A new ad from incumbent Congressman Juan Ciscomani against Democratic opponent Kirsten Engel features clips of her denying the ongoing border crisis and issuing support for police defunding.
The ad featured several flashbacks from Engel on her positions ranging from her time as a state lawmaker through her first run for Congress against Ciscomani in 2022.
The former state lawmaker and University of Arizona law professor denied that Arizona had an immigration crisis during that first run for Congress. Engel said that physical barriers like walls weren’t a solution for her, and that the greater focus should be on providing greater aid to those arriving at our border rather than detainment.
“We do not need help at our border. We do need to secure the border. We have issues of drug trafficking and human smuggling that need to be addressed, but certainly not walls,” said Engel. “What we need from Washington is having an orderly asylum process. That’s national law, that’s international law. We need comprehensive immigration reform. We have to help our Dreamers.”
As a remedy to the border, Engel has advocated for border policy approaches favoring those who arrive in the nation outside the legal avenues for entry: an end to Title 42, legal pathways to citizenship, and deprioritizing illegal migration outside legal ports of entry.
Thank you so much to Sheriff Dannels and his team for the tour and sharing the daily challenges at our southern border. Our local law enforcement risk their lives every day – Congress needs to stop playing politics, reject inaction, and come together to address this crisis. pic.twitter.com/jyUCYtPtgh
Engel maintains these positions as defining her vision for securing the southern border. She has also criticized Ciscomani for not supporting a proposed bill to provide $20 billion for the border out of $118 billion in expenditures. That bill was mainly designed to ensure an additional provision of aid to Ukraine, $60 billion, and the remainder of the $38 billion given in aid to other foreign countries.
While Engel has been outspoken in recent years about border policy, she has distanced herself from conversations on policing since the BLM fallout after George Floyd’s death in 2020 and the conviction of responding officer Derek Chauvin less than a year later.
I hope this verdict is the start of our justice system finally turning the corner and holding law enforcement accountable for unjustified acts of violence against members of the black community. #BlackLivesMatter
Engel advocated for police defunding during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, arguing that there needed to be less police available for responding to emergency calls and more alternatives.
“What we need to do is shift where the money [for police] is going,” said Engel. “Not every 911 call requires a police officer to show up at your door.”
In that same interview, Engel affirmed when she was asked whether she supported a reduction in police budgets.
“Yeah, the way you’ve asked that question, I agree with it,” said Engel.
Instead, Engel proposed that social workers should take over for police officers.
It was also during the peak point of BLM upheaval in the summer of 2020 that Engel publicly backed a claim by Tucson Councilwoman Lane Santa Cruz that Tucson police officers were to blame for the death of a man in their custody in April of that year.
Santa Cruz’s public accusations of wrongdoing prompted the officers to resign out of fear for their families’ safety.
The man, Carlos Ingram-Lopez, died from cardiac arrest due to acute levels of cocaine in his system and an enlarged heart.
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In the political fallout that has followed President Joe Biden’s abysmal showing at CNN’s first 2024 Presidential debate, the National Republican Congressional Committee has called upon Kirsten Engel, the Democrat challenger to Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06), to answer for Biden’s perceived “senility.”
At a recent Biden campaign rally, Engel was recorded saying, “I’m be so happy to be part of the Biden-Harris coordinated team,” and leading the supporters in attendance along with Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ4) in chants of “Four more years!”
WATCH: Extreme Kirsten Engel says "I'm be so happy to be part of the Biden-Harris coordinated team"
In a press release Friday, NRCC Spokesman Ben Petersen said, “Extreme liberal Kirsten Engel stands with brain-addled Biden, not Southern Arizonans. Engel chooses her lock-step loyalty to Biden over the truth, leaving our border open, inflation raging and our nation in peril.”
The last messaging from Engel’s X account urges supporters to support a pro-abortion ballot initiative, and makes no mention of the octogenarian incumbent currently occupying the top of a highly vulnerable Democrat ticket.
The emphasis on the pro-abortion campaign is also curious for Engel. On June 17, the New York Post reported that abortion is “not a factor” in the District 6 race, noting that an internal Public Opinion Strategies poll obtained by the Post put Ciscomani, a Mexican-American at a comfortable 11 point lead with 50% over Engel, who sits at non-threatening 39%.
Daniel Scarpinato, Ciscomani for Congress’ general consultant, told the outlet, “Juan’s message of the American Dream is resonating among all Arizonans, Republican, Democrat and independent.”
“We are encouraged by these incredibly strong numbers early in the race, but we also know national Democrats will stop at nothing to prop up Engel and her extreme positions on immigration and the economy.”
Following the debacle surrounding Arizona’s 19th century abortion ban, which was settled in the Supreme Court in April, Sabato’s Crystal Ball ranked District 6 as a “toss-up,” however the latest polls seem to belie that.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman Lauryn Fanguen suggested at the time that “Juan Ciscomani has an extremely unpopular anti-abortion record and has been actively working against the best interest of Arizonans in Congress.” She added, “When voters hear about his votes to take away their reproductive rights and willingness to play partisan politics with the border, they will reject him and his far-right agenda.”
The Post observed that abortion was not at the top of voters concerns based on the internal poll with inflation taking top rank at 25% and immigration and border security taking second billing at 19%. Just 9% gave abortion as the top issue.
Arizona Democratic congressional candidate Kirsten Engel implied that Trump’s recent use of the common “bloodbath” metaphor was a call to violence.
The congressional candidate didn’t come to the conclusion on her own. Engel played off viral claims made in the media by the Biden-Harris campaign and top Democrats. She used the media storm on the former president as an opportunity to condemn her opponent, incumbent Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06), for not rebuking Trump’s rhetoric. Ciscomani endorsed Trump earlier this month.
“Just one week after my opponent endorsed him, President Trump warns of a ‘bloodbath’ if he’s not elected in Nov,” said Engel. “Predictably my opponent remains silent. Time and again he’s demonstrated an unwillingness to stand up to extremism. #AZ06 deserves better.”
Just one week after my opponent endorsed him, President Trump warns of a "bloodbath" if he's not elected in Nov. Predictably my opponent remains silent. Time and again he's demonstrated an unwillingness to stand up to extremism. #AZ06 deserves better. https://t.co/0TJaFiA7FL
Democrats and legacy media claimed that Trump mentioned a “bloodbath” in a political rally Saturday night as a promise of violence should he lose the election, many comparing the rhetoric to the 2021 Capitol breach. However, the former president was warning that his loss in the upcoming presidential race would result in a “bloodbath” for the country’s auto industry, as well as the entire economy.
“Those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now, and you think you’re gonna get that, you’re gonna not hire Americans and you’re gonna sell the cars to us. No, we’re going to put a 100 percent tariff on every single car that comes across the line. And you’re not gonna be able to sell those cars; if I get elected. Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s gonna be a bloodbath for the whole – that’s gonna be the least of it, it’s gonna be a bloodbath for the country. That’ll be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars; they’re building massive factories.”
The “bloodbath” metaphor is a popular one employed often by politicians, and even the same outlets that have now criticized Trump for its usage.
The Biden-Harris campaign also accused Trump of eliciting violence. James Singer, the campaign’s spokesman, passed on a statement to numerous outlets from a press release claiming that Trump was trying to start another January 6 incident.
“This is who Donald Trump is: a loser who gets beat by over 7 million votes and then instead of appealing to a wider mainstream audience doubles down on his threats of political violence,” said Singer. “He wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge.”
Biden-Harris campaign statement on Trump tonight promising a “bloodbath” if he loses pic.twitter.com/8mBYh4QKnf
The campaign’s communications director, Michael Tyler, also put out the accusation in an interview with former White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Biden-Harris Communications Director Michael Tyler: Trump is promising a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses. The same guy who said there were ‘very fine people’ in Charlottesville, told the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by, and champions insurrectionists. This is who Trump is pic.twitter.com/RKvG1BEOdT
Two House Republicans and one Democrat from Arizona wrote to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel asking the agency to reconsider its decision to subject the Arizona Families Tax Rebate Program to federal income taxation.
Representatives David Schweikert, R-Ariz., Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., and Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., sent the letter Wednesday.
“We urge the IRS to reconsider its determination and provide expedited relief to compliant Arizonan taxpayers who have already filed their 2023 tax returns,” the three wrote.
More than 700,000 Arizona taxpayers were eligible to receive a one-time tax rebate as the state continues to recover from historic inflation levels that placed severe financial strain on families across the state, according to the representatives’ news release.
“The country is poorer now than it was three years ago, and Arizonans are no different, facing the brunt of financial pressure with supermarket prices now nearly 25% higher than in January 2020, for example,” the letter says. “State officials acted in good faith with the reasonably available information to provide more than 700,000 households with much-needed relief from price increases on everyday goods and services.”
Tax rebates enacted by 21 states were determined to be tax exempt in guidance issued by the IRS in February 2023, Schweikert, Ciscomani, and Stanton wrote. Though Arizona’s tax rebate wasn’t signed into law for another three months, the IRS extended its decision to make the rebate taxable past the period when the state issued payments, according to the letter.
“In December 2023, the IRS relayed its decision orally through a video meeting, providing no written explanation until February 15, 2024, eighteen days after the start of tax season, and only in response to a letter from the Arizona Attorney General challenging the decision,” the letter says.
Arizona taxpayers are estimated to owe $20.8 million in extra federal taxes due to the IRS’ inconsistent rationale in failing to specify the factual and legal basis for the 21 states’ rebates and payments that were deemed nontaxable in 2022, according to the representatives.
“The inconsistency and delay in communication have resulted in undue financial strain on Arizonans,” the letter says.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
Arizona’s congressional leaders had varied reactions to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday, largely toeing party lines. Nearly all addressed the state of the border and the economy; however, while Republicans generally viewed each as being in a negative state, Democrats viewed them as being in a positive state.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) issued the lengthiest play-by-play during Biden’s remarks in a series of X posts (formerly Twitter), touching on the major issues facing the country: involvement in foreign conflicts, as well as the economic, crime, and illegal immigration crises.
The average military age in Ukraine is 42. They’ve lost 500,000 men. Why are we encouraging war instead of encouraging peace?
Joe Biden has actually weaponized our government against his enemies. These included protestors on both the Left and Right, school board parents, and Catholics.
Joe Biden’s economy has been a disaster for Americans. There has been 19.8 percent inflation since January 2021, costing Arizona families $12,891 this year, according to the Joint Economic Committee.
Under Joe Biden’s leadership, layoffs have surged to the highest level in 15 years.
If Joe Biden really wants to take down Big Pharma, he should support, pass, and sign our bill that would eliminate immunity for dangerous vaccines.
We’re $34 trillion in debt, Joe. The Affordable Care Act: still unaffordable.
Education is actually a state issue.
The last thing we need in our education is Dr. Jill [Biden] and Joe reading to three-year-olds.
Joe, has your son paid back his taxes yet?
Joe Biden actually wants to ensure the Child Tax Credit goes to illegal aliens.
Joe Biden is actually making insulin prices higher for Americans.
When does Big Government get out of the way? It doesn’t.
Joe Biden can shut the border down NOW. Get it done!
Joe Biden is separating families. His Administration has lost some 140,000 illegal aliens from the border.
The biggest dark money distributors are DEMOCRATS.
Democrats have called for defunding the police. Crime is everywhere as a result.
Joe Biden is citing figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. They were found to have completely fabricated their casualty figures.
These so-called UN humanitarian workers actually helped facilitate the heinous October 7th attacks in Israel.
Joe Biden’s plan to create a ‘Gaza Port’ actually fast-tracks aid to Hamas. GOP Oversight and I have been conducting oversight on our aid to Gaza. It’s ending up in the wrong hands.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) criticized Biden’s address as “divisive,” “disconnected,” avoidant of all responsibility for issues like the border crisis, and void of “real solutions.” Ahead of the SOTU, Ciscomani issued his endorsement of President Donald Trump. Ciscomani said that, despite Biden’s failings, he had hope for a national revival.
“President Biden’s State of the Union was divisive, devoid of real solutions, and disconnected from our real needs,” said Ciscomani. “While those [issues] still persist, so does the will and determination of our people and the American spirit that built this country. As long as we have that, I remain optimistic for our future and focused on fighting for our families.”
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) March 8, 2024
Ciscomani’s guest was Jane Strain, an Army veteran from Sierra Vista.
Excited to have my friend Jane Strain accompanying me to tonight’s State of the Union!
An Army veteran herself, Jane is a tireless advocate for Sierra Vista, our military communities, and all veterans across #AZ06. I’m honored to have her join me this evening. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/v0y9Xh9ZQV
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) March 7, 2024
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) also issued a brief play-by-play during the SOTU. Crane criticized Biden’s focus on foreign nations over America, and dismissed the feasibility of the border provisions within the failed $118 billion foreign aid bill.
Biden mentioning Ukraine before America is pretty on brand.
He seems to be pretty nervous about his predecessor, given how often he’s referring to him.
The ‘toughest border security bill’ Biden is referring to would only force action by DHS after 5,000 criminal aliens infiltrated PER DAY FOR A WEEK.
“All Americans deserve the freedom to be safe and America is safer today than when I took office.” – Biden. 8+ million criminal aliens have infiltrated our communities during Biden’s time in office.
Tough talk about China from someone who let a Chinese spy balloon traverse the entire contiguous United States.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) also issued a brief play-by-play during the SOTU. Gallego praised the CHIPS and PACT Acts, critiqued the unfairness of fees on service items, and urged agreement on a border security bill.
Arizona is a hub that’s seeing major benefits from the CHIPS Act. That’s more jobs, higher wages, and a boon to our state’s economy. I’m proud to have helped get it passed.
Arizona families are tired of price gouging junk fees that raise the cost of everything from hotels to phone plans. I’ve introduced the Junk Fees Prevention Act to put an end to it.
Arizona needs the bipartisan border deal. Far-right extremists killed it. I’ll keep fighting for real solutions to secure our border and fix our broken system.
I slept next to burn pits in Iraq, and I’ve seen too many of my Marines brothers suffer because of it. That’s why I fought to pass the PACT Act and ensure all toxic-exposed veterans get the healthcare they need.
Gallego’s guests to the SOTU were two Marines that served with him in Iraq, John and Cheston Bailon.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-07) said that Biden’s address was a “robust defense” of current policy. Grijalva focused on the passage of Biden’s massive budget bills, which have financed a wide array of projects and initiatives including infrastructure, and contrasted Biden with former President Donald Trump.
“The American people continue to benefit from the Biden administration’s landmark legislative accomplishments, including the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act. These laws are revitalizing Arizona with projects like the I-10 expansion, the City of Tucson’s 22nd Street bridge, millions of dollars to update clean drinking water infrastructure, the San Luis and Douglas Ports-of-Entry, and more. The Biden presidency stands in direct contrast to the extremism presented by Trump and Congressional Republicans. Trump and Republicans tried to overturn a democratic election, repealed Roe v. Wade, refused to secure resources for our border and pass immigration reform, and supported tax breaks for corporations and billionaires instead of helping working families. Through chaos and threats, Republicans have shown over the past two years that they are incapable of governing. All the while, Trump and Republicans remain fixated on the southern border and chose to block bipartisan immigration reform for the sake of campaign politics. I do, however, caution President Biden from pushing for Trump-era immigration policies that have not yielded any positive results and only worsened conditions at the border for families and individuals seeking refuge in our country. Real immigration reform is needed, and it begins with providing the necessary resources to localities like those in Southern Arizona that are at the forefront of the situation. It’s clear the American people have benefitted from the leadership of President Biden and his commitment to defending the freedoms and values essential to American democracy. I look forward to working together with President Biden to ensure we can build on the historic progress we have made thus far and champion bold policies to protect reproductive freedom, establish a living wage, guarantee paid leave, ensure climate justice, hold corporations accountable, require the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes, safeguard Social Security and Medicare, and defend and advance racial equity and civil rights for every American for future generations.”
Reaction to #SOTU2024 🧵@POTUS' State of the Union address offered a robust defense of American democracy, reproductive freedoms, and recommitted our nation to our allies abroad. He defined a positive and comprehensive vision for our nation. 1/
Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) also issued a play-by-play, focusing on how Biden policies have resulted in an increased cost of living, and a sweeping crisis of illegal immigration and crime.
President Biden touts his economic policies, meanwhile the average American family is spending $1K+ more per/month than they were 3 years ago for the same things. Are those families supposed to believe Bidenomics is working?
List of things the American people can no longer afford: Gas, Groceries, Housing, Vehicles, Utilities AND MORE! His claims of the success of #Bidenomics are a slap in the face to every American family struggling through this cost-of-living crisis!
Since Biden took office, the income needed to purchase a home comfortably has gone up 80%. That’s the reality of #Bidenomics
Is it really a surprise Biden is blaming the Republicans on the border crisis? Of course he doesn’t want to take accountability for halting construction of the border wall, ending ‘Remain in Mexico’, starting catch-and-release, and more. He’s failed, and he knows it.
These “pro-immigrant” policies President Biden is touting are the same ones that get women and children trafficked and raped, kidnap families, and allow terrorists to move into your neighborhood.
Why is President Biden blaming House Republicans when he could… Reinstate ‘Remain in Mexico’, End catch-and-release, Stop the taxpayer funded migrant money grabs, Build the wall. President Biden caused the border crisis.
There’s an invasion at our Southern Border whether Biden believes it or not. That’s why I introduced my resolution recognizing the border crisis as an invasion. We’ve already had more than 1 MILLION illegal crossings this fiscal year! Sounds like an invasion to me.
FACT CHECK: DC had the highest number of homicides in 2023 since 1997. Our country has gotten no safer under the Biden Administration and Biden’s soft-on-crime policies will only make it worse.
Last night President Biden touted the state of our union, but the American people know the truth.
— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) March 8, 2024
Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ-01) focused on the poor fiscal health of the nation in his response: a $3 trillion increase in the national debt over the past year.
“The national debt will have increased by over $333 million by the time President Biden finishes speaking. Our nation’s fiscal health is rapidly deteriorating,” said Schweikert. I won’t stop sounding the alarm about our intensifying fiscal nightmare.
Since March 7 of last year, our national debt has gone up $3,000,000,000,000.
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) also offered a brief play-by-play during the SOTU. Stanton focused on abortion rights, semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceutical costs, and the border.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe, they turned back the clock on women’s rights in America. Congress must make the protections Roe provided the law of the land once again.
The CHIPS Act is bringing in billions of dollars in investment to Arizona, and creating thousands of good paying jobs that don’t require a college degree. Advanced manufacturing is returning to the United States.
We’ve capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare, lowered the cost of health care coverage, and finally forced Big Pharma to negotiate lower drug prices. Now we’re working to expand these savings to ALL Americans.
I was in Nogales just last week to meet with federal law enforcement and leaders on the front lines of the border crisis. Every day that extreme House Republicans block a vote on a border funding bill, it’s Arizona communities that suffer the consequences.
“We can fight about the border or we can fix it. I’m ready to fix it.” – @POTUS Let’s get it done.
In her play-by-play, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) said that the Republican and Democratic parties were resisting mutual solutions to the border crisis. Sinema also discussed laws passed under her on gun regulation and benefits for injured veterans.
Both parties are guilty of pointing fingers and pushing off the blame when it comes to our border crisis. If partisans care about securing the border as much as they pretend to on cable news appearances, let’s drop the talking points and deliver real results.
After the horrific Uvalde shooting, I brought Senators in both parties together to craft the Bipartisan Safer Communities law – breaking the 30 year logjam on gun violence prevention legislation. Since then, gun violence has dropped by 12% in urban centers and 10% elsewhere.
Earlier this week, millions of veterans exposed to toxins while serving gained access to health care thanks to our work on the PACT Act law. That’s how we work to deliver lasting solutions for those we serve.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) issued a brief defense of the Biden administration as having implemented positive progress for the country.
“Tonight, President Biden illustrated the clear choice our country faces between continuing the progress we’ve made over the past few years or going backwards,” said Kelly.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
