NEW: “Dirty Trick” By National Republican Group Targeting Arizona Reps Given Pass By Dysfunctional FEC…After Five Years

Five years ago, Arizona’s Politics helped report efforts by a “dirty trick” by the National Republican Congressional Committee (“NRCC”) against candidates nationwide, including the three Arizona swing-seat Democrats. The FEC finally gave the NRCC a pass and opened the file today.

(from SPOOF website)

The so-called attack microsites launched against Reps. Kyrsten Sinema, Ann Kirkpatrick and Ron Barber (and a couple of dozen other Democrats around the country) spoofed the candidates’ websites and tried to trick Googlers into donating to the NRCC.

National articles found a couple of the Arizona spoofs, and Arizona’s Politics located the third in February 2014. A follow-up later that month found that the NRCC had changed the donation pages to reduce the trickery level and to add security to its spoofs. (There are lots of images, ironies and fun facts in the older articles that will not be repeated here; please check out the links!)

One month later, national campaign finance watchdogs Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 filed complaints

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CD 2 Congress on Your Corner on Feb. 2nd

“Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick will resume the tradition of holding one-on-one dialogues with residents of Arizona’s Second Congressional District. Rep. Kirkpatrick and district staff will be available to sit down and hear the concerns and opinions of community members.” Sat. Feb. 2nd, 10 a.m. to 12 noon Safeway, 6360 E. Golf Links Rd. Tucson https://www.facebook.com/events/390368241726244/ CD … Read more

Jeremey Lasher, 2018 DCCC National Canvass Director at DGT

Jeremey Lasher will be speaking at Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) tomorrow (postponed from January 21, MLK Holiday),  12 noon at Dragon’s View restaurant, 400 N. Bonita Ave. Tucson. He served as President of DGT for 2 years, prior to taking a job with the D-Triple-C last year.

Jeremey Lasher, photo credit Dia Meraz Photography

“Jeremey Lasher began his career in politics helping to defeat a “right to work” initiative in Colorado in 2008.  Working in the battleground State during such an important election year helped propel him to travel the Nation helping elect Democratic candidates and champion progressive issues.  He worked on the inclusion of a public option in the ACA, and helped build support for environmental legislation, equal marriage legislation, and universal background checks in multiple states.

Jeremey joined Ron Barber’s field team in 2012 and spent the next few years applying his knowledge to electing strong Democratic Candidates in Southern Arizona. Alongside Jeanne Christie, Jeremey chaired the DGT awards luncheon and has served two terms as the DGT Board President.After the devastating 2016 Presidential result, Jeremey was looking for a way to help train the next generation of organizers and campaign staff.  The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was looking for someone to train and manage staff for the dozens of competitive races across the Country and Jeremey was lucky enough to be chosen for this position.  He will be talking with us this Monday about a few of the tactics used to ensure the largest Democratic Congressional victory since Nixon’s Resignation.”

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/TheDGT.org

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Beyond Tucson 2019 on Jan. 12

BEYOND IS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD—AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY.

“What started out as a single day of commemoration has grown to a year-round commitment to public health.

Following the tragic shooting on the morning of January 8, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ “Congress On Your Corner,” the Southern Arizona community spontaneously came together to honor, remember, and show solidarity for those that were killed, injured, or traumatized by the event.

As the first anniversary of the tragic day approached, Family members of slain congressional aide Gabe Zimmerman saw an opportunity to not only pay tribute to their son and the other victims, but to provide meaningful activities for community members to reconnect with each other while participating in health-related outdoor activities.

In January of 2012, they launched the inaugural BEYOND event, which included as many as 36 individual events spread across the entire greater Pima County region on a single day—including hikes, fun runs, bike rides, scavenger hunts and outdoor dance opportunities.  The annual tradition has continued each year thereafter.

Since that time, through the growing support and collaboration of its community partners, BEYOND has evolved—literally going “beyond” its initial mission—and has now formed into its own 501c3 organization whose mission is to promote the use of good science and rational analysis to improve individual and community health.

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Gordon Promises to Oust Secretary of State and End Voter Suppression

Mark Robert Gordon, an Arizona native, has 25 years of experience as a voting rights watchdog.
Mark Robert Gordon, an Arizona native, has 25 years of experience as a voting rights watchdog.

Mark Robert Gordon, a Democratic candidate for Secretary of State, vowed to end the voter suppression tactics and partisan politics that have infected the office that serves as the chief elections officer for Arizona.

He called Republican incumbent Secretary of State Michele Reagan “a Grinch who stole democracy,” at the recent Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting.

Reagan and GOP legislators “are supposed to promote democracy and protect the vote. They did just the opposite,” he said. “The people we have in Arizona running our election system are among the worst violators and offenders of voting rights in the country.”

Arizona was one of only seven states listed in federal court for intentionally restricting the opportunity to register and vote. Under the Voting Rights Act, the state was subject to pre-clearance by the Justice Department before making any voting changes.

Travesties

But that went out the window with the 2013 US Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County v. Holder that gutted the Voting Rights Act. Gordon said that since then, the following travesties have happened:

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