Talk about a rigged outcome.
The special Ad Hoc Committee on Executive Oversight, formed during the spring to provide ‘oversight’ on State wide office holders has predictably made its first recommendation in a 102 page report:
Asking the whole State House of Representatives to vote on whether to impeach Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes for what the MAGA-Election Denying-Anti LGBTQ Community-Corporate friendly Republican members of that inquisition…sorry committee called “abuses of office.”
Among the fictitious abuses of power.
- Not defending a 2022 law that would prevent transgender girls from playing school sports.
- Warning against doing hand counts after voting in Mohave County.
- Issuing a consumer alert about Crisis Pregnancy Centers which serve as a front to dissuade women from exercising their reproductive freedom options.
- Participating in town halls about water resources and suing corporate farms (like the ones the Saudi Arabians had been using) that are over pumping water.
It would seem that what the MAGA disciples on this committee find “abuses of office” is actually sound public policy, protecting freedom, and tolerance for others that the Republicans on this Star Chamber apparently find repugnant.
The report also calls for defunding the Attorney General’s office in accordance to the areas the MAGA legislators say she is not performing her duties.
This MAGA recommendation to the State House comes at a time where the Attorney General’s office secured a prison sentence for an individual involved in a State Medicaid-AHCCCS fraud case.
Ms. Mayes has also continued spotlighting her departments work and advocacy for communities deeply concerned about water rights and access with an appearance at a town hall in Patagonia.
Speaking to reporters at AZ Central, Attorney General Mayes called the report findings a “sham,” “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
She also told AZ Central that “It’s not going to disrupt the way I do my job, which is to protect the people of Arizona and tackle the real issues they’re facing.”
On the Republicans calling to defund parts of her office that do not perform according to their wishes, Ms. Mayes said:
“We are the top law enforcement office in the state of Arizona. We have 60 hardworking agents working day in and day out fighting the drug cartels, doing dangerous work on behalf of the people of Arizona. And this Legislature wants to defund us? … It would appear it’s the Republican Party now that wants to defund the police.”
Her spokesperson, Richie Taylor also added:
“The investigative report released today by the sham House ad hoc oversight committee isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. This partisan stunt by far-right members of the Legislature makes a mockery of real legislative oversight.”
House Democratic Assistant Leader Oscar De Los Santos conveyed:
“Predictably, a kangaroo court has delivered a partisan hack-job report. This is politics at its worst, and retaliation for holding corrupt politicians accountable. Attorney General Mayes has done an stellar job of going after criminals, protecting consumers, fighting for reproductive freedom and defending democracy. That’s why Republicans are on the attack.”
Arizona Legislative District (LD) 12 Representative Stacey Travers, commenting to Blog for Arizona, while at an event for the heroic law enforcement Capitol Police Officers who had to withstand MAGA Domestic Terrorists-Insurrectionists attack on Congress on January 6, 2021, wrote:
“Attorney General Mayes cares about protecting the people in our state. I have known her to always act honorably, within the law and in the best interests of all Arizonans. There is no reason, other than the political, to pursue this.”
Onto reality.
There is no way with Senate Republicans holding a slim 16 to 14 majority in the upper chamber that a trial would result in the removal of Attorney General Mayes.
However, this farce provides a golden opportunity for local Democrats, running for legislative district seats, to highlight the sheer lunacy of the positions of the Legislative MAGA Republicans and use it as a spring board to potentially catapult them to the majority in both the State House and Senate.
So let the MAGA Republicans bring it on and let us see which political party has control of all the gavels at the State Legislature come January of 2025.
Discover more from Blog for Arizona
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.