by Corinne Murdock | Oct 25, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
On Monday, Maricopa County began the tabulation of approximately 168,000 early ballots. The county estimated that around 150,000 to 250,000 early ballots will be dropped off on Election Day, with 98 percent of ballots reported by November 11.
The Maricopa County Elections Department counts all early and provisional ballots. Vote Center tabulators handle Election Day ballots. As the county noted, state law allows for early ballot tabulation prior to Election Day.
Bill Gates, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors chairman, assured voters in a press release that the tabulators were vetted and staff were bipartisan.
“Regardless of who wins or loses, voters can trust in the results that our election processes, procedures, and audits provide,” stated Gates.
The county noted that voters should be aware of the possibility of an automatic recount following the publication of final results. SB1008 increased the automatic recount threshold from .001 to .5 percent. If that occurs, the final election results would be available by late December at the earliest.
The county’s detailed explanation of its processes, prediction of when vote counting ends, and assurance of election integrity precautions are likely part of efforts to alleviate tensions after nearly two years of vocal voter distrust in elections — especially those in Maricopa County.
County leadership condemned citizens surveilling ballot drop boxes, saying that it amounts to voter intimidation. The county encouraged citizens to become poll workers or official party-affiliated observers rather than surveil drop boxes.
“Uninformed vigilantes outside Maricopa County’s drop boxes are not increasing election integrity. Instead they are leading to voter intimidation complaints. Although monitoring and transparency in our elections is critical, voter intimidation is unlawful,” stated the county.
Video surveillance of the drop boxes exists, but isn’t always reliable. As AZ Free News reported in August, the county failed to record an unstaffed drop box for three weeks — a mistake only discovered by the county after a records request for the video feed by the Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC).
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer shared that approximately 1.9 million early ballots were mailed, accounting for around 77 percent of voters (over 2.4 million). Richer added that the county processed over 25,000 new or updated voter registration applications.
Election results will be made available here starting at 8 pm on Election Day, and updated every night. Voters can track and verify their ballot status by texting “JOIN” to 628-683 or by visiting BeBallotReady.Vote.
VISIT MARICOPA COUNTY’S ELECTION FAQS WEBSITE
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 25, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
A woke black “pastor” from California claimed Democrat gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs isn’t racist, prompting Talonya Adams, the staffer twice vindicated in court for racial discrimination she faced under Hobbs, to rebuke him.
Robinson, a Californian and former Arizonan who claims to be a Christian pastor despite violating Scripture, claimed Hobbs’ actions were mistakes.
“Contrary to popular beliefs, Katie Hobbs isn’t racist. If she was, I would let you know,” tweeted Robinson. “She made mistakes. We all do. AZ, she needs your vote on Nov 8th!”
In response, Adams said Robinson’s claim was a lie and quoted a Bible verse condemning liars.
“This is a lie Redeem,” wrote Adams. “Proverbs 12:22: Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”
Robinson came to Phoenix earlier this week to do voter outreach on behalf of Democratic candidates.
Over the past decade until last year, Robinson was involved throughout Arizona as a “pastor” at various churches, a political activist, and politician. Robinson served as a “pastor” with All Nations Temple AME Zion Church in Tucson, then Ebenezer Church in Phoenix.
Robinson also served as a field director for the Arizona Democratic Party; a southwest organizing manager for Need to Impeach, a PAC to oppose former President Donald Trump founded and principally funded by Democratic dark money kingpin Tom Steyer; a state deputy political director for Steyer’s 2020 presidential run; a campaign manager for the scandal-ridden, leftist dark money nonprofits Arizona Coalition for Change/Our Voice Our Vote; founder of the Tucson chapter of Black Lives Matter (BLM); the Black Engagement Committee founder and Sergeant At Arms for the Maricopa County Democratic Party.
The “sex-positive” Robinson was also a failed 2018 Democratic candidate for the Arizona Senate. His candidacy took a hit from news coverage of domestic violence charges filed by his ex-girlfriend, with whom he had a child out of wedlock. (He has a total of three daughters, who he says live in Arizona while he lives in California). The court later dismissed the charges against Robinson because the prosecutor’s office wasn’t prepared to proceed.
It appears that Robinson’s latest efforts are a fusion of alleged “Christianity” and political activism: All Souls Movement, a nonprofit he founded and directs. Robinson pays himself to do “paid partnership” social media posts for his nonprofit; earlier this month, he posted a video on Instagram telling people to “not be an a**hole” and claiming that being a Christian doesn’t mean abstaining from sin. Notably, Robinson didn’t cite any Scripture to justify his claims.
“Jesus’ ministry was as simple as it. Literally, His ministry on earth was telling us don’t be an asshole. With the richer getting richer and poor getting poorer, and white supremacy going unchecked, and racism out of control, and homophobia, xenophobia, and transphobia, and sexism just out of control,” said Robinson. “We need to hear daily. Don’t be an asshole. That’s what true holiness is about. It’s not about long dresses and abstaining from certain things. It’s about treating other people right so that the world can be a better place.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 25, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The Biden administration closed out its 2022 fiscal year with close to 2.4 million border encounters: the highest ever recorded in one year.
According to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data released last Friday, the administration also made history with its total September encounters: over 227,500. This total doesn’t reflect estimated “gotaways”: those who escape without apprehension.
With this historic influx of illegal immigrants came an unprecedented number of terrorists. Nearly 100 illegal immigrants apprehended were on the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). As Fox reporter Bill Melugin noted, that’s nearly quadruple the number of terrorists caught crossing illegally from the past five years combined.
A key part of the border crisis is the burgeoning fentanyl crisis. Last month alone, CBP seized enough fentanyl to kill over 220,000 people. Their other seizures indicate that Biden’s lax border policy is lucrative for the cartels: over $4.1 million worth of drugs, firearms, and pesticides, as well as over $11 million worth of narcotics.
CBP data reflects the reality that hard drugs overtook marijuana as the preferred substance of smugglers. Last month, CBP reported over 1,800 pounds of fentanyl seized: over 14,100 pounds for the 2022 fiscal year, and close to 21,600 pounds since President Joe Biden took office. That’s well over double of what was seized between January 2019 and December 2020: just under 10,000 pounds.
While fentanyl trafficking skyrocketed, the overall number of drugs seized by weight decreased. From January 2019 to December 2020, CBP seized just under 1.4 million pounds of drugs (most of which was marijuana, meth, cocaine, fentanyl, then heroin, in that order). From January 2020 to present, CBP seized just under 590,000 pounds of drugs (again, most of which were marijuana, meth, cocaine, fentanyl, then heroin, in that order).
Biden named Vice President Kamala Harris the border czar last March, but Harris did little to address the crisis. It took her three months to visit the border after that, visiting El Paso, Texas in late June, although GOP members of Congress criticized that Harris visited a Border Patrol station miles away from the border crisis playing out along the Rio Grande.
According to a Los Angeles Times tracker of Harris’ schedule, analyzed by the New York Post, the vice president didn’t hold an immigration event in nine months as of May.
Last week, Arizona sued the Biden administration after the Department of Interior (DOI) ordered the state to remove shipping containers and razor wire closing up the border wall gaps. The DOI accused Governor Doug Ducey of committing trespass. Bureau of Reclamation Regional Director Jacklynn Gould promised that the Biden administration was making headway on closing the border themselves.
“That trespass is harming federal lands and resources and impeding Reclamation’s ability to perform its mission,” stated Gould.
In response, Ducey said that his obligation to Arizonans was greater than to the federal government.
“The safety and security of Arizona and its citizens must not be ignored,” stated Ducey. “Arizona is going to do the job that Joe Biden refuses to do — secure the border in any way we can. We’re not backing down.”
On Monday, Ducey announced that the state continued adding onto the border wall over the weekend — starting the day the state sued the Biden administration.
“Arizona isn’t afraid of a challenge. We will not back down. We will protect our state,” tweeted Ducey.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 24, 2022 | Education, News
By Corinne Murdock |
It appears the costs of pandemic-era remote learning far outweighed the benefits, based on the average student’s comprehension in math and reading.
According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data released Monday, Arizona students were middle of the pack in a nationwide decline. The state’s scoring revealed severe learning losses in math and nominal losses in reading.
READ HERE: ARIZONA REPORT CARD
Nationwide, the NAEP report revealed a negative correlation between remote learning and learning loss. Chalkbeat displayed the correlation through graphs. Public schools and large cities experienced the greatest decline in math scores.
READ HERE: 2022 NAEP FULL REPORT
In a press release, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) associate commissioner Daniel McGrath warned that learning losses in math could limit STEM candidates.
“Eighth grade is a pivotal moment in students’ mathematics education, as they develop key mathematics skills for further learning and potential careers in mathematics and science,” said McGrath. “If left unaddressed, this could alter the trajectories and life opportunities of a whole cohort of young people, potentially reducing their abilities to pursue rewarding and productive careers in mathematics, science, and technology.”
The scores come after several years of Democratic leaders advocating for school closures amid the pandemic.
Julie Gunnigle, Democratic candidate for Maricopa County attorney, claimed in an August 2020 interview that remote learning would make kids smarter and stronger. Throughout the pandemic, she insisted that schools be restructured to prevent COVID-19 transmission before reopening.
“I think these kids are going to come out a lot stronger than, for example, my generation is. Like, having to cope with all of this. And a lot smarter, too,” said Gunnigle. “They’re going to be really prepared to brave this, well, brave new technological world.”
Last October, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told NPR that the number of school age-youth with mental health issues rose from 13-22 percent to 80 percent over the course of the pandemic. Last December, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy reported that the pandemic caused a mental health crisis in the nation’s youth.
“The COVID-19 pandemic further altered [youth] experiences at home, school, and in the community, and the effect on their mental health has been devastating,” stated Murthy.
Kathy Hoffman, incumbent Arizona Department of Education (ADE) superintendent, advocated for remote learning as recently as January. Like Gunnigle, Hoffman insisted that preventing COVID-19 illness was more important than an in-person education.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 24, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Despite the CDC adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of recommended vaccines for public school attendance, Arizona’s Republican lawmakers said that the state won’t be mandating it.
That’s because the state enacted several bills earlier this year precluding such mandates: HB2498, which prohibits any government entities in the state from mandating the COVID vaccine (exempting health care institutions), and HB2086, which further prohibits mandates for the COVID vaccine as well as the human papillomavirus in order to attend school.
The CDC announced last Thursday that it would add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of childhood and adult immunization schedules next year.
The State Senate Majority issued a statement on Monday asserting that HB2086 protected parental rights against an “out of touch” federal government and its agencies. Senate President Karen Fann (R-Prescott) said that Republican leadership enabled these protections, implying that a state legislature flip would result in a nanny state.
“Injecting something into our bodies is a very personal choice and is one that families should have complete control over,” said Fann. “Senate Republicans believe parents ultimately have the right to make medical decisions for their child, and we will not take away that freedom.”
ADHS and Democratic legislators opposed both bills. During committee discussion of HB2086, State Representative Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson) claimed that fears of COVID-19 vaccine injuries were political. Hernandez said that it would be right to reject a prohibition of a vaccine mandate.
Parents have the ability to seek out medical, religious, and personal exemptions for mandatory vaccines. During committee discussion of HB2086, State Representative Beverly Pingerelli (R-Peoria) shared that constituents described the exemption process as “extremely difficult” and “time consuming.” Former ADHS director Will Humble rejected that characterization in response, but admitted that he made the exemption process more difficult than it had been in the past.
Unlike the state legislature’s slim majority, Arizona’s agencies appear to be falling in line with federal agencies. Carla Berg, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) deputy director, published a memo earlier this month encouraging parents to vaccinate children five and up.
ADHS often aligns itself with CDC and FDA messaging on public health issues. Earlier this summer, ADHS memos about monkeypox echoed similar, controversial memos issued by the federal government, such as a general avoidance on the specifics of the disease’s spread and its predominance among sexually active gay men.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 23, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs issued unproven claims on Tuesday that Arizona State University (ASU) was required to shutter its campus due to protests and threats of violence incited by her opponent, Kari Lake.
Hobbs accused Lake of inciting death threats and racial slurs against ASU staff, though it appears that the claims originated from one of her campaign staffers. However, no protest occurred and no threats were reported.
According to the Yellow Sheet Report, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Dean Battinto Batts said that they haven’t received any threats. Batts clarified that his directive for online classes were due to students and staff concerned about a “potential” for protestors and fellow journalists outside campus buildings.
“[W]e haven’t received any formal threats at the Cronkite School/Arizona PBS,” stated Batts.
It appears that the claim of threats and protests originated with Hobbs’ campaign. Last Thursday, an unnamed Hobbs staffer told CNN reporter Kyung Lah that their campaign’s security team met with ASU for Tuesday’s Q&A. According to the staffer, an unnamed, female ASU operator reported intercepting death threats and racist slurs.
“A @katiehobbs staffer tells me Hobbs security met w/ ASU re: security for the town hall next week,” stated Lah. “A rash of death threats have come in since @KariLake’s presser last night and the ASU operator picking up those threatening calls has been called racist slurs (she is Black).”
State Representative John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) told the “Conservative Circus” that the Cronkite School’s cowardice would cause their namesake, Walter Cronkite, to turn over in his grave. Kavanagh declared that the Cronkite School twice violated one of the cardinal rules of journalism: not becoming the story.
“I would not be surprised if his ghost rises up tonight with a can of spray paint and go to that school and spray paint out his name,” said Kavanagh. “First they became the story when they violated their agreement with Clean Elections and put their thumb on the elections scale in favor of Katie Hobbs, and now this absolutely ridiculous story that journalism students are threatened and afraid to go to demonstrations.”
After her specially awarded Q&A session with AZPBS, Hobbs went on a Twitter rant lasting nine posts describing her vision for Arizona: increased diversity hires in state government, no limits on abortion, tax cuts for 800,000 families, a teacher salary raise averaging $14,000, border security, and immediate action on the water crisis. Several of her tweets called out Lake, arguing that Lake’s insistence on having a debate was a distraction from her inability to defend her policies.
These other claims made by Hobbs also don’t appear to pan out. Lake has consistently agreed to a debate against Hobbs, and engaged in numerous interviews with a wide range of media outlets.
Lake even invited Hobbs to debate her on Tuesday rather than do back-to-back Q&A sessions. She encouraged AZPBS to restructure their Q&A into a debate for Arizonans’ benefit.
Lake also invited Hobbs to her Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission (AZCCEC) interview on Sunday.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
