Running for Congress in CD2, Kirsten Engel Seeks a Thriving Economy and Infrastructure Development

Arizona State Senator Kirsten Engel (D-LD10) has an impressive resume that checks all boxes as a Democratic Congressional Candidate looking to succeed the retiring Ann Kirkpatrick in 2022. Senator Engel has been: A staff attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency. A staff attorney for the Sierra Club. The acting chief of the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Division. Visiting Associate Law Professor at Vanderbilt, University of California, and Harvard. Professor of Law/Environmental Law at the University of Arizona (a position she still holds.) Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Arizona from 2012 to 2015 A member of the Arizona State [...]

By David Gordon|2021-04-20T16:56:53-07:00April 20th, 2021|Arizona Democratic Party, Criminal Justice, Economics, Elections, Uncategorized|

GOP Attorney General Indicts Two Democrats for Ballot Collection

The Republican attorney general, Mark Brnovich, indicted two Democratic Latinas for collecting ballots, using a law that has been declared unconstitutional. Most people missed the blatantly political indictment because it was surreptitiously announced the day before Christmas Eve. Arizona state Rep. Charlene Fernandez The indictment is a direct attack on the Latino tradition of taking ballots to the polls for disabled people, the elderly, and rural voters with no mail delivery. In 2016 the legislature made the longstanding practice illegal, continuing a racist history in Arizona of suppressing Latino votes. This is the first use of the “ballot [...]

By Larry Bodine|2021-01-14T09:22:54-07:00January 14th, 2021|Arizona, Criminal Justice|

Educator and Community Stalwart Rex Scott is Running for Pima Supervisor, District 1

This article first appeared on the Blog for Arizona Rex Scott has been part of the Pima County Community since 1991. A teacher, assistant principal, and principal in the local area, Scott, who also served as a City Council Member when he lived in Athens, Ohio, wants to take this professional experience and utilize it as the next District One Pima County Board Supervisor. If elected this November, Scott, a former Republican and Independent before becoming a Democrat 16 years ago, vows to be a bipartisan public servant who is a “fair, objective representative for all the people [...]

By David Gordon|2020-10-02T13:41:45-07:00October 2nd, 2020|Criminal Justice, Economics, Education, Elections, Environment, Local Candidates and Electeds|

Will the New Conservative Court Impede Medical Aid in Dying Laws?

Trump and Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett Although staunchly Catholic Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, has never weighed in on medical aid in dying legislation, she certainly believes it's a sin. She follows Pope Francis, who reiterated on September 22, that "assisted suicide and euthanasia are intrinsically evil, in every situation or circumstance.” Barrett's youngest child of seven --two of whom are adopted from Haiti-- was diagnosed with Down Syndrome during a prenatal screening but chose to keep the baby boy. Barrett, currently 48, was confirmed to the Seventh Circuit Court that includes Indiana, Illinois, and [...]

By Lynn Shapiro|2020-09-30T12:32:38-07:00September 29th, 2020|Commentary, Criminal Justice|

WATCH: Progressive Pam Powers Hannley Hits the Hot Issues

Pamela Powers Hannley, State Rep. for LD9, presented a comprehensive, bright progressive future for Arizona at the Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting on Aug. 24, 2020. Powers Hannley was elected to the Arizona House to serve Legislative District 9 in 2016, and she is running for her third term. Among many topics, Rep. Hannley discussed: Economic and public health challenges facing the Legislature in January 2021; Envisioning a more just post-COVID19 world; and Why Arizona and the US need a Blue Wave in November 2020 to have any chance of building a more just world. As a member [...]

By Larry Bodine|2020-08-25T15:41:23-07:00August 25th, 2020|Arizona, Ballot Referenda and Initiatives, Criminal Justice, Economics, Education, Elections, Healthcare, State Representative, Tucson|

We Cannot Let Terrorism Stop Our Work As Democrats

The Maricopa County Democratic Party (MCDP) Headquarters in Phoenix was set on fire around 1:00 a.m. Friday morning, according to Steven Slugocki, Chair. The Phoenix Fire Investigation Task Force and ATF have officially labeled this an arson investigation. "Our team is still in shock. Knowing that this fire was set deliberately is disturbing news, but I am relieved that no one was injured," Slugocki says. "I have been inside the office and it is unrecognizable. While the rest of the building has some water and smoke damage, the entire contents of our side of the building is a total loss. In addition [...]

By Larry Bodine|2020-07-24T17:37:45-07:00July 24th, 2020|Arizona, Arizona Democratic Party, Criminal Justice|

What’s Happening In Portland Should Concern Everyone

We want to update you on the situation on the ground in Portland, Oregon. Over this past week, militarized federal forces have escalated their violent attacks against the city's people. In response, the ACLU of Oregon immediately sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Marshal Service. Staff AttorneyACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project And we have no intention of backing down. Please read more on this unfolding crisis and our plans to hold those responsible for the brutality against protesters accountable. Since June, police have fired tear gas and other munitions into crowds gathered to protest [...]

By Vera Eidelman|2020-07-24T10:47:05-07:00July 24th, 2020|Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement|

Biden Condemns Trump’s use of Storm Troopers in Portland and other Cities

Former Vice President and 2020 Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden issued a statement condemning Donald Trump’s use of Homeland Security Forces in Portland, Oregon, and other American cities. The statement reads: “We have a president who is determined to sow chaos and division. To make matters worse instead of better. We all remember the appalling scenes in front of the White House when peaceful protestors were gassed to make way for a Trump photo op. Now Homeland Security agents — without a clearly defined mandate or authority — are ranging far from federal property, stripped of badges and insignia and identifying [...]

By David Gordon|2020-07-21T17:40:02-07:00July 21st, 2020|Criminal Justice, Joe Biden, President|

This is How Fascism Starts in America

What is happening? Unidentified and uninvited federal troops are, apparently without warrants, harassing, beating, and detaining nonviolent protestors on the streets of Portland. Trump, abetted by fringe reactionaries like Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Trump Attorney Bill Barr and Homeland Security Chad Wolf and Ken Cuccinelli, are also threatening to take their black shirt squads to other cities led by Democrats (like Chicago or Milwaukee.) The Lincoln Project ad rightly depicts these actions as “a President out of control” who will resort to any totalitarian measures to stay in power. “This is how it starts and this is how freedom dies,” the [...]

By Larry Bodine|2020-07-20T11:09:58-07:00July 20th, 2020|Criminal Justice, President, Racism|

“Second Chances Act” Ballot Initiative Needs Your Support!

As you may have heard, there is a ballot initiative that will put sentencing reform before the voters of Arizona. The Second Chances, Rehabilitation, and Public Safety Act initiative combines elements of several of the sentencing reform bills that were introduced – and supported by AFSC-Arizona – in the last couple of years, but were blocked from receiving hearings by the opposition or vetoed by the Governor. https://secondchancesaz.com/ The #SecondChancesActAZ will: Expand earned release credits from 1 day for every 6 served (roughly 15 percent of one’s sentence) to 1 day for each day served (50 percent) for people convicted of “non-dangerous” offenses; Restore judicial discretion [...]

By Michael Bryan|2020-06-06T17:27:41-07:00June 6th, 2020|Ballot Referenda and Initiatives, Community Organizing, Criminal Justice|