by Corinne Murdock | Sep 11, 2021 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) never recused himself from voting on the Biden Administration’s Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) pick, David Chipman. This, despite their lengthy relationship.
Kelly hired Chipman in 2016 to his gun control organization, Giffords, which he founded in 2013 with his wife, former Democratic Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Chipman has served as their senior policy advisor for over five and a half years. The description of his role that he posted on his LinkedIn even makes a point to mention Kelly as the co-founder of Giffords.
“Giffords is a gun violence prevention organization established by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly[,] a retired United States Navy combat veteran, test pilot, and NASA astronaut,” wrote Chipman. “Giffords advocates for sensible gun laws, policies and investments that make communities safer. Areas of specific interest include strengthening and expanding the background check system, combating domestic violence homicides, enacting comprehensive laws against gun trafficking and dedicating funding for research about the causes and impact of gun violence.” (emphasis added)
That description of Kelly wasn’t copied and pasted from Giffords, or anywhere else online. That was something that Chipman likely crafted entirely on his own, because that exact phrasing is unique to his LinkedIn description.
Kelly’s organization advocated heavily for Chipman’s approval.
In response to this relationship, State Representative Quan Nguyen (R-Prescott Valley) called for Kelly to recuse himself from the Chipman vote. He published an official proclamation in the Arizona House that received the support of Republican leadership at the federal level like Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05).
Kelly never got the chance to vote on Chipman: the White House announced Thursday that they were withdrawing Chipman as their nominee.
In an explanatory statement, President Joe Biden blamed Republicans for their decision to withdraw Chipman. He praised Chipman as a seasoned leader in the ATF and the choice advocate for safer gun policies. Biden claimed that Republicans were intent on using gun crime as an unserious political talking point, and that they were against “commonsense measures” like universal background checks (UBCs).
Biden also alluded that Republicans were against funding police because they opposed his American Rescue Plan, which he says gave cities and states $350 billion for police. The Biden Administration has highlighted the funds as a means of reversing the sharp increase in gun violence that occurred nationwide throughout the pandemic.
Kelly has yet to put out any statements on his relationship with Chipman.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Jul 30, 2021 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
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
by AZ Free News | Jun 23, 2021 | News
On Tuesday, Arizona Senators Kyrsten Sinema, and Mark Kelly voted in favor of a piece of legislation, S.1, which would have grabbed power over elections away from the states. S.1 would have banned requiring photo I.D. to vote, expanded ballot harvesting, and require taxpayers to fund political campaigns.
The duo joined the other Democrats in support of the bill. However, all Republicans voted to filibuster the bill, effectively killing it.
It was Sinema and fellow Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin that preserved the filibuster for just such an occasion.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) also slammed S1 as an “unprecedented partisan power grab.”
“The Democrats’ S. 1 is an unprecedented partisan power grab that seeks to undermine the sanctity of the ballot by codifying a federal takeover of local elections. The Democrat politicians act seeks to eviscerate widely supported voter ID requirements and use taxpayer dollars to bankroll political campaigns,” GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a release. “Americans understand states should run their own elections — not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, DC. As Democrats continue their assault on election integrity, the Republican Party remains committed to making it easier to vote and harder to cheat.”
by AZ Free News | Jun 11, 2021 | News
Sen. Mark Kelly is accused of continuing to dodge the question about his support for eliminating the legislative filibuster. Kelly was able to dodge the filibuster question throughout the entire 2020 campaign and recently told the Arizona Republic he was “studying” it.
According to a new report from CNN, “Kelly, an Arizona Democrat up for reelection next year, indicated he hasn’t decided if he backs lowering the 60-vote requirement or if his position is in line with Sinema’s opposition to changing the rules.
While Kelly said Tuesday he is “generally a believer in change,” the freshman Democrat said, “I’ll evaluate any change to our rules, regardless of what they are, based on what’s in the best interest of Arizona, and the best interest of our country.”
Critics say that if the senator wants to please his constituents, he might want to look to a recent Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) poll to shape his decision. The FGA poll found the majority of Arizona voters support the legislative filibuster because they believe it ensures bipartisanship.
Sen. Sinema on the other hand has been not shy about her opposition to killing the filibuster. Speaking to reporters alongside GOP Sen. John Cornyn in Arizona last week, Sinema indicated that she would not shift from her opposition to changing the Senate’s rules. Sinema argues that it “protects the democracy of our nation rather than allowing our country to ricochet wildly every two to four years.”
by AZ Free News | Feb 12, 2021 | News
PHOENIX – Newly-elected Senator Mark Kelly stunned moderate Democrats and Republicans during the recent “vote-a-rama,” in which the U.S. Senate began the process to pass a COVID-19 relief bill via reconciliation.
While a majority of Arizonans believe that abortion should only be legal in some cases, Kelly came out in favor of denying lifesaving care to children who survive abortions.
“Senator Kelly’s vote against compassionate legislation to protect babies born alive after failed abortions is deeply disturbing and out of step with Arizona pro-life values,” said Mallory Quigley, spokeswoman for Susan B. Anthony List. “This popular, common ground legislation to provide lifesaving care to children who survive abortions should have easily passed. Arizona voters are watching and looking ahead to 2022. We will ensure Arizonans do not forget that their newly-elected senator failed to stand up for the most vulnerable. Mark Kelly is too extreme for Arizona.”
A large majority of Americans believe babies born alive during failed abortions should be protected under the law. That majority is even larger in Arizona.
A new report by Tessa Longbons, a research associate at Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI), shows that protections for babies who survive abortions are inconsistent across the United States, with fewer than half of states maintaining sufficient protections. However, Arizona has been on the forefront of laws protecting mothers and babies including those survivors of botched abortions.
A bill proposed by Arizona State Rep. Walt Blackman that would criminalize abortion was soundly condemned by both pro-life and pro-choice groups reflecting the more moderate stand on the issue.
