Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It looks like the "Mayor" of Washington, D.C., Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), has a bit of a problem with his plan to take his anti-abortion crusade nationwide. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Arizona's 20-week abortion ban law today. Doh! Court Strikes Down Arizona 20-Week Abortion Ban:

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law violated a woman's constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy before a fetus is able to survive outside the womb...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I hate it when I have to agree with the Arizona Republic's über-conservative columnist Robert Robb, but even a broken clock is right twice a day, am I right?

Keep in mind that this latest column from Robert Robb is actually the strategy for a legal challenge to Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan, likely from his old employer, the Goldwater Institute, which is actively opposing the Governor's plan. If the Governor's plan is enacted by the legislature...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In 2004, a handful of Republican senators joined with Democratic senators to wrest control of the Arizona Senate chamber from an obstructionist Senate President. It hasn't happened since -- until today.

A bipartisan Senate coalition, led by the Republican majority leader John McComish no less, gave tentative approval Thursday to Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal to restore and expand Medicaid (AHCCCS). Ariz. moves closer to Medicaid expansion:

[The coalition beat back more tha...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You can file this one under stupid shit the Goldwater Institute says and that reporters unquestionly repeat as mere stenographers. You can cross-file it under stupid shit that Tea-Publicans believe but which has no basis in the reality based world (they believe in confidence fairies and unicorns, i.e., the entirely disproved and discredited faith based supply-side "trickle down" GOP economic theory).

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Medicaid expan...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Arizona Secretary of State Ken "Birther" Bennett supplements his state salary with cool "Kochtopus" cash. He is on the payroll of the major bankrollers of the national Tea Party movement and FreedomWorks. Talking Points Memo reports:

Ken Bennett, the Secretary of State of Arizona, receives a $70,000 annual salary. But he also, it turns out, receives $2,000 a month for his work as a board member of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a for-profit company founded by a ...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Governor Jan Brewer has signed Senate Bill 1108, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that foster families fully immunize their own children. See, When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives. Even the the Arizona Republic editorialized against this bill. Junk science can harm foster kids.

Howard Fischer reports in Legislative briefs:

Brewer removes some foster care restrictions

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of our Tea-Publican controled legislature have a sad today. Apparently some things are just too crazy even for Governor Jan Brewer to sign off on. The Governor vetoed the paranoid end-times apocalyptic fantasies of Glenn Beck conspiracy theorists. Brewer vetoes bill making gold legal tender:

Those gold and silver coins will have to stay hidden in the closet and locked in safety-deposit boxes for a bit longer. 

Gov. Jan Brewer on Thurs...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Constitutional provisions enacted by the voters through initiative or referendum can only be repealed by the voters through another initiative or referendum. At least, that is how it is supposed to work.

The ballot referendum proposed by the Arizona Legislature in 1979 to amend the Arizona Constitution to impose a "resign to run" law was approved by the voters at the 1980 general election. Article 22, Sec. 18 of the Arizona Constitution provides "Except during the fi...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

So how's that "De-Kook the Capitol" thing working out for ya, Laurie Roberts? The Glenn Beck conspiracy theorists, who apparently got burned in his Goldline fraud -- "The company’s business model was built on systemically swindling and scaring its mostly elderly clientele into purchasing overpriced gold coins, prosecutors in California alleged, leading the company to settle for $4.5 million in refunds to its customers," Beck-backed gold fraud? - Salon.com -- have fou...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

So how's that "De-Kook the Capitol" thing working out for ya, Laurie Roberts? Gov. Jan Brewer, engaged in a civil war in the Tea-Publican Party over her Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan, appeased her GOP crazy base by signing several bills on Monday.

HB 2455 clarifies that local law-enforcement agencies must sell guns they acquire in situations such as gun-buyback programs -- even when the gun owner desires that their weapon be destroyed, in violation of their private ...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Earlier this week I posted about Senate Bill 1108, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that foster families fully immunize their own children. When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives. The bill passed on a 33-24 party-line vote in the Tea-Publican-controlled House, but it wasn’t enough of a margin to tack an emergency clause onto the bill that would have it take effect immediately if the governor signs it.

Today the Arizona Republ...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of the Tea Party, i.e., the GOP insane clown posse, held a rally yesterday in opposition to Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. "Fringe" describes the unhinged from reality circus clowns who came up with this "genius" (sic) plan. AHCCCS might drop coverage for childless adults:

Thousands of Arizonans receiving health care through Medicaid could be thrown out of that program under one alternative offered by opponent...

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

Nearly six months ago, disgraced and disbarred former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas threatened to do just this, and now he is carrying out the threat.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Alia Beard Rau -

Disbarred former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas has announced he will run for governor in 2014.

In an e-mail to members of the media, the Republican said he file paperwork today with the Secretary of State’s Office.

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

This morning, Democrat Fred DuVal formally announced his candidacy for governor to supporters at the Squash Blossom in Phoenix. Fred will be in Tucson this afternoon to announce his candidacy to supporters at Bentley's, 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. Please arrive by 1:45 PM sharp.

Email announcement today:

Today, I am announcing that I'm running for Governor of Arizona.

Our state is at a turning point, and if we continue down the path we're on, our next generation won't have th...

By Tom Prezelski

Cross-posted from Rum, Romanism and Rebellion.

Chad,

We have known each other for nearly ten years. In that time you have been my friend, ally, and occasional opponent. Through it all, I have known you to be one of the keenest and most articulate public policy minds in the state. We also share similar taste in music, which just further proves that you must be a genius.

However, I am writing this to ask you not to pursue a run for Governor in 2014.

In Fred DuVal, we have not on...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Governor Jan Brewer signed off on the Tea-Publican back-door asault on Citizens Clean Elections, House Bill 2593, Brewer signs bill ending limits on campaign giving, a bill which is unconstitutional and will result in promised lawsuits.

The bill is unconstitutional because the Clean Elections Act of 1998 was a citizens initiative, and any changes to voter-passed initiatives need a vote of three-fourths of each chamber of the Legislature under the Voter Protection Act (al...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Our lawless legislature is disregarding sound legal advice and passing unconstitutional legislation again, pissing away your tax dollars on the litigation which is certain to follow.

This time it is the Tea-Publican back-door assault on Citizens Clean Elections. Arizona Legislature OKs higher election-donor caps:

The Senate approved higher contribution limits Tuesday, as a grass-roots group lobbied state lawmakers to reject the measure and critics warned the bill is unco...

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I previously explained Arizona's Unemployment Insurance (UI) program in The GOP war on the unemployed in the Arizona Lege. The key point:

Under Arizona law, the burden of proof has always been on the employer to establish disqualification from unemployment insurance benefits. The public policy reason for this is that the employer enjoys control over employment records (proprietary information). Employees are not entitled to records in their employee file (several bills ...