AZ Congressional Delegation

On the first day of Congress, radical Tea-Publicans gave to me . . .

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Wasting no time in pursuit of a radical agenda, Tea-Publicans took some bold moves on the first day of the 114th Congress.

Remember when Tea-Publicans campaigned on a “jobs agenda” and the economy? Yeah, they lied.

Abortion

Arizona’s most extreme ideological congressman and anti-abortion zealot, Trent Franks, is back again with yet another version of his anti-abortion bill. Congress Introduces A National Abortion Ban On Its Very First Day Back:

Republicans in Congress are wasting no time following through on the anti-abortion agenda the GOP laid out after winning significant gains in the 2014 midterm elections.

Trent_FranksOn Tuesday, the very first day of the 114th Congress, two lawmakers introduced a measure to ban abortions after 20 weeks, in direct violation of the protections afforded under Roe v. Wade. Reps. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, the same legislation that successfully passed the House last year.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) — who introduced a companion 20-week abortion ban in the Senate last year that was stalled by Democratic leadership — has already indicated that he plans to re-introduce his own measure in the next few weeks, too. Now that the Senate is GOP-controlled, Republicans are anticipating that they’ll have enough support to pass the ban in both chambers this year, helping the anti-choice community gain momentum for this particular tactic to limit reproductive rights.

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AZ right wingers want possibly the nuttiest guy in Congress to be Speaker

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gohmert

From the denizens of Sonoran Alliance* comes this plea:

In an exclusive interview on Fox News this morning, Texas Republican Louis Gohmert announced that he is joining Florida Republican Ted Yoho in challenging John Boehner for the Speakership.

Both candidates echo the sentiment of the grassroots that Speaker Boehner has nothing but a track record of failed leadership and missed opportunities since taking the gavel in 2011. His unwillingness to use the power of the purse to reign in Obama in addition to his broken promises that he gave in 2012 to use of ‘Regular Order’ and the Hastert Rule are primary reasons that leave him vulnerable to a challenge…

…Will the Arizona Republican Delegation join Rep. Thomas Massie and Oklahoma Republican Jim Bridenstine and side with the Conservative base? Or will they side with the ineffective, inept, and complicit GOP leadership? Arizona voters will find out Tuesday when Congress votes — until then, give them a call or a tweet and make your voice heard.

Rep. Gosar Contact info – (928) 445-1683/(202) 225-2315 | Gosar’s Twitter Account
Rep. Franks Contact info – (623) 776-7911/(202) 225-4576 | Franks’ Twitter Account
Rep. Schweikert Contact info – (480) 946-2411/(202) 225-2190 | Schweikert’s Twitter Account
Rep. Salmon Contact info – (202) 225-2635/(480) 699-8239 |Salmon’s Twitter Account

Note: the primary Hashtag on Twitter is #FireBoehner

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Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission oral argument on March 2

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The_Gerry-Mander_EditThe U.S. Supreme Court announced its calendar for oral argument in February and early March last week. The Tea-Publican legislators of the Arizona Legislature challenging your voter-approved citizens initiative to create the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) for the purpose of redistricting in Arizona State Legislature v.  Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, has been set for oral argument on March 2. Docket for 13-1314.

The related appeal in Harris v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission has been briefed by the parties, but has not yet been assigned to the Court’s Conference Calendar for consideration of whether or not to grant oral argument. Docket for 14-232. (If granted, I believe it likely that Harris would be heard at the same time on March 2).

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Why are conservatives unwilling to admit that pulling “The Interview” was a business decision?

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Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, along with Rep. Paul Gosar have joined the conservative hand-wringing over Sony’s decision to pull the release of “The Interview”.

That move came after U.S. intelligence linked the North Korean government to hackers who made violent threats about the comedy film. In the movie, a TV crew travels to North Korea to interview dictator Kim Jong Un, and they are recruited by the CIA to assassinate Kim.

“It’s remarkable that a country like North Korea can have that capability,” McCain said. “If they are able to disrupt a film, you can imagine what they are doing or attempting to do to our national defense capability. This is deeply alarming.”

Flake added the hacking incident was a “huge wake up call.”

“If they can wreak that kind of havoc in the entertainment industry, then you’ve got to worry where else their reach is,” Flake said. “It’s very concerning.”

Gosar quipped: “Just show the movie.”

When Americans can’t see one particular Seth Rogen movie the terrorists have won! Like pretty much most people, I think Sony made a bad decision but it’s fairly obvious why they made it and, contrary to what the right wing perpetual outrage machine is spinning,

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Rep. Trent Franks dares to explain torture to Sen. John McCain

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Trent_FranksThere are many qualified candidates on the list for the “Worst Member of Congress,” but Arizona’s contribution to this list is Rep. Trent Franks, a Christian Right anti-abortion zealot ( he founded the Arizona Family Research Institute, the predecessor to Center for Arizona Policy) and an avowed Islamophobic bigot.

Arizona’s worst member of Congress dares to explain to Senator John McCain, the only member of Congress who was actually tortured as a prisoner of war, that he doesn’t know what he is talking about. Waterboarding is not torture according to this uninformed ideological extremist (more on this below). I’ll bet Arizona’s angry old man is scrapping to kick his ignorant ass!

The Arizona Republic reports, Franks says McCain wrong, waterboarding not torture:

U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., says the CIA’s use of waterboarding was not torture and that a scathing Senate report on the agency’s secret interrogations released Tuesday was politically motivated.

Franks added that he disagreed with the only member of Congress who has endured torture, Arizona’s senior Sen. John McCain. McCain has called waterboarding “an exquisite form of torture” that is “shameful and unnecessary.”

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