' mentality, but you've got these remaining pockets of resistance, many of them in big cities."

Dane continued, "You hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet, and maybe they'll get it. We're reimbursing cities for a problem of their own making."

Source - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/12/doj-gave-millions-sanctuary-communities-report-finds/

Flake Votes Against Temporary Suspension Of Debt Ceiling, Heads To President's Desk

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) was among the minority voting against the House Republicans' plan to suspend the U.S.' debt ceiling until May - including the provision that suspends some or all Congressional paychecks starting on April 15 if a budget blueprint is not passed.  The measure passed this afternoon, 64-34 (it required a simple majority).


Arizona's other Senator, shrinking violet John McCain, joined 11 other Republicans in voting for the package, which now heads to the President's desk.

Here is the text of what is called the "No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013".  It was designed to advance the House Republicans' talking point that the Senate Democrats have not passed a budget for the past few years.  It will force each House of Congress to pass "a concurrent resolution" by April 15, or that House's or Houses' Members will not receive their paychecks until the end of the Congressional session (or a budget is passed).  (Not yet sure if each House can pass its own "concurrent resolution", which would kind of be where we have been the past several years.)



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: "Take It From Me: Congress Must Act....": Gabby Giffords' First TV Ad

To contact us Click HERE
Retired Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Ret. Cpt. Mark Kelly, have released the first television ad for their new anti-gun violence Super PAC, Americans For Responsible Solutions.

In it, Giffords, who is recovering from her near-assassination two years ago, is the only voice heard on the ad, though Kelly is standing by her side when the two are on camera at the end of the ad.

The ad finishes with Giffords saying, "Take it from me.  Congress must act!  Let's get this done!"  The  ad asks viewers to join us, and the body of the ad addresses the proposed partial solution of universal background checks.

Arizona's Politics is seeking information on when and where the ad is running, and how much is being spent on it.  We will update when we receive an answer.  (However, Politico is reporting that they are hoping to bookend tomorrow's State of the Union address with the ad, and that they are planning another fundraiser for tomorrow.)




We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: McCain Defends Hagel's Integrity, "No One...Should Impugn His Integrity"

To contact us Click HERE
The Senate Armed Services Committee meeting this afternoon considering the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) as Secretary of Defense was considerably lengthened after the statement by new Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).  Cruz claimed that it is unclear whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups."

Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-MI) engaged in a lengthy discussion with Cruz about the calls for more time and more information.  Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) then criticized Cruz for "over the line" attacks on Hagel's patriotism.

Arizona Senator and former Hagel friend John McCain (R-AZ) then got a big thank you smile from Nelson when he decided to enter - and end - the tense debate:  "I just want to make it clear, Senator Hagel is a honorable man.  He has served his country, and no one on this Committee, at any time, should impugn his character or his integrity."



That got the statements back on track, and McCain voted "no", along with the rest of Hagel's former GOP colleagues.  However, the nomination was passed along to the rest of the Senate.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: Rep. Schweikert and His Wife Play Funky Game, On Valentine's Day?!?; Minority Youth Don't Need Higher Minimum Wage, Need Training Wage

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD6) was a guest this morning on C-Span's Morning Journal program.  The first question out of the box was about his reaction to President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage over the next two years to $9/hour.

Schweikert responded by talking about a game he and his wife like to play.  On Valentine's Day, that sounded like a dangerous opening.

"My wife and I have a little game we play.  It's called 'Think Like An Economist.'  If the President really, really is concerned about, you know, urban unemployment of youth, particularly minority youth, which is just astronomical numbers, you would have thought the proposal would have been for this population, for these urban areas, I'm going to do a training wage, those things necessary to expand employment.  Because we know in the economics models, you know, think like an economist, raising the minimum wage, what, almost 20%, is going to raise their unemployment.  So, look, it's great pandering to the political base, but it's really bad economics."



As noted in this Los Angeles Times article, there ARE a number of economists who are not certain that this is the right time to raise the minimum wage.  The article also points out that the average hourly wage in this country is currently close to $20/hour.

In the 45-minute interview, Schweikert weighed in on many issues, including the gun violence debate ("Time to do policy by facts, not feelings") and the GOP's lack of hoped-for success in last year's elections ("Actually, I lay it out as somewhat of a failure of telling our story").






We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

READ: Gov. Brewer Lists Qualities She Admires In Nation's Leaders

To contact us Click HERE
The Governor's Office re-sent me Gov. Jan Brewer's Presidents' Day message this morning, which I took as an indication that they really, REALLY want me to post it.  Frankly, I had ignored it the first time it hit my inbox over the weekend - these kind of things are not usually very newsworthy or interesting.

But, lo and behold, I found this one to be both.

Perhaps, it is because of the Governor's well-known interaction and feelings toward our current President;  her message pointedly - and, properly - honors "past" Presidents.  But, more likely, it is because she notes qualities that she admires, which would apply equally to leading the nation as to leading the state.

She pays the somewhat-obligatory homage to Washington and Lincoln before praising her "favorite president (sic) and personal hero, Ronald Reagan" for his "eternal optimism and shining patriotism".  The Governor - love her or not - seems to seek to emulate those qualities.

Brewer then gets to the meat of her message.  She notes that the "greatest presidents put our country's hopes and dreams before their own."  She points out their "demonstrated dignity", "statesmanship even through the darkest of hours", and that they make us feel assured.  She praises their "optimism, humility and grace."

Her complete message is below the jump:

“On Monday, Arizonans and Americans take time to pay tribute to the visionary leaders who have helped shape this nation for more than 200 years: our presidents. Whether President Washington, who led us from tyranny and paved our path to liberty and freedom, or President Lincoln, whose unmatched courage and leadership saved the Union, our nation’s leaders have guided us through the toughest of times.
“I’m reminded today of my favorite president and personal hero, Ronald Reagan. His eternal optimism and shining patriotism inspired millions of Americans and moved us toward an era of prosperity and growth. He truly believed America was the shining city on a hill, a beacon of freedom to which the whole world looks for example.
“Our greatest presidents put our country’s hopes and dreams before their own. They demonstrated dignity and statesmanship even through the darkest of hours, and we felt assured under their leadership. As America strives to emerge stronger from our Great Recession, we should look to – and learn from – the optimism, humility and grace of our past leaders.
“I wish all Arizonans a wonderful Presidents’ Day. May God continue to bless Arizona and the United States of America.”

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: McCain Defends Hagel's Integrity, "No One...Should Impugn His Integrity"

To contact us Click HERE
The Senate Armed Services Committee meeting this afternoon considering the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) as Secretary of Defense was considerably lengthened after the statement by new Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).  Cruz claimed that it is unclear whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups."

Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-MI) engaged in a lengthy discussion with Cruz about the calls for more time and more information.  Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) then criticized Cruz for "over the line" attacks on Hagel's patriotism.

Arizona Senator and former Hagel friend John McCain (R-AZ) then got a big thank you smile from Nelson when he decided to enter - and end - the tense debate:  "I just want to make it clear, Senator Hagel is a honorable man.  He has served his country, and no one on this Committee, at any time, should impugn his character or his integrity."



That got the statements back on track, and McCain voted "no", along with the rest of Hagel's former GOP colleagues.  However, the nomination was passed along to the rest of the Senate.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: Rep. Schweikert and His Wife Play Funky Game, On Valentine's Day?!?; Minority Youth Don't Need Higher Minimum Wage, Need Training Wage

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD6) was a guest this morning on C-Span's Morning Journal program.  The first question out of the box was about his reaction to President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage over the next two years to $9/hour.

Schweikert responded by talking about a game he and his wife like to play.  On Valentine's Day, that sounded like a dangerous opening.

"My wife and I have a little game we play.  It's called 'Think Like An Economist.'  If the President really, really is concerned about, you know, urban unemployment of youth, particularly minority youth, which is just astronomical numbers, you would have thought the proposal would have been for this population, for these urban areas, I'm going to do a training wage, those things necessary to expand employment.  Because we know in the economics models, you know, think like an economist, raising the minimum wage, what, almost 20%, is going to raise their unemployment.  So, look, it's great pandering to the political base, but it's really bad economics."



As noted in this Los Angeles Times article, there ARE a number of economists who are not certain that this is the right time to raise the minimum wage.  The article also points out that the average hourly wage in this country is currently close to $20/hour.

In the 45-minute interview, Schweikert weighed in on many issues, including the gun violence debate ("Time to do policy by facts, not feelings") and the GOP's lack of hoped-for success in last year's elections ("Actually, I lay it out as somewhat of a failure of telling our story").






We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

McCain, Kelly Both On NBC's Meet the Press On Sunday

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Arizona continues its over-sized presence on national Sunday news shows - and, on the national political scene in general - this weekend, as senior Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and ret. Space Shuttle Commander - and husband of ret. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) - both are interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press.

McCain will primarily be questioned about the ongoing drama surrounding the nomination of former friend and GOP colleague Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.  McCain joined his fellow Republican Senators in opposing the nomination in the Armed Services Committee and in opposing bringing it to a vote in the full Senate, but he did defend Hagel's integrity when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was questioning whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups".

McCain was among the Republican Senators at the forefront of refusing to allow the nomination to be brought to the floor for a vote this week, stating that he and others still had questions about the President's knowledge and actions during the Benghazi attack.  McCain has signaled that - even though the Administration did not appear to further answer any of the questions - he would support voting on the nomination after the Senate returns from its week-long recess.  (Expect David Gregory to question him about this apparent gamesmanship.)

Mark Kelly has become one of the most prominent voices in the front-and-center debate on reducing gun violence.  Kelly and Giffords formed Americans for Responsible Solutions to support elected officials/candidates who support measures such as universal background checks.  Here is the ad that Kelly and Giffords planned to air earlier this week surrounding President Obama's State of the Union address.

While Kelly and McCain have been Arizona's* two most prominent voices on Sunday morning news shows so far this year, several other Grand Canyon Staters have taken part in the Beltway tradition, easily outpacing what would be Arizona's per-capita representation on the national stage.  (I will do the numbers if challenged on this, but I am Nate Silver-confident in this statement.)


* Kelly is probably spending more living time in Arizona since Giffords retired and moved back to Tucson to continue rehab, and McCain is probably spending less since spending every Sunday in D.C. studios.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

READ: Gov. Brewer Lists Qualities She Admires In Nation's Leaders

To contact us Click HERE
The Governor's Office re-sent me Gov. Jan Brewer's Presidents' Day message this morning, which I took as an indication that they really, REALLY want me to post it.  Frankly, I had ignored it the first time it hit my inbox over the weekend - these kind of things are not usually very newsworthy or interesting.

But, lo and behold, I found this one to be both.

Perhaps, it is because of the Governor's well-known interaction and feelings toward our current President;  her message pointedly - and, properly - honors "past" Presidents.  But, more likely, it is because she notes qualities that she admires, which would apply equally to leading the nation as to leading the state.

She pays the somewhat-obligatory homage to Washington and Lincoln before praising her "favorite president (sic) and personal hero, Ronald Reagan" for his "eternal optimism and shining patriotism".  The Governor - love her or not - seems to seek to emulate those qualities.

Brewer then gets to the meat of her message.  She notes that the "greatest presidents put our country's hopes and dreams before their own."  She points out their "demonstrated dignity", "statesmanship even through the darkest of hours", and that they make us feel assured.  She praises their "optimism, humility and grace."

Her complete message is below the jump:

“On Monday, Arizonans and Americans take time to pay tribute to the visionary leaders who have helped shape this nation for more than 200 years: our presidents. Whether President Washington, who led us from tyranny and paved our path to liberty and freedom, or President Lincoln, whose unmatched courage and leadership saved the Union, our nation’s leaders have guided us through the toughest of times.
“I’m reminded today of my favorite president and personal hero, Ronald Reagan. His eternal optimism and shining patriotism inspired millions of Americans and moved us toward an era of prosperity and growth. He truly believed America was the shining city on a hill, a beacon of freedom to which the whole world looks for example.
“Our greatest presidents put our country’s hopes and dreams before their own. They demonstrated dignity and statesmanship even through the darkest of hours, and we felt assured under their leadership. As America strives to emerge stronger from our Great Recession, we should look to – and learn from – the optimism, humility and grace of our past leaders.
“I wish all Arizonans a wonderful Presidents’ Day. May God continue to bless Arizona and the United States of America.”

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

DOJ Gave Millions to Illegal Alien 'Sanctuaries,' Report Finds

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DOJ Gave Millions to Illegal Immigrant 'Sanctuaries,' Report Finds

The Department of Justice has spent tens of millions of dollars this year to compensate more than two dozen states, counties and cities for their costs of jailing illegal immigrants -- even though those communities have adopted policies that obstruct immigration enforcement, according to a recently released report.

"Subsidizing Sanctuaries: The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program," a report from the Center for Immigration Studies, found that the federal grant program commonly known as SCAAP allocated $62.2 million -- more than 15 percent of its $400 million total -- to 27 jurisdictions that are widely considered to be "sanctuary communities."

Some of those jurisdictions -- including San Francisco, Chicago and California's Santa Clara County -- are even trying to opt-out of Secure Communities, a program that automatically alerts Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials when criminal illegal immigrants are booked into jail, according to the report.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies and a co-author of the report, said that the grant system as currently structured makes little sense.

"Basically, the federal government is subsidizing through this grant program jurisdictions that on the one hand are complaining about the cost of illegal immigration and demanding reimbursement from the federal government, while at the same time they have policies in place that make their locality a magnet for illegal aliens," Vaughan told FoxNews.com.

"And that's just illogical," she said.

According to Department of Justice figures cited in the report, five of the top 10 SCAAP grants to localities and two of the top 10 grants to states went to jurisdictions that are considered sanctuaries. That includes $14.2 million to Los Angeles County, $13.4 million to New York City and $88 million to the state of California.

Rather than award SCAAP grants to jurisdictions that incur costs of incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens, Vaughan said federal officials should use the grant program as an incentive for communities to participate in immigration enforcement programs like Secure Communities or the 287(g) program, which trains deputies to check the immigration status of individuals they arrest and has identified more than 180,000 illegal immigrants for deportation nationwide
since 2006.

In a statement obtained by FoxNews.com, U.S. Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., said he disagreed with funding sanctuary cities using SCAAP grants and called on the Obama administration to take action.

"In its lawsuit challenging the Arizona immigration law, the Obama administration claims that the law creates a patchwork of immigration enforcement," Miller's statement read. "If this is the case, then the Obama administration should also sue sanctuary cities, for their policies are arguably a 'patchwork' of immigration enforcement as well. It is time for the administration to end its double standard."

To that end, Miller has authored legislation -- the Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act, or LEAVE -- that would prohibit sanctuary communities from receiving both Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security funds.

"I hope the next Congress will take up this commonsense proposal and penalize sanctuary cities for their irresponsible policies," Miller's statement concluded.

In a statement to FoxNews.com, the Department of Justice said it administers the SCAAP grants in accordance with legislation authorizing the program and passed by Congress.

"Funding under this program is provided to any eligible jurisdiction that incurs costs associated with detaining criminal aliens," the statement read. "SCAAP does not inhibit, but rather supports the accountability process by reimbursing local agency costs for detaining illegal aliens who commit crimes."

The statement continued, "Making any jurisdiction ineligible for these funds could have an unintended consequence -- creating a disincentive to detain criminals who are greater flight risks and pose a danger to our communities. The Department of Justice is committed to providing support to our state and local partners to protect the safety of communities."

Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform
, suggested that the number of sanctuary communities would reduce significantly if the DOJ grants were discontinued.

"One of the best fixes is to deny state and federal funding to the places that harbor illegal aliens," Dane said. "The entire country is slowly but surely moving from a sanctuary mentality to a 'fix it' mentality, but you've got these remaining pockets of resistance, many of them in big cities."

Dane continued, "You hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet, and maybe they'll get it. We're reimbursing cities for a problem of their own making."

Source - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/12/doj-gave-millions-sanctuary-communities-report-finds/

WATCH: McCain Defends Hagel's Integrity, "No One...Should Impugn His Integrity"

To contact us Click HERE
The Senate Armed Services Committee meeting this afternoon considering the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) as Secretary of Defense was considerably lengthened after the statement by new Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).  Cruz claimed that it is unclear whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups."

Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-MI) engaged in a lengthy discussion with Cruz about the calls for more time and more information.  Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) then criticized Cruz for "over the line" attacks on Hagel's patriotism.

Arizona Senator and former Hagel friend John McCain (R-AZ) then got a big thank you smile from Nelson when he decided to enter - and end - the tense debate:  "I just want to make it clear, Senator Hagel is a honorable man.  He has served his country, and no one on this Committee, at any time, should impugn his character or his integrity."



That got the statements back on track, and McCain voted "no", along with the rest of Hagel's former GOP colleagues.  However, the nomination was passed along to the rest of the Senate.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: Rep. Schweikert and His Wife Play Funky Game, On Valentine's Day?!?; Minority Youth Don't Need Higher Minimum Wage, Need Training Wage

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD6) was a guest this morning on C-Span's Morning Journal program.  The first question out of the box was about his reaction to President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage over the next two years to $9/hour.

Schweikert responded by talking about a game he and his wife like to play.  On Valentine's Day, that sounded like a dangerous opening.

"My wife and I have a little game we play.  It's called 'Think Like An Economist.'  If the President really, really is concerned about, you know, urban unemployment of youth, particularly minority youth, which is just astronomical numbers, you would have thought the proposal would have been for this population, for these urban areas, I'm going to do a training wage, those things necessary to expand employment.  Because we know in the economics models, you know, think like an economist, raising the minimum wage, what, almost 20%, is going to raise their unemployment.  So, look, it's great pandering to the political base, but it's really bad economics."



As noted in this Los Angeles Times article, there ARE a number of economists who are not certain that this is the right time to raise the minimum wage.  The article also points out that the average hourly wage in this country is currently close to $20/hour.

In the 45-minute interview, Schweikert weighed in on many issues, including the gun violence debate ("Time to do policy by facts, not feelings") and the GOP's lack of hoped-for success in last year's elections ("Actually, I lay it out as somewhat of a failure of telling our story").






We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

McCain, Kelly Both On NBC's Meet the Press On Sunday

To contact us Click HERE
Arizona continues its over-sized presence on national Sunday news shows - and, on the national political scene in general - this weekend, as senior Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and ret. Space Shuttle Commander - and husband of ret. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) - both are interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press.

McCain will primarily be questioned about the ongoing drama surrounding the nomination of former friend and GOP colleague Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.  McCain joined his fellow Republican Senators in opposing the nomination in the Armed Services Committee and in opposing bringing it to a vote in the full Senate, but he did defend Hagel's integrity when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was questioning whether Hagel had received speaking fees from "radical and extreme groups".

McCain was among the Republican Senators at the forefront of refusing to allow the nomination to be brought to the floor for a vote this week, stating that he and others still had questions about the President's knowledge and actions during the Benghazi attack.  McCain has signaled that - even though the Administration did not appear to further answer any of the questions - he would support voting on the nomination after the Senate returns from its week-long recess.  (Expect David Gregory to question him about this apparent gamesmanship.)

Mark Kelly has become one of the most prominent voices in the front-and-center debate on reducing gun violence.  Kelly and Giffords formed Americans for Responsible Solutions to support elected officials/candidates who support measures such as universal background checks.  Here is the ad that Kelly and Giffords planned to air earlier this week surrounding President Obama's State of the Union address.

While Kelly and McCain have been Arizona's* two most prominent voices on Sunday morning news shows so far this year, several other Grand Canyon Staters have taken part in the Beltway tradition, easily outpacing what would be Arizona's per-capita representation on the national stage.  (I will do the numbers if challenged on this, but I am Nate Silver-confident in this statement.)


* Kelly is probably spending more living time in Arizona since Giffords retired and moved back to Tucson to continue rehab, and McCain is probably spending less since spending every Sunday in D.C. studios.



We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

READ: Gov. Brewer Lists Qualities She Admires In Nation's Leaders

To contact us Click HERE
The Governor's Office re-sent me Gov. Jan Brewer's Presidents' Day message this morning, which I took as an indication that they really, REALLY want me to post it.  Frankly, I had ignored it the first time it hit my inbox over the weekend - these kind of things are not usually very newsworthy or interesting.

But, lo and behold, I found this one to be both.

Perhaps, it is because of the Governor's well-known interaction and feelings toward our current President;  her message pointedly - and, properly - honors "past" Presidents.  But, more likely, it is because she notes qualities that she admires, which would apply equally to leading the nation as to leading the state.

She pays the somewhat-obligatory homage to Washington and Lincoln before praising her "favorite president (sic) and personal hero, Ronald Reagan" for his "eternal optimism and shining patriotism".  The Governor - love her or not - seems to seek to emulate those qualities.

Brewer then gets to the meat of her message.  She notes that the "greatest presidents put our country's hopes and dreams before their own."  She points out their "demonstrated dignity", "statesmanship even through the darkest of hours", and that they make us feel assured.  She praises their "optimism, humility and grace."

Her complete message is below the jump:

“On Monday, Arizonans and Americans take time to pay tribute to the visionary leaders who have helped shape this nation for more than 200 years: our presidents. Whether President Washington, who led us from tyranny and paved our path to liberty and freedom, or President Lincoln, whose unmatched courage and leadership saved the Union, our nation’s leaders have guided us through the toughest of times.
“I’m reminded today of my favorite president and personal hero, Ronald Reagan. His eternal optimism and shining patriotism inspired millions of Americans and moved us toward an era of prosperity and growth. He truly believed America was the shining city on a hill, a beacon of freedom to which the whole world looks for example.
“Our greatest presidents put our country’s hopes and dreams before their own. They demonstrated dignity and statesmanship even through the darkest of hours, and we felt assured under their leadership. As America strives to emerge stronger from our Great Recession, we should look to – and learn from – the optimism, humility and grace of our past leaders.
“I wish all Arizonans a wonderful Presidents’ Day. May God continue to bless Arizona and the United States of America.”

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

WATCH: Anti-Recall Arpaio Group News Conference; READ Their Cease and Desist Demand; Analysis

To contact us Click HERE
Unfortunately, Arizona's Politics was unable to attend the inaugural news conference of the Citizens To Protect Fair Election Results ("CPFER") yesterday - I already had meetings scheduled.  Fortunately, though, CPFER has already posted the entire conference and the demand letter online.  They have sent out their cease and desist letter to the committee attempting to recall Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and have given them until (Saturday) March 2 to comply.



Well-known attorney Larry Klayman announced that he had been retained as General Counsel for CPFER, rather than just an attorney retained by the LLC for possible litigation.  He reiterated the claim that the recall was filed unconstitutionally early, ignoring the six-month waiting period.  He riffed on the name of the recall group, saying that Respect Arizona was disrespecting voters and disenfranchising them.  He called the recall proponents "vigilantes" and he said they are violating the 1st, 5th and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

He sat down and allowed CPFER member Linda Brickman* dramatically read a manifesto promising that the Arpaio recall was result in electoral war and that it is already prompting responses that will attempt to recall numerous other elected officials.  (It may, in fact, be a hint of the "blocking" strategy that Arpaio campaign manager Chad Willems hinted at last weekend: flooding the streets with competing recall petitions, thus turning off potential signers and public opinion.)

Klayman then praised Brickman's "excellent recitation", and refused to take any questions.  Here is his demand letter:


Arizona's Politics has already participated in some analysis of the legal basis CPFER's demand on this blog and elsewhere.  A very good presentation is found in this Phoenix New Times' article.  Well-known Arizona election law expert Paul Eckstein gave an unequivocal thumbs down to Klayman's interpretation of the Arizona Constitution in the Channel 12 video below.  And, ASU Law Professor David Gartner gave CPFER a kernel to hold on to in the Associated Press article when he said that he "interprets" the constitutional section to permit the recall against Joe; a valid legal term, but permitting Klayman to hang on to the claim that his interpretation is different.
That glimmer of hope could matter, because Arizona statutes permit attorneys to be held personally responsible for opponents' attorney's fees and double damages if they litigate groundless claims for harassment purposes (A.R.S. 12-349).


* Brickman was on November's election ballot along with Arpaio.  She ran unsuccessfully for one of five open positions on the Central Arizona Water Conservation District's Board of Directors; she received 214,000 votes and finished 8th (out of 13 candidates)

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

READ: Gov. Brewer Lists Qualities She Admires In Nation's Leaders

To contact us Click HERE
The Governor's Office re-sent me Gov. Jan Brewer's Presidents' Day message this morning, which I took as an indication that they really, REALLY want me to post it.  Frankly, I had ignored it the first time it hit my inbox over the weekend - these kind of things are not usually very newsworthy or interesting.

But, lo and behold, I found this one to be both.

Perhaps, it is because of the Governor's well-known interaction and feelings toward our current President;  her message pointedly - and, properly - honors "past" Presidents.  But, more likely, it is because she notes qualities that she admires, which would apply equally to leading the nation as to leading the state.

She pays the somewhat-obligatory homage to Washington and Lincoln before praising her "favorite president (sic) and personal hero, Ronald Reagan" for his "eternal optimism and shining patriotism".  The Governor - love her or not - seems to seek to emulate those qualities.

Brewer then gets to the meat of her message.  She notes that the "greatest presidents put our country's hopes and dreams before their own."  She points out their "demonstrated dignity", "statesmanship even through the darkest of hours", and that they make us feel assured.  She praises their "optimism, humility and grace."

Her complete message is below the jump:

“On Monday, Arizonans and Americans take time to pay tribute to the visionary leaders who have helped shape this nation for more than 200 years: our presidents. Whether President Washington, who led us from tyranny and paved our path to liberty and freedom, or President Lincoln, whose unmatched courage and leadership saved the Union, our nation’s leaders have guided us through the toughest of times.
“I’m reminded today of my favorite president and personal hero, Ronald Reagan. His eternal optimism and shining patriotism inspired millions of Americans and moved us toward an era of prosperity and growth. He truly believed America was the shining city on a hill, a beacon of freedom to which the whole world looks for example.
“Our greatest presidents put our country’s hopes and dreams before their own. They demonstrated dignity and statesmanship even through the darkest of hours, and we felt assured under their leadership. As America strives to emerge stronger from our Great Recession, we should look to – and learn from – the optimism, humility and grace of our past leaders.
“I wish all Arizonans a wonderful Presidents’ Day. May God continue to bless Arizona and the United States of America.”

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.

VIEW: New Anti-Arpaio-Recall Group Forms LLC, Ready To File Legal Action?

To contact us Click HERE
Earlier today, Channel 12 political reporter extraordinaire Brahm Resnick noted on his Facebook page that the Surprise Tea Party had teamed up with well-known attorney Larry Klayman to prepare to issue a "cease and desist" order against the Respect Arizona group collecting signatures to attempt to recall Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

This evening, Arizona Republic reporter Michelle Lee tweeted that the leaders of that Tea Party group has formed a committee.

Here is the Corporation Commission filing for the Citizens To Protect Fair Election Results, LLC.


There is not yet a committee filing shown on the Arizona Secretary of State's website, which is where a political committee's organization would be filed.  (The SoS generally posts these filings in close to real time.)  An LLC (limited liability company) is a good corporate structure and is a good entity for filing a legal action under, because of the difficulty in holding the individual members of the company liable (for, say, legal fees in the event of an unsuccessful legal action).  However, any actions this committee takes will (almost) undoubtedly qualify it as a "political committee" that will require it to file with the Secretary of State and disclose contributions and expenditures (eventually).

Klayman, and the Wises, declined to respond to Arizona's Politics inquiries.  Another member of the Surprise Tea Party did respond and asked me to wait for either the Wises or for the announcement.  He reminded me that the Surprise Tea Party is the organization that "was successful in getting Sheriff Joe to ask the Cold Case Posse to investigate whether Obama meets the Constitutional requirements to be POTUS."

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.