On Wednesday, Democratic Maricopa County Attorney candidate Julie Gunnigle denied allegations of partnering with an abortion clinic accused of fetal organ sales.
Gunnigle issued the denial in response to a text campaign survey which asked voters about their attitude toward Gunnigle’s connection to an abortion clinic that “violated federal law by harvesting and selling organs for profit.” Gunnigle called the allegation a “new low” and denounced her opponent, Maricopa County attorney Rachel Mitchell, for having supporters that would issue the text.
“This ‘survey’ which is untrue, hurtful, and reprehensible has no place in politics and is a disservice to her constituents, particularly coming from someone in an office reeling from lack of integrity,” stated Gunnigle.
Today I was accused of…being part of a fetal organ harvesting operation?!?
The origins of the allegation that Gunnigle partnered with a fetal organ harvesting operation likely originated with a viral report from earlier this month. The Washington Free Beacon reported on Gunnigle’s campaign event in 2020 with Camelback Family Planning, an abortion clinic that harvested and sold fetal organs from 2010 to 2015.
The Washington Free Beacon report also noted Gunnigle’s recent fundraising efforts for another abortion clinic, Desert Star Family Planning, whose founder made light of fetal organ harvesting.
NEW: Soros-Backed Arizona DA Candidate Partners With Abortion Clinics That Sold Fetal Organs
In addition to endorsements from both abortion clinics, Gunnigle benefits from the Democratic dark money network’s kingpin, George Soros, whose Open Society Policy Center bankrolled Planned Parenthood lobbying after investigative journalist David Daleiden released undercover videos of abortion providers selling fetal tissue. Those videos sparked national controversy.
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform has a “Planned Parenthood Fact v. Fiction” page countering Daleiden’s claims. The committee notes that Planned Parenthood recoups only the cost of transferring the fetal parts, drawing the distinction between “sale” and “profit.”
In March, months ahead of the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Gunnigle pledged to not prosecute anyone who broke laws limiting or prohibiting abortions if elected.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Explicit social media posts from Bruce Franks Jr., the campaign manager for Democratic Maricopa County attorney candidate Julie Gunnigle, came to light and caused controversy this past weekend.
Gunnigle was quick to overlook Frank’s past speech and accept his apology.
Franks, a former rapper and Missouri state legislator, has a trove of lewd past posts online. As one example: in 2010, Franks told women to kill themselves if they didn’t engage in certain sexual activity.
“Fellas when females say ‘I don’t do that’ when it comes to oral sex… #b***hplease we grown lol #killyoself,” wrote Franks.
Maryland congressional candidate and reporter Matthew Foldi first discovered and alerted the public to Franks’ past speech.
Here, Bruce Franks Jr–the campaign manager for George Soros funded Democrat Julie Gunnigle–is talking about "homos" and "fags"–including calling @kanyewest a "fag"
Subsequent negative press prompted Franks to issue an apology video on Friday. He claimed in the video that he deleted the offending tweets. Franks deleted some, but not all of the controversial tweets publicized. AZ Free News found many more posts of a similar nature to the explicit ones in controversy not publicized by Foldi — these were also not deleted.
Here is my statement on my personal transformation and addressing statements made over a decade ago. I will continue to make amends and grow! ❤️Love and Rigor pic.twitter.com/IjNVpiHNZ8
Gunnigle accepted Frank’s apology immediately. She never condemned him for his past speech.
I'm aware of the tweets & appreciate this heartfelt apology. I know who Bruce is today and has been for many years now. His experience & heart for improving lives continues to make me proud to have him on my team, fighting alongside me, to finally see real justice for ALL of us. https://t.co/qGowYtkioQ
It appears that Gunnigle’s acceptance of changing narratives only extends to those within her party. On Sunday, Gunnigle defended the false rape allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in order to criticize her Republican opponent, Maricopa County attorney Rachel Mitchell, who served as an interrogator in Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings.
Gunnigle called one of Kavanugh’s accusers — who has a history of lying — a “survivor.”
In 2018, I watched the County Attorney run cover for Justice Kavanaugh and attack a survivor on the national stage. She showed the world that she doesn't trust or believe women. pic.twitter.com/wtYBMErhRU
Gunnigle claimed that Mitchell hasn’t charged any rape cases during her tenure. Mitchell was appointed to her predecessor Allister Adel’s position in April, but has supported strong convictions against rape cases. In July, Mitchell announced the life sentence of a man who’d molested an 11-year-old girl. In June, another child molestor was sentenced to 20 years.
Mitchell has worked in the county attorney’s office for nearly two decades, spending 12 years overseeing the sex-crimes bureau and prosecuting in high-profile cases such the church volunteer sentenced to 30 years for child molestation in 2014.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
One of the kingpins of Democratic dark money, 91-year-old George Soros (92 on Friday), lingers still behind the scenes of Arizona’s elections. His millions, traceable effectively wherever a Democratic candidate arises, may define the upcoming Maricopa County Attorney election. One of Soros’ main objectives is to grow his network of progressive prosecutors.
Soros made his mark in Arizona known through the 2016 elections. He was the primary financier of the Maricopa Strong PAC, spending over $2.3 million to defeat Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio (a success). Soros was also the primary financier of the Arizona Safety and Justice PAC, spending $1 million in the Maricopa County attorney’s race to defeat then-incumbent Bill Montgomery (a failure).
After 2016, Soros’ personal spending in criminal justice-related races appeared to cease entirely. The contentious 2020 election came and went without word of Soros’ millions flooding county races. Yet, Soros assured the country in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal last month that he remains committed to his goal of establishing liberal, reform-oriented prosecutors nationwide.
The idea that we need to choose between justice and safety is false. The agenda of reform-minded prosecutors is based on both common sense and evidence, and it helps to restore trust between the police and the policed. https://t.co/GBOwlrCkO9
Soros may have rejected the media attention for his direct financing, and opted to direct his funds through less overt channels: political action committees (PACs) entrusted to pass on the cash to his desired candidates.
Soros candidates are identifiable by the following criminal justice reform goals: bail abolition, reduced incarceration numbers, mental health response services (as opposed to police), diversion programs in lieu of trial, mental health and drug courts as alternatives to criminal courts,
Those who share a similar vision for criminal justice reform are Julie Gunnigle, Democratic candidate for Maricopa County Attorney, as well as Laura Conover, current Pima County Attorney.
Gunnigle pledged to expunge marijuana-related criminal records, reduce incarceration rates, end cash bail, oppose the death penalty, fight elongated sentences for gang and weapons-related charges, establish mental health response services, and avoid prosecution for abortion offenses. Gunnigle, who earned over 312,000 votes in the primary, faces off against incumbent Rachel Mitchell, who earned over 235,000 votes (beating Republican challenger Gina Godbehere, who earned over 175,000 votes).
What's on your ballot this election for Maricopa County Attorney?
🏥 Abortion rights ⚖️ Criminal legal reform 🌿 Universal and automatic expungements
Out of the latest PAC donations reported, Gunnigle received over $6,500 from Way to Lead Arizona. That PAC received $100,000 from Soros’ Democracy PAC last year, though it’s primarily funded by its national counterpart: Way to Lead PAC. That PAC has received millions combined from Soros, his family, or the organizations he either funds or founded, according to Federal Election Contribution (FEC) campaign finance records.
Gunnigle has denied that she benefited from Soros funding.
During her 2020 run for the county attorney’s office, Gunnigle received $12,900 from the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona (PPAZ) PAC, nearly $10,900 from Arizona List PAC, and over $6,000 from Emily’s List PAC.
The SOS database reflects that PPAZ’s biggest donors are private individuals donating over tens of thousands of dollars each. However, PPAZ’s SOS profile doesn’t reflect their receipt of over $9,100 from Planned Parenthood Votes that year, who in turn received $2.5 million from September 2019 to August 2020 from Soros’ Democracy PAC according to FEC records.
Arizona List PAC received $2,500 from Arizona Wins that year, who received $350,000 from Soros’ Democracy PAC in June 2020. Arizona Wins has given tens of thousands to Arizona List since launching in 2008. Arizona List PAC has also received $6,000 every year, including this year, from Emily’s List PAC. Soros’ Democracy PAC gave Emily’s List a $1 million nonfederal contribution in early 2020.
Since 2020, the Soros-funded Emily’s List has given $525,000 to the Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (ADLCC), a project of the Arizona Democratic Party co-founded by Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. This year so far, they’ve given $50,000 to the ADLCC.
Arizona Wins — who appears under several different profiles with variations of its name on the SOS database, such as “Arizona Wins!” and “Arizona Wins/One Arizona” — has received money from and sent money to Soros’ affiliated or founded organizations apart from Democracy PAC. This includes just under $100,000 given to Forward Majority Action Arizona, whose primary funder is its national arm, Forward Majority Action. Soros’ Sixteen Thirty Fund issued millions to Forward Majority Action throughout 2020, with an additional individual contribution of $200,000 from Soros’ eldest son, Robert.
Arizona Wins’ former program manager, Josselyn Berry, went on to become the executive director of a PAC that received $650,000 from Soros’ Democracy PAC in 2020: ProgressNow Arizona (sometimes listed as Progress Now Arizona). Berry, formerly the Arizona State Senate Democratic Caucus Communications Director, also serves as a staffer for the Arizona Democratic Party. Arizona Wins and Progress Now Arizona both listed the same address for campaign finance reports.
ProgressNow Arizona also received $25,000 from the Future Now Fund in 2020, whose Arizona arm has received thousands over the years from Soros’ daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and submitted about $509,800 to the Arizona Democratic Party in 2020.
Pima County’s attorney, Laura Conover, has pledged to advance criminal justice reform initiatives that align with Soros’ vision. Her campaign received funding from some of the same sources as Gunnigle.
Last December, Conover pledged to not charge individuals arrested for simple drug possession in order to avoid jail crowding. Most recently, Conover pledged to not give jail time to individuals who seek or assist with abortions. Among her goals: cease prosecutions for the “poor, sick, and addicted,” through efforts like abolishing cash bail and limiting deportations.
This here about sums it up. It's not that I would "like" to end cash bail. It's that I am going to go down to the jail every night and teach the prosecutors that work with me how to end cash bail until it is done. @EndCashBail@bailproject@LetsFreeAmericahttps://t.co/bzUVrXvSUC
In response to a constituent complaint on Facebook in 2020, Conover neither confirmed nor denied that she benefited from Soros funding.
“You may review my financials at your leisure. Bipartisan. Transparent. Sorry to disappoint,” wrote Conover’s campaign page.
According to the secretary of state’s (SOS) campaign finance records, the PPAZ PAC paid $12,900 to Conover’s campaign in July 2020. Conover’s campaign also received over $7,300 from the Arizona List PAC in 2020.
Soros’ money bleeds into other aspects of Arizona’s legal world. Incidentally, traces of his financial support touched the 2020 interests of newly-confirmed Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals judge: the accomplished, favorite Arizona attorney of the Democratic Party, Roopali Desai.
The funds benefited other left-wing criminal reform agendas in Arizona through Arizonans for Second Chances, Rehabilitation, And Public Safety: another PAC backed by Soros money, in addition to Big Tech’s Mark Zuckerberg. From June to September of 2020, the PAC received nearly $256,700 from the Alliance for Safety and Justice Action Fund, a project of Soros’ Tides Advocacy.
The PAC also received about $552,600 from Fwd.Us, Zuckerberg’s pro-immigration lobbying group co-founded with liberal megadonor Joe Green. Fwd.Us made headlines in late 2021 for bankrolling “farm teams” that produced at least five members of President Joe Biden’s immigration policy team.
From June to August 2020, the PAC paid out about $380,300 to the Coppersmith Brockelman law firm, where Desai has been a longtime partner. They also paid out over $3.3 million to AZ Petition Partners (dba Petition Partners): a signature-collecting company charged in November 2020 by the Arizona Attorney General’s office for illegal bonus programs. Desai is serving as one of the attorneys for the company’s appeal case.
That company also received $1.25 million from “Smart And Safe Arizona,” the PAC behind the eponymous ballot initiative, Prop 207, which successfully legalized recreational weed in the state. Desai authored Prop 207’s language. Desai also provided legal services for Prop 208, Invest in Education, whose eponymous PAC rallying for an additional income tax to increase teacher funding paid at least $150,000 to Petition Partners.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Maricopa County Attorney candidate Julie Gunnigle has campaigned alongside a man and a woman that mocked Blue Alerts: a safety protocol enacted to counter law enforcement murders. The exchange occurred between Planned Parenthood of Arizona (PPAZ) Board Chair Chris Love and gender dysphoric Arizona Democratic Party leader and state legislature candidate Brianna Westbrook. The two tweeted criticism against the safety protocol in response to a Blue Alert for a man ambushed and shot at Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) troopers in September 2020.
Brian Anderson, founder of the research company Saguaro Group, rediscovered the Twitter exchange between Love and Westbrook. He shared the posts in response to a recent tweet of Gunnigle’s, in which the candidate wrote over a t-shirt from her 2020 run to read “Gunnigle 2022.” Love and Westbrook supported Gunnigle during her 2020 run as well.
In 2020, violent criminals shot at @Arizona_DPS troopers, leading to a "Blue Alert."@PPAZAction's Chris Love and @AZDemParty's @BWestbrookAZ8 both mocked the attempted murder of law enforcement.
— Brianna Westbrook for AZ State Representative #LD5 (@BWestbrookAZ8) September 17, 2020
“Blue Alerts” are information lines dedicated to communications on violent criminals who pose a threat to law enforcement. The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) will issue a Blue Alert when a suspect kills, assaults, or imposes serious or life-threatening injuries on an officer; the suspect is deemed an imminent threat to the public and other officers; and the suspect’s vehicle license plate number or detailed description of the vehicle exists.
Love has consistently called for and celebrated violence against those she dislikes. In May, Love bragged about her husband assaulting a supporter of former President Donald Trump.
They're currently testing these drugs on Black folks and prisoners, Next up? Natives and veterans. So, every time someone tells me they vote Republican because they're "fiscally conservative," should I punch them before or after they finish? Which sparks more joy?
Westbrook has approved of controversial protest tactics as well.
In response to the protesters that followed Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) into the bathroom last October, Westbrook denounced condemnation against the protesters as the invalid complaints of “white folks.”
It never fails anytime Black and Brown folks protest. There are always white folks saying, “this is not the right way.” If this is you and you want to be an ally to communities of color, check your privileges, sit down, listen, and follow their lead.
— Brianna Westbrook for AZ State Representative #LD5 (@BWestbrookAZ8) October 5, 2021
Westbrook was also one of a small group of activists protesting for “housing rights” outside Governor Doug Ducey’s home in December 2020.
Activists protest outside Gov. Ducey's home, calling for an end to housing insecurity https://t.co/XpLotAdnji
— Brianna Westbrook for AZ State Representative #LD5 (@BWestbrookAZ8) December 26, 2020
In 2018, Westbrook was charged with criminal trespass for protesting against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination outside former Senator Jeff Flake’s office.
Thank you for your calls, letters, and emails. Three of the #FlakeFour have agreed to the Maricopa County Prosecutors plea deal for the #Kavanaugh protest at @JeffFlake’s office. All of our charges have been dropped, and the judge has waived all fines and court fees. pic.twitter.com/rdNqkHjIu5
— Brianna Westbrook for AZ State Representative #LD5 (@BWestbrookAZ8) October 19, 2018
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story accidentally listed Julie Gunnigle as the Maricopa County Attorney. She is currently a candidate for that office, and the story has been corrected.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Julie Gunnigle, the sole Democratic candidate in the Maricopa County Attorney’s race, pledged to disregard the upcoming new law banning abortions after 15 weeks gestation. Gunnigle said that enforcing that law would be a “waste of resources” and “not in the interest of justice.” She called the ban “unconstitutional policing,” claiming that the law would lead to investigations into miscarriages and stillbirths. The legislation, presented to Governor Doug Ducey on Monday, bans the prosecution of women who receive an abortion under 15 weeks.
“Your county attorney should always be working in the interests of justice and prioritizing those cases that do justice for our county and our residents. That means not prosecuting people for their health care decisions, including abortion,” said Gunnigle.
Her stances have earned her the support of Arizona’s activist arm of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider and profiteer.
Gunnigle, legal director for the Poor People’s Campaign, checks all the boxes of the Democratic Party’s progressive criminal justice reform wishlist. Gunnigle pledged to ensure marijuana charges expungement and implement an affirmative action approach to sentencing. She has also expressed opposition to election integrity measures, bans on sex change surgeries for minors, bans on biological males in women’s sports, private prisons, and current incarceration rates.
Gunnigle claimed that former county attorney Allister Adel wasn’t the problem, but a symptom of a greater issue of a broken criminal justice system. Her platform and remarks reflect the same principles as the pioneer for criminal justice reform: Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, the same prosecutor responsible for enabling Darryl Brooks to kill in the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack four months ago.
Like Gunnigle, one of Chisholm’s main focuses was to eliminate racial disparities in sentencing and incarceration. Chisholm, in turn, received validation and assistance from the progressive criminal justice reform organization, the Vera Institute of Justice.
EXCLUSIVE: The inside story of how nearly 15 years of soft-on-crime liberalism from Milwaukee DA John Chisholm culminated in the Waukesha parade killer being released on bail just days before his deadly rampage. https://t.co/y0dlmfiDvh
