Ducey bypasses GOP applicants, picks another Dem judge

Hands out judicial appointments to Democrats as though there were no Republicans on the vetted lists he receives from judicial selection commissions

With this hyperbolic announcement Gov. Doug Ducey, who twice ran as a Republican, boldly shows his leftist stripes by appointing yet another Democrat to the judicial bench. Superior Court Judge David Gass has been elevated to the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Among the accolades Ducey heaped on his new appointee was pointing out that he “served as counsel to the Democratic Caucus of the Arizona House of Representatives and currently serves on the Maricopa County Superior Court where he has been for the past 10 years after his appointment by Governor Napolitano.” Ducey didn’t miss a trick, adding that earlier in his career, Gass “clerked for then Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Ruth McGregor,“ another Democrat.

Those are definitely credentials that warm the cockles of the Republican base, whose votes put him in office, first as state treasurer and then for two terms in the lofty ninth floor governor‘s office.

The gaseous Gass appointment was made to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Justice James P. Beene to the Arizona Supreme Court. Currently, Ducey has far outpaced hyper-partisan Democrat Gov. Janet Napolitano who also had an aversion to Republican judges, as SRAZ pointed out in 2007. So far during his terms, Ducey has made 26 cross-party judicial appointments — far outpacing his predecessors — leftist Napolitano at 16 or Republican Jan Brewer who jumped the political fence 7 times.

On the governor’s office home page is a box containing these words:

AtYOURService

Connect. Engage. Speak out.

Don’t kid yourself thinking the Guv actually wants to hear from you. He’s obviously still busy channeling his RINO McMentor. Ducey’s first job when he arrived in Arizona to attend ASU was working at Cindy Hensley McCain’s Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship empire, which fostered a enduring friendship between Ducey, later including his wife, and the McCain’s. John McCain reveled in his “maverick” status, even bucking the Republican Party with his thumb-in-the-eye, “thumb’s down” final senate vote. (brief video.)  Ducey was an able pupil.

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Anti-police coverage dominates, predatory teachers are routine

The Hillary-endorsing, newly acquired, failing local newspaper, which gives front page prominence to what it calls “bad officer behavior” and use of “excessive force,” when police are in encounters with an increasingly hostile criminal element, is stupefyingly lax when it comes to sexual predatory teachers in our schools.

Beginning in 2009 Seeing Red AZ began covering predatory teachers, with, “The Endless Parade,” predicting in that year, “Nothing wrong with these teachers a good raise in salary couldn’t fix.”

Fast forward to April 2018 where we proved to be ‘right on the money,’ with, “Teachers behaving badly demand 20% raises,” which gives the background on money that has been specifically earmarked for schools through passage of ballot propositions — 301 in 2000 increasing the state sales tax and 123 in 2016 a grab from the state land trust — guaranteeing more money for education, which apparently is never enough.

A major premise of passing the Arizona Lottery in 1980 was that money from ticket purchases would make its way to schools.

Teachers protest and school districts hold budget overrides and bond elections to “get more money into the classroom” —- eduspeak for bolstering teacher’s salaries. And just like clockwork, signs in support of bond overrides are popping up on Valley roadways, once again.

The Goldwater Institute’s VP for Litigation advised school districts the teacher’s strike and school closures were illegal, depriving more than 840,000 Arizona students of their constitutional right to an education. Still Gov. Ducey capitulated, yielding to their demands. Ducey recently applauded gifting lower in-state tuition rates for illegal aliens.

Meanwhile sexual predators with teaching credentials continue to populate our schools, betraying the trust placed in them by parents as they prey on young students. Yet the unfailingly negative focus of the leftist Arizona Republic newspaper continues to be police officers, who increasingly are in life or death situations where split second decisions must be made.

Some of our early coverage of sexual predator teachers can be seen here.

Gov. Ducey, McRINOs, Dems, reward Kate McGee for turning LD 28 blue

To call this invitation to a toney fundraising reception at the Phoenix Country Club preposterous would be the height of understatement. Gov. Doug Ducey is listed as the “Honored Guest.”

The no-attendance-price specified invitation hosted by a load of McCain allies, lobbyists, RINOs, Democrats, and few scattered surprises, states individual donors are limited to $5,200 and couples can only donate $10,400. Those are top limits, but sends a clear message: Pikers are not who LD 28 candidate Kate Brophy McGee hopes to attract.

There’s a back story to this swank soiree that needs to be told. State Senator Kate Brophy McGee was so busy attempting to manipulate the 2018 election in Legislative District 28 that she barely squeaked back into the state senate, winning by a razor-thin margin of 50.1% over an emboldened newcomer educrat who captured 49.9% — separating them by only 267 votes. This was beyond shocking in the formerly longtime Republican stronghold where decades once passed without a single Democrat being elected.

This near loss was not a fluke. Brophy McGee was the recipient of Republican wrath for pulling strings to influence the election in an effort to bring her RINOcrat buddy Kathy Petsas on-board for one of the two House seats.  Petsas — who targeted conservatives and aided Democrats as far back as 2012 — lost.

McGee’s 2018 machinations were responsible for two Democrats winning both district House seats while bumping highly qualified Republican incumbent Maria Syms, the sole pro-life candidate. Syms’ exceptional career includes having served as an Assistant Attorney General, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Paradise Valley Town Councilwoman, and a State Representative. She has a proven track record advocating for education, law enforcement, public safety and border security.

During that election Brophy McGee, described by the Hillary-endorsing Arizona Republic as a “moderate,” actively courted Democrats, declaring  her gratitude for their endorsements. Ducey, in a major miscalculation, endorsed Brophy McGee and Petsas, even recording a robocall urging Republicans to support Petsas.

Now the Democrat unionist teacher who almost routed Brophy McGee is emboldened and running again — recently hosting a Saturday night kickoff event. Despite being outspent by almost two-to-one, Leftist Christine Porter Marsh came within spitting distance of Brophy McGee. The Dems are banking on turning the entire district blue. With the two House seats now in the left’s column and scheming Brophy McGee in the Senate, Conservatives think it already is.  If Republican Ducey is supporting McGee out of fear of losing Legislative District 28 entirely, he needs to put some conditions on his endorsement. It’s unlikely that he has.

Another version of this invitation was originally posted two weeks ago, Aug. 18, previous to the addition of the host committee. In an effort to provide our well-informed readers with the most accurate information, this updated invitation, including the committee makes for interesting reading.

Aging small fry used against Bill Montgomery’s Supreme Court appt

There’s a new, albeit pathetic arrow, in the quiver of the leftist newspaper’s relentless campaign to scuttle Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery’s appointment to the Arizona Supreme Court. Since Montgomery made the short list, the partisan war against him has revved into high gear.

Gov. Doug Ducey has approximately 6 weeks to name the replacement to the seat of recently retired state Supreme Court Justice John Pelander.

Republican Montgomery was initially elected to lead the prosecutor’s office in the nation’s fourth most populous county in 2010, bringing a résumé of impressive credentials. A West Point graduate, decorated Gulf War veteran, former deputy county attorney and a professional prosecutor, he has dedicated his personal and professional life to serving others.

Though Montgomery’s credentials makes others pale in comparison, he has attracted a distinctly marginal detractor described in the newspaper’s Page One headline as a “son.” For a man in his 60s that’s more of a put-down than what he’s maliciously trying to serve to Montgomery. The “son” is the grandpa-aged child of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. A RINO apple who didn’t fall far from his maternal tree — Sandra O’Connor reveled in being the swing vote frequently siding with the high court’s Democrats — Scott  thinks Montgomery is “too political” to be an effective Arizona Supreme Court Justice — an absurdity on it’s face.

Prior to Scott’s mother being appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, she also had a “political career.” Sandra O’Connor campaigned and was elected to the Arizona state senate, and later (prior to the current system of judicial selection) campaigned, ran and won a seat on the Maricopa County Superior Court as a Republican. But she was sufficiently left-leaning enough for liberal Democrat Bruce Babbitt, that the then-governor appointed her to the Arizona Court of Appeals in 1979. That fact alone should have given President Reagan pause.

Unfortunately, she was able to con President Reagan who nominated her as the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, where she delighted in being the swing vote, regularly aligning with Democrats. Reagan knew the O’Connor’s as friends of his Arizona in-laws.

In 2012, O’Connor’s son was the appropriately distrusted GOP Legislative District 28 chairman. At the time SRAZ wrote, ”Dist. 28 (formerly 11) recertifies its RINO status Update: O’Connor responds.”

A few other posts to bring you up to date:

 March 24, 2009: Sandra O’Connor: Case closed

Oct. 5, 2009: O’Connor denounces more conservative court, regrets her rulings “dismantled

Feb. 19, 2016: Sandra O’Connor comes clean

March 28, 2018: Foul-mouthed radical leftist wins Sandra Day O’Connor award

Media irretrievably corrupted: contemptible arm of Dem Party

Beware: Gun control is on the horizon

The New York Times, which ordinarily doesn’t allow access to non-subscribers, has broken its own rule to herald this headlined report: ‘Red Flag’ Gun Control Bills Pick Up Momentum With G.O.P. in Congress. It’s linked from a bright red Drudge Report header blasting: “Republicans coalesce around gun control.” 

As Second Amendment supporters ponder what exactly is looming, take a moment to remember that this is the same newspaper that caved to leftist pressure Tuesday and changed a headline that treated President Trump objectively and without interjected liberal malice.

The NYT’s early edition carried the headline, “TRUMP URGES UNITY VS. RACISM,”  in which he strongly condemned “White Supremacy.” That was too evenhanded to suit the likes of gesticulator Robert Francis O’Rourke, nicknamed “Beto” as a boy by his family’s Mexican maid.

After a fury of liberal backlash was unleashed — O’Rourke called the headline “unbelievable” and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez termed it “cowardice” — the newspaper capitulated, changing the headline in a later edition to: “ASSAILING HATE, BUT NOT GUNS.” 

Even in her dotage, the once venerable Gray Lady, founded in 1865 should have known better than to rile her base with a front-page headline which gave a positive impression of President Donald Trump’s response to two mass shootings. Wielding its heft, today’s left has made the Mafia in its heyday, look tame.

The NRA has an entire section dedicated to state gun laws. Arizona’s informative page can be accessed here.

Red Flag laws, which sharply curtail the rights of Americans, are currently being pushed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey as he channels his mentor John McCain. He calls his version the Severe Threat Order of Protection or STOP. Breitbart covered the depths of Ducey’s deception.

Following the recent Texas and Ohio premeditated murders, the NRA, now facing internal problems after briefly bringing in the arrogant Oliver North, issued this statement, NRA Welcomes Call to Address Root Causes of Violence which contains these words:

“The NRA welcomes the President’s call to address the root causes of the horrific acts of violence that have occurred in our country.  It has been the NRA’s long-standing position that those who have been adjudicated as a danger to themselves or others should not have access to firearms and should be admitted for treatment.”

Meanwhile, in the most bizarre of alliances, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R- SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), yes…he’s the one who deceitfully claimed to be a Vietnam combat veteran, though he never set foot in the war-torn country — announced a bipartisan bill that would create a federal grant program to aid states in adopting “Red Flag” laws, in response to the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton over the weekend.

The law, a knee-jerk response to the dual killing rampages, permits police or family members to petition a state court to order the removal of firearms from a person who they believe may present a danger to others or themselves. It is rife for abuse.

“These grants will be given to law enforcement so they can hire and consult with mental health professionals to better determine which cases need to be acted upon,” Graham said in a statement.

AZ Gov. Ducey takes on your 2nd Amendment rights

NRA raises red flag over “Red Flag” laws

Breitbart reports very disturbing news emanating from the office of Arizona’s lame duck Republicrat Gov. Doug Ducey. He is aligning with David French, the Jeff Flake of National Review, both of whom publicly stated in 2016 they would not support GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. French ultimately left the Republican Party. Jeff Flake was unable to run for reelection due to 18% approval numbers.

In this case, it’s our Second Amendment rights that are at stake, and the slippery facilitator is a former ice cream vendor, initially recruited to run for public office by John McCain, and now occupying the ninth floor governor‘s office.

The central component to Ducey’s gun control push is a Red Flag law that creates Severe Threat Order of Protection or STOP Orders. Such orders allow guns to be confiscated from law abiding Arizonans. Arizona Capitol Times reported Ducey referred to this scheme as the “crown jewel” of gun legislation.

Ducey’s spokesman Patrick Ptak veers off the veracity cliff citing NRA support for the measure.

“There’s a reason why NRA’s Arizona director has said this ‘bill would protect the rights of law-abiding Arizonans,’” Ptak is quoted in an emailed statement. “It ensures due process, requiring one of the highest standards of evidence from a judge: Clear and Convincing Proof. STOP orders are temporary and require law enforcement to return firearms after expiration, and the bill imposes severe felony penalties for filing false petitions.”

That’s a lot of puffery describing unwarranted confiscation. Additionally, there’s a major contradiction between what flack Ptak would have us believe and what the NRA actually says. For the NRA’s take on this critically important issue read: “Why NRA Is Raising A Red Flag Over ‘Red Flag’ Laws.”

Knowledge is power, and we need it now more than ever. Arm yourself with information, share it with others and keep your powder dry.

H/T Commenter Kathy

How did police become the enemy?

Leftists get tough supporting invasion

After watching caravans of hundreds of thousands of Central Americans plow through our sovereign border, the far left has become so acclimated to the illegal invasion they are willing to take on law enforcement officers and risk arrest to protect those who hold this country and the rule of law in contempt.

We witnessed this distortion as a reported 100+ people assembled in downtown Phoenix to protest the planned roundup of illegal aliens by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers slated to begin today.

Two of the 16 protesters who were arrested in downtown Phoenix face charges of aggravated assault on a police officer after they attempted to prevent officers from arresting other participants. Protesters filled the streets and blocked traffic following a rally at a local church. They also blocked the light-rail tracks, bringing traffic to a standstill.

This is emblematic of the topsy-turvy world in which we live, where students are systematically dumbed down, given scant instruction in American history and taught that we are an aggressor nation — made even worse by a capitalistic system — which, in fact, separates us from the harsh realities of Socialism such as the people of Cuba and Venezuela endure.

In Arizona last year, Gov. Doug Ducey rewarded teachers with a 20% raise for their part time jobs, as they embarked on a week-long strike and abandoned, in violation of their contractual agreements, an estimated 840,000 Arizona students.

This past Thursday, traffic on Tempe’s Mill Avenue Bridge was shut down and three women were arrested as protesters from Black Lives Matter railed against police.  

On the Fourth of July a reprehensible incident occurred in a Tempe Starbucks, when a barista asked police officers to leave the premises because a customer complained of feeling “unsafe” with officers in the establishment. Several of those officers were veterans who had fought for our country.

In an increasingly hostile environment, police officers put their lives on the line every day as they leave their families to go to work, where they often have to make split-second decisions, and are now routinely covered by an antagonistic media.

Jeri Williams, the weak Phoenix Police Chief, has given increased authority to a citizen review board to second guess officer’s decisions. Though she’s swore to uphold the law, Williams does give her unequivocal support to so-called “Dreamers” — saying she “supports policies” that allow the unverifiable claims of illegals to lawfully remain in the USA.  Those “polices” are known as amnesty.