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.”

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As fmr. Pres. Trump mulls another presidential run, media goes ballistic

ASSociated Press cites “a person familiar with the matter”

An AP headline blasts, “Jan. 6 panel eyes recommending 3 criminal charges for Trump.” The preposterous “report/indictment” to which we have chosen not to provide a link, begins with these words: “The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is considering recommending the Justice Department pursue an unprecedented criminal charge of insurrection and two other counts against former President Donald Trump.”

Besides insurrection — an uprising aiming to overthrow the government — the panel is also considering recommending prosecutors pursue charges for obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the United States, “a person familiar with the matter,” told the AP. The committee’s deliberations were continuing late Friday, and no decisions were formalized on which specific charges the committee would refer to the Justice Department. (Notice the “person” remains unnamed.) The panel is set to meet Monday afternoon when recommendation will be made public.

This set-up has a single intent…marginalizing Donald Trump, and painting his loyalists with the same broad bush, desiring to criminalize not only the former president, but strike fear in the hearts of his broad base of conservative supporters, foolishly confusing conservatives with weak-kneed liberals.

The Department of Justice is headed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, a radical leftist, who Barack Obama tried, but failed, to put on the U.S. Supreme Court, nominating him on March 16, 2016. Despite being pushed by former Arizona Republicrat Sen. Jeff Flake, the Senate did not consider the nomination, which expired on January 3, 2017. Flake, who was only able to garner an 18% approval rating, did not run for reelection. Joe Biden appropriately rewarded him by appointing him Ambassador to Turkey.

Has Been and Never Was hammer AZ GOP leader Dr. Kelli Ward

Proof no good deed goes unpunished

In a bizarre case of a lopsided internecine war — when unity should definitely prevail — Arizona Republicans are ringside at a political bout. Matt Salmon, a former congressman, former state GOP chairman, twice former gubernatorial candidate who waited until the last week prior to the primary election to withdraw from the 2022 race, (ensuring his name remained on ballots) now takes the bizarre step of beating up on a woman. Not just any woman, mind you. Dr. Kelli Ward, who was elected to two-terms as a state senator and twice elected as Arizona Republican chairman, is also an osteopathic physician…as is her husband, Col. Michael Ward, D.O. who served tours of duty in war zones and was the flight surgeon for Arizona’s Air National Guard. She continued to practice medicine in emergency departments in Lake Havasu City and Kingman, Arizona, during her time in the senate. There is no question they believe in giving back to their communities and state.

But missing-the-spotlight Salmon is heaping blame on GOP Chair, Dr. Kelli Ward, irresponsibly holding her accountable for Republican losses in the recent General Election. He previously exchanged appreciative platitudes with Karrin Kunasek Taylor Robson, likely hoping for her win — followed by a job. Neither materialized. 

Salmon, always full of himself, will never hold public office again. Kelli Ward is deserving of his praise for her efforts on behalf of Arizona Republican Party candidates. Instead, the man who left the party leadership position under similar conditions assigns her guilt. 

Karrin Kunasek Taylor Robson lavished praise on Salmon for his decision to exit the race, believing his decision cleared the way for her to singly challenge Republican Kari Lake. We know how that turned out.

On April 14, 2022 we posted, “Karrin Kunasek Taylor Robson: AZ Gov candidate, re-invents herself.” If you missed it, it provides an in-depth insight. Beware! She’s got the wealth and time to reinvent herself yet again.

Worried headline: “Hostile Takeover” displays newspaper’s election fear

Although Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, many Arizonans have voted early. The radically leftwing Arizona Republic is quaking in its boots over the prospect of significant conservative victories, locally and nationally, in the all-important midterms.

The front page headlines, “Hostile Takeover,” as though exercising the right to vote is a nefarious scheme when engaged in by Republicans. The multi-page article is venomous, as reporter Richard Ruelas unleashes his contemptible bile spew. Watching him on Channel 8’s Horizon, he has a permanent painful expression etched on his face, barely concealed by an occasional forced smile. Above his byline and below the headline are the intended to be defamatory words, “Trump backers, Turning Point control AZ’s GOP.” Hurling the names of the Republican state chair, a physician, and two ranking members of Turning Point, is reminiscent of a side show carnival barker yelling, “Tha show’s about at begin…Git yur popcorn and peanuts here!” Then the lights go out due to an unpaid bill.

Derogatory spew is all the dems have. And the newspaper, losing subscribers faster than a tick-dipped dog loses fleas, is clearly ready to fold.* The increasingly venomous articles are an obvious indicator that it has reached the point where it hurls invectives for the sole purpose of seeing what sticks, as it tries to drive readers to an all digital edition, which would cost far less to deliver than the hard copy.

Though the ongoing effort is to smear President Trump, Americans well remember the soaring economy during the Trump administration — as reported by the Western Journal. It shines all the more when juxtaposed against Biden’s crushing inflation we witness daily at the gas pump, attempting to afford to eat and keep a roof over our heads.

*The newspaper recently announced it is “published 7 days per week, excluding Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.” Apparently it has detected there will be no news to report on those days. Other media sources are committed to keeping a flow of newsworthy information, though the newspaper is closing shop.

Arizona Republic writes its own obituary

Buried on page three under an over-sized photo of a same-sex “Pride” celebration, is the headline, “Gannett puts Phoenix printing facility up for sale, asks $47.7M.”

Gannett is the parent company of the dramatically failing Arizona newspaper and its online version. Poynter, a news industry fact checker, with a decidedly leftwing bent, headlined its coverage, “Gannett announces new cuts including mandatory unpaid leave and buyouts. The company also will pause overall hiring and temporarily suspend matching 401(k) contributions.” It included this letter from Gannett president Mike Reed, detailing the dismal future for the company and employees.

Parents overpay to send their kids to ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (home to partisan Arizona PBS) — named for a leftwing CBS broadcaster who oversaw the erosion of journalism as he interjected his own leftist commentary into his nightly newscasts. He demoralized families of those serving in Vietnam when he ended his nightly newscasts with photos of caskets being off-loaded from airplanes, accompanied by individual photos of dead U.S. servicemen. Cronkite’s baritone voice was considered familial, but he was as political as the enemy American’s were fighting in the Southeast Asian jungles. Identified as “Uncle Walter” in the early days of television, discerning viewers eventually found him to be anything but warm and fuzzy.

And coming full circle, who did we find among the myriad associates at Poynter?  None other than Mi-Ai Parrish, glowingly described as the chair of Poynter’s National Advisory Board; CEO and President of MAP (her initials) Strategies Group; Endowed Chair, Media Innovation and Leadership and Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, at ASU. She is heralded as former president and publisher of USA TODAY NETWORK Arizona, The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com in Phoenix, AZ — and, of course, “the first person of color in the role.” Poynter refers to conservatives as “conspiracy theorists” and “far-right extremists.” The World Tribune writes: Poynter is funded by Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the Omidyar Network. The two combined for “$1.3 million in grant funding.” Soros-funded Poynter blacklists ‘unreliable’ conservative publications.

After being indoctrinated for years, newly graduated reporters instinctively fall into lockstep with the left. It’s what they do. It’s who they are. That fact, besides working for little pay, underscores their value to the dying local newspaper.

Is civilization approaching crisis mode?

Seeing Red AZ has occasionally shared a particularly enlightening column we’ve encountered with our readers — posting it under the headline, “Weekend Reading Guaranteed to Make you Smarter.”  Today we upgrade our previous description as we bring you the genius of favored columnist, Victor Davis Hanson, and his most recent commentary titled, “The Thinnest Veneer of Civilization.” Appearing on Townhall, it embodies sheer brilliance. Reading it is sure to raise knowledge levels and possibly our IQs. 

Constitutional Freedom denied to AZ teams owner Robert Sarver

The United States is unique among nations in that our constitution guarantees freedom of speech via the First Amendment, which specifically states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Nowhere do those words, drafted in 1789 — fundamental to the Bill of Rights by James Madison — a Virginia representative who later became the fourth U.S. president, specify that the speech must be agreeable to a specific percentage of the populace. They are guaranteed to the speaker, not to a specific audience.

Yet Arizona native, University of Arizona graduate and philanthropist Robert Sarver, the 18-year majority owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, previously uttered words currently deemed sexist and racist, initially resulting in a one year suspension by the NBA and a hefty $10 million fine. Now he is being forced to sell the teams, though he has contritely stated, “As a man of faith, I believe in atonement and the path to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner’s one-year suspension would provide the time for me to focus, make amends and remove my personal controversy from the teams that I, and so many fans, love.”

The speech police have ruled otherwise. Though Sarver is unique in owning major teams, we the hoi polloi, (Greek for “the masses“), have less to lose but can also suffer from not falling in line with the latest edicts of the authoritative language masters. Speaking to work associates about anything other than business is risky these days, giving enhanced meaning to the words, “Silence is golden.” The lesson is, saying nothing is preferable to speaking, which could cost you your job or more. There is no path of redemption.

AZ Republic’s new low: Slurs popular GOP SofS candidate Mark Finchem

The old adage, ‘Never argue with a man who buys ink by the barrel’ was once considered a truism. Today we know that print newspapers are a dying breed. The far-left Arizona Republic definitely exemplifies that fact.  Its antics are increasingly desperate as we near the November General Election.

Its latest effort to bring down a popular Republican candidate falls into the category of reprehensible. Mark Finchem, a former four-term state legislator with credentials galore is currently running for Secretary of State. This is an important post, since the Arizona Constitution does not provide for a Lieutenant Governor and the line of succession passes through this office.  As these numbers attest, Finchem ran away with the Primary vote, trouncing all competitors by wide margins. This Meet the Candidate page is from the conservative Center for Arizona Policy Voter Guide.

Endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Finchem is regarded as worthy of degradation by the radically leftist newspaper, which took a leap into madness by describing Finchem as an “anti-Semite” after labeling him as an “election denier” didn’t work. It is a preposterous allegation based on Finchem calling out far-leftist, amoral George Soros. Soros has Jewish ancestry but isn’t aligned with the faith. He is an anti-religion Socialist who admitted (in this brief video) turning in his Jewish neighbors to the Nazis as a teenager, “with no sense of guilt.”

The newspaper, which once had a voice in elections, was forced to end its decades-long endorsement policy when subscriptions plummeted after it endorsed Hillary Clinton for U.S. President. It whiningly claimed it received “death threats,” following that absurd action. How a newspaper can be killed — other than by its own hand — is a preposterous assertion. It refuses to chastise democrat Fraidy Katie Hobbs, running for governor against Trump-endorsed Kari Lake. Hobbs is the only statewide democrat candidate who refused to debate their Republican opponent. With too many skeletons in her closet, including overt bigotry that resulted in massive fines, Hobbs even refused to debate her democrat primary election opponent.

The failing Arizona Republic’s last ditch effort at credibility is to denigrate conservatives such as Mark Finchem — a man of integrity — making him a target for defamation. Don’t be conned. His democrat challenger Adrian Fontes is a vile man lacking decency and manners as this 2017 news report shockingly reveals.

We did find a remedy to the local newspaper’s multi-pronged libelous deceit promulgated in jack-booted lockstep by reporters and columnists. The Fort Bend Independent newspaper headlined this crucial report detailing a guilty verdict against the West Fort Bend Star and its reporter, “Star loses libel lawsuit, faces a million dollar penalty and damages.”

Frantic EJ hurls deceitful slurs, attempts to invalidate popular Republicans

Arizona’s failing newspaper employs a pitiful man who obediently carries its polluted water. It’s the ideal job for a wizened toady past retirement age who needs to feel relevant. And how does he accomplish this feat? EJ Montini focuses his bile on people who have had careers in public service; actually accomplishing all that eluded pathetic EJ who uses his keyboard to spew vile hatred.

What distresses this pitiful shell of a man is Republicans. Conservatives drive him to distraction. As General Election Day approaches he has lost all sense of restraint and engages in name-calling like the neighborhood bully who threw rocks and threats, but cowardly kept his distance, as we were walking to school. The difference is, Montini has no heft, either physically or mentally. His stock in trade is derision with contemptible abhorrence thrown into his unsavory brew.

It’s not enough that this characterless character is hate-filled and perpetually enraged at GOP politicians; his stock in trade is smearing them. His latest targets are Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Mark Finchem, the Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state.

The thought of them ascending to Arizona’s top two offices is more than Montini can process. He actually calls them “Donald Trump cultists.”

Resorting to venomous tirades, he attempts to link both Republicans and state Senator Wendy Rogers to a state senate candidate in Oklahoma, who Montini has declared to be “homophobic and anti-Semitic,” vicious handles he hopes will somehow stick to the Arizona candidates. 

The only thing that will stick is the stench of Montini‘s boundless hatred of Republicans. He is drenched in the repulsive odor.

Maricopa County Recorder Richer seeks support after alleging threats

The headline, “Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer talks threats,” must have been so effective it was used in two consecutive, identical articles — both Tuesday and Wednesday — in the failing local leftwing newspaper whose readership has fallen to all-time lows and reports are often repeated.

Elected as a Republican, the former democrat was in his comfortable element when he appeared with CNN’s Erin Burnett, calling then-President Trump, “Unhinged.” The negative epithet proved so valuable, the newspaper used it in oversized type towering over a large photo of Richer and those who claimed they found no discrepancies in the 2000 election results that put Joe Biden over the top in Arizona, despite state, county and congressional Republicans reliably winning election or reelections.

The newspaper’s former sob-story columnist, now conscripted as a tedious political pot-stirrer, comes to Richer’s defense, something that would be anathema if he was an actual conservative rather than just playing one when convenient — an increasingly less frequent occurrence. She even devoted a column to Seeing Red AZ’s dissatisfaction with Richer, who we erroneously endorsed when we initially bought into his conservative contrivance. We will not link to her haughty attempt to marginalize us, or send our readers to the head-spinning environs of radicalism.

The hard truth is we made a colossal mistake. After years of Helen Purcell’s leadership as Maricopa County Recorder, we were not prepared for Richer’s duplicity.