Arizona’s Shameful Voter Suppression
National Media Spotlights Danger for Democracy from AZ Chaos
NPR "Here And Now" Host Deepa Fernandes questioning Arizona Republic Reporter Sasha Hupka on October 25:
“…it sounds gritty out there. Far from, you know, a liberating act of voting… what about being armed and the kind of intimidation tactics? What's the law there? You know, are you allowed to do that?
Uh, yes.
Here in America’s State of Chaos, you can dress in camo, put on a mask (not for Halloween), strap on a weapon, and harass people who are exercising their right to vote.
As is our right, thousands of Arizonans are voting early. Lawful Arizonans who’ve driven to officially designated drop-offs to find these clowns set up as “poll observers.” For these MAGA Minions, “observing” means taking photos of you and your license plate, maybe asking who is getting your secret vote. It means weaponizing their cameras, filthy mouths and complete cluelessness in hopes of scaring you away without voting.
DOJ Complaints
It’s a very ugly scene. A voter complaint filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) cites harassment by people in tactical gear who photographed voters, intimidated them, bullied them as they dropped off their early ballot.
Driving this lawlessness, the White Whale quest for “mules.” These kitted up crazies see early voters dropping off their ballots as “mules,” the much-discredited depiction of ballot harvesters from the Trumpian propaganda piece “2000 Mules.”
ABC15 Reporter Nicole Grigg, a courageous and driven reporter, tweeted this thread of awfulness she’s getting while covering confrontations between voters and Extreme MAGA Crazies.
Nice, huh.
There’s Some Voter Protection…
…but depending on where you live, you could be on your own.
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone is deploying deputies at ballot drop offs to stop this nonsense.
Not so in other counties. Sheriffs, especially those who designate themselves “Constitutional Sheriffs,” are part of Extreme MAGA. This group, which includes Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, have Militia, and in some cases, Oath Keeper ties. They believe they’re above all law not set by them. Instead of protecting voters, the guys with the badges could be doing the intimidating. This from the party screaming for “law and order.”
Heading to Court
Fortunately, two lawsuits to end these tactics were filed Wednesday (October 26) by voter protection groups. The suits say the Mule Hunters have violated both the Voting Rights Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. The KKK Act was passed by a Republican Congress during Reconstruction. It bans any activities that “prevent, by force, intimidation, or threat, any citizen who is lawfully entitled to vote, from giving his support or advocacy in a legal manner.”
Yeah, that KKK. The Birth of a Nation murderers in white hoods who lynched Blacks and pillaged their property in Southern, Border, and even some Northern states after the Civil War. Their goal was to intimidate the Freedmen into a status akin to slavery…to NEVER let them vote.
That we need the 1871 KKK Act to protect voters in 2022 shows how poorly we’ve handled this thuggery.
Speaking of the “Olden Days….”
Not to be outdone in State 48’s race to the top of the “stolen election” rankings is Cochise County. A century ago it was home of the legendary Shootout At The OK Corral and Apache Wars.
This week, its Board of Supervisors turned back the clock and ordered a hand count of mid-term election ballots. Can’t trust machines they say, another Big Lie Zombie borne of Traitorous Trumpers and amplified by the Right’s misinformation media machine.
A hand count will take 2500 hours, damage ballots, and perpetuate distrust in a very secure vote counting system.
And, did I tell you? It’s illegal in Arizona?
For AZ and America…A Holy Shit Moment
For over a year, I and others in AZ have been warning about State 48’s deal with the Devil Trump and its likely impact on the midterms and 2024. I’ve pronounced it a Cold Civil War, a statement some find extreme. Until now, not many outside Arizona have noticed just how dangerous the MAGA hold has become here. Finally, the national spotlight has been switched on.
Pay attention America. This is coming to your state.
This past Sunday, ABC’s “This Week” devoted its entire program to chronicling the coming tyranny of Kari Lake and Mark Finchem. Since early October, CBS’ “Face The Nation,” CNN’s “State of The Union” and NBC’s “Meet The Press” have exposed the ravings of Lake and Arizona’s gang of democracy crashers.
The New York Times (“Donald Trump in lipstick” is how Times columnist Charles Blow described Kari Lake), The Atlantic, The Washington Post, NPR, AXIOS, have all awakened to the democracy destroying domino that could fall in Arizona in the next couple of weeks.
Hopefully this reporting is getting needed attention everywhere and especially HERE.
It’s essential that Arizona voters keep Lake, Finchem, Blake Masters, and the entire MAGA Cabal out.
AZ Voters, You Must Act!
Look past the noise, the political attack ads, the Trumpian media, members of your family hysterically spouting about “wokeness” and “groomers” and “communists.”
Instead, envision a state and nation built around the classic liberal order. Or, we’ll be living under the authoritarian alternative of racist othering, armed paranoia and complete chaos.
In their own words, here’s who and what you’ll stand for by voting Republican:
Gubernatorial Candidate Kari Lake:
“We know that if we have another election that is stolen from us, we’re going to lose this country forever.”
“Deep down, I think we all know this illegitimate fool in the White House—I feel sorry for him—didn’t win.”
“They kicked God out of schools and welcomed the Drag Queens. They took down our Flag and replaced it with a rainbow.”
Secretary of State Candidate Mark Finchem, who will supervise AZ elections:
“Stand 75 feet away from the entrance of the polls. The mere fact that you are there watching scares the hell out of them.”
“…ain’t gonna be no concession speech coming from this guy.”
On the 2020 Election: people voted with “software that flips votes.” Joe Bid Biden is “a fraudulent president.”
On the Jan. 6 attack: “The whole thing was a setup.”
U.S. Senate Candidate Blake Masters
“I am 100% pro-life."
"I will support A federal personhood law (ideally a Constitutional amendment) that recognizes that unborn babies are human beings that may not be killed."
"Our top generals have turned into woke corporate bozos, and our troops deserve better. No active duty American general has ever won a war. Think about how crazy that is. These people get promoted by giving politically correct PowerPoint presentations” Note, Masters has never served in the Armed Forces.
Rep. David Schweikert, an ethics nightmare who carries water for Big Money in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley:
On punishing the FBI for the Mar-A-Lago search: “You don't want to defund them (FBI), you want to break them up. You want to be able to ship out anyone that’s political, because you’re not going to be able to defund them. You defund the line items and you strip where they spend their money.”
Tweet by Rep. Andy Biggs, who groveled for a Trump pardon for his role planning January 6th:
Tweet by Rep. Paul Gosar, a White Nationalist also linked to planning January 6th and censured for threatening Rep. Alexandria Oasio-Cortez:
Elevating these ideas from fringe to Republican mainstream are Mike Flynn, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and of course, Steve Bannon. Another Trump presidency with these folks in charge will destroy our democracy.
If this post causes you to do nothing else, please take the time to follow these links and see where this group will take us.
Arizona, Your Vote NEVER Meant More
Elect Republicans and:
You’re welcoming in the book banners and burners.
You’re kicking out the Dreamers and immigrant asylum seekers.
You’re ending gay marriage and demonizing LGBTQ people.
You’re denying your history instead of learning from it.
You’re criminalizing women who should be permitted to make their own health care decisions. You’re threatening their medical providers with prison.
You’re putting White Supremacists, Christian Nationalists, and fringe groups like QAnon, Oath Keepers, and Proud Boys in our highest offices.
You’re giving Kari Lake the authority to put homeless people in concentration camps and to have Arizona secede from the union!
Denying Republicans your vote keeps Extreme MAGA from destroying our democracy.
Yes, the Democrats are highly flawed. I wish they were more inspiring leaders with a unified message. They may be bumbling and tedious at times, but they are not traitors, insurrectionists, and election deniers.
Don’t let the Camo Crowd win.
Vote as if your life and our democracy depend on it.