Arizona’s governor-hopeful and household-name anchorwoman, Kari Lake, received some backlash for criticizing the Olympics and largely ignoring Arizona’s 9 current champions. Lake retweeted a question from Students for Trump Founder Ryan Fournier asking why Olympians who hate America aren’t giving up their passports.
“Am I the only one who hasn’t watched ANY of the Olympics?” wrote Lake. “How did we end up with athletes who hate our country representing it in competition and in very public display of disrespect to the U.S.A.?”
Am I the only one who hasn’t watched ANY of the Olympics?
How did we end up with athletes who hate our country representing it in competition and in very public displays of disrespect to the U.S.A.? https://t.co/BcRr1qVZaS
In response, Twitter users asked Lake why she was focusing on the few Olympians disrespecting the country versus the many representing the nation proudly. Lake issued the tweet after one Arizona Olympian – Phoenix gymnast Jade Carey – won gold. The day before, Lake retweeted a congratulatory post for Gilbert gymnast MyKayla Skinner, who secured the silver medal on vault after receiving a Cinderella opportunity to compete once teammate Simone Biles withdrew from several events.
In a statement to AZ Free News, Lake said that she stood by her statements because elected officials aren’t standing up against athletes who denounce America.
“I’m leading in the polls because I will NEVER back down from doing what’s right. Arizonans are tired of weak, recycled politicians that sit on the sidelines and say NOTHING while others trash this country,” said Lake. “The behavior of these ‘woke’ athletes hurts the other Olympians and hurts our country. For every veteran who’s ever fought to protect our freedoms and every service member that has given their life on this battlefield – I promise you this: I will never kneel to the Marxist mob that seeks to destroy our great nation.”
Lake’s spokespersons added that she’s happy to see Arizonans are making a big splash, but believes strongly that the wokeness in sports is causing a big turnoff.
9 Arizonans have received Olympic medals thus far: 1 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze.
Arizona took home several medals over the past week alone. In addition to wins from Carey and Skinner, Mesa skateboarder Jagger Eaton took home bronze.
Lake’s comment reflected some of the viral incidents in which American Olympians have expressed shame or derision for the country publicly.
In the Olympic trials last month, hammer thrower Gwen Berry captured national attention for turning away and draping her head with an “Activist Athlete” shirt while the National Anthem played.
The other two qualifiers, Missouri’s DeAnna Price and California’s Brooke Andersen, received significantly less attention – though the pair both paid respect to the national anthem and Price had a record-breaking throw nearly 7 feet longer than Berry’s.
All three of the American hammer throwers are in Tuesday’s final.
Then this past week, South Carolina’s Raven Saunders gave a lengthy speech on social justice activism and held her arms overhead in an “X” to signify the oppressed during the medal ceremony. Saunders received silver for her shot put performance.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is investigating Saunders’ actions. Conversely, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has already declared that Saunders didn’t break any conduct rules.
Taxpayer-funded League of Arizona Cities and Towns (League) apparently penned two opinion pieces on behalf of Pinal County mayors and supervisors praising Representative David Cook (R-Globe), email records reveal. What’s more, the League asked Cook to offer any edits and approve at least one of the pieces before they ran.
It appears the League’s primary lobbyist, Nick Ponder, contacted Cook about two opinion pieces for Pinal County officials: one on behalf of their supervisors, and one on behalf of their mayors. In emails obtained by AZ Free News, Ponder reached out to Cook for the final say on one of the pieces concerning Pinal County mayors. The subject line for some of the emails concerning that piece read: “Mayor’s Letter for Cook[.]”
The mayors’ opinion piece lionized Cook as a “brave legislator” who stood up against tax cuts and supported water sustainability.
“Thankfully, we have State Representative David Cook representing us in the Arizona state legislature. He is one of a handful of brave legislators with enough courage to stand up to the power brokers at the State Capitol in Phoenix. Rep. Cook is forcefully speaking out about the destructive impact the proposed tax cut will have on our rural communities and he is fighting to protect us. […] Equally important, Rep. Cook joins us in supporting policies which address our water challenges here in Pinal County. Securing long-term sustainable water solutions will ultimately cost the state billions of dollars. Considering Arizona’s water future and its pending costs, Rep. Cook is right to stand up and fight a permanent tax cut valued at nearly $20 billion over the next decade. Those are dollars the state will sorely need to fund future water solutions. We wish to make it perfectly clear to all our municipal residents: We stand with Rep. Cook in protecting our public safety budgets and bringing funding to Pinal County to help mitigate our state’s long term water shortage.” (emphasis added)
The League is funded principally by taxpayers. Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland, Coolidge Mayor Jon Thompson, Eloy Mayor Micah Powell, Florence Mayor Tara Walter, Globe Mayor Al Gameros, Hayden Mayor Dean Hetrick, Kearny Mayor Jamie Ramsey, Mammoth Mayor Patsy Armenta, Miami Mayor Sammy Gonzales, Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, Superior Mayor Mila Besich, and Winkelman Mayor Louis Bracamonte were signed onto the letter.
Email records show that Ponder reached out to Copper Area News Publishers for publication in the Superior Sun, Copper Basin News, and San Manuel Miner. Arizona Capitol Times published the opinion piece.
In another email, Ponder forwarded Cook an email chain about the Pinal County supervisors’ opinion piece. Pinal County Communications and Marketing Director James Daniels had submitted the piece to the managing editor of the Casa Grande Valley Newspapers.
After that, Daniels forwarded the correspondence to others, including County Supervisors Association of Arizona Executive Director Craig Sullivan – he shared it with Ponder, who then shared it with Cook.
The piece focused on how much the Pinal County supervisors supported Cook.
“Representative David Cook has always fought to protect the interests of the residents of Pinal and Gila counties, whether by securing resources to build roads or to develop water supplies, and we are very grateful to see his hard work to ensure that any tax reduction package passed by the legislature is designed so that the state remains on solid financial footing going into the future,” read the letter. “We are very concerned that in the legislature’s desire to do something ‘big and bold,’ what will get lost is doing things right. Therefore, we applaud Representative Cook’s leadership to shape a tax package that strikes a wise balance – providing meaningful tax relief, reducing state debt, and ensuring the state has the resources to meet its obligations to Arizonans into the future.”
Pinal County Supervisor Steve Miller and Gila County Supervisor Tim Humphrey signed onto the letter.
The piece appeared in The Arizona Republic, Pinal Central, Copper Basin News,and Superior Sun.
AZ Free News inquired with the League about their involvement in the writing of these opinion pieces, as well as who initiated the idea to create them. The League’s administrative assistant confirmed that the appropriate staff members received our inquiries, but they didn’t respond by press time.
Scottsdale’s FnB Restaurant will require patrons to show proof of their vaccination – one of the first restaurants to do so in the valley. However, being vaccinated won’t exempt patrons from masking. FnB will still require that, too.
FnB Restaurant owners Charlene Badman and Pavle Milic issued the vaccination announcement last week on their Instagram page. Their required proof of vaccination upon entry will go into effect on Wednesday.
“With the latest trends regarding the highly transmissible Delta variant, we have decided for the good of all to add another layer of safety for our staff – who is fully vaccinated and still required to wear masks, in addition to the same safety standards pre-vaccine – and our guests who have been vaccinated,” wrote the owners. “Starting Wednesday, August 4th, you will be required to show proof of your coronavirus vaccination card, or a picture of it on your phone. We know some of you might not agree with our decision, but know it comes from a place of deep desire to take care of you and our team. As per usual, thank you for sticking with us during these uncharted times. We have come a long way with vaccinations, let’s not stop halfway.”
The restaurant appears to have taken initiative from the Biden Administration’s latest announcements last week. Last Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) declared in an opinion that both public and private entities could legally mandate emergency use authorization (EUA) vaccines like the COVID-19 vaccine. The next day, the CDC updated its guidance to recommend that even fully vaccinated individuals wear masks in areas with high transmission rates.
FDA law states that individuals may be informed of their option to accept or refuse an EUA medical treatment like the COVID-19 vaccine.
“(e) CONDITIONS OF AUTHORIZATION (1) UNAPPROVED PRODUCT (A) Required conditions: With respect to the emergency use of an unapproved product, the Secretary, to the extent practicable given the applicable circumstances described in subsection (b)(1), shall, for a person who carries out any activity for which the authorization is issued, establish such conditions on an authorization under this section as the Secretary finds necessary or appropriate to protect the public health, including the following: […] (ii) Appropriate conditions designed to ensure that individuals to whom the product is administered are informed – […] (III) of the option to accept or refuse administration of the product, of the consequences, if any, of refusing the administration of the product, and of the alternatives to the product that are available and of their benefits and risks.”
In their interpretation of the FDA statute, the DOJ OLC opinion claimed that the FDA law granting EUA for vaccines or other medical treatments only pertained to informing the recipient.
“[That section] concerns only the provision of information to potential vaccine recipients and does not prohibit public or private entities from imposing vaccination requirements for vaccines that are subject to EUAs,” wrote the OLC. “By its terms, the provision directs only that potential vaccine recipients be ‘informed’ of certain information, including ‘the option to accept or refuse administration of the product’ […] In the sense used here, the word ‘inform’ simply means to ‘give (someone) facts or information; tell.’ […] Consistent with this understanding, the conditions of authorization that FDA imposed for the COVID-19 vaccines require that potential vaccine recipients receive FDA’s Fact Sheet […] which states that recipients have a ‘choice to receive or not receive’ the vaccine[.] Neither the statutory conditions of authorization nor the Fact Sheet itself purports to restrict public or private entities from insisting upon vaccination in any context.” (emphasis added)
The DOJ OLC did add, in the footnotes, that its opinion didn’t speak to federal, state, or local laws that may restrict vaccine mandates.
Although OLC shared its opinion with the public at the end of last month, it was originally submitted to President Joe Biden’s deputy counsel as early as July 6. The next day, the CDC published its updated guidance on masking.
Governor Doug Ducey has supported voluntary vaccinations. Last week, Ducey issued a statement discussing vaccination’s importance as the Delta variant continues to spread.
Corinne Murdock is a contributing reporter for AZ Free News. In her free time, she works on her books and podcasts. Follow her on Twitter, @CorinneMurdock or email tips to corinnejournalist@gmail.com.
Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) announced on Friday that they would ignore state law and implement a mask mandate, effective Monday – the first day of classes. PXU blamed the increased spread of the Delta variant for the restored mask mandate. The district said it would prioritize the new CDC guidance over the law.
“We teach and trust science, follow guidelines and recommendations from health experts, and use health data to drive our decisions. The science is clear that the best way to protect yourself and your family from COVID-19 and known variants is to get vaccinated,” announced PXU. “In an effort to protect our staff, students, and community, PXU has a good faith belief that the following guidance from the CDC and other health agencies regarding mitigation strategies is imperative. Therefore, Phoenix Union will begin the school year on August 2 enforcing our existing Board-adopted mask requirement of universal indoor masking only, regardless of vaccination status.”
In a subsequent interview, PXU Superintendent Chad Gestson echoed the rationale offered in the announcement letter. He asserted that science was more important than the law.
“We’ve been faced with so many challenging decisions,” said Gestson. “And I think what’s been most challenging is that we are institutions that teach science and trust science and from time to time are forced to make a decision that maybe conflicts with state law or state mandate or an executive order in order to follow science and medical guidelines. We have said from day one that we would always prioritize the health and safety of our community.”
The state ban on mask mandates was effective as of June 30, per a retroactivity clause. Ducey’s spokespersons responded in emails that PXU’s mandate was unenforceable.
Governor Ducey believes the decision by Phoenix Union requiring masks has no teeth. It’s not allowed under Arizona law. It’s unenforceable. Arizona is not anti-mask, we’re anti-mask mandate. As the governor has often said, mask usage is up to parents. If a parent wants their child to wear a mask at school, they are free to do so. This is not a state decision. Ultimately, this is about personal responsibility and parental choice – something Arizona has long-supported. School administrators should be doing everything they can to encourage eligible students and staff to get vaccinated, not break state law. Health professionals in Arizona and across the country have made it clear: our kids are safe in the classroom. We need to keep students in their classrooms, and the governor wants to ensure there are limited disruptions when it comes to their education. Arizona is not going to mandate masks in any learning environment.
On Tuesday, Ducey responded to the updated CDC guidance recommending that everyone wear masks, including fully vaccinated individuals. He reiterated that Arizona law doesn’t allow mask mandates, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, or any level of discrimination in schools based on vaccination status. Ducey called the CDC’s updated guidance an example of the Biden Administration’s failure in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Public heatlh officials in Arizona and across the country have made it clear that the best protection against COVID-19 is the vaccine,” asserted Ducey. “Today’s announcement by the CDC will unfortunately only diminish confidence in the vaccine and create more challenges for public health officials – people who have worked tirelessly to increase vaccination rates.”
Ducey has yet to issue a formal statement on PXU’s mask mandate.
Corinne Murdock is a contributing reporter for AZ Free News. In her free time, she works on her books and podcasts. Follow her on Twitter, @CorinneMurdock or email tips to corinnejournalist@gmail.com
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) voted to give convicted serial sex abuser and former USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar stimulus checks, along with other violent criminals. Kelly voted with the rest of his Democratic colleagues to grant stimulus checks to convicted serial killers, rapists, terrorists, and sex offenders.
Nassar received two stimulus payments totaling $2,000. However, his victims won’t be seeing the money Kelly voted to grant him anytime soon. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has reportedly allowed Nassar to pay out a meagre $100 annually toward the $57,000 he owes in restitution and over $5,000 in special assessment. The court filings also reportedly indicate that Nassar has ignored those debts, while spending over $10,000 of a total $12,825 he’s received while in prison to cover his commissary, email, and phone expenses. This information was submitted in a motion by U.S. attorneys to U.S. District Court Judge Janet Neff in the Western District of Michigan on Wednesday.
The Department of Justice would collect more than the annual $100 for restitution, but it can’t currently. Nassar is one of many federal inmates taking advantage of a prison bureau policy barring collection from their accounts.
Following the court filing, Republicans have asked the Biden Administration to take action. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) submitted a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland inquiring why inmates may continue to use deposit accounts without complying with financial sentencing obligations.
“Unfortunately, these facts give the appearance that the Department of Justice places greater importance on Nassar’s comfort than on collecting the debt he owes to his victims,” said Wicker. “This situation sends a troubling message about our justice system’s priorities, not only to the athletes he abused but to victims of sexual misconduct everywhere. Continuing to allow a sexual predator to maximize his comfort in prison while ignoring obligations he incurred as part of his sentencing adds grave insult to the injuries sustained by his victims and the entire U.S. Olympic community.”
Nassar’s alleged victims include U.S. Olympians Simon Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, and McKayla Maroney. Over 300 women and one man testified against or came forward with their own stories of Nassar’s abuse during his trials.
The former sports doctor was sentenced to 235 years in prison, collectively, for criminal sexual conduct and federal child pornography charges.
A detailed timeline of Nassar’s career, crimes, and prosecution can be found here.
Corinne Murdock is a contributing reporter for AZ Free News. In her free time, she works on her books and podcasts. Follow her on Twitter, @CorinneMurdock or email tips to corinnejournalist@gmail.com
