Jeff DeWit, Fmr. State Treasurer, elected AZ GOP chairman

.@JeffDeWitAZ is your next @azgop chairman! pic.twitter.com/Tn2UYrjGDE

— AZ State Rep. Austin Smith (@azaustinsmith) January 28, 2023

Video courtesy of AZ State Rep. Austin Smith (LD 29)

In remembrance of Russell Pearce and the fate of the “Republic”

Although it is not our policy to post articles we did not write or something of this length, this is the worthy exception. Read it and you’ll understand.

A Celebration of the Life of Russell Pearce took place Monday, January 16 in the town he always called home…Mesa. Friends, family, and a crowd of admirers assembled to celebrate the life of this conservative stalwart and thoroughly decent man.

Former Congressman JD Hayworth was in attendance, and could not help but notice the difference between Monday’s service and the “send-off” provided by the daily newspaper. It prompted Hayworth to pen this column, reprinted below.

Russell Pearce and the fate of the “Republic”

You need not look very far to find the latest evidence reaffirming the well-earned nickname of The Arizona Republic.

A reading of the Jan. 5 article on the death of former State Senator Russell Pearce brings to mind the single word that serves both as an accurate description of that sickly publication’s open borders bias…as well as its oft-employed sobriquet: Repugnant.

The trio of creative writers tasked with putting Pearce’s passing “in perspective” certainly didn’t disappoint their editorial overlords; they deliberately mischaracterized the intent of his carefully crafted, ultimately passed, and signed-into-law Senate Bill 1070.

Actually, headline writers began the barrage by calling the legislation “controversial.” That word serves as the “tell sign” when a publication disapproves of the subject of its coverage. Reporters Andrew Oxford, Mary Jo Pitzl, and Daniel Gonzalez weren’t far behind; by the article’s third paragraph, they included predictable leftist doggerel, peddled as fact: “Arizona’s ‘show me your papers’ law,” they wrote.

Had the trio of scribes been interested in objectivity instead of smearing the departed, a simple bit of research into SB 1070 and its fate in the courts would have been highlighted.

The “Fair and Legal Employment Act,” as Pearce named the legislation, drafted in consultation with then-Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who now serves as that state’s Attorney General, was formulated with the intent of defining Arizona’s right to identify and detain illegal immigrants, based on existing federal law.

As Senator Pearce said in 2010, in response to the inevitable court challenges from the Obama Administration and other advocates for open borders, “SB 1070 makes no new immigration law. It simply enforces the laws already on the books…I refuse to apologize for standing up for America and the rule of law.”

In fact, no less a liberal tribunal than the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit made clear in 1983 that nothing in federal law precludes a city from enforcing the criminal provisions of immigration law, and SB 1070, its supporters maintained, simply advanced that same practice for the entire state of Arizona.

But the intervening 27 years brought forth an activism intent on defining “open borders” as noble, and any effort to enforce existing immigration law as wrongheaded, or on “the wrong side of history,” to use the favorite buzz-phrase of the left.

Such a dubious cause sought to wrap itself in legitimacy, and exploit the growing realization that many jurists on the federal bench were more than willing to usurp legislative authority if such a drastic action were in tune with their own political goals. Instead of “equal justice under law,” our nation has witnessed the advent of “unequal application of the law, based upon political preference.”

Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court considered the constitutionality of SB 1070, and the high court, while finding some portions of the legislation in conflict with federal law, upheld the provision that the left and its media lackeys still mischaracterize.

Far from radical, the “Supremes” found that seeking documentation for a person’s immigration status was entirely reasonable. The ruling stated that if law enforcement officers have stopped a subject for a legitimate reason, those officers must “reasonably attempt” to determine that subject’s immigration status when there is a “reasonable suspicion” that the person may be in the country illegally.

But reasonableness means nothing to the rabid, and the reporting of the “Repugnant” focuses on pleasing a particular point of view typified by those whose hatred of Russell Pearce has not abated…even after his earthly departure.

How else to describe the featured comments of one “community activist,” who compared Pearce to a terrorist? Said this “activist,” whose name is omitted from this column since she is undeserving of any additional notoriety: “I’m sad for all the terror that he caused our community, [and] all the people who were deported because of his political grandstanding.”

For good measure, the “Repugnant” reporters felt the need to include one more example of this self-appointed “humanitarian’s” inhumanity: her desire to see the deceased lampooned for laughs. “She would love to see one last political cartoon showing Pearce standing at the gates of Heaven, and being asked to ‘show his papers.’”

What does The Arizona Republic have to show for its desired editorial goal of open borders and its eager embrace of amnesty for illegal aliens? Fewer readers, for one thing. A budget awash in red ink, for another.

Russell Pearce met the fate that awaits us all. Now he belongs to history.

The smug and self-assured, so eager to bid him farewell will soon find the publication for which they toil facing its own demise. Maybe then, the staff of The Arizona Republic will realize that they are on “the wrong side of history.”

Advertisement

AZ MLK Day lie perpetuated by leftist media

Catholic Biden, hoping to divert attention from his deceptive classified document chaos, delivered a sermon at Martin Luther King’s Ebenezer Baptist Church this morning

Ballotpedia blandly describes the passage of the Martin Luther King Day holiday in Arizona, noting, “The act establishing a Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day on the third Monday in January as a paid state holiday and consolidating the paid state Lincoln and Washington Day holidays into a single Lincoln/Washington Presidents’ Day holiday.”

It was much more complicated than described. Republican Gov. Evan Mecham, a former state senator and successful businessman, was relentlessly derided for refusing to authorize another paid-not-to-work holiday. Instead, he set the observance for a Sunday, logically reasoning Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister and a Sunday observance made perfect sense, since it was fiscally prudent while honoring King’s legacy.

Impeachment petitions were circulated from the onset of Gov. Mecham’s election by homosexual activist and later convicted murderer Ed Buck (born Buckmelter), previously a high dollar donor to national democrat candidates including Barack Obama, Adam Schiff, Hillary Clinton and Kyrsten Sinema. Buck was charged and convicted of numerous murders stemming from his penchant for luring young black drug addicts to his home where he injected them with methamphetamines and had sex with them. Some were able to escape and contacted the police.

That wasn’t good enough for those who wanted another taxpayer-funded weekday off from work. Gov. Mecham, a religious man, was also practical. But his leftwing detractors in the local press swiftly and offensively portrayed him as a bigot, falsely claiming he rescinded the holiday. In 1990, by a margin of 75.36% – 24.64%, Arizona voters rejected Proposition 301 to create a paid Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

Nonetheless, the devious contrivance was intended to heap scorn on the conservative governor, who won the 1986 GOP Primary Election trouncing well-known and well-financed contenders. Mecham went on to win the General Election in a stunning upset, defeating longtime GOP Majority Leader Burton Barr who incurred voter wrath for smirkingly admitting, “I lied. Next question,” when asked about breaking his promise to rescind a tax increase  A WWII fighter pilot, Evan Mecham was shot down over Germany, and captured as a POW at age 20, endured a long hospitalization and was awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal. Still Mecham was marginalized and mischaracterized. The NFL even pulled Super Bowl XXVII from Arizona, based on the deceptive reporting.

Two years after the loss estimated at $350 million in major convention business and the Super Bowl, Arizona became the first and only state to popularly vote for and approve a Martin Luther King Day, creating the holiday in 1992. On March 23, 1993, the NFL awarded Super Bowl XXX  to Tempe, proving that even hints of extortion can be powerful persuaders.

Truth takes a back seat in Biden’s classified documents garage storage saga

American truth seekers are fortunate to have access to Byron York, The Washington Examiner’s Chief Political Correspondent, who directs much needed light on the Biden “misplaced classified documents” fiasco in ”The big problem with the Joe Biden documents story.”

It is definitely a must read, if you’re tired of being treated like a mushroom: Covered with manure and kept in the dark.

Weekend reading guaranteed to make you smarter

Today we gift our readers with another gem from Victor Davis Hanson. Posted on Townhall, this column is titled, “What Caused the Political Hysteria?”

In his abbreviated Townhall biography, Hanson is described as a “noted historian and social critic whose philosophies are rooted in classicism, an author, contributing editor and professor.” He’s all that and more. Whenever you want to explore the mind of a conservative genius, you need look no further than this compilation.

AZ’s conservative icon Russell Pearce has died

Arizona was fortunate to have a man of the caliber of Russell Pearce as a legislative leader. A man of integrity and unwavering political resolve, he was admired by his cohorts and respected for his determination even by his adversaries. Russell Pearce was a longtime deputy sheriff who rose through the ranks retiring as chief deputy. Running for the state legislature, Pearce was initially elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2000 and later to the state Senate in 2008, where he was elected Senate president by his colleagues. Pearce later served as director of the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division and more recently worked for the Maricopa County Treasurer’s Office.

Pearce partnered with then-Kansas secretary of state Kris Kobach, a lawyer, who with Pearce, co-authored SB 1070 bearing the title, “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act.” It was signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer in April 2010.

Kobach is now Kansas’ newly elected attorney general, who served as Kansas secretary of state from 2011 until 2019. A committed conservative, he rose to national prominence with his involvement in SB 1070. Arizonans owe both Sen. Russell Pearce and Kansas AG Kris Kobach debts of gratitude.

R.I.P. Senator Russell Pearce. You will long be remembered as a man of integrity and deep faith, a loving husband to LuAnne, devoted father of five, plus adoptive grandfather of three and respected friend to the state of Arizona.

“He lived a life of service to God, family and country. He loved us, and we loved him dearly,” Pearce’s family said in a statement.

Sex comes to the AZ legislature

Public schools are barely making the grade in imparting education to students in what is providing the left an easily controllable populace, short-changed on history and not even able to find China on a map. Cursive has been relegated to a relic and math is “too difficult” to bother with. We covered this educrat catastrophe recently in, ‘As Nat’l education report card reveals sinking test scores teacher’s unions support 4-day school week.’ Our children will be ill-equipped to be competitive in the international arena, but our boys can wear teal satin tights and girls will know the power of being known as Tom while at school.

Gaining prominence among educrats is the newly trendy “gender fluidity,” accompanying “preferred pronouns“ as teachers encourage Johnny to use feminine pronouns and Suzy is given the go-ahead to use male identifiers. Some classrooms have a closet filled with boys and girls clothing which the children are encouraged to wear in class as they take on a new sexual persona. This is all done without parent’s knowledge as the young students “role play.”

Fortunately Arizona’s state legislature has Sen. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican, who has introduced SB 1001,bearing the reference title: “pronouns; biological sex; school policies.” It has just been introduced in the 2023 legislative session, so it will likely take a few days for the full text to appear.

Sen. John Kavanagh’s bio and answers to questions can be read in the pro-life, pro-family Center for Arizona Policy Arizona’s Voter’s Guide.

In the November 8, 2022 District 3 election, Sen. Kavanagh recently defeated his democrat challenger 61.0% to 39%.

A memorable White House Christmas greeting

Remembering how good it was

With sincere best wishes for a Merry Christmas to our valued readers.

Seeing Red AZ

NY Post shines editorial light on stifled Hunter Biden’s laptop deceit

The New York Post’s Editorial Board headlined its report, “Evidence shows FBI, Biden campaign and Twitter worked together to suppress Hunter story.”

Suppressing negative information regarding the Biden family is obligatory for most newspapers which fall into the hard-left arena as evidenced by their presidential election coverage. The NY Post, founded in 1801 by Alexander Hamilton, strives for accuracy.

These are the editorial endorsements of national newspapers in 2016 when Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were running for U.S. president. The failing and irrelevant Arizona Republic claimed it received death threats after endorsing Hilary.

The 2020 newspaper endorsements were even more lopsided, despite the flourishing economy under President Donald Trump and the fact that feeble Joe Biden was unable to campaign, staying holed up in his Delaware home basement and reading brief prepared statements.

TX Gov. Greg Abbott takes action re: illegals

Abbott declares “Texas remains vigilant in our response to Biden’s border crisis.”

This is Gov. Abbott’s recent letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding what he appropriately refers to as a “crisis” — exacerbated by the end of Title 42 just days away. Both Abbott and Paxton are Republicans. Under Title 42, Border Patrol agents could expel illegals seeking amnesty without a formal hearing. Over 1.7 million illegal aliens have been expelled under Title 42 since it took effect in March 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

Gov. Abbott’s letter was sent just one day after a huge crossing of illegal aliens into El Paso, Texas. During this massive influx, over 1,000 aliens illegally entered the U.S. in a well-organized caravan. “I invoked the Invasion Clauses of the U.S. & Texas Constitutions to fully authorize Texas to take unprecedented measures to defend our state against an invasion,” Gov. Abbott wrote. “I’m using that constitutional authority, & other authorization & Executive Orders to keep our state & country safe.”

Texas officials have criticized the Biden administration for its unwillingness to enforce immigration law at the southern border and have attempted to act independently of Washington to stem the tide of illegals unlawfully entering the United States. Gov. Abbott formally declared an “invasion” in November and invoked constitutional powers to control the indefensible situation.

Arizona’s Gov. Doug Ducey, mentored by open borders proponent John McCain, a driving force in the failed bipartisan Gang of Eight pushing “immigration reform,“ has been a disappointment. A year after McCain’s death Ducey was still mourning him, putting out a press release titled, Governor Ducey: “John McCain’s Legacy Endures”

The crisis on Arizona’s border will only worsen with a democrat at the helm.