by Corinne Murdock | Jan 18, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Over half of the Arizona House Democrats are pushing to repeal the state’s ban on male athletes in K-12 female sports. The bill has yet to be assigned to a committee.
Freshman State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez (D-LD18) proposed the bill, HB2068. 14 Democrats signed on, including: State Reps. Flavio Bravo, Andrés Cano, Oscar De Los Santos, Melody Hernandez, Christopher Mathis, Analise Ortiz, Mariana Sandoval, Judy Schwiebert, Keith Seaman, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, Laura Terech, and Stacey Travers. Democratic leadership also cosponsored the bill: Assistant Minority Leader Lupe Contreras and Minority Whip Marcelino Quiñonez.
Gutierrez, a Tucson High Magnet School yoga teacher, said that transgender athletes deserve to play on the team of their choosing. GLSEN Arizona, the state branch of the national organization pushing LGBTQ+ ideologies onto minors, endorsed the effort.
Gutierrez also opposes the state’s ban on gender transition procedures for minors, and the requirement for teachers to inform parents about their communication with students regarding sexuality or identity.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona (PPAZ), the political advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Arizona, endorsed Gutierrez. Planned Parenthood Arizona offers hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on site and via telehealth. The effects of HRT may only last from six months to three years, meaning that patients must take it for life to experience its effects.
Last September, Planned Parenthood Arizona received a $10,000 grant from Phoenix Pride for their gender transition procedures, or “Gender Affirming Care” (GAC).
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) also endorsed Gutierrez. HRC, an activist organization, denies that males have biological advantages to females.
The legislature banned males from female sports last year through SB1165. Democratic legislators spoke out in opposition to the bill, claiming that transgender athletes had no competitive edge over their non-transgendered peers. They also claimed that the bill solved a non-issue, since so few transgender athletes existed in the state.
Males who attempt to transition socially and/or physically as females retain their physical advantages to females, such as testosterone, muscle mass, height, and fat distribution. Even with a year of hormone treatments, they retain significant advantages.
However, activist organizations such as the ACLU dismiss those scientific findings as speculative.
There are 18 states that have banned students from participating in sports of the opposite sex. In addition to Arizona, these are Utah, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida.
While Democratic legislators are focused on affirming preferred identities, Republican legislators are focused on affirming biological realities and parental authority. State Sen. John Kavanaugh (R-LD03) proposed a bill to prohibit K-12 schools from referring to a minor student by a pronoun that differs from the pronouns aligning from their biological sex without parental permission. The bill, SB1001, would also prohibit a school from requiring an employee or independent contractor to refer to students by their preferred pronouns.
Kavanaugh’s bill was scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Jan 17, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
An Arizona mother alleged that a transgender school board member stared at her bare chest in her gym’s locker room last week.
Paul Bixler, a man who professes to be a woman, has sat on the Liberty Elementary School District (LESD) Governing Board since 2021. The mother, Lindsey Graham, who goes by the persona “Patriot Barbie” online and is affiliated with conservative activist group Turning Point USA, claimed in a viral video that Bixler looked at her bare chest as she was undressing in the women’s locker room. Graham called police for help. However, law enforcement reportedly informed Graham that the incident wasn’t grounds for arrest.
“He is a man in the women’s locker room, and the response was that this is a ‘touchy, sensitive issue in society,’” said Graham. “Women’s rights are being violated and I’m not going to put up with it.”
Bixler reportedly told police that he had his genitals removed surgically and the gender on his driver’s license changed from male to female. Arizona law requires individuals to receive a doctor’s letter testifying that they’re “irrevocably committed” to changing their gender and that they have received “appropriate clinical treatment.”
“He cut off his weiner, so now he’s a woman?” asked Graham.
Graham said the experience caused her to question what facilities Bixler uses on school property.
Libs of TikTok, a popular conservative account that reposts and reports on left-wing content, picked up the already-viral video, resulting in the encounter to receive millions of views.
Some online users accused Bixler of voyeurism in their comments.
Others insinuated Graham orchestrated the encounter, pointing to her viral public commentary at an LESD board meeting last year. In a response video posted to Instagram, Graham denied accusations against her, including that she was waiting for Bixler to come to the gym, that she signed up for the gym knowing he worked out there, and that she’d been harassing and stalking him.
“I don’t care what the narrative is,” said Graham. “I care about this: did he violate women’s rights? Yes. Will he violate other girls and women? Yes. Is it my duty to fight against his delusions to protect other little girls? Yes.”
Days before the incident went viral, Bixler was featured in an article claiming that he’s been targeted by community members over his transgenderism. Bixler also insisted that transgenderism isn’t a choice, in response to critics’ claims to the contrary.
Bixler began dressing as a woman after his wife died in 2017. On his Facebook profile, last active in 2020, he listed his gender as “male.”
Bixler made headlines last January after he testified against parental rights before the Arizona legislature. Bixler argued that educators shouldn’t have to disclose a child’s sexuality and gender identity to their parents.
“When you threaten a child’s disclosure with exposure, those children will continue to question but will not seek the highly qualified individuals that could assist them. Threatening dedicated, trained caregivers with litigation also threatens the welfare of the children within that same population,” stated Bixler. “When you marginalize this student population and force them to go into hiding, they won’t stop questioning. They simply will not receive the help that they need.”
Prior to sitting on a school board, Bixler worked in Arizona public schools for over 30 years as a teacher, principal, administrator, and even coach. Bixler ran uncontested in his school board race.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Terri Jo Neff | Jan 17, 2023 | News
By Terri Jo Neff |
Two major water rights cases that date back to the 1970s are being reassigned to another judge, the first such change in more than 10 years, the Arizona Supreme Court announced last week.
Judge Scott Blaney of the Maricopa County Superior Court will take over the Gila River System and Source case as well as the Little Colorado River System and Source case, both of which were first litigated in the late 1970s. He replaces Judge Mark Brain effective Feb. 4 as what is commonly known as Arizona’s Water Judge.
The cases Blaney is taking over are general stream adjudication proceedings to determine the extent and priority of water rights in the Gila River system (Maricopa County case nos. W-1, W-2, W-3, and W-4), and in the Little Colorado River system (Apache County Superior Court case no. 6417).
The Gila River General Stream Adjudication civil case began in the 1970s as a series of petitions to the Arizona State Land Department to determine, or adjudicate, conflicting surface water rights for the Salt, Verde, Gila, and San Pedro rivers.
The petitions were eventually transferred to the superior courts of the individual counties where the petitions were originally filed, but a 1981 Arizona Supreme Court order consolidated all four cases into the Gila River case. The justices also ordered the matters would be heard in Maricopa County.
Similarly, the Little Colorado River Adjudication began in the late 1970s when mining company Phelps Dodge Corp. filed a petition with the state land department to determine water rights to the Little Colorado River system and source. The litigation was later transferred to the Apache County Superior Court as the county where the largest number of potential claimants reside.
Blaney, a graduate of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, served on the civil and family court benches of Maricopa County Superior Court since 2018. Prior to that, Blaney worked in private practice from 2003 to 2015 before becoming State Judge Advocate for the Arizona National Guard and general counsel for the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs (DEMA).
The state’s Water Judge is assisted by an appointed Special Master who hears disputes arising out of the cases, such as objections to hydrographic survey reports and other legal and factual issues designated by the judge.
Court records show the current Special Master is Susan Ward Harris, who was appointed in 2015. She has a master’s degree in hydrology from the University of Arizona’s College of Science as well as a Master of Law degree from Georgetown University.
Terri Jo Neff is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or send her news tips here.
by Terri Jo Neff | Jan 16, 2023 | News
By Terri Jo Neff |
The day before five people died Thursday in a horrific vehicle fire on Interstate 10 near Riggs Road, Arizona officials learned that the U.S. Department of Transportation denied a request for $360 million to widen another dangerous stretch of the interstate through Pinal County.
Last year the Arizona Legislature approved $400 million for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) as part of a project to widen 26 miles of the interstate to three lanes in each direction from Casa Grande and Chandler.
The three-year project, which will include a new bridge over the Gila River, was funded enough with the allocation and other state money to complete about 20 miles.
Meanwhile, ADOT applied for $360 million through the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grant program. Those funds would have ensured the widening work and other safety improvements extended farther south into Pinal County, an area which has experienced a high rate of residential and commercial growth in recent years.
Arizona Sen. T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge) and Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-Casa Grande) were disappointed to learn the grant application was denied. Both say they intend to introduce new legislation to use state funds to cover the $360 million so the full project can be completed.
The lawmakers are also encouraging ADOT to seek other funding options which could lower the amount of the second allocation.
One of the biggest advocates for the interstate improvement project is Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland, who believes construction must begin sooner than later.
“We can’t wait for us to get all the money and begin the process,” McFardland said, adding he is looking forward to feedback on why ADOT’s grant application was rejected.
Various guesses have been put forth by some parties for rejection of the application, which had the support of U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly. Some are pointing to the fact Arizona was seeking nearly one-third of all the funding available nationwide in the current award round.
Others suggest the Biden administration is prioritizing more “green” transportation projects. More information is expected to be released soon, including possible tips on what ADOT can do differently if it reapplies for the next funding cycle.
Kelly issued a statement affirming his support for the I-10 improvements.
“Arizonans rely on the I-10 to connect them to jobs, educational opportunities and their families, which is why improving and expanding this highway is still a top priority for me,” the statement reads.
Terri Jo Neff is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or send her news tips here.
by Corinne Murdock | Jan 16, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The attorney general’s office secured the discontinuance and restitution of Companion Pets, Inc. (CPI), an established puppy retailer in the Valley who sources from unlicensed and neglectful breeders.
According to the attorney general’s report, CPI sold approximately 6,000 dogs per year in its stores online, animalkingdomaz.com, and in-person through their Animal Kingdom and Puppies ‘N Love shops located in Tempe, Gilbert, Glendale, and Tucson. They were located in the Arizona Mills, Arrowhead Town Center, SanTan Village, and Tucson Mall.
READ THE COURT ORDER HERE
As part of its assurance of discontinuance, CPI must clearly identify the sources of the animals it placed for sale, accurately display the name and USDA-licensing status of the breeders and brokers from whom it obtained animals, cease offering dogs for sale that come from breeders or brokers cited for violations of the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act, and cease releasing dogs to consumers known to have parasites without informing the consumer verbally and in writing and advising whether the dog requires further treatment.
With the ordered shutdown, CPI must pay the state $120,000 in restitution. CPI customers seeking restitution must have purchased a puppy from the listed retailers between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2022, have made their purchase in Arizona or lived in Arizona at the time of purchase, and file a complaint with the attorney general’s office within 120 days after the court signs the assurance of discontinuance order (estimated to be mid-April 2023).
Those interested in reviewing the list of CPI’s breeders may do so here.
Investigations into CPI first began in February 2020, the month before President Donald Trump first declared a national state of emergency for COVID-19. That September, an animal cruelty prevention organization, Animal Wellness Action, released a report with detailed allegations of CPI sourcing from unlicensed and penalized breeders.
READ THE REPORT HERE
In a press release late last month, former Attorney General Mark Brnovich emphasized the importance and duty of ensuring animals’ welfare, as well as preventing seller misrepresentation.
“The addition of a dog is an important, emotional decision for any family,” said Brnovich. “It is imperative that consumers be given truthful information about the source and the health of animals that will become family members.”
This more recent discovery of CPI’s perpetuation of animal neglect and abuse hearkens back to past controversies.
When Tempe attempted to ban breeder sales in 2016, CPI petitioned the state legislature to override the policy. They succeeded, securing SB1248.
At the time, CPI defended their lobbying against critics that the bill enabled puppy mill sales. CPI’s marketing director alleged that the bill doesn’t allow CPI to evade the law, nor did CPI violate any other laws. CPI founder and owner, Frank Mineo, added that they would “never” buy puppies from puppy mills. Mineo has been a public advocate for responsible breeding and proper animal care.
“[W]e go above and beyond even the U.S.D.A. regulations when selecting our breeders. We only buy puppies from breeders whom we know, trust and who treat all of their dogs (puppies and adults alike) with veterinary care and compassion and whose kennels show a commitment to animal welfare,” stated Mineo. “SB1248 has the potential to put pet store owners who buy puppies from puppy mills out of business so we support the bill. Puppy mills are deplorable, but putting us out of business does nothing to shut them down, it merely perpetuates a bigger black market for puppies to be sold by unregulated and unscrupulous people with no oversight at all.”
According to its Greater Phoenix Chamber profile, CPI began in Buffalo, New York and has existed for over 50 years. Over the past 44 years, CPI expanded into Arizona and then sold the majority of its stores to Petco. Then, CPI transitioned to puppy sales within local malls as well as a 17,000-foot aquarium and fish store in Phoenix, The Ocean Floor.
CPI claimed on its website that it vets breeders thoroughly because it takes the health and welfare of its puppies seriously. CPI also claimed that it based its breeder investigations on USDA inspection records and their own in-person examinations, which they alleged to conduct every year.
“Our goal is to provide happy, healthy lifelong pets to the individuals and families who shop our stores and our breeders are chosen with this in mind,” stated CPI.
CPI also sold dog and fish products, including their own brand of dog food: Earthblend.
As of press time, CPI’s website was live and their puppy listings remained up.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Jan 15, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, is using her $38.3 billion divorce settlement in part to fund over a dozen leftist Arizona groups dedicated to equity over equality.
The following received at least $72.54 million collectively from Scott over the past three years:
- $25 million: Valley of the Sun United Way
- $10 million: Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project
- $10 million: United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
- $8.5 million: Habitat for Humanity – Central Arizona
- $3.5 million: Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson
- $2.8 million: Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
- $2.5 million: Vista College Preparatory
- $2 million: YMCA of Southern Arizona
- $1.4 million: Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona
- $1 million: YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix
- Undisclosed amount: YWCA Southern Arizona
- Undisclosed amount: Easterseals Southwest Human Development
- Undisclosed amount: Greater Phoenix Urban League
Valley of the Sun United Way received its millions as part of a five-year initiative to advance equity in all aspects of society. Under the modern social justice lens, equity factors an individual’s need rather than affording equal treatment to everyone.
Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project provides legal and social services to illegal immigrants facing deportation.
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona focuses its efforts on dismantling structural racism, with an equitable approach in its community service.
Habitat for Humanity, the household name for nonprofit housing assistance, joined the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) bandwagon. Since then, the nonprofit committed to anti-racism and reframing its community service through racial and social equity rather than equality.
The same was true for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, and both YMCAs. The Valley of the Sun YMCA has participated in the Phoenix Pride Parade, and the Tucson YMCA has an outreach committee dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
Girl Scouts allows transgender girls to join troops on a case-by-case basis. If the community recognizes the boy as a girl, then the troop allows him to join. Their non-discrimination clause states that they accept children regardless of their gender identity.
Vista College Prep, a tuition-free public charter school, states that its mission is “Equity for all students to achieve their full potential.”
YWCA Southern Arizona’s mission is to eliminate racism and ensure equity for women — mostly, Black women.
In addition to advancing equity, Easterseals Southwest Human Development, an early childhood development organization, advances a concept of systemic racism positing that babies can be racist.
The Greater Phoenix Urban League also determines its distribution of community service through an equity lens.
Scott also gave an undisclosed amount to the Movement for Black Lives, a California-based Black Lives Matter (BLM) affiliate whose $30.6 million was fiscally sponsored by the Tucson-based Alliance For Global Justice (AFGJ).
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
