AZ Republic admits peddling fake news

Agenda-driven bogus tales take on a life of their own

National Review headlines its recent blockbuster report, “Arizona Republic Corrects Misleading ‘Lost Kids’ Article.”

“Misleading” is too lenient a term to accurately describe the blatant falsehoods shamefully passing as fact at Arizona’s newspaper of record.

The exposé on the failing newspaper, which derives its life-sustaining oxygen from promoting illegals and their causes, is another nail in the publication’s ‘fast and loose with the truth’ coffin.

The newspaper’s lies were bellowed with the fervor of a carnival midway barker. They were the basis of a vicious twitter campaign waged against Ivanka Trump for posting a picture of her holding her young son.

A baseless news report, the effort of two reporters — one a self identified diversity reporter and the other an “aspiring broadcast journalist” ASU student — was titled, “#WhereAreTheChildren social-media campaign calls on feds to find missing migrant children.”

The report states, “A campaign calling on the U.S. to find nearly 1,500 migrant children taken into custody and then misplaced by the government gained traction on social media Saturday and Sunday. The #WhereAreTheChildren hashtag came in response to news that a federal agency misplaced 1,475 children, many of whom traveled alone to the U.S. to escape abuse and poverty,” they write. This single line blows a mile-wide hole in the story that children have been ripped from their parents arms at the border.

The fact that this was baseless propaganda is irrelevant. Leftist propagandists have a job to do and lies to spew, which remains the sole consideration.

It stands to reason that eager liberal mouthpiece, columnist E.J. Montini wrote, “The feds lost – yes, lost – 1,475 migrant children.” Montini’s deceit was printed as fact in the AZ Republic and USA Today, another Gannett publication, where it later reran with this retraction:

Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this column mischaracterized the legal status of 1,475 undocumented migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without their parents. Those children were placed in the custody of sponsors screened by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. They are no longer in federal custody.

It’s bad enough when the newspaper uses an array of equivocators as a device to slickly influence readers. It’s quite another matter when boldface lies are given a glossy patina and peddled as truth.

National Review deserves commendation for exposing the deceit and the Arizona Republic’s correction.  Unfortunately, many will miss this rare mea culpa and buy into the lost children fiction.

No one has yet discovered a way to unring a bell.

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Pres. Trump energizes NRA patriots in Dallas

President reminds supporters,’We have to win the midterms’

As over 80,000 NRA supporters filled the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas on Friday, it was clear Second Amendment advocates are not going to passively allow the left to blame legal gun owners for the aberrant behavior of maniacal mass murderers.

VIP packages quickly sold out prior to the beginning of the May 3 – 6 event.

Keynote addresses at the 147th annual meeting are being delivered by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas’ Gov. Greg Abbott, clearly indicating the support the Second Amendment protection agency enjoys among patriotic, law abiding gun owners.

The event also has a decidedly political aspect, rallying NRA members and their supporters to get involved in the upcoming elections and ensure their voice is heard.

VP Pence rallied the crowd by telling them, “You have two friends in the White House. President Donald Trump and I both stand without apology for the Second Amendment and in this administration the right of the people to keep and bear arms will not be infringed,” Pence told the cheering crowd. “Thank you for all you do to defend liberty, and thank you for electing a president and Congress that are making America great again.”

President Trump lobbed a direct hit in rebutting those promoting Second Amendment restrictions as he pointed to a hospital in London, a city where firearms are illegal, but explosive violence has become commonplace as criminals use knives to inflict carnage. “There’s blood all over the floors of this hospital,” he said, repeating the word, “knives” three times. London has seen a 7-year high crime rate with 55 murders since January, substantiated by the U. K.’s Daily Mail. Recently, six teenagers were stabbed within 90 minutes of each other in a night of knife butchery across London.

Gov. Greg Abbott, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and Attorney General Ken Paxton all running for reelection in Texas, received Trump’s endorsement. He also gave a double endorsement in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race, endorsing both conservative Dr. Kelli Ward and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, an early Trump supporter.

The President reiterated his support for armed school security officials and ending gun-free zones. “Ninety-eight percent of mass public shootings have occurred in places where guns are banned,” Trump said. “There’s no sign more inviting to a mass killer than a sign that declares, `This school is a gun-free zone.’”

Join other patriotic NRA members who understand the unique importance of our Second Amendment, which our Founders intentionally placed immediately following our First Amendment protections of freedom of speech and assembly. With these protections under assault by the left, they matter now, more than ever.

AG Jeff Sessions: “People are not going to stampede our border”

Trump administration “sending a message worldwide”

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Wednesday the Justice Department will send 35 prosecutors and 18 judges to the southern U.S. border to bolster efforts to prosecute foreign nationals entering the U.S. illegally. Some of these illegals have previously been deported and are reentering the U.S.

Among the assistant attorneys dispatched to the border, 15 will be allocated to Texas, eight to California, six to Arizona and six to New Mexico. Immigration judges will be deployed to adjudicate cases in courts along the U.S-Mexico border in parts of the same states.

Eloy and Florence Arizona will each have immigration courts.

“The American people made very clear their desire to secure our borders and prioritize the public safety and national security of our homeland,” Sessions said in this statement. “Promoting and enforcing the rule of law is essential to our republic. By deploying these additional resources to the Southwest border, the Justice Department and the Trump Administration take yet another step in protecting our nation, its borders, and its citizens. It must be clear that there is no right to demand entry without justification.”

Unveiling the measure at the DOJ, Sessions specifically pointed to a caravan of illegals from Central America — notably Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador — claiming to seek asylum. The caravan, which made its way through Mexico in recent months, was part of the impetus behind the decision to prosecute violators. They made no effort to stay in Mexico, where they speak the same language and have similar customs.

“We are not going to let this country be overwhelmed,” Sessions said. “People are not going caravan or otherwise stampede our border. We need legality and integrity in the system. People should wait their turn, ask to apply lawfully before they enter our country. So we’re sending a message worldwide.”

 In a welcome move, the Trump administration has cracked down on illegal border crossings, with Sessions unveiling charges against 11 caravan members on Monday as they arrived at the Tijuana/San Diego border. Exhibiting their desire to be good citizens, illegals were openly rebelling against the laws of the country they hoped to enter by defiantly scaling the border wall.

Austin Flake, ex-wife Logan, sue Joe Arpaio

Austin, son of Jeff Flake reprises ‘Son of Dracula’, sucking money instead of blood

Rising once again from the depths of icy obscurity — revived by the alluring scent of money — Jeff Flake’s son and his former bride who has reclaimed her maiden name of Brown, are still a cozy couple when it comes to trying to cash in on the dogs who died in their care. SRAZ has written extensively about the gruesome heat related deaths of nearly two dozen family pets entrusted to the care of Austin and his then-wife Logan (nee Brown) Flake, when Logan‘s parents, who owned the Gilbert kennel, were vacationing in Florida.

Previously this charming couple sued Maricopa County taxpayers for $8 million and lost. They claimed their formerly pristine reputations had been negatively impacted by the charges related to the dog deaths and their callous handling of the animals, as they hosed them down and then stacked their dead carcasses in a shed. No veterinarian was ever called when the dead and dying dogs were discovered by these “caretakers.”

After a six-day trial, the jury was unmoved by Flake and Brown’s claims of fear, distrust of the criminal justice system and depression requiring therapy and medication, resulting in “bickering” that ended their marriage. Austin Flake testified that he was forced to quit BYU until the matter was resolved — and gasp! — he had to get a job. Jurors refused to award them damages in the animal cruelty case that riveted Valley residents in 2014. The shocking account revolved around the boarded dogs being locked in a small utility room, without food, water or cooling in the scorching summer heat. After initially alleging the dogs bit through the electrical wires, they later claimed the air-conditioning unit malfunctioned. A Maricopa County Grand Jury indicted the Flake’s and Logan’s parents Todd and MaLeisa Hughes.

The duo has now filed a new civil case against former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, seeking that green calming balm known as cash. The added highlight to this ongoing saga is that Arpaio is a candidate for the senate post currently held by Jeff Flake. The senior Flake has wisely opted not to run for a second senate term due to bottom dragging 18% approval numbers. Providing no representation to the citizens of Arizona, Papa Jeff Flake keeps himself busy by slobbering over the liberal hosts on far left networks, while he pushes his anti-Trump narrative, which is music to their ears.

There’s nothing quite like a loser sireing losers. Generational Flakism is a sight to behold. This was the vile spew from then-high schooler, Tanner, one of Flake’s younger sons. He never had to apologize for his racially bigoted, homophobic, and anti-Semitic online slurs.  His senator Daddy did it for him.

Law & Crime reports on the latest antics of Austin and Logan, who will always be flakes to anyone paying attention.

Teachers behaving badly demand 20% raises

These are role models?

We’ve been reading about teachers walking out of their classrooms and abandoning their students as they don red tee shirts protesting what they claim are low wages. Bear in mind they get the summer off and a week-long mini vacations for the now neutered Winter and Spring breaks (previously Christmas and Easter). Thanksgiving is not a single day off for teachers.

Early release days and numerous teacher planning days pepper the calendar (this district was randomly chosen) that also gives days off for “teacher collaboration.” Factor in Martin Luther King and Presidents’ Days, Labor Day, Veterans‘ Day and Memorial Day, and it’s easy to see that teachers are idle when the rest of us are expected at work.

Still, they march and loudly protest while demanding a hefty 20 percent raise. Have you ever received such a pay hike?

Some also notch up their frustrations as we’ve recently seen with married female teacher, Brittany Zamora, 27, who was engaged in a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy in her class. She faces nine counts of sexual conduct with a minor, two counts of molestation of a child, and one count of furnishing harmful material to a minor.

Within days of that obscenity, we’re treated to the report of Ryan Prassas, 36, a local high school math teacher who got drunk after a night on the town with the mother of a 14-year-old, and ordered the girl to drive — after roughing them up, He’s been arrested and charged with a felony and misdemeanors. Was he fired? Nope. He’s still on staff, using “personal leave time.” Those administrators at Trevor Browne are so accommodating.

The rest of us would be fired if we were arrested under such circumstances, didn’t show up for work or tried demanding a 20 percent pay increase.

Passage of ballot propositions — 301 in 2000 increasing the state sales tax and 123 in 2016 a grab from the state land trust — guaranteed more money for education, which apparently is never enough. Teachers protest and school districts hold budget overrides and bond elections to “get more money into the classroom” —- eduspeak for bolstering teacher’s salaries. A major premise of passing the Arizona Lottery in 1980 was that money from ticket purchases would make its way to schools.

How is it that “underpaid” mostly leftist teachers are able to send union dues specifically earmarked to fund mostly liberal politicians?  These are the people who spend more time influencing American students than their parents do. Ponder why leftist Barack Obama and self-declared Socialist Bernie Sanders cornered the youth vote.

Open Secrets/The Center for Responsive Politics shows the $ millions the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) lobbying arms give to the most left-wing elected officials. The AFT gave not one thin dime to Republicans.

Read 10 Facts You May Not Know About Education in Arizona. It’s news you need and aren’t getting. Armed with the facts, it’s time for informed parents to march. The only roadblock is they have jobs where their presence is required. And unlike teachers, they don’t have the luxury of frequent half days, lengthy holiday vacations or the entire summer off.

AZ teachers shamefully shut down schools

Wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with “#RedForEd,” hundreds of Pendergast School District teachers staged a fake “sick out” abandoning their classrooms Wednesday protesting what they claim are low wages. Their actions left working parents scrambling for day care — many had to leave their own jobs, putting their livelihood risk — as teachers taught students the valuable lesson that not showing up for work is a productive way to air grievances.

We hear a lot about underpaid teachers. Teachers protest and school districts hold budget overrides and bond elections to “get more money into the classroom” —- eduspeak for bolstering teacher’s salaries. A major premise of passing the Arizona Lottery in 1980 was that money from ticket purchases would make its way to schools. 

Passage of ballot propositions — 301 in 2000 increasing the state sales tax and 123 in 2016 a grab from the state land trust — guaranteed more money, which apparently is never enough.

How is it that “underpaid” teachers are able to send union dues specifically earmarked to fund mostly liberal politicians?  These are the people who spend more time influencing American students than their parents do. Consider why leftist Barack Obama and self-declared Socialist Bernie Sanders cornered the youth vote.

Open Secrets/The Center for Responsive Politics shows the $ millions the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) lobbying arms give to the most left-wing elected officials. The AFT gave not one thin dime to Republicans.

There are problems that appear endemic to the schools of education from which the teachers graduate and, consequently, the teachers as well, that have nothing to do with money. Sample certification test questions are included in Dr. Walter Williams’ column “Educational Rot,” with Arizona represented, exposing the shockingly low bar for getting hired. Reading it will  arm you with crucial information about many of your kid’s teachers, without having to join and pay dues to radical teachers’ unions.

Arizona Education Association members recently marched at the Arizona Capitol protesting tuition tax credits. Allowing taxpayers to make tax-deductible contributions to the private, parochial or charter schools of their choice is anathema to the educrat unionists, who want unfettered control as they indoctrinate students, denying parental choice.

Arizona Education Project disproves the educrat notion that due to low wages, Arizona schools are at the lowest rung in the nation. You’ll read that five of the top seven public high schools in America are located here in Arizona, according to US News & World Report – in Scottsdale, Tucson, Oro Valley, Peoria, and Chandler.

Read 10 Facts You May Not Know About Education in Arizona. It’s news you need and aren’t getting. Armed with the facts, it’s time for informed parents to march. The only roadblock is they have jobs where their presence is required. And unlike teachers, they don’t have the luxury of frequent half days, lengthy holiday vacations or the entire summer off.

Supremes give AZ supremely foolish silent treatment

Without even trying to rationalize its decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s efforts to uphold a 6-year old executive order issued by then-Gov. Jan Brewer, which denied driver’s licenses to those known as DACA recipients — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Though characterized as children brought to the United States by their illegal alien parents, there is no means of verifying the claims. Those who have signed up for DACA are shielded from deportation, allowed driver’s licenses and given work permits.

They need only affirm they were 16 years of age or younger when they initially entered the United States and are currently 35 years of age or younger. They have to declare that they have been persons of good moral character since initially being brought to the U.S. as children by their parents — illegally. Authenticating how many came as babes in arms or ably propelled themselves over the border last year at age 34 is impossible to substantiate. As we’ve previously pointed out many of these “kids” could actually be grandparents. 

“Our case has always been about more than just driver’s licenses,” Attorney General Brnovich said in a statement. “It’s about the separation of powers and whether the president, any president, can unilaterally act and bypass Congress to create new laws.”

This ongoing legal issue was precipitated by Barack Obama and was stopped dead in its tracks on Monday. Read the May 22, 2017 petition to the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which begins with the “Question Presented“ and ends with the “Conclusion” which authorized the denial, stating it did “not warrant the Court‘s consideration.”

That is exactly what occurred yesterday at the U.S. Supreme Court.

For the U.S. Supreme Court to remain silent on this crucial issue is shameful.