On Thursday, Attorney General Mark Brnovich co-led a 20-state coalition in filing an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case deciding the speech rights of business owners. The coalition filed their amicus brief the day after Pride Month began.
At the heart of the case — 303 Creative v. Elenis — is Colorado businesswoman Lorie Smith, a graphic artist and website designer who refused to design wedding websites for same-sex couples per her religious beliefs. Colorado law C.R.S. 24-34-601 prohibits businesses from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, even due to religion. The state considers any business that sells to the public or offers services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to the public as a “place of public accommodation” and therefore beholden to their anti-discrimination law.
The amicus brief pointed out that Smith provided other services to LGBTQ+ customers, but that her Christian religion prevented her from providing wedding-related services to those customers. It also pointed out that Smith’s hesitation concerned the message she would convey in being forced to do so; in other words, her speech and not the status of a customer.
The Christian Bible dictates that marriage is the union between one man and one woman, and that homosexuality is a sin.
“Colorado interprets its public-accommodation law to forbid Smith from expressing her desired messages about marriage. In its view, graphic artists who create websites celebrating opposite-sex marriages must do the same for same-sex marriages, and refusing to do so subjects those artists to punishment,” read the amicus brief. “By adopting this position, Colorado violates the constitutional rights of its citizens, because the First amendment prohibits States from forcing individuals, including people who create custom speech for a living, to speak in favor of same-sex marriage.”
In a press release, Brnovich asserted that business owners like Smith have a constitutional right to discern speech as part of their business.
“Owners of small companies do not give up their constitutional rights as a cost of doing business,” said Brnovich. “Freedoms of speech, belief, and expression are at the core of who we are as Americans, and our government is out of line to infringe on them.”
“As a Christian artist, I was really excited to step into the wedding industry and use my artistic talents. Except, there’s a Colorado law that prevents me from continuing my work and forces me to violate my beliefs and speak messages I don’t agree with,” stated Smith. “Every American should have the right to control the content of their own speech.”
Nebraska, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia joined Arizona in the amicus brief.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
On Wednesday, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) launched a resource page on their website to aid parents navigating the ongoing baby formula shortage.
The portal offers information on formula alternatives, safety tips, community resources, breastfeeding guidance, and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
ADHS recommended that parents not use homemade or imported baby formulas. While some parents rely on local milk banks, Arizona doesn’t have one. ADHS recommended that parents seek out neighboring states’ milk banks.
Today's new ADHS blog offers resources for parents and caregivers affected by the infant formula shortage. Visit us online to access critical information and learn more about potential alternatives for infants using various types of formula. More info: https://t.co/2ki7Q11nQkpic.twitter.com/W55xOWmgIO
Also on Wednesday, President Joe Biden revealed during a virtual roundtable on baby formula production and procurement efforts that he wasn’t apprised of the baby formula shortage until April — two months after industry leaders were aware.
“Well, here’s the deal. I became aware of this problem sometime in — after April — in early April, about how intense it was,” stated Biden.
Reporter: Why didn't you move quicker on the baby formula shortage?
Biden: "I don't think anyone anticipated the impact of the shutdown of Abbott facility."
Reporter: "Didn't the CEOs just tell you they understood it would have a very big impact?"
During the White House press briefing that same day, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre couldn’t explain the delay between their administration’s awareness of expected shortages and Biden being informed of the situation.
Jean-Pierre also announced that there will be two additional Operation Fly Formula missions next Thursday. United Airlines will transport 3.7 million 8-ounce bottles of baby formula, making it the first flight mission donated by an airline carrier. Also, Bubs Australia will transport 4.6 million 8-ounce bottles of formula.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Homeschooled sixth grader Aliyah Alpert fell short of winning the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, nearly becoming the first Arizonan to do so in 69 years.
The winner, 14-year-old Harini Logan of Texas, received cash prizes totaling $52,500, a commemorative medal, the championship trophy, a Merriam-Webster reference library, and $400 worth of Encyclopedia Britannica reference works.
The last Arizonan to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee was Elizabeth Hess in 1953 with the word “soubrette,” a noun signifying a coquettish or frivolous woman in comedic acting roles.
In order to make it to the finals, Alpert spelled or defined the following words correctly, in order by round: spelled “nuciform,” an adjective signifying something is like a nut in its shape; defined “malinger,” an intransitive verb indicating someone who pretends or exaggerates an incapacity or illness to avoid work; spelled “dyspathy,” a noun indicating a lack of sympathy; spelled “croupous,” a shipping fever disease affecting cattle; spelled “ostmark,” a monetary unit of the former German Democratic Republic; defined “verklempt,” an informal adjective indicating someone overcome with emotion; and spelled “trevally,” a noun signifying a variety of carangid fish species.
Alpert misspelled the word “ajivika.”
Alpert won $2,000 and a commemorative medal for her spot in the finals.
#Speller87 Aliyah Alpert from Arizona has spelled the word ajivika incorrectly. An ajivika is a member of a nontheistic religious sect founded by a contemporary of the Buddha. https://t.co/1HnC4GBueL#spellingbee
— Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) June 3, 2022
Alpert faced 12 other finalists: Logan, 14-year-old Shijay Sivakumar of Texas, 14-year-old Abhilash Patel of New York, 13-year-old Sahana Srikanth of Ohio, 13-year-old Sahasrad Sathish of Illinois, 13-year-old Ekansh Rastogi of Florida, 13-year-old Nitya Kathiravan of New Jersey, 13-year-old Vihaan Sibal of Texas, 13-year-old Saharsh Vuppula of Washington, 13-year-old Surya Kapu of Utah, 12-year-old Vikram Raju of Colorado, and 11-year-old Kirsten Santos of Texas.
How many words in the Bee's official dictionary? We use only @MerriamWebster Unabridged, and the number is about 470,000! When you're watching the @ScrippsBee tonight, remember the duel is NOT between the spellers and Dr. Bailly, but between the spellers and the dictionary. pic.twitter.com/ctPbX9gC4D
— Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) June 2, 2022
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
A recent poll revealed that 97 percent of Arizona voters were concerned about the price of gas, and 80 percent were concerned with supply shortages.
Phoenix-based OH Predictive Insights released those findings on Wednesday, part of an Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP) conducted last month over the course of a week.
9 in 10 Arizonans expect gas prices to be higher next month…again
Those who expressed concern over the gas prices weren’t hopeful about the future costs. 91 percent expected gas prices to increase by next month. That’s more pessimism than expressed in previous polls. In a March AZPOP study, 80 percent of Arizonans anticipated an increase in gas prices.
Although Arizonans share similar perspectives on the state of gas prices, they don’t agree on who’s to blame. 36 percent of Arizonans identified President Joe Biden as the reason for rising gas prices, whereas 26 percent blamed oil companies and the remaining 23 percent blamed the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
“The long-term anticipated impacts from the pandemic are surfacing as it globally disrupts the supply chain, heightening concern for Arizonans as supply shortage continues to burden virtually everyone, “said @MikePNoble
Gas prices present a bipartisan issue, with both Republican and Democratic leadership expressing criticism over Biden’s handling of the rising costs.
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) told KOLD that the Biden administration and Congress have options to curb the crisis, insinuating that they weren’t taking all necessary and available action.
“There are levers we can pull here to lower the cost,” stated Kelly. “I’ve asked the administration to increase production [….] They’ve done some but it’s not happening fast enough.”
Gas has become far too expensive for Arizona families.
Washington needs to move quickly to increase domestic energy production and pass my bill eliminating the federal gas tax for the rest of the year. https://t.co/9HvVfPIuFA
Concerning the supply chain crisis, 52 percent of Arizona voters reported that it impacted them directly. 43 percent said they weren’t affected directly. 86 percent of those concerned made over $100,000 a year; 90 percent were homemakers, and 80 percent were suburban women.
Over half of Arizona registered voters (52%) said they have been directly affected by the supply shortage while 43% say they have not been directly affected.
However, 80% are extremely/ very/ somewhat concerned about supply shortages.
According to the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index, Phoenix area prices increased 2.5 percent from February to April — a total increase of 11 percent from one year ago. Food prices increased by nearly two percent those two months, and 8.6 percent over the last year. Energy prices increased nearly 13 percent those two months, and 32.6 percent over the last year.
A Pew Research study released while the latest AZPOP study was underway revealed that the rest of the nation concurred with Arizonans that inflation is the most pressing issue.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
During a State Senate briefing on Tuesday, True the Vote — the election integrity nonprofit behind the research for election fraud documentary “2000 Mules” — recommended Arizona clean up its voter rolls. Just several days before, Governor Doug Ducey vetoed a bill purging non-citizens and non-Arizonans from voter rolls.
The election integrity researchers also proposed an end to the mass mailing of ballots and drop boxes, as well as an increase in penalties for voter fraud. If ending the use of all drop boxes wasn’t feasible, the researchers proposed real-time video surveillance.
The bill vetoed by Ducey, HB2617, received support from House and Senate Republicans. It would’ve required the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to submit information to the secretary of state every month regarding driver’s license or non-operating licenses issued in other states. Within 10 days, the secretary of state would then submit that information to the relevant county recorders to purge their voter rolls.
HB2617 would’ve also required the county recorder to compare their voter registration database to the Social Security Administration database on a monthly basis. Additionally, the secretary of state would’ve been required to report to the state legislature on a quarterly basis the death counts and voter registration cancellation notices issued to county recorders. Jury commissioners and managers would’ve been required to inform the secretary of state and their county recorder about individuals who indicated they weren’t U.S. citizens or living within the county.
The House and Senate may override Ducey’s veto with a two-thirds vote.
Ducey’s spokesman, C.J. Karamargin, said that the bill sponsor, State Representative Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale), “knows” why Ducey vetoed the bill. Karamargin didn’t elaborate further.
In an explanatory letter, Ducey shared a concern that the legislation lacked due process for voters whose eligibility may be challenged, and that bad actors would capitalize on that aspect of the bill.
He criticized the bill’s implementation method as “vague” and lacking guidance for county recorders to execute properly. Ducey further criticized the residency determination provisions within the bill as subjective and lacking protections against false claims of non-residency.
Ducey didn’t object to the bill in its entirety. He commended the provisions directing ADOT, the secretary of state, and county recorders to communicate on proof of out-of-state licenses, new addresses, and non-citizenship.
Arizona Free Enterprise Club Vice President Aimee Yentes disagreed with Ducey’s concerns that the bill lacked due process for voters and that it would empower bad actors. However, Yentes expressed hope that they could work with Chaplik to bring a modified version of the bill more palatable to Ducey.
“This is a multi-pronged endeavor. You don’t fix all the numerous issues we have with election processes overnight or in just one session,” said Yentes.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
