Shake up in the Arizona Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

This past week may portend a shake up in the Arizona Senate with two members leaving, and two more members potentially leaving under the threat of prosecution and ethics complaints.

Sen. Richard Crandall (R-Mesa) is leaving to run the Wyoming Education Department. Crandall is considered a “moderate” in the modern-day Tea-Publican Party of wild-eyed crazies, and is likely to be replaced by a Tea-Publican less pragmatic and willing to compromise than he is. This bodes ill for the bipartisanship that helped to pass the Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration/expansion plan.

Sen. Jack Jackson Jr. (D-Window Rock) is leaving to take a job at the State Department as the liaison to Native American tribes on environmental
issues. I have not heard any speculation on who his replacement might be. If you know any scuttlebutt, post it in the comments.

Sen.
Rick Murphy
(R-Peoria) is under investigation over
allegations that he molested foster children left in his care.

Sen.
Don Shooter
(R-Yuma) was charged with a trio of
misdemeanors as a result of barging into his grandson’s high school
classroom earlier this year.

The news about Murphy and
Shooter has prompted some capitol observers to wonder when the two senators will
face ethics charges. Time to wake the Ethics Committee? (Yellow Sheet Report).

It’s no loss losing Murphy and Shooter, good riddance. But their replacements are almost certain to be as right-wing as they are.