Ducey movin’ fast filling AZ’s senate seat

With this letter — dated Dec. 12, 2018, and hand-delivered to the Ninth Floor Governor’s office — Jon Kyl, back for a second senate stint, this time as a temporary seat holder, notified Gov. Doug Ducey that he would be leaving at the witching hour on Dec. 31. This move gives Ducey the ability to fill the senate seat for two years, until the next election cycle.

Following his retirement in 2013, Kyl returned to lobbying at the influential Washington D.C. law and lobbying firm Covington & Burling, a much more lucrative gig than the U.S. Senate. The firm has offices worldwide from Beijing to D.C.

Among the Republicans whose names are being bandied about as potential replacements for the open GOP senate seat are: Rep. Martha McSally, who lost a campaign for Arizona’s other Senate seat earlier this year by just 2.25%; Kirk Adams, who recently resigned as Ducey’s chief of staff, previously lost the GOP congressional primary to Matt Salmon in 2012; and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, in office since winning a special election in 2010.  Others, such as state Treasurer Eileen Klein, with less name ID have been mentioned. Klein, the former president of the Arizona Board of Regents, was appointed by Ducey to fill the post after Treasurer Jeff DeWit resigned to become CFO of NASA.

One thing is certain, appointing his former boss, Cindy Hensley McCain, to fill the seat held by her now-deceased husband, would not play out well for Ducey.  When Doug Ducey initially arrived in Arizona in 1983 to attend ASU, he worked at Hensley & Co., the Anheuser-Busch distributorship owned by Cindy Lou Hensley McCain. The Ducey and McCain families have remained close.

In a news release, Ducey announced he will appoint a replacement “in the near future.”  SRAZ’s readers are invited to contribute better choices for this critically important seat. John McCain, first elected in 1982, spent over three decades colluding with Democrats and stabbing Republicans in the back.

Advertisements

Trump supporters give Weekly Standard the boot

Formerly conservative magazine folds

The Weekly Standard magazine charted its own course for disaster with its intensely critical messaging on President Donald Trump. Once considered a conservative bastion, its relentless insulting of the pro-Trump reader base, has finally rung the magazine’s death knell.

The last issue will be published Dec. 17.

“All good things come to an end,” Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard‘s co-founder and editor-at-large, tweeted. “We worked hard to put out a quality magazine, and we had a good time doing so.”

Is serious commentary in dramatically divided America intended to impart joviality or inform? Clearly, the Weekly Standard did neither.

Kristol, a one-time adviser to John McCain, must have developed a case of amnesia, forgetting these decisive election night results.

The Feb. 15, 2016 issue of National Review featured a vicious editorial that called then-candidate Donald Trump, “A threat to conservatism,” including critiques by nearly two dozen prominent conservatives united in their opposition to his candidacy. The cover was emblazoned with the words, “Against Trump.” Founded by William F. Buckley, who was in the forefront of the draft Goldwater movement, it now features articles like this one.

Conservative news magazines are not dying simply because of digital advances. The real cause is the lack of desire to take the pulse of their readers —- who overwhelmingly support President Trump. Not only has he put Justices Neil Gorsuch (2017) and Brett Kavanaugh (2018) on the U.S. Supreme Court, he is keeping his promises to the American people.

Denigrating this popular president, who generates massive, cheering crowds at rallies across the country, is not the route to keeping subscribers on-board.

Jeff Flake’s flaky farewell

The Hillary Clinton and Kyrsten Sinema-endorsing Arizona Republic newspaper is in full-fledged grief mode as their amnesty-for-illegals promoter Jeff Flake gave his final speech before the U.S. Senate chamber Thursday.

The mournful gnashing of teeth is evident by the newspaper’s printing of the full text of Flake’s prepared remarks. Filled with self-serving pretentiousness and his own version of history, especially as it relates to his time spent in Africa where he lobbied as a registered foreign agent in D.C on behalf of a uranium mining company with ties to Iran. (A fact he obscured as he campaigned.) In his speech, he now claims he was drawn back to Africa (after serving a church mission there) to “evangelize for democracy and democratic values,” and “trying to ensure that Namibia emerged from the process of gaining its independence as a democratic country.”

He neglects to mention his generous $7,000+ per month salary — hardly chump change in 1990 — paid by Rossing Uranium for his efforts on its behalf. As a senator, Flake has received nearly $200,000 in quid pro quo contributions from mining interests and reliably voted against penalties on Iran.

While bashing President Trump, Flake also blurs the truth on why he’s leaving the U.S. Senate after a single term. It had everything to do with his bottom dragging 18% approval ratings in his home state. So  unpopular, he is even unable to garner support in his hometown community of Snowflake, Arizona, named after his ancestors. Arizonans overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump for President, delivering all 11 electoral and the majority of the popular votes to him.

With his days numbered, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, egotist Flake has insolently continued to block President Trump’s federal judicial nominees, who will be stonewalled by the Democrats after January.

Referring to his initial senate speech, which he identifies as his “maiden” speech, Flake pompously concludes his self-serving finale with a few veiled, and then more blatant, gag-inducing jabs:

“I noted then that it was an affirmation to me of the tumultuous seas through which our ship of state has sailed for more than 200 years, with many brilliant and inspired individuals at the helm, along with personalities ranging from mediocre to malevolent.  But our system of government had survived them all.

My colleagues, to say that our politics is not healthy is something of an understatement.  I believe that we all know well that this is not a normal time, that the threats to our democracy from within and without are real, and none of us can say with confidence how the situation that we now find ourselves in will turn out.”

Then comes the politically expedient, waffler Flake’s near admission of an upcoming political defector gig on Trump-hating CNN or MSNBC:

“Over the past two years, I have spoken a great deal on that subject from this chamber, and there will be time enough later to return to it in other settings.”

A threat?  A promise? Or both?

AZ Sen. Meza aided Google’s leftist election push

State Sen. Robert Meza, who was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 14 in 2002, appears to keep a low profile. The General Election was Nov. 6, and the 54^th Senate site is still is devoid of information.

This senate seating chart shows him relegated to the back of the chamber. Though he’s now in the state senate, there is no listing for him. Bio? Don’t bother. There is none. The former House member was first elected in West Phoenix, when he wasn’t actually living in the district from which he ran, but conveniently rented an apartment to establish a home base —- moving only after the votes were counted.  Currently representing District 30, after the last redistricting, the Democrat has no listing of bills he has sponsored or co-sponsored. There is no photo, which could erroneously lead to the conclusion that he’s camera shy.

But a shrinking violet Meza is not, as evidenced by this Conservative Treehouse posting, titled, “Jim Jordan Questions Google CEO About Specific Example of Overt Political Bias From Executive…”

The post opens with this:

According to an email chain between Google executives obtained by Fox News’ Tucker Carlson and Breitbart News, Google’s Multicultural Marketing development head Eliana Murillo sent out an email November 9th, 2016, detailing how Google had “supported partners like Voto Latino to pay for rides to the polls in key states,” which she characterized as a “silent donation.”

“We even helped them create ad campaigns to promote the rides (with support from HOLA folks who rallied and volunteered their time to help),” Murillo said. “We supported Voto Latino to help them land an interview with Sen. Meza of Arizona (key state for us) to talk about the election and how to use Google search to find information about how to vote. They were a strong partner, among many in this effort.”

Read “the rest of the story,” to get the full thrust of Meza’s behind the scenes activities.

But even with his heavy lifting, he does manage to have time on his hands. In October 2017, on ‘National Coming Out Day,’ Meza joined with three other openly gay state lawmakers to announce the creation of a new ‘LGBTQ Caucus’ in the Arizona legislature. The caucus was obviously a legislative necessity.

Meza was integral to Google’s efforts ensuring the reliably Democrat Hispanic vote was gathered.  Google and Facebook also compile massive amounts of data on those who use their sites. The Guardian has the disturbing information.

H/T Commenter: Saguaro Sam

Pres. Trump refuses to cave on border wall

Democrat hypocrisy: Method acting comes to Washington

During a public, televised meeting with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), President Trump announced he would be, “Proud to shut down the government for border security,” stating “border security is national security.” Funding for FY 2018 runs out Dec. 21.

Notice that Schumer refuses to make eye contact with the President as he says border security does not need a wall, and Pelosi repeatedly states the meeting should be held privately. Following the meeting at which she admonishingly shook her finger at the president, Pelosi later maligned his position on the border wall telling House Democrats, “It’s like a manhood thing for him. This wall thing.”

Democrat stalwarts, including Sens. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Chuck Schumer, joined a roster of 26 Democrat senators who aligned with 54 Republicans and embraced the Secure Fence Act of 2006, signed by Pres. George W. Bush.  A dozen years later, Democrat’s visceral hatred of President Trump has dramatically changed their perspective.  This brief but illustrative video is provided by the Washington Post, a staunchly liberal publication.

The Center for Immigration Studies reports 63% of non-citizen households access welfare programs compared to 35% of native households. Net cost to taxpayers for every illegal who sneaks into the United States has reached nearly $70,000 —- seven times the cost of deporting them —- about $70 billion, according to 2016 federal Census data. 

Breitbart News covered a Harvard-Harris poll revealing dreadful immigration news for Democrats. The overwhelming majority of Americans —- 80% —- agree with President Trump’s pro-American immigration agenda. Those surveyed said that legal immigration to the U.S. should be based on skills and merit, rather than the current system giving priority to chain migration, linked to family members already in the U.S.

Democrats have long been hypocrites on fundamental issues of importance to Americans, as we noted in 2012, in our post titled, “Dem gun hypocrites,” demonstrating the double standard of Second Amendment restrictionists, Sen. Chuck Schumer and former Sen. Dianne Feinstein who both have concealed carry permits, but don’t want you to have the same access.

Fmer Mesa Police Chief George Gascon: Arrogance personified

It hardly seems like a decade ago we were writing about George Gascon, then Mesa’s police chief, who consistently advocated limp enforcement policies for illegal invaders.

Cuban-born Gascon left the East Valley city to heed the sultry siren’s call of far left San Francisco where he became police chief in 2009. Possessing a law degree, he was initially appointed in 2011 then elected District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco by then-Mayor, now Governor-elect, Gavin Newsom. Gascon boasts about reducing crime rates —- by selectively charging crimes which he claims disproportionately target minorities —- while fighting construction of a much-needed new jail.

You might call it a bullet-like, precision-driven trajectory for this leftist in the Democrat-controlled city and county —- until it appears to have pitched and plummeted with a thud by way of arrogant missteps.

Gascon, the top cop and then district attorney, who should know better, haughtily thinks he is above the law. 

The December 9, 2018 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle reports on the lawsuit resulting from a former senior investigator who was fired for blowing the whistle on his boss, San Francisco District Attorney Gascon, whom he alleged carried a gun while flying —- in violation of federal law.

Gascon reacted with a “pattern of retaliation and harassment” that culminated in the termination of senior investigator Henry G. McKenzie on Oct. 30, 2017, according to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

In this Nov. 24  court filing, McKenzie says that Gascon repeatedly carried a gun onboard commercial flights in violation of federal law after becoming D.A. in January 2012.

According to the suit, members of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Investigators Association, which included McKenzie, discussed the “need to blow the whistle” on Gascon’s potential criminal violations in early 2017.

Columnist Robb foolishly mourns Flake’s implosion

Robert Robb, the local newspaper’s Libertarian-leaning columnist, has written a eulogy lamenting the demise of the stone cold but still upright body of Sen. Jeff Flake. 

His earnest lament can be understood in the context of their shared laissez-faire views. In the truest sense, Libertarians are classical liberals who not only don’t believe the lines in the road apply to them, they go to great lengths to allege they are unjustly constraining rather than providing for safe travel.

In his paean to the failed Flake, Robb oddly describes the nearly out-the-door McCain toady as having been “a beacon for a conservative point of view that should have a place in American politics.”

Conservatives, both seasoned and new to the fold, would have difficulty with that ill-founded definition. Rather than sounding the clarion call for conservatism, Flake has been an angry obstructionist, making long-winded speeches denouncing President Trump to an empty senate chamber. Flake even wrote an anti-Trump tirade, with a title directly stolen from Barry Goldwater’s iconic 1960 volume, “The Conscience of a Conservative,” written two years before Flake was born. Never accused of being an intellectual, he likely thought the title was historical and in the public domain. Preceding the 2016 presidential election, Flake announced that neither he nor his family would vote for Trump — effectively supporting Hillary Clinton.

Since his lame duck status is coming to an end after he prudently decided against running for reelection with bottom dragging 18% approval ratings in his home state, Flake has been showing up on left-wing network programs, apparently auditioning for the contrarian defector position — always a hit with the left.

Flake’s latest dishonorable gambit is holding up the vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on nearly two dozen of the president’s federal judicial nominees, linking their progress to protecting the Mueller ongoing investigation between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia, which has produced not a scintilla of evidence after nearly two years. Surely Robert Robb can’t believe this spitefulness is indicative of conservatism.

Robb bemoans what he views as the tragic demise of Sen. Jeff Flake’s political career. A tragedy is regarded a wretched circumstance over which a victim has no control. Blowing up your own future is masochistic.  Robb is so enthralled with Flake, he even alleges Flake doesn’t engage in mean-spirited politics, a trait he has honed and obviously mastered.  Slathering the less than admirable Flake with undeserved accolades is preposterous.

Robb concludes his commentary with these words: “Flake is a good man who practiced politics civilly and constructively. He was a beacon for a point of view that should have a place in American politics. That merits more appreciation than it is getting.”

Actually, uncivil Flake is getting what is known as the boomerang effect, receiving what he has thrown…exactly what he deserves.

The state’s newspaper of record reports that Flake is even held in low regard in his hometown of Snowflake, AZ — named in part for his founding ancestor, William Flake. The headline includes the words, “Jeff Flake’s name is mud.”