As Maricopa County Attorney, Robert McWhirter wants to protect Victims, Defendants, and Taxpayers.

Robert McWhirter has the education and experience to successfully administer the Maricopa County Attorney’s office if he is able to win the Democratic Nomination and best the aspiring Republican successor to now State Supreme Court Justice Bill Montgomery. A constitutional law scholar who has written 12 books, including a history of the Bill of Rights … Read more

If elected, Ryan Tait would bring In House Experience as the next Maricopa County Attorney.

Recent current events have made the post of Maricopa County Attorney more of a potential elected prize for Democrats than just one week ago. On September 5, 2019, Governor Doug Ducey announced that he was appointing current Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery to the Arizona Supreme Court. With that announcement, the odds of Democrats taking … Read more

Former public prosecution lawyer Julie Gunngile aims to become the first female Maricopa County Attorney

When political junkies last read about Julie Gunnigle on the Blog for Arizona, she, along with Jennifer Samuels and Kristin Dybvig-Pawelko, were knocking on thousands of household doors in Legislative District 15, hoping to win seats in the Arizona State Legislature during the 2018 elections. While they did not prevail, they markedly helped increase turnout … Read more

AZ Anti-pot nannies are skirting the law to scare voters, but it may not work

Crossposted from DemocraticDiva.com

Pew Marijuana

Per Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services:

In a new formal opinion, [AZ Attorney General] Brnovich acknowledged there are laws prohibiting the use of public funds to influence the outcome of elections — a restriction he noted that applies even before a proposal has qualified for the ballot.

But Brnovich said no law prohibits public education campaigns — even ones that are not fair and balanced. He said even one-sided arguments are permitted “so long as they do not unambiguously urge the electorate to cast a vote for or against the measure.”

The opinion is a significant victory for Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk.

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Why we can’t have legal weed right now. Because they’re anti-choicers.

Crossposted from DemocraticDiva.com

pot leaf

Per Howie Fischer:

He admits the plan is a political longshot.

But Rep. Mark Cardenas, D-Phoenix, hopes to convince colleagues to approve legalizing marijuana for recreational use by adults, if for no other reason than the alternative is having voters adopt their own plan. And if that happens, that locks lawmakers out of the process entirely.

His legislation, HB 2007, would make it legal for those 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of the drug…

…What might fare better is Cardenas’ backup plan: HB 2006 would decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, imposing a civil penalty of no more than $100.

Now, possession of any amount is a felony, meaning more than a year in state prison.

But these are usually handled as misdemeanors. And a 1996 voter-approved law generally precludes incarceration for first and second offenses.

“I’m willing to look at that,” Farnsworth said. But he said any decision whether to even grant that a hearing depends on whether police and prosecutors believe such a change will impair their anti-drug efforts.

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