Judging the judges on your 2018 ballot

Judges are once again on the ballot. They are not challenged by adversaries as others are, since they are not candidates.  Having been vetted by judicial selection commissions and ultimately selected by a governor, their names appear for retention.

Merit Selection is in effect in Arizona counties reaching a 250,000 population threshold. Currently those counties include Maricopa, Pima and Pinal. The other twelve counties have elections of judges. 

There are pros and cons with each system, which is moot since Arizona voters authorized Merit Selection as Proposition 108, in 1974 (last page of the quaint, typed list) by a margin of 35,432 votes. It was later expanded, again by a vote of the people, to include more public members on the commission and give the chairing justice a vote.

Judging by searches coming into this site, Arizona voters are interested in how to “judge the judges.” Unfortunately, many of the lists floating around the Internet are undependable, using politics as the sole determiner.  We all know how unreliable that can be. The U.S. Supreme Court stands as a stunning example. Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor, who then reveled in being the swing vote on the court and as often as not, swung left. When George W. Bush named John Roberts as Chief Justice, conservatives cheered. We rued the day when he was the deciding vote in upholding ObamaCare. Such examples stand as stark reminders that there is no simple barometer to gauge those in black robes.

Those putting the Arizona lists together have no knowledge of the capabilities of the judges. Most wouldn’t know a judge they denigrate if they were face to face. The lists are typically based on whether the specific judges were appointed by a Republican or Democrat governor. This is an erroneous assumption since prior to submitting their applications. judicial aspirants of both parties often change their political affiliations to correspond to that of the appointing governor. Governors also make cross-party appointments. Republican Gov. Jane Hull set heads spinning when she named her longtime friend Democrat Ruth McGregor as her first appointment to the Arizona Supreme Court.

The most reliable means of assessing judges is by taking the time to study the ratings put out by the Commission on Judicial Performance Review (JPR).

It’s hardly an “inside job,” worthy of suspicion. Survey forms are distributed to people who have contact with the judges. Survey recipients include attorneys, jurors, litigants, witnesses, people who represent themselves in court, court staff, other judges, and those who have contact with presiding judges. The Commission holds public hearings every election year and accepts written comments from the public at any time.

Judges are also required to complete self-evaluations to rate their own performance. Additionally each judge is assigned to a Conference Team composed of one public volunteer, one attorney volunteer, and one judge volunteer. The Conference Team meets with the judge to review the Data Report.

Ousting judges is rare, but happens. In 1978 Court of Appeals Judge Gary Nelson was not retained. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Fred Hyder was bounced. Other judges have not been recommended for retention by JPR, but were still retained by voters.

Your best guide is to check out the ratings for all of the judges on the retention ballot. Judges ratings and bios are all available. You’ll be far more informed than by giving any credibility to the lists appearing in your email.

Arizona Supreme Court

Court of Appeals Division I

Court of Appeals Division II

Superior Court in Maricopa County

Superior Court in Pima County

 Superior Court in Pinal County   

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Red tide or blue wave? Who’s $$ fund leftists?

Vote Republican for our future

Following Friday’s exhilarating rally drawing thousands to Mesa to cheer President Donald J. Trump, it’s natural to regard ourselves as sensible, fact-based and cogent thinkers. But the truth remains, most of us — in addition to our day jobs and families — are too occupied sorting through the national news to view all of the local and statewide candidates and crucial ballot propositions analytically. As an aid some might be tempted to turn to a benign sounding site such as “Before the Ballot,” in a quest for neutrality. It was only after checking further using the “paid for by” information, that we found this mammoth reveal on the Center for Responsive Politics. Check out the names on the PAC donor list.

What would move the Florida Democrat Party to give generous donations to “Before the Ballot,” in conjunction with labor and municipal unions, D.C.-based PACs, “Best of the Left” iHeart Radio, left-wing “philanthropists,” mega companies such as PepsiCo — bankrolled by hedge fund billionaires Donald Sussman and George Soros, who each contributed $millions — just to help you fill out your ballot?  Leftist Sussman, who gave $21 million to the pro-Clinton Super PAC, Priorities USA, is no more benevolent than Socialist Soros, (pictured here with his pals John McCain and Hillary) who has been working through his mega-network of organizations to undermine our president and the entire nation while striving to overhaul the U.S. Justice system in his radical image.

Believe either of them simply want to assist you, and there’s a proverbial bridge waiting for you to buy.

Vote Republican and keep the Trump momentum going. This list has not been updated to reflect the two most recent U.S. Supreme Court Justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, nominated by President Trump. He and his staff have been too busy working to “Keep America Great.”

Tired of wuss candidates? Steve Ferrara is anything but…

A serious candidate with humorous friends

Dr. Steve Ferrara is the conservative running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Congressional District 9. The seat in Arizona’s newest district, created in 2012, has been held by far leftist Kyrsten Sinema, who is now seeking a U.S. Senate post. Seeing Red AZ supports Martha McSally in that race that holds enormous national Implications. A Democrat majority senate would effectively shut down further Federal and Supreme Court appointments made by President Trump, holding him hostage to their political machinations.

Republican Ferrara, new to the political arena, has led a life of remarkable accomplishments. He is facing far left, union-supported former Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, after handily beating his two GOP primary challengers. 

Democrat Stanton, a known tyrant who callously disregards the voices of city residents, pulled a costly fast one as he exited the mayor’s office, ensuring votes from the La Raza open borders crowd, by gifting them $2.4 million in taxpayer funds.

Known for supporting unpopular issues, Stanton even lied about lifting the oppressive food tax as he gave large “retention bonuses” to city employees. When first elected in 2011, he received a congratulatory call from the overjoyed duo, Barack Obama and his Homeland Security chieftain Janet Napolitano.

Despite Dr. Ferrara’s stellar background, a supportive group, “Americans for Badasses in Congress,” are not without a sense of humor as evidenced by this hilarious video declaring him a “badass.” You’ll like him even better after viewing it.  A sense of humor is a saving grace for those who enter the political minefield. This man, a decorated navy veteran and medical doctor, is definitely up to the task. The rest of us are fortunate to have him step forward to tackle issues of importance on our behalf.

Congressional District 9 cuts a swath through central Phoenix making its way through Tempe and south Scottsdale, west Mesa, northwestern Chandler and areas of southeast Phoenix including Ahwatukee. (Map)

Message to Congressional District 9 voters: Remember to vote for Steve Ferrara. It matters.

AZ Republic, where leftism rules, still hounds Arpaio

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio still generates headlines in the duplicitous Hillary-endorsing Arizona Republic newspaper. The popular sheriff, elected to an unprecedented six 4-year terms, was relentlessly hounded out of office by the newspaper’s editorial page editor, Phil Boas, Arpaio’s own son-in-law in 2016.

But replacing Republican Arpaio with a Democrat accused wife beater wasn’t enough. Today’s headline links Arpaio to Dennis Hof, a Nevada entrepreneur and brothel owner who died in his sleep hours after a political rally/birthday party at which Joe Arpaio, Tucker Carlson, and Grover Norquist spoke. Hof, 72, was a Trump-supporting Republican candidate for the Nevada Assembly. Prostitution is legal and regulated in larger counties by the state of Nevada.

An online search reveals the newspaper went uncharacteristically mute when Democrat former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was pictured greeting John Wayne Gacy and Jim Jones, both mass murderers.

Gacy, later executed, was charged with the torture and sex-related murders of at least 33 boys and young men whose bodies he confessed to burying under his own house. Mrs. Carter shook his hand.

Jones was the monstrous cult leader and Marxist, purporting to be a minister, who led 912 followers to take their own lives and those of their children by drinking a cyanide-laced grape Kool Aid-type concoction at his Jonestown compound in Guyana. This mass slaughter took place after the killing of U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and his team who came to investigate at the request of relatives of some members of the commune.

The only reason to subscribe to the overpriced daily disseminator of garbage which habitually endorses Democrats is if you enjoy having your intelligence insulted and blood pressure spiked.

Bias mars AZ U.S. Senate McSally, Sinema debate

Debate “moderator” Ted Simons was clearly unable to be impartial as he gave unjustified leeway to Kyrsten Sinema, while restricting Martha McSally

Arizona’s sole U.S. Senate debate was broadcast Monday evening, Oct. 15, co-hosted by the less than objective Arizona PBS/KAET Channel 8 and the Arizona Republic newspaper. 

U.S. Representatives — Republican Martha McSally (CD-2) and Democrat Kyrsten Sinema (CD-9) — are running for Arizona’s U.S. Senate seat vacated by anti-Trumper Jeff Flake, who chose not to wage a reelection campaign based on 18 percent approval ratings. 

The newspaper’s political reporter Maria Polletta and Ted Simons, host of Channel 8’s “Arizona Horizon,” supposedly moderated the debate, though Simon’s partiality toward Sinema was clearly apparent. 

Using her soft, cultivated campaign voice, chameleon Sinema refused to respond to questions deserving of answers, saying, “Martha is trying to make this about me, making ridiculous attacks and what we know is that this campaign is about every day Arizonans and I’ll fight for them.”

When McSally, who identified herself as “pro-life,” pushed for a response Sinema finally admitted she would have voted against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

But when Martha McSally, (read her full bio) the first female pilot to fly a fighter jet in a war zone and command a fighter squadron in combat, retiring in 2010 as a full Colonel, noted that CNN reported last week that in 2003 Sinema said it was okay for Americans to join the Taliban to fight our military, demanded an apology, Ted Simons rushed to Sinema’s defense — quickly shutting down McSally and ending the contrivance posing as a debate. This can be viewed in the concluding minutes of “the debate.”*

Conservative SRAZ doesn’t claim to be impartial. Because we support Republican U.S. Rep. Martha McSally in this crucial senate race that is being watched nationwide for its impact on the continuation of President Trump‘s winning agenda, we invite our readers to get the rest of the story, by watching TheRealSinema.com for the straight scoop about Sinema.

*Video provided courtesy of ABC 15

 

Pres. Trump in Mesa Fri. Oct.19, – Ticket info here

Rally supports U.S. Rep. Martha  McSally’s senate bid

The rally will take place this Friday evening October 19, 2018 at:

International Air Response

6250 S. Taxiway Circle

Mesa, AZ 85212

This location is adjacent to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport

Tickets to the event are limited to two per person. Register HERE.

Winning this key senate race is crucial to retaining a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate. The Dems are desperate to pull an upset and stall any further judicial and cabinet appointments while restricting President Trump’s ability to continue fulfilling his promises to the American people. (Click the arrow on each link for a list of his stellar accomplishments.)

 Martha McSally was first elected to Congress in 2014 representing Arizona’s CD 2. Her impressive biography is one of exemplary service to our country. 

Kate Brophy McGee “grateful” for Dem endorsers

District 28 Republicans are shaking their heads in dismay over the report that Kate Brophy McGee, running for reelection to the state senate, is emulating leftist former Gov. Janet Napolitano —- albeit in reverse.

Arizonans will remember the contemptible list of GOP turncoats who affixed their names to the Republicans for Janet roster in 2006. (Click to enlarge.) The list was rife with McCain activists, including Grant Woods, John McCain’s former chief of staff, who chose the liberal over conservative Len Munsil, heading the Republican ticket. Woods, an iffy Republican who has yet to follow through on his threat to leave the GOP, is notorious for endorsing Democrats and has even cut a televised ad in support of crude and deceitful Kyrsten Sinema over Republican U.S. Rep. Martha McSally running for an open U.S. Senate seat.

Now Kate Brophy McGee is following Napolitano’s lead flaunting her far-left Democrat supporters led by Janice Miano, Art Othon, and John Whiteman who are co-chairing ‘Democrats for Kate.’  In their announcement, they heap praise on her, saying, “Kate does what is right for Arizonans. She isn’t held hostage by party politics.”

The question Republicans in Legislative District 28 — encompassing North Central Phoenix, Biltmore, Arcadia and Paradise Valley — should pose to Kate Brophy McGee is, if you and your liberal friends find the politics of the party under whose banner you have chosen to run since 2010 has held you hostage, why didn’t you run as a Democrat? Her treasured leftists refer to her as “fearless,” inferring that throwing the GOP Platform to the winds is liberating.

In response to the liberal embrace, Kate Brophy McGee gushed, “I’m so grateful for the support of Janice, Art, and John. The issues I fight for — education, small businesses, and public safety — transcend party lines. I’m honored to have these great Democratic leaders supporting my campaign.”