AZ Congressional Delegation

Charles Pierce on Richard Mack

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Charles Pierce at Esquire has more on former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack, and his conspiratorial Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association in this report, The Latest From The Front:

The great victory for freedom and liberty (!) struck at the Bundy Ranch continues to resonate across the land like a 50-pound bag of manure dropped into a massive copper skillet. The latest insanity comes to us courtesy of The Blaze, the print version of the voices in Glenn Beck’s head, which voices seem to be a bit horrified at the whole business.

Mack made the chilling revelation on Fox News’ “The Real Story” Monday, two days after the tense standoff between Bundy and the federal government came to a peaceful end. “We were actually strategizing to put all the women up at the front,” he said. “If they are going to start shooting, it’s going to be women that are going to be televised all across the world getting shot by these rogue federal officers.”

Mack obviously was inspired by the hundreds accounts of how the Minutemen hid behind their wives’ skirts on Lexington Green and Concord Bridge, and of how the ladies of the Old North Church were arrayed in battle lines up on top of Breed’s Hill in Charlestown. And surely I can’t be the only one who noticed that Mack’s account is remarkable devoid of comment from the actual women he says he was going to use as human shields. I’m sure this is an oversight.

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Neo-Confederate anti-government sedition in Arizona

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The Arizona Republic finally got around to doing an investigative reporting piece on the sovereign citizen movement over the weekend, and it fell woefully short. This lengthy report failed to mention those who are members and sympathizers in Arizona, as has been reported here over the years. Sovereign citizens challenge authority of law:

Confederale SoldiersThe Republic contacted more than a dozen people who had identified themselves as sovereign in Phoenix and other cities across the state, including people who claimed affiliation with sovereign groups called the “Republic for the united States of America” and the “Republic for Arizona.” Some had served in the military. Others mentioned college degrees.

Only one agreed to speak in person and on the record.

Rockney Willard Martineau was in a Maricopa County jail.

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Over the course of 2013, The Republic polled sheriff’s and recorder’s offices across Arizona about their interactions with sovereign citizens. The results showed a mixed picture of the belief’s prominence in the state.

Some law-enforcement officials said they had not seen much activity in several years, while others said sovereigns in their jurisdictions are well-known. Recorders in several counties rarely see a filing, while others report three to 10 a week, although some of those arrive from other states.

The FBI is keeping a close watch.

Seriously? Perhaps the problem is how this reporter defined “sovereign citizen,” disregarding the numerous far-right anti-government organizations to which these extremists belong. If The Republic polled sheriff’s offices, how is it possible that they missed these guys?

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Democrats respond to ‘Kochtopus’ attack ads

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A member of the “Kochtopus,” the LIBRE Initiative, is running attack ads in Arizona against Democratic congress critters — but don’t criticize the Koch’s because that is just suppressing their free speech, dontcha know. The Democrats are jumping on their throats. DJ Quinlan, Executive Director 480-518-5237 dquinlan@azdem.org NEWS RELEASE Out of State Billionaires Trying to … Read more

Just give us an up or down vote on the immigration bill

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Screenshot-6Congressional Democrats are going to try to bypass the TanMan, Weeper of the House John Boehner, the “Worst. Speaker. Ever.” who has refused to bring up any immigration bill in the House that he controls, by introducing a discharge petition in the House today. Democrats to Try Long-Shot Tactic for House Immigration Vote:

House Democrats will carry out a long-shot legislative maneuver on Wednesday that is intended to bring a broad immigration bill to the House floor for a vote — or, at the very least, to increase the pressure on Republicans to move forward on some form of overhaul before the end of the year.

The maneuver, known as a discharge petition, would require 218 signatures and allow House Democrats and Republicans who support the immigration legislation to circumvent the Republican majority and bypass the regular committee process.

Screenshot from 2014-03-26 09:39:51

House Democrats are calling the effort the #DemandAVote petition, and they hope to force Republicans to take up the immigration bill, which largely mirrors the broad measure the Senate passed last year. The bill has 200 co-sponsors, including three Republicans, and it is officially known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act.

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Hey Doug Ducey, don’t be coy about your health policy advisor!

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It must be true, since the National Journal picked up the press release from the Arizona Democratic Party and published it online.

For Immediate Release: March 18, 2014 Phoenix, AZ-DJ Quinlan, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party, released the following statement today regarding comments made by former U.S. Congressman,John Shadegg, a top healthcare advisor to Doug Ducey: “Last night during a tele-town hall conducted by gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey,Ducey’s top healthcare advisor, former U.S. Congressman John Shadegg, called Governor Brewer’s expansion of Medicaid a ‘Ponzi Scheme’ and suggested that we should ‘get rid of Medicaid’ and ‘should not have a single government-run healthcare program, period.’ Government-run healthcare programs that Arizonans rely on today include Medicare, Veterans Administration healthcare, and Medicaid.”

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