Digital Arizona News

Political Notebook: Grijalva Deep In Dems https://digitalarizonanews.com/political-notebook-grijalva-deep-in-dems/ As he runs for re-election, U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva is at the heart of a dispute among Democrats that could make it hard for them to fund the federal government at the end of the month. Grijalva is leading the more progressive Democratic members of Congress against a proposal that would make it easier for companies to get permits to explore for oil and other fossil fuels.  He wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer last week, and updated it this week, gathering 76 other members’ signatures.  They are opposed to a plan to include the proposal for “permitting reform,” as the industry calls it, in the next continuing resolution that must pass for the federal government to stay open. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has floated this idea, in fulfillment of a deal he made with Sen. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia. Manchin, who has deep ties to the coal industry, agreed to support the Inflation Reduction Act, and in exchange, Schumer promised to bring limits on the National Environmental Protection Act to a vote.  The proposal would, among other things, put a two-year cap on environmental reviews of major energy projects and place time limits on when opponents could file legal challenges. “We remain deeply concerned that these serious and detrimental permitting provisions will significantly and disproportionately impact low-income communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color,” Grijalva said in the letter. Grijalva and his co-signers oppose not just the contents of the proposal, but specifically the effort to include it in a continuing resolution to fund the government that must be passed by Sept. 30. They want the permitting proposal to be voted on separately. Asked about the issue, the campaign of Grijalva’s Republican opponent, Luis Pozzolo, said this via email: “Luis Pozzolo believes that governments need processes but kicking the can on this issue places a bureaucratic burden that delays industry and business in Southern AZ and across the country, ultimately hurting jobs across the country as well. Our people need jobs, not endless processes.” They added that Pozzolo supports the permitting reforms if they will bring jobs.  Finchem: ‘I love the Jewish people’ It’s been an amusing week for those who follow Mark Finchem on Twitter.  On Monday, his Democratic opponent for Secretary of State, Adrian Fontes, announced the new “Republicans and Independents for Fontes Coalition.” It included Mesa Mayor John Giles, a Republican, former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, a Republican, and former Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano, an independent, among others.  On Tuesday, Finchem gave his response: “‘Republicans’ who endorse Adrian Fontes are not Republicans, they are Marxists pretending to be Republicans, deceiving voters.” Rep. Mark Finchem, the GOP candidate for secretary of state, responded with this tweet to the announcement of a group of Republicans and independents who support his opponent, Democrat Adrian Fontes.  As the tweeting public puzzled over Finchem’s understanding of Marxism, he doubled down. On Wednesday, he tweeted this about his opponent: “Nobody believes him. We all know he is a hard core Marxist. Rep. Mark Finchem, the GOP candidate for secretary of state, called his Democratic opponent, Adrian Fontes, a “hard core Marxist” via Twitter on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. Then on Thursday, he tweeted that he needed to raise $15,000 that day to defeat Fontes, who he claimed is “bankrolled by Soros and Bloomberg.”  In a tweet on Thursday, Sept. 15, GOP candidate for Secretary of State Mark Finchem claimed his opponent, Democrat Adrian Fontes, is bankrolled by billionaires George Soros and Michael Bloomberg.  Tim Steller When some people accused him of dealing in anti-Semitism by naming the two Jewish billionaires, you can guess what Finchem accused the two of.  “Calling out Soros and Bloomberg and their political objectives is not anti-Semitic,” he wrote. “This is a political discussion, not a religious one. I love the Jewish people. I do not love Marxists who hate America. The gaslighting of patriots must end NOW.” Accused by critics of using anti-Semitic dog whistles, Finchem said he was just talking about “Marxist” billionaires and that he loves the Jewish People. Soros did give, though Soros may be used as a boogieman in right-wing rhetoric, from America to Hungary, but there is at least a sliver of truth in Finchem’s claims. Campaign finance records show that Soros gave $5,000 to Fontes’ campaign on Dec. 29 last year.  There is no record of Bloomberg giving to Fontes’ campaign.  And neither billionaire capitalist is likely to appear on the membership roster of the Communist Party USA. But their names did appear most recently in an August 2020 essay on the party’s website. The article, headlined “Dialectics: The science of struggle,” referred to Bloomberg and Soros not as comrades but as members of the “the liberal-democratic wing of the ruling class.” So it goes. Voter fraud hotline live — sort of You may recall the word from a few weeks ago that Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb was teaming up with True the Vote, the group that has long claimed nationwide voter fraud by Democrats, to set up a hotline.  Well, the hotline, intended to receive tips about election fraud, has gone live — sort of. When you call the number, 877-323-9111, you get this message:  “We have received hundreds of tips from patriots just like you and are working through them as quickly as possible. For the most efficient process, please fill out the online form with detailed information at truethevote.org.” So, you can call, but you may as well just use your computer.  Contact columnist Tim Steller at tsteller@tucson.com or ​520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More Here

Special Master Appointed To Review Documents From Mar-A-Lago Search; DOJ Request To Revive Criminal Probe Rejected – KVIA https://digitalarizonanews.com/special-master-appointed-to-review-documents-from-mar-a-lago-search-doj-request-to-revive-criminal-probe-rejected-kvia/ By Tierney Sneed A Brooklyn-based federal judge was selected on Thursday to serve as an independent arbiter to review the materials seized in the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home. The special master will be Senior Judge Raymond Dearie, who was put forward as a possible candidate for the special master role by Trump, who had sued in court to obtain the review. The Justice Department also endorsed Dearie’s appointment. US District Judge Aileen Cannon also rejected the Justice Department’s bid to revive its criminal investigation into classified documents seized at Mar-a-Lago last month. The denial sets the stage for the department’s dispute with Trump over the search to move quickly to an appeals court and potentially the US Supreme Court. Cannon gave the special master a deadline of November 30 to finish his review of potentially privileged documents. The schedule puts the review ending after the midterm congressional elections — essentially guaranteeing the Mar-a-Lago investigation will move slowly for the next two months, unless a higher court steps in. Appointed by Reagan, Dearie takes center stage Dearie sits on the district court for the Eastern District of Brooklyn, where he has taken senior status — meaning his workload has been lightened significantly as he nears the end of his time on the federal bench. He was appointed as a judge by Ronald Reagan in 1986 and was for a time the chief judge of the Brooklyn-based district court. He also served a seven-year term, concluding in 2019, on the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. In his role as a FISA judge, Dearie was one of the judges who approved one of the Justice Department’s request to surveil former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page, as part of the federal inquiry into Russia 2016 election interference. The department’s process for securing FISA warrants for Page was riddled with errors and sloppiness, a DOJ inspector general review later found. The IG’s review pointed to omissions and mistakes in the FBI’s court filings supporting the FISA applications, including in filings submitted to Dearie. Trump has railed against how the FISA warrants against Page were obtained, making his recommendation of Dearie to review the Mar-a-Lago search notable. Legal observers across the ideological spectrum, including vocal Trump critics, also backed the choice. This story has been updated with additional details. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Judge Denies DOJ Request For Stay In Investigation Of Trump's Mar-A-Lago Docs https://digitalarizonanews.com/judge-denies-doj-request-for-stay-in-investigation-of-trumps-mar-a-lago-docs/ U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Thursday denied the Department of Justice’s request for a partial stay of her ruling that enjoined the FBI from using roughly 100 documents seized from Mar-a-Lago with classification markings in its ongoing criminal investigation of Donald Trump — and mandated they be handed over to a special master for review. Cannon has also appointed Raymond Dearie, senior district judge for the Eastern District of New York, as special master. In a filing last week that amounted to a line-by-line rebuke of Cannon’s ruling, DOJ prosecutors wrote that they would seek intervention by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals if she declined to act on their request for a partial stay by the end of Thursday. Prosecutors cited the potential for “irreparable harm” to national security — not just from the FBI having to halt their criminal investigation of the recovered records but from the uncertainty her ruling had separately caused, leading the intelligence community to pause its own separate review of whether the classified records, or any intel sources or methods, have been compromised. “In order to assess the full scope of potential harms to national security resulting from the improper retention of the classified records, the government must assess the likelihood that improperly stored classified information may have been accessed by others and compromised,” the DOJ counterintelligence chief, Jay Bratt, wrote in the filing, specifically referencing the dozens of empty folders with classified banners on them taken from Trump’s estate and the need to assess whether documents that were previously in them were compromised or remain missing. This is a developing story. Please return for updates. Read More Here

Race For Harris County Judge Heats Up As Lina Hidalgo Connects Alex Mealer To Trump https://digitalarizonanews.com/race-for-harris-county-judge-heats-up-as-lina-hidalgo-connects-alex-mealer-to-trump/ Hidalgo is accusing Mealer of being an election denier and is questioning whether she would respect the voting wishes of Harris County. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — The race for Harris County Judge is one of the most closely watched races this cycle. The race pins current Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo against Alex Mealer, a Republican endorsed by Senator Ted Cruz. Judge Hidalgo surprised many by being elected as the first woman judge and defeating a Republican incumbent. She is connecting Mealer and former President Donald Trump closely together. Harris County is a place where former President Trump lost by 13 points. “Someone running on let’s purge the rolls and ‘I don’t believe Trump lost.’ That’s scary to me, that’s scary to me win or lose,” Hidalgo said. In a now-deleted YouTube video, Hidalgo’s campaign screen captured an image with Trump over the shoulder of Mealer. “I wanted to tag the person she did the interview with, Doc Green. I couldn’t tag him because he’s been banned from Twitter,” Hidalgo said. Mealer is responding in a statement said: “Lina Hidalgo is desperate to avoid discussing the critical issues facing Harris County residents due to her extensive record of failures. Although she spends most of her weekends outside of Harris County, namely to fundraise in D.C., she is not running for national office, and she is not running against Trump. She is running against a wife, mom, combat veteran, Hispanic, West Pointer and Harvard JD/MBA that she routinely disrespects by name calling, photoshopping and intentionally misquoting. Lina – you raised your hand and said you wanted to lead this County, stop talking to your national donors and get up on stage with me and defend your policies to the voters of Harris County.” Hildago, who opened a 10-point lead in recent polling, is accusing Mealer of being an election denier and is questioning whether she would respect the voting wishes of Harris County. She’s pointing out a campaign platform that’s since been deleted by Mealer, detailing her plans to “clean voter rolls”. “My biggest concern is on the certification of the votes. I want people to participate whether they vote for me or not. It’s okay, you may agree you may disagree, but the democracy depends on participation,” Hidalgo said. “In terms of elections in Harris County, I fully support returning elections back to our elected officials, regardless of their political affiliation. We have two Democratic women in office that had their duties stripped away from them by Lina Hidalgo – they were elected by the people and answerable to the people of Harris County. I look forward to returning those duties back to their offices. Please see my stance on elections on my website and note that our County Tax Assessor, Ann Harris Bennett, has voiced similar concerns. The process of keeping voter rolls updated for relocations and deaths is an ongoing effort that is a primary responsibility of the county,” said Mealer. “I have full faith in our elected officials and their ability to run a secure, transparent and efficient election and will without question certify the election results as long as our County Clerk and County Tax Assessor testify to the integrity of the process and are the ones administering the election.” Gerald Harris on social media: Facebook | Twitter Read More Here

Loren David Hennekens Obituary (2022) Spooner Advocate https://digitalarizonanews.com/loren-david-hennekens-obituary-2022-spooner-advocate-2/ October 9, 1930-September 10, 2022 Loren was born on October 9,1930, to Fred and Dorothy Hennekens in Ladysmith, WI. He graduated from Ladysmith High School in 1949, where he played football and was co-captain of his team. He passed away in Phoenix, AZ, at his daughter’s home on Saturday, September 10th, 2022. With his sense of humor, Loren had a million-dollar smile that would light up a room with a definite presence of energy. In his younger years, he enjoyed helping in his community, including 4-H, church, school and dairy associations. He was a fearless, hard-working man who went from dairy farming and running a small garbage collection business to establishing and running a large garbage/recycling business (Solid Waste Disposal) in northern Wisconsin until his retirement with Carrol, his beloved wife. Loren loved playing games of all kinds, the outdoors, hunting, fishing and traveling. He was great dancer, golfer, pool player and cribbage player. He enjoyed his winters in Mesa, AZ, as well as traveling during his retirement. He always enjoyed his family, ready to give them a good time and laughter. Loren is survived by his children Deb and Bob Aaron, Lee Smith, Dave and Janet Hennekens, Denny and Diane Hennekens, Bobbie and Bob Ruder, Doreen and Brian Adams, Della Zappa, Julie Mattmiller and Kim Haase. He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carrol, his parents, 3 brothers, Duane, Bill and Fred, 2 sisters, Shirley and Delores, 2 sons Kevin LeFevour and Doug Hennekens, 3 sons-in -law, Dan Zappa, Randy Smith and Tom Haase, and 2 grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will take place at Butternut Hills Golf Clubhouse on October 8, 2022, from 1PM to 4PM. Memorials may be donated in his name to Hospice in Phoenix or locally to St. Catherine’s Church in Sarona. Online condolences may be left at alloptionsfuneralhome.com in Tempe, AZ. Published by Spooner Advocate on Sep. 15, 2022. 34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store. Read More…

New Hampshire GOP Senate Nominee Abruptly Backs Off False 2020 Election Claims – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarizonanews.com/new-hampshire-gop-senate-nominee-abruptly-backs-off-false-2020-election-claims-abc17news/ By Gregory Krieg and Dan Merica, CNN New Hampshire Senate candidate Don Bolduc won the Republican nomination on Tuesday after months campaigning on false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. A little more than a day later, he attempted an about-face. Asked Thursday on Fox News about the 2020 race, Bolduc, a retired Army brigadier general who faces Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in November, said he’s “done a lot of research on this” and, after speaking with New Hampshire voters, was changing his position. “I’ve come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this: The election was not stolen,” Bolduc said, adding that while he still believes there was fraud, “Elections have consequences and, unfortunately, President Biden is the legitimate president of this country.” The comments marked a U-turn from as recently as last month, when during a primary debate he doubled down on his past false assertions. “I signed a letter with 120 other generals and admirals saying Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by [it],” Bolduc said during the mid-August debate. Hassan’s campaign described Bolduc’s new public stance as an unconvincing and cynical ploy. “Don Bolduc has spent the entire campaign touting the Big Lie, and he can’t hide from that record. He has even said that he supports overturning the results of the 2024 election if it doesn’t go his way,” Hassan campaign spokesman Kevin Donohoe said. “A word salad on Fox will not erase his record of election denial.” Earlier Thursday, Hassan’s campaign shared on Twitter a video clip of Bolduc’s debate remark, tweeting, “Don Bolduc is an election denier.” Bolduc’s campaign did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for an explanation for his reversal. Hassan’s seat represents a top pickup opportunity for Republicans, who are trying to erase Democrats’ slim Senate majority this fall. New Hampshire broke for now-President Joe Biden by 7 points in 2020, and many in GOP leadership believe Hassan is susceptible to a competent challenger — a view that led them to back state Senate President Chuck Morse in the primary. Morse conceded to Bolduc early Wednesday. Morse had been endorsed by the state’s popular GOP governor, Chris Sununu, whom Senate Republicans had tried — and failed — to recruit against Hassan. Leading GOP establishment figures also backed Morse, worried that Bold uc’s rhetoric over the 2020 election, his calls to repeal the direct election of senators as required by the 17th Amendment, and his criticism of the FBI after the search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence would doom him to defeat in a general election. Sununu during the primary called Bolduc a “conspiracy theorist-type candidate” and warned that the Republicans “would have a much harder time” flipping the seat if he was nominated. At a news conference on Wednesday, Hassan offered a preview of the campaign to come, calling Bolduc “the most extreme nominee for US Senate that New Hampshire has seen in decades” and zeroing in on his ties to Trump. “It is interesting that Donald Trump indicated his support for Don Bolduc this morning, and again, Don Bolduc supports the election denial for 2020 — has helped spread those lies, says he supports or is open to abolishing the FBI, and says if the 2024 election doesn’t go the way he thinks it should, he would work to overturn it,” Hassan said. Trump did not make an endorsement in the New Hampshire GOP Senate primary. Trump congratulated Bolduc on Wednesday for his “BIG WIN in New Hampshire” in a post on the former President’s Truth Social platform. Bolduc’s campaign shared a screenshot of that post on Twitter, writing, “Strong words from President Trump. Thank you, sir!” Bolduc had in recent week shown some signs that he was beginning a pivot away from the false 2020 election claims that had been central to his candidacy. In an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio published on September 2, he repeatedly demurred when asked about those claims. Eventually, though, after the interviewer plainly stated that there was “no evidence that the 2020 election was stolen,” Bolduc tried to distance himself from that language. “Did I say it was stolen? I didn’t say it was stolen. I said that Granite Staters have issues, and that’s who’s important. I just want to be clear on what I’m saying,” he said. Bolduc, though, has long been an exponent of Trump’s lies. In an interview with the New Yorker published in October 2021, he defended his decision to sign on to the letter that said Trump was the 2020 winner and insisted that his rigged election and fraud claims were sincere. “I very much believe it and I think it exists, and I think it happens and it’s been happening for a long time in this country. When you try to steal the Presidency, a lot of people are going to go, ‘OK, wait a minute. What the hell’s going on here?,’” Bolduc said at the time. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Biden Miami US Attorney Pick Comes Amid Trump Document Probe https://digitalarizonanews.com/biden-miami-us-attorney-pick-comes-amid-trump-document-probe/ President Joe Biden moved to fill lengthy vacancies for US attorneys in three districts, including the Miami office involved in the investigation of Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The planned appointments announced Thursday that also include top prosecutors for Tampa and in North Dakota further break logjams in conservative or conservative-leaning states that lack Senate-confirmed law enforcement chiefs. Markenzy Lapointe, a Miami Big Law partner, is Biden’s intended pick for the Southern District of Florida, which is one of the largest offices nationwide. The current US attorney in Miami, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, started early in … To read the full article log in. © 2022 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved Read More Here

Migrants Flown To Martha's Vineyard Describe How They Got To Mass. https://digitalarizonanews.com/migrants-flown-to-marthas-vineyard-describe-how-they-got-to-mass/ Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said his administration is “exploring” another move for dozens of migrants who arrived on Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday aboard charter flights linked to Florida’s state government.”The Baker-Polito Administration is exploring setting up temporary shelter and humanitarian services at Joint Base Cape Cod and will share additional information as soon as it becomes available,” Baker said in a written statement issued Thursday. The group of approximately 50 Venezuelan migrants, some of them children, arrived aboard charter flights on Wednesday evening. They were brought to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, where they were given snacks and shelter. They spent the night in the care of two shelters in Edgartown, where a humanitarian effort continued on Thursday. Volunteers were seen bringing supplies to the shelters, where the migrants are expected to spend at least one more night. “They were told in Texas that they were coming to a place that had jobs and homes and shelter waiting for them,” Larkin Stallangs, with the Maratha’s Vineyard Community Services, told WCVB.”They feel lied to, and they feel betrayed and that, yeah, this was not what they expected,” a translator for one of the migrants told WCVB. The migrants told WCVB that a woman in Texas approached them and told them to get on board the two chartered planes. They say they had no idea they’d be landing on Martha’s Vineyard.”They initially were told by a woman on the street after asylum in San Antonio that they were going to be sent to Massachusetts and that there was a sanctuary there,” the translator said. WCVB has made multiple requests for comment to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office in Texas and has yet to hear back. “My understanding is there was no advance communication or notice that this plane and these people were arriving,” Massachusetts state Rep. Julian Cyr, who serves Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, told WCVB. “The officials on Martha’s Vineyard, municipal and county officials, scrambled but did a pretty remarkable job to welcome these families.”One of the migrants said Thursday that he was told to get on a plane in San Antonio. He said that he wants to go to school and thought he was traveling to find work. Barb Rush and others at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Summer Street in Edgartown have been working all day to help the families she says are from Venezuela, some with children as young as 2 years old.”Many of them seem overwhelmed,” Rush said. “We’ve received calls from restaurants offering food, people trying to help. It’s amazing.””On behalf of the Commonwealth, I thank everyone on the ground who quickly came together to provide assistance on the Vineyard,” Baker said. “The Commonwealth has many resources for assisting individuals that arrive in Massachusetts with varying immigration statuses and needs and is working with all partners involved to make sure those resources are available to the migrants that arrived last night.””Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” a statement from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said.”States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as ‘sanctuary states’ and support for the Biden Administration’s open border policies,” the statement said. DeSantis, who is running for reelection this year and is a potential 2024 presidential contender, has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.During an event on Thursday, DeSantis said his office has “worked on innovative ways to be able to protect the state of Florida from the impact of Biden’s border policies.””If you have folks that are inclined to think Florida’s a good place, our message to them is we are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction. And yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures,” DeSantis said.Online flight records show at least two private planes that began the day in San Antonio, Texas, also made stops in Florida’s panhandle before later arriving on the island.It was not immediately clear who paid for the private charter flights to the island; however, the statement from the governor’s spokesperson said the Florida Legislature appropriated $12 million to implement a program to facilitate the transport of undocumented immigrants from the state. “This is an island that is in the business of welcoming people,” Cyr said. “But it’s pretty disgusting that a state, or a governor, or whoever this is, would capitalize on the unfortunate, dire circumstances of these families who are just looking for a better life. To capitalize that for a political stunt or for a ‘gotcha’ moment – that’s just disgusting.””Gov. Ron DeSantis could learn a lesson from Massachusetts on what patriotism and liberty really look like if he weren’t so busy using humans as props in a cruel stunt to buoy his pathetic political aspirations,” Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said in a post on social media. “To those who’ve just landed: we gladly embrace you.”WCVB has also reached out to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office for comment and has yet to hear back. Information from WESH and The Associated Press was used in this report. TISBURY, Mass. — Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said his administration is “exploring” another move for dozens of migrants who arrived on Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday aboard charter flights linked to Florida’s state government. “The Baker-Polito Administration is exploring setting up temporary shelter and humanitarian services at Joint Base Cape Cod and will share additional information as soon as it becomes available,” Baker said in a written statement issued Thursday. The group of approximately 50 Venezuelan migrants, some of them children, arrived aboard charter flights on Wednesday evening. They were brought to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, where they were given snacks and shelter. They spent the night in the care of two shelters in Edgartown, where a humanitarian effort continued on Thursday. Volunteers were seen bringing supplies to the shelters, where the migrants are expected to spend at least one more night. “They were told in Texas that they were coming to a place that had jobs and homes and shelter waiting for them,” Larkin Stallangs, with the Maratha’s Vineyard Community Services, told WCVB. “They feel lied to, and they feel betrayed and that, yeah, this was not what they expected,” a translator for one of the migrants told WCVB. The migrants told WCVB that a woman in Texas approached them and told them to get on board the two chartered planes. They say they had no idea they’d be landing on Martha’s Vineyard. “They initially were told by a woman on the street after asylum in San Antonio that they were going to be sent to Massachusetts and that there was a sanctuary there,” the translator said. WCVB has made multiple requests for comment to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office in Texas and has yet to hear back. “My understanding is there was no advance communication or notice that this plane and these people were arriving,” Massachusetts state Rep. Julian Cyr, who serves Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, told WCVB. “The officials on Martha’s Vineyard, municipal and county officials, scrambled but did a pretty remarkable job to welcome these families.” One of the migrants said Thursday that he was told to get on a plane in San Antonio. He said that he wants to go to school and thought he was traveling to find work. Barb Rush and others at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Summer Street in Edgartown have been working all day to help the families she says are from Venezuela, some with children as young as 2 years old. “Many of them seem overwhelmed,” Rush said. “We’ve received calls from restaurants offering food, people trying to help. It’s amazing.” “On behalf of the Commonwealth, I thank everyone on the ground who quickly came together to provide assistance on the Vineyard,” Baker said. “The Commonwealth has many resources for assisting individuals that arrive in Massachusetts with varying immigration statuses and needs and is working with all partners involved to make sure those resources are available to the migrants that arrived last night.” “Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard [Wednesday] were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” a statement from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said. “States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as ‘sanctuary states’ and support for the Biden Administration’s open border policies,” the statement said. DeSantis, who is running for reelection this year and is a potential 2024 presidential contender, has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. During an event on Thursday, DeSantis said his office has “worked on innovative ways to be able to protect the state of Florida from the impact of Biden’s border policies.” “If you have folks that are inclined to think Florida’s a good place, our message to them is we are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction. And yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures,” DeSantis said. Online flight records show at least two pri...

Biden Surpasses Trump’s Record Of Federal Judge Appointments https://digitalarizonanews.com/biden-surpasses-trumps-record-of-federal-judge-appointments/ Biden Surpasses Trump’s Record Of Federal Judge Appointments Arjun Singh on September 15, 2022 The Biden administration has been appointing new judges to vacancies on the federal bench at the fastest rate in 30 years, beating former President Donald Trump’s rate of confirmations, according to new data published Thursday. As of September, Biden had nominated and appointed 82 federal judges, following confirmation votes by the Democratic-controlled Senate, according to data from the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts. Of this number, 19 were federal appellate judges while the rest were district judges. One such appointment was Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was elevated by Biden twice: to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in 2021 and, one year later, to the Supreme Court of the United States. Most of Biden’s appointments were to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in San Francisco, California. That court – by far the largest appellate court, with jurisdiction over most Western and Pacific states and serving a population of more than 66 million – was frequently criticized by Trump for ruling against his administration. The Senate has confirmed six Biden appointees to the 29-member court. By contrast, at this point in Trump’s first term, the Senate confirmed 26 of his appellate judge appointees and 26 district judge appointees, compared to 58 district appointees for Biden. During Trump’s term, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that confirming judicial appointees was his “highest priority.” Over four years, Trump appointed 245 judges to federal district and appellate courts during his four-year term, including three judges to the Supreme Court, the most of any president since Ronald Reagan, who appointed five. President Biden has appointed more new federal judges than former President Trump had at the same point in his term, and there are more still to come. https://t.co/c7ZPRyfF0l pic.twitter.com/UGwm4TE3Lz — Axios (@axios) September 15, 2022 The data covered Biden’s appointments to federal courts with authority under Article III of the Constitution, which hear general cases and controversies and whose appointees serve “during good behavior,” which is understood to mean for life. Court of Appeals appointments are regarded as more significant than district judge appointments since appellate courts are the final word on most federal lawsuits. The Supreme Court hears less than 1% of the cases that petition it for appeal. For that reason, Trump and McConnell sought to place like-minded judges of originalist and textualist philosophies on the federal bench. The effort, supported by groups such as the conservative Federalist Society and the Article III Project, is widely credited with ensuring favorable decisions for Republicans, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which mandated a federal right to abortion, and several injunctions blocking the Biden administration’s border policies. Biden currently has 15 more appellate judges pending before the Senate. As of writing, there are nine vacancies in federal appeals courts and 69 vacancies in federal district courts. Neither the White House nor the office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has responded to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected] Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact  licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Read the full story at the Daily Caller News Foundation Read More Here

Strengthening Tropical Storm Fiona Prompts Watches For Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands https://digitalarizonanews.com/strengthening-tropical-storm-fiona-prompts-watches-for-puerto-rico-virgin-islands/ Tropical Storm Fiona grew in strength Thursday afternoon prompting tropical storm watches for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the National Hurricane Center said. As of the NHC’s 5 p.m. advisory, Fiona was located about 425 miles east of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, up from 50 mph earlier Thursday. The system is moving west at 14 mph with tropical-storm-force winds extending out 140 miles. Tropical storm warnings, which mean a threat within 36 hours, were in place for Caribbean islands of Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Guadeloupe, St. Barthelemy and St. Martin A tropical storm watch is also in effect for the British Virgin Islands. This infrared satellite image shows Tropical Storm Fiona on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 15, 2022 approaching the Leeward Islands. (NOAA – GOES-East) “A westward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected through Saturday night, with a turn toward the west-northwest possible on Sunday,” said NHC senior hurricane specialist Robbie Berg. “On the forecast track, the center of Fiona is expected to move across the Leeward Islands Friday night and early Saturday, and move near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico late Saturday into Sunday.” The forecast has the system strengthening, but just shy of hurricane status in the next five days. On Wednesday night, Fiona became a tropical storm when satellite data showed Tropical Depression 7 had strengthened, maintaining maximum sustained winds greater than 39 mph. It is not yet known if the tropical storm would impact Florida or the mainland United States. Most projected storm paths show Fiona making a hard bend northeast away from the Sunshine State. The latest five-day track has its cone of uncertainty over the Turks and Caicos and approaching the southern Bahamas by Tuesday with gusts of up to 85 mph. “The main global models suggest that the cyclone could end up anywhere from eastern Cuba to well to the northeast of the Bahamas by the end of the forecast period,” Berg said. “For now, the official track forecast is nudged southward and westward from the previous forecast, accounting for the adjusted initial position and the overall trend in the track guidance.” Earlier Thursday, forecasters had not been impressed with Fiona’s structure, calling it “sheared” and “asymmetric,” and suggesting the ragged form doesn’t yield itself to much strengthening in the near future. Hindering it further is a strong northwesterly wind shear expected to stymie the storm for the next few days, but it may not be enough to prevent any strengthening at all. Sep 15 1402 UTC: Tropical Storm Fiona is about 473 n mi E of the Leeward Islands. Fiona is expected to continue to move W for next several days and is forecast to move near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend. Earlier altimeter data showed Fiona has seas to 21 ft. pic.twitter.com/qepJwkgb2x — NHC_TAFB (@NHC_TAFB) September 15, 2022 “Fiona’s current intensity is a testament to its resilience in the face of the shear it has experienced over the past 24 hours,” said Berg. Despite environmental factors, Fiona has been able to retain its power. However, conditions only get worse for Fiona as its core interacts with dry air and is potentially impacted by land interference while passing over portions of the Greater Antilles this weekend and early next week. On Monday, Fiona could interact with the Hispaniola mountain range, which historically weakens tropical storm organization due to the mountainous terrain’s effect on the wind structure. However, predictions actually show Fiona’s winds growing in power to about 70 mph at around the same time it would be passing over Hispaniola. Global models suggest Fiona could even become a hurricane, according to Colorado State University’s two-week prediction of the tropics. “While Fiona is not forecast to intensify much in the short-term, most global models intensify it to hurricane strength by next week,” CSU said. The Caribbean islands are expected to have heavy rain through the weekend with Hispaniola receiving a maximum total of 12 inches. Showers on the Leeward Islands are expected to accumulate 4 to 6 inches of rain Friday night. “This rainfall may produce isolated flash and urban flooding, along with isolated mudslides in areas of higher terrain,” Berg said. Currently, hurricane season is in the middle of the most active time for tropical activity, between mid-August and mid-October. Prior to the season, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters predicted 2022 to be yet another above-average season in storm production coming off the heels of two record-breaking seasons for named storms. The NOAA doubled down on its forecast at the start of August. However, the season has been off to a sluggish pace compared to past seasons. Typically, the eighth named storm emerges by or before Sept. 9 and the third hurricane by Sept. 7, but the season has thus produced five named storms and two hurricanes. The NOAA’s prediction call for a total of 14-21 named storms by the end of the season, Nov. 30. While things have been quiet, CSU predicts the tropics could get much busier in the next two weeks with a 50% chance of above-average activity taking place. CSU also gave a 40% chance of normal activity taking place and a 10% chance of below-average activity. Read More Here

PODCAST: Wings Over Broadway Pigskin Preview For Week 5 | ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com https://digitalarizonanews.com/podcast-wings-over-broadway-pigskin-preview-for-week-5-allsportstucson-com/ ALL GAMES START AT 7 P.M. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Mica Mountain (1-1) at San Tan Valley Poston Butte (1-1) Mica Mountain is coming off a 41-14 loss at home against Bradshaw Mountain. Poston Butte played in the 4A state championship game last year, losing to Casa Grande. Catalina (0-3) at Kingman Academy (1-3) Catalina forfeited its game at Phoenix Cortez last week because of a lack of eligible players but the Trojans will make the trip to Kingman this week, according to coach Greg McKinstry. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Basha (1-0) at Salpointe (1-1) Basha comes to Tucson 2-0 after winning at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School and beating visiting Desert Ridge. Division I RB prospect Deshaun Buchanan has committed to Idaho. Salpointe counters with Division I Class of 2024 prospect Elijah Rushing. Vista Grande (0-2) at Ironwood Ridge (0-1) Ironwood Ridge was originally to have a bye week this week but last week’s cancellation because of lightning at Campo Verde forced the Nighthawks to schedule another game to play 10 games. Vista Grande of Casa Grande obliged. Desert View (0-1) at Canyon del Oro (1-0) Desert View’s game at Willow Canyon was also canceled last week because of lightning. The Jaguars will play a CDO team that has also not played in two weeks after beating Walden Grove 28-7 at home. Goodyear Millennium (2-0) at Cienega (1-0) This is a great test for Cienega, whose coach Justin Argraves tries to put together a difficult non-region schedule to bolster the program’s chances to make the playoffs at the end of the year. Cienega QB Brayden Cherry leads his offense against a Millennium defense that blanked Agua Fria 49-0 last week. Buena (1-1) at Nogales (0-1) Buena is coming off a 35-0 loss at home to Marana last week hoping that another trip to southwestern Arizona is fruitful after winning at Sahuarita two weeks ago. Nogales had two weeks to work out the kinks after losing 10-0 at Rio Rico on Sept. 2. Douglas (1-0) at Cholla (1-1) Douglas has not played since earning The Pick trophy at Bisbee two weeks ago while Cholla is coming off a stirring 14-11 win at Sahuarita, a game in which nine of Virgil Henderson’s regular team did not play because of academic ineligibility. Rincon/UHS (0-2) at Phoenix Alhambra (0-2) Khyree Copeland’s Rangers are hoping last week’s 12-6 overtime loss at home to Copper Canyon has more of a positive effect than being a downer playing at winless Alhambra, which has been outscored 99-14 in losses to Sierra Linda and Arizona Lutheran. Phoenix Thunderbird (1-1) at Amphitheater (0-1) The schools have a series going playing each other for the second consecutive season at Amphi. Last year’s game, won by Thunderbird 24-7, was played on a Monday night. Walden Grove (1-1) at Chandler AZ College Prep (1-1) Corey Noble’s Red Wolves rebounded strong from the opening loss at CDO by routing Greenway 48-7 last week behind QB Gabe Smith’s 219 yards passing and three TDs. Phoenix Sierra Linda (2-0) at Empire (1-0) Empire has the chance to begin a season 2-0 for the first time since 2012, when the Ravens, coached by Jorge Mendivil, went 8-4 and lost in the second round of the state playoffs. Rio Rico (1-0) at Flagstaff (0-2) The Hawks make the uncommon trip to northern Arizona to in attempt to start 2-0 for the first time since 2014. Sabino (3-0) at Palo Verde (2-2) 3A South opener for both teams. Palo Verde has two straight wins after beating visiting Catalina 60-0 two weeks ago and winning by forfeit over Santa Rita (not enough eligible players) last week. The Titans — playing their first varsity season in two years — face a tall order against Sabino, which is strong on both sides of the ball and is led by junior QB Cameron Hackworth (45 of 66 for 836 yards and 11 touchdowns without an interception). Benson (3-1) at Pusch Ridge (4-0) In another 3A South opener, Benson is somewhat of a surprise starting 3-1 after losing most of its starters and coach Chris Determan after last season. The Bobcats are also at the 3A level for the first after transitioning from 2A. Pusch Ridge is unbeaten largely because of the play of junior QB Bubba Mustain (63 of 92 for 1,016 yards with 14 TDs and one interception). Phoenix Cortez (3-1) over Santa Rita (0-4) (forfeit) Not enough eligible players forces the Eagles to forfeit another game. Willcox (3-0) at Morenci (3-0) One of the top games in the state any classification — Morenci, the defending 2A state champs, host a Willcox team with one of the most potent backfields in the state with Ayden Fuentes and Cristian Pando (1,025 yards rushing combined in only three games). Tombstone (1-2) vs. St. John Paul II at Sierra Linda (0-3) Tombstone may have experienced its breakthrough win last week under coach Dominic Bonilla, topping Globe 47-8 behind QB/LB DJ Elias‘ 231 passing yards with five touchdowns, 90 rushing yards with two touchdowns and also an interception on defense. Gilbert San Tan Charter (3-1) at Tanque Verde (1-2) Jay Dobyns’ team had the unenviable task of playing at defending state champ Morenci and state title contender Pima on the road in two of the first three weeks of the season. Bisbee (1-2) at Phoenix Veritas Prep (1-3) After losing to rivals Douglas and Benson at home the last two weeks, Bisbee travels from State Route 80 up the I-10 to face a struggling Veritas Prep team in Phoenix. Baboquivari (2-2) at Kearney Ray (1-3) The Warriors can improve to 3-1 in the 1A South with a win at Ray. They are trying to earn their first overall winning record since 2003. Heber Mogollon (3-1) at St. David (4-0) The matchup of the week in the state at the 1A level. St. David will try avenge a loss in the state championship to Mogollon as well as a regular-season defeat last year. San Manuel (3-1) at Valley Union (0-4) The Miners will attempt to start 2-0 in the 1A South with a game potentially for the region title at St. David looming Sept. 30. BYES: Flowing Wells (1-1), Marana (2-0), Sunnyside (1-1), Mountain View (0-2), Tucson (1-1), Catalina Foothills (0-2), Sahuarita (0-2), Sahuaro (1-1), Pueblo (2-0). FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER! ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District. Read More Here

U.S. Stocks Slip While Yields Rise, Fed In Focus https://digitalarizonanews.com/u-s-stocks-slip-while-yields-rise-fed-in-focus/ Traders work on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly Fed looms over broader markets, dollar rises Oil tumbles on demand concerns, U.S. rail strike averted Treasury yields climb while oil gold tumbles NEW YORK, Sept 15 (Reuters) – Wall Street indexes were firmly in the red after a choppy start to Thursday’s session while bond yields rose as investors digested economic data that provided the Federal Reserve little reason to ease its aggressive interest rate hiking cycle. Oil futures tumbled more than 3% on demand concerns and after a tentative agreement that would avert a U.S. rail strike, as well as continued U.S. dollar strength with expectations for a large U.S. rate increase. read more Economic data showed U.S. retail sales unexpectedly rebounded in August as Americans ramped up purchases of motor vehicles and dined out more while taking advantage of lower gasoline prices. But data for July was revised downward to show retail sales declining instead of flat as previously reported. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Separately the Labor Department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell for the week ended Sept. 10 to the lowest level since the end of May. read more Investors are widely expecting an aggressive rate hike after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting next week, but nervously awaiting hints from Fed Chair Jerome Powell about future policy moves, said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist at LPL Financial. “The market remains choppy knowing that there’s a Fed meeting next week. Even though participants agree that it’ll be a 75 basis points rate hike, it’s what the statement adds to previous commentary and what Chairman Powell says in his press conference” that have them worried, Krosby said. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 173.07 points, or 0.56%, to 30,962.02; the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 44.69 points, or 1.13%, to 3,901.32 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) dropped 167.32 points, or 1.43%, to 11,552.36. MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) shed 0.96% while emerging market stocks (.MSCIEF) lost 0.57%. Stocks, bonds and currencies on Thursday were showing a market “increasingly understanding the Fed is going to hike more aggressively next week,” said Scott Ladner, chief investment officer at Horizon Investments in Charlotte, North Carolina. Referring particularly to the still strong labor market, Ladner said “economic numbers released today are tying a bow on the situation.” Treasury yields rose with the two-year hitting fresh 15-year highs, after data on retail sales and jobless claims showed a resilient economy that gives the Fed ample room to aggressively hike interest rates. Also already signaling a recession warning the inverted yield curve – the gap between 2-year and 10-year treasury yields – widened further to -41.4 basis points, compared with -13.0 bps a week ago. Benchmark 10-year notes were up 4.5 basis points to 3.457%, from 3.412% late on Wednesday. The 30-year bond last fell 5/32 in price to yield 3.4779%, from 3.469%. The 2-year note last fell 5/32 in price to yield 3.8646%, from 3.782%. “In this vicious cycle where the data continues to remain resilient, that would imply a Fed that would likely stay the course and continue to tighten policy,” said Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale in New York. Also clouding investors’ moods on Thursday was the World Bank’s assessment that the world may be edging toward a global recession as central banks across the world simultaneously hike interest rates to combat persistent inflation. read more In currencies the dollar was slightly higher against the yen while the Swiss franc hit its strongest level against the euro since 2015. read more The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of major currencies, rose 0.091%, with the euro up 0.18% to $0.9995. The Japanese yen weakened 0.19% versus the greenback at 143.44 per dollar, while Sterling was last trading at $1.1469, down 0.57% on the day. Before the tentative labor agreement, fears of a U.S. railroad worker strike had supported oil prices due to supply concerns on Wednesday. In addition, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said this week that oil demand growth would grind to a halt in the fourth quarter. U.S. crude settled down 3.82% at $85.10 per barrel while Brent finished at $90.84, down 3.46% on the day. Gold dropped to its lowest level since April 2021, hurt by elevated U.S. Treasury yields and a firm dollar, as bets of another hefty Fed rate hike eroded bullion’s appeal. Spot gold dropped 1.9% to $1,664.46 an ounce. U.S. gold futures fell 2.02% to $1,662.30 an ounce. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Additional reporting by Herbert Lash in New York, Marc Jones in London, Stefano Rebaudo in Milan, Tom Westbrook in Singapore and Wayne Cole in Sydney; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

House Passes Bill To Protect Employment For Civil Service Workers https://digitalarizonanews.com/house-passes-bill-to-protect-employment-for-civil-service-workers/ House lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation that attempts to shore up protections for federal civil service employees. Why it matters: The bill comes after Axios’ Jonathan Swan reported on plans by top allies of former President Trump to implement “Schedule F” if elected in 2024, allowing him to replace tens of thousands of civil servant positions and career posts with loyalists. Driving the news: The bill, introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), would get rid of a category of Schedule F employees that was created by Trump via executive order in October 2020. The bipartisan legislation, called “Preventing a Patronage System Act,” was first introduced in January of 2021. It was co-sponsored by 16 lawmakers, including three Republicans. The legislation passed in a 225-204 vote, with six Republicans supporting the measure. President Biden rescinded the Schedule F category quickly after taking office, but Axios previously reported that Trump, if elected to a second term, would immediately reimpose it. What they’re saying: “The civil servants who make up our federal workforce are the engine that keep our federal government running,” Connolly said in a statement on Thursday after the vote. “The former president’s attempt to remove qualified experts and replace them with political loyalists threatened our national security and our government’s ability to function the way the American people expect it to,” he said. “Expertise, not fealty must define our civil service.” The big picture: Six Democratic senators last month introduced similar legislation, which would prevent any federal civil service position from being reclassified outside of merit system principles without the express consent of Congress, Axios’ Sophia Cai reports. Go deeper: A radical plan for Trump’s second term Read More Here

Loren David Hennekens Obituary (2022) Spooner Advocate https://digitalarizonanews.com/loren-david-hennekens-obituary-2022-spooner-advocate/ October 9, 1930-September 10, 2022 Loren was born on October 9,1930, to Fred and Dorothy Hennekens in Ladysmith, WI. He graduated from Ladysmith High School in 1949, where he played football and was co-captain of his team. He passed away in Phoenix, AZ, at his daughter’s home on Saturday, September 10th, 2022. With his sense of humor, Loren had a million-dollar smile that would light up a room with a definite presence of energy. In his younger years, he enjoyed helping in his community, including 4-H, church, school and dairy associations. He was a fearless, hard-working man who went from dairy farming and running a small garbage collection business to establishing and running a large garbage/recycling business (Solid Waste Disposal) in northern Wisconsin until his retirement with Carrol, his beloved wife. Loren loved playing games of all kinds, the outdoors, hunting, fishing and traveling. He was great dancer, golfer, pool player and cribbage player. He enjoyed his winters in Mesa, AZ, as well as traveling during his retirement. He always enjoyed his family, ready to give them a good time and laughter. Loren is survived by his children Deb and Bob Aaron, Lee Smith, Dave and Janet Hennekens, Denny and Diane Hennekens, Bobbie and Bob Ruder, Doreen and Brian Adams, Della Zappa, Julie Mattmiller and Kim Haase. He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carrol, his parents, 3 brothers, Duane, Bill and Fred, 2 sisters, Shirley and Delores, 2 sons Kevin LeFevour and Doug Hennekens, 3 sons-in -law, Dan Zappa, Randy Smith and Tom Haase, and 2 grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will take place at Butternut Hills Golf Clubhouse on October 8, 2022, from 1PM to 4PM. Memorials may be donated in his name to Hospice in Phoenix or locally to St. Catherine’s Church in Sarona. Online condolences may be left at alloptionsfuneralhome.com in Tempe, AZ. Published by Spooner Advocate on Sep. 15, 2022. 34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store. Read More…

Trump Warns Of ‘big Problems’ If Indicted, Says He’d Still Run For Office https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-warns-of-big-problems-if-indicted-says-hed-still-run-for-office-2/ Former president Donald Trump warned that if he were indicted on a charge of mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House, there would be “problems in this country the likes of which perhaps we’ve never seen before.” Trump, speaking Thursday to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, added, “I don’t think the people of the United States would stand for it.” Hewitt, who is also a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, then noted that critics would describe the comment as inciting violence, and he asked Trump to respond to the claim. “That’s not inciting — I’m just saying what my opinion is. I don’t think the people of this country would stand for it,” Trump said. When pressed by Hewitt, Trump said he thought there would be “big problems, big problems.” Federal agents conducted a court-authorized search of Trump’s club and residence Aug. 8, as part of a long-running investigation into whether government documents — some of which are classified — were being stored at Mar-a-Lago instead of returned to the National Archives. The FBI probe is the latest legal pressure on Trump, who now faces growing scrutiny as the criminal probe intensifies. The investigation is looking into whether he or his former aides took classified government documents and improperly stored or never returned them. Trump’s lawyer has argued that the former president cooperated with federal authorities and that many of the documents were covered by executive privilege. In January 2021, the House impeached Trump on a single charge of “incitement of insurrection” for his role in whipping up a crowd of his supporters to stop Congress from the counting of electoral college votes for Joe Biden. A mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop the count, an attack that resulted in five deaths and injuries to dozens of members of law enforcement. Trump’s comments Thursday came hours before officials from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security briefed Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee about threats against federal officials. After the briefing, Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the committee’s chairman, described Trump’s rhetoric as dangerous. “Inviting the mob to return to the streets is exactly what happened here on January 6th, 2021,” Durbin told reporters. After noting that five people died as a result of the attack and 149 law enforcement agents were injured that day, the senator said Trump’s “careless and inflammatory rhetoric has its consequences.” In the interview with Hewitt, Trump also said he “would have no prohibition against running” for office if he were indicted. “It would not take you out of the arena,” Hewitt said, trying to clarify the former president’s position. Trump replied, “It would not.” Trump repeatedly has hinted at another run for the presidency in 2024. In 1920, socialist Eugene V. Debs ran for president from prison, where he was serving time in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for speaking out against the draft during World War I. Debs and his running mate, Emil Seidel, garnered 913,693 votes, but — as in his previous campaigns — no electoral votes. Trump’s warning of problems echoes Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who told Fox News last month that there would be “riots in the street” if Trump is prosecuted. Trump appeared to endorse the notion, sharing a link to a video of Graham’s comments on his Truth Social platform. Read More Here

No, Trump Didn’t Say He Was Knighted By Queen Elizabeth II On Truth Social https://digitalarizonanews.com/no-trump-didnt-say-he-was-knighted-by-queen-elizabeth-ii-on-truth-social/ A screenshot claiming to show a Truth Social post from Donald Trump saying he was privately knighted by Queen Elizabeth II is fake. A screenshot appearing to show a social media post from former President Donald Trump saying he was secretly knighted by Queen Elizabeth II has gone viral on Twitter. “I never told anybody but she knighted me in private,” the screenshot reads. One viral tweet containing the image has more than 45,000 likes. This is what happens when you take too much Adderall. pic.twitter.com/gOob3sOiti — Braxton (@awbraxtonjr) September 9, 2022 There was no date on the alleged social media post’s screenshot, but the image went viral on Twitter on Sept. 9. Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8.  THE QUESTION Did Donald Trump post on Truth Social that he was knighted in private by the queen? THE SOURCES THE ANSWER No, Donald Trump did not post on Truth Social that he was knighted in private by the queen. That screenshot is fake. WHAT WE FOUND Liz Harrington, a spokesperson for Donald Trump, told the Associated Press the image of the Truth Social post is fake. Trump’s office didn’t reply to VERIFY’s request for comment by the time of publishing. To further confirm the post’s inauthenticity, VERIFY analyzed Wayback Machine and Archive.Today archives from Trump’s Truth Social account since the queen died and found no evidence that the post about him secretly being knighted ever existed. Both sites are internet archiving tools that store snapshots of websites over time.  Since 2008, the British government has maintained an online list of people who have been honored with knighthood and damehood, and also those who have received other lesser honors by the queen. The London Gazette also has a list of honorees going back to 1940. Trump’s name does not appear on any of those lists.  Every honor awarded by the queen was done during a public ceremony, known as an Investiture. There is no evidence anyone has ever been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II behind closed doors or without public acknowledgement.  About the honors process To receive the full award of knighthood or damehood, a person needs to either be British or a resident of one of the Commonwealth realms that has the queen as its monarch. An honors committee decides who is honored and which honor they will receive. The committee’s recommendations then go to the Prime Minister and then the monarch, who awards the honor. Prior to the queen’s death, the recipients were announced twice a year, on the queen’s birthday and on New Year’s Eve. If someone living in one of the 15 commonwealth countries is honored, they can put “Sir” or “Dame” in front of their name.  That doesn’t mean the queen doesn’t recognize anyone who wasn’t under her rule. A person recommended by the UK’s Foreign Office could be considered for a queen’s honor, but if they’re not British or a national where the queen was head of state, they would only be given an honorary award. Here are some Americans who have received honorary awards from the queen: Steven Spielberg given the title of honorary knighthood in 2001 Bill Gates received his honorary knighthood in 2005 and his wife, Melinda Gates, received her honorary damehood in 2014. Angelina Jolie was titled honorary dame in 2014 Former presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush were titled Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath in 1993, the highest honorary rank a non-British citizen can receive. The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter, text alerts and our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Learn More » Follow Us Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808 Read More Here

Mike Lindell’s Phone Search Reveals New Details About Scope Of Federal Probe Into Efforts To Subvert 2020 Election Results https://digitalarizonanews.com/mike-lindells-phone-search-reveals-new-details-about-scope-of-federal-probe-into-efforts-to-subvert-2020-election-results/ (CNN) — The Justice Department is seeking information about at least seven people in connection with a breach of a Colorado county’s voting system as part of efforts to subvert the 2020 election results, according to subpoena documents obtained by CNN that reveal new details about the breadth of the investigation. The subpoena issued to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell earlier this week lists the names of people considered “subjects” in the investigation — including people involved in efforts to seize voting machine data in several states as former President Donald Trump and his allies tried to overturn his electoral loss. Lindell has not been charged with any crimes or wrongdoing. It’s unclear if federal investigators have opened probes into what happened in other states, but the subpoena shows they are gathering evidence related to three potential crimes in Mesa County, Colorado: identity theft, intentional damage to a protected computer and/or conspiracy to commit either. The subpoena covers “all records and information” on Lindell’s phone that constitutes as evidence against seven named individuals or any other unnamed co-conspirators. It details several areas of interest for investigators related to Dominion voting systems and any efforts to damage or access them. Lindell was involved in the broader effort to find evidence of voter fraud after the 2020 election, with the goal of backing-up former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the election had been stolen. Earlier this year, Mesa County clerk Tina Peters was indicted on 10 counts related to voting machine tampering allegations after an apparent security breach in Mesa County’s elections office in May 2021. Peters has pleaded not guilty. Peters appeared last year at Lindell’s “Cyber Symposium,” a gathering of election deniers at which a host of debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election were promoted. In addition to Peters, the subpoena issued to Lindell sought information about a half-dozen others who have been connected to the efforts in Colorado and other states to gain access to voting data. Most of the individuals are tied directly to the Mesa County scheme. Two of the individuals, Belinda Knisley and Sandra Brown, were Peters’ deputies in the Mesa County elections office and were charged in the Colorado state case earlier this year. Knisley reached a plea deal last month in exchange for her cooperation. According to the plea deal, Knisley told investigators that Peters created a scheme in which she helped an unauthorized individual gain entry to secure areas inside the clerk’s office and to the county’s election equipment. Knisley told investigators that individual was Conan Hayes, who was also listed on Lindell’s subpoena. (Hayes has not been charged.) Lindell told CNN last summer that he had paid Hayes and other so-called cyber experts “a lot of money” to review what he described as data from the 2020 election. Hayes, a surfer-turned-election denier, was part of the team of pro-Trump operatives who accessed voting systems in Antrim County, Michigan, in early December 2020. He worked with individuals like Cyber Ninja CEO Doug Logan to produce a since debunked-report about Antrim County’s Dominion voting machines that was used by the former President and his allies as evidence of widespread election fraud. Lindell told CNN last year that he paid Hayes and other “cyber forensic experts” to analyze data from the 2020 election. Hayes and Logan did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. In addition, the subpoena listed Sherronna Bishop, the former 2020 campaign manager for Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who is a close ally to Peters and has appeared with the embattled county clerk at various political rallies and numerous videos on social media. In November 2021, the FBI and local investigators executed a search warrant at Bishop’s house as part of the investigation looking into the Mesa County security breach. Bishop is an election denier and has posted several far-right conspiracy theories on a Facebook page she operates called “America’s Mom.” She has also posted photos with Lindell and Trump. Asked about her name appearing on the subpoena served to Lindell, Bishop told CNN in a text message that she continues “to stand with and fully support Clerk Tina Peters creation of forensic images.” She also has not been charged. The Lindell subpoena also listed Douglas Frank, who has gained prominence in Trump world with his theories about the 2020 election results. Frank previously told CNN he has trained teams in 30 states so far on how to examine their voting rolls to uncover potential fraud and more have asked for help. It’s part of his claim that state voter registration rolls have been inflated with fraudulent or “phantom” voters. Frank previously said he began focusing on building relationships with election officials in December 2020 and has recruited dozens, including clerks and other office workers, in counties across the country to support their effort. Frank claimed that Lindell has been providing financial backing for his work, paying for flights and other expenses. “I am working with dozens of election officials across the country. I keep their identities confidential unless they wish to go public,” Frank said in January. Frank told CNN he has not received a subpoena from federal investigators or heard from the FBI but indicated that he expects to. He has not been charged with any crimes. Lindell has emerged as one of the most vocal boosters still pushing false claims about the 2020 election. In a series of so-called documentaries, Lindell has advanced an increasingly outlandish theory that foreign hackers broke into the computer systems of election offices to switch votes — in what he has described as the “biggest cyber-crime in world history.” He is also one of just a handful of individuals still fighting to block the House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection from obtaining their phone records and has been engaged in a months-long court battle with the panel. (Copyright (c) 2022 CNN. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.) Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox Read More Here

ASU Alum Joins ‘SNL’ Cast https://digitalarizonanews.com/asu-alum-joins-snl-cast/ Entertainment Posted 9/15/22 Michael Longfellow, a Scottsdale native and graduate of Arizona State University, has joined the cast of ‘Saturday Night Live’ for its upcoming season.  This story requires a subscription for $5.99/month. Already have an account? Log in to continue. Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here. Otherwise, click here to subscribe. Please log in to continue Need an account? Non-subscribers Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber. Register to comment Click here create a free account for posting comments. Note that free accounts do not include access to premium content on this site. Read More Here

Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 Slip As Oil And Gas Prices Fall https://digitalarizonanews.com/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-slip-as-oil-and-gas-prices-fall/ About this page Last Updated: Sep 15, 2022 at 3:31 pm ET Follow The Wall Street Journal’s full markets coverage. Read More Here

Graceland University Wrestling Recruiting Class 2022-23 https://digitalarizonanews.com/graceland-university-wrestling-recruiting-class-2022-23/ VSN (admin) Published Thursday, September 15, 2022 – 12:30 PM As the Graceland University Wrestling program heads into its 10th season, Head Coach Zack Mullins is pleased to announce 12 student-athletes in the Graceland University Wrestling Recruiting Class 2022. “We are thrilled to have these young men on campus working toward their individual goals and our collective goals in the classroom, on the mat and in life”, says Coach Mullins. “Throughout this recruiting class, it became obvious how motivated and bought in they all are towards advancing our program further and fulfilling our culture of success. A combination of seasoned transfers, up and coming freshman and proven returners will make this an exciting year and wrestling season for Graceland!” Josh Barretta – Indianola, IA – Junior – North Iowa Area Community College – NIACC  – (Indianola High School) Josh, son of Brandi Baker and Dennis Barretta, plans on majoring in Physical Education. Preston Buss – Keosaqua, IA – Freshman – Van Buren High School Preston, son of Nik and Tish Buss, plans on majoring in Nursing. Parker Chamberlin – Bethany, MO – Freshman –South Harrison High School Parker, son of Deb Chamberlin and Clyde Polley, plans on majoring in Health & Physical Education. Musa Kamara – Collingdale, PA – Freshman – Academy Park High School Musa, son of Mariatu Kamara, plans on majoring in Nursing. Juan Lopez III – Fontana, CA – Junior – Mt. San Antonio College – (Bishop Amat High School) Juan, son of Ramon Lopez, Claudia Lopez and Hope Lopez, plans on majoring in Allied Health: PT-AT. Hunter Nelson – Marceline, MO – Freshman – Marceline High School Hunter, son of Debbie and Robb Nelson, plans on majoring in Pre-Engineering. Jeraimiah Nyberg – Mesa, AZ – Freshman – Desert Ridge High School Jeraimiah, son of Matthew Nyberg and Ally Nyberg, plans on majoring in Business Management. Robby Ortega – Jerome, ID – Freshman – Jerome High School Robby, son of Efrain Ortega and Maria Juarez, plans on majoring in Agricultural Business. Diego Pinedo – Twentynine Palms, CA – Freshman – Yucca Valley High School Diego, son of Tony Pinedo and Rosemary Pedroza, plans on majoring in Criminal Justice. Brody Saltzman – Cape May, NJ – Freshman – Lower Cape May High School Brody, son of Melissa and John Saltzman, plans on majoring in Agricultural Business. Colin Sharp – Newton, IA – Freshman – Newton High School Colin, son of Joe and Erin Sharp, plans on majoring in Undecided. Terrance TJ Smith – Chicago, IL – Sophomore – York University – (Proviso East High School) Terrance, son of Terrance Smith and Tomekia Williams, plans on majoring in Criminal Justice & Psychology. Graceland University Wrestling Heart of America Athletic Conference Recruiting Read More Here

Letter: Kelly And Sinema Voted Against IRS Amendment In The IRA https://digitalarizonanews.com/letter-kelly-and-sinema-voted-against-irs-amendment-in-the-ira/ During the vote arama on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the Senate, Senator Crapo (R-ID) introduced an Amendment #5404 to the bill stating, “To prevent the use of additional Internal Revenue Service Funds from being used for audits of taxpayers with taxable incomes below $400,000 in order to protect low- and middle-income earning American taxpayers from an onslaught of audits from an army of new Internal Revenue Service auditors funded by an unprecedented, nearly $80.000.000.000, infusion of new funds.” The IRA almost doubles the IRS’ budget and adds about 88,000 new employees including Criminal Investigator Special Agents and Auditors. Both AZ Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema voted “Nay” or No on the Amendment and it failed to pass. Their two votes would have been enough to pass it. Now there is nothing restricting the IRS from conducting more audits and investigations of people earning under $400,000 as Biden had promised. Someone needs to ask them about their vote on this. Charley Favors Three Points Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Read More Here

Trump Claims He Declassified Mar-A-Lago Docs, But His Lawyers Avoid Making That Assertion – Local News 8 https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-claims-he-declassified-mar-a-lago-docs-but-his-lawyers-avoid-making-that-assertion-local-news-8/ By Tierney Sneed Former President Donald Trump claimed on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show Thursday that he declassified the government records that were taken to Mar-a-Lago — an assertion that his attorneys have avoided making in the litigation around the FBI’s seizure of the materials. Hewitt asked Trump about an account given by his former White House aide Kash Patel that Patel witnessed Trump’s giving a verbal order to declassify the documents taken to Mar-a-Lago. (Patel, in an interview with Breitbart, said the materials Trump declassified had to do with the Russia probe, the Ukraine impeachment proceedings and “major national security matters of great public importance.”) “That’s correct,” Trump said. “And not only that, I think it was other people also were there. But I have the absolute right to declassify, absolute — a president has that absolute right, and a lot of people aren’t even challenging that anymore.” Trump added later in the interview that “everything was declassified.” In a court filing earlier this week, the Justice Department drilled down on the absence of any such assertion from Trump’s legal team in court, while also arguing to the court that, even if he did declassify the materials, it would still be irrelevant to the legal dispute over the search. Trump’s attorneys have sought to cast doubt that the 100-plus documents with classification markings that the FBI seized last month are in fact classified. But his attorneys have not said outright that Trump declassified the materials. Trump, the Justice Department said in a court filing Tuesday, “principally seeks to raise questions about the classification status of the records and their categorization under the Presidential Records Act (PRA). But Plaintiff does not actually assert — much less provide any evidence — that any of the seized records bearing classification markings have been declassified.” None of the criminal statutes the Justice Department cited when applying for the warrant it used to search Trump’s home hinged on the documents in question being classified. Eighteen former officials in Trump’s administration also told CNN last month that they were aware of no such declassification order and that they believed Trump’s claims to be patently false. During the Thursday radio interview, Trump said he did not believe he would be indicted. When asked if he had received a target letter in connection with the DOJ’s probe into the fake electors, Trump said he had not, nor had he been asked to appear before the grand jury. “I wasn’t involved with alternate slates,” Trump said. That claim that has been contradicted by testimony given in the House’s January 6 investigation, where RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel testified that Trump called her as part of the effort to use fake electors to support him. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Trump Says He Could Still Run Again, Even If Indicted https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-says-he-could-still-run-again-even-if-indicted/ Former President Donald Trump told radio talk show host and Washington Post columnist Hugh Hewitt Thursday morning that an indictment wouldn’t stop him from running for office. “I would have no prohibition against running,” Trump told Hewitt during “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” “That’s what I wanted people to understand, that would not take you out of the arena,” Hewitt said. Trump claimed that an indictment could lead to trouble. “It would not, but I think if it happened, I think you’d have problems in this country that likes of which perhaps we’ve never seen before.” (RELATED: ‘There Is No Limit To What They Can Do To You’: Tucker Carlson Sounds Off On Biden Labeling Trump Voters ‘Fascists’) LISTEN: Liberals cheered the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago, the Florida estate owned by the former president, with some expressing hope that it would lead to charges against Trump. Republicans called the raid an “abuse of power” by the Justice Department and vowed to investigate the incident. Trump cast doubt on the possibility of an indictment during the interview with Hewitt. Trump is under investigation over materials taken from the White House when he felt office in January 2021, as well as the riot at the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, according to The Washington Post. “Well, there’s no reason that they can be other than if they are just sick and deranged, which is always possible, because I did absolutely – you’ve seen the legal papers – absolutely nothing wrong and there’s no reason that they can do that,” Trump said. “I’ll tell you what, I would have said there’s no way they can raid a house either, you know, it’s Fourth Amendment stuff, and what they did is terrible, and I don’t think that people are going to stand for it.” “They weaponized the Department of Justice,” Trump said. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Read More Here

Georgia Prosecutor Says Election Probe Set To Expand List Of Targets https://digitalarizonanews.com/georgia-prosecutor-says-election-probe-set-to-expand-list-of-targets/ Georgia prosecutors’ investigation into former President Donald Trump and his allies’ efforts to interfere with the outcome of the 2020 election is expected to expand its list of targets soon, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told the Washington Post in an interview published Thursday. Driving the news: At least 17 people have been notified so far of being targets in the investigation, including Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and a slate of 16 potential Republican electors. Willis did not elaborate on any of the potential new names during the interview, which was conducted Tuesday. She did note that Trump could be called to testify before the special grand jury that was launched in May but did not specify whether she would be willing to charge Trump. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has recently resisted appearing before the special grand jury for testimony, claiming that because he was acting in his capacity as a legislator he should be shielded from the probe. What they’re saying: “A decision is going to have to be made,” Willis said regarding the call to have Trump testify before the special grand jury, adding that, “I imagine it’s going to be made late this fall.” “The allegations are very serious. If indicted and convicted, people are facing prison sentences,” she said of the investigation’s targets. Willis, who revealed in July her intention to pause the investigation around the start of early voting and through the election in order to avoid the appearance of partiality, told the Post the decision was made so that people wouldn’t “claim that this was some political stunt that we were doing to impact the election.” “I’m pleased with where it is. I think we’re moving along at a really good speed,” she said, noting that the special grand jury has interviewed roughly 65% of the witnesses whose testimony has been sought. “We are going to be done calling witnesses by the end of this year. Period.” Go deeper: Georgia election criminal probe names 16 GOP electors as “targets” Read More Here

Opinion | Nevada’s Tight Senate Race May Turn On Abortion https://digitalarizonanews.com/opinion-nevadas-tight-senate-race-may-turn-on-abortion/ Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is in a dead heat against Republican Adam Laxalt. But thanks to Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and his proposed nationwide 15-week abortion ban, her path to reelection just got a bit easier. Nevada is certainly a pro-choice state. Cortez Masto in a brief phone interview emphasized that in 1990, about two-thirds of Nevadans voted to codify Roe in state law. “If you were to poll today,” she says, “you’d still see two-thirds. They don’t want Roe repealed.” Last year, 69 percent of Nevada voters identify as pro-choice, an OH Predictive Insights poll found. Cortez Masto’s opponent, by contrast, has been a strong proponent of forced birth. Laxalt celebrated the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision as a “historic victory.” He also has said he would support a state referendum for a 13-week ban on abortion, more restrictive than even Graham’s proposal (although Graham’s bill would allow states to impose even stricter limits). Cortez Masto is quick to point out that when the Dobbs ruling came down, “Republicans said, ‘Let’s send it back to the states.’ ” Nevada has made such a decision, yet Republicans are scheming to supersede it with a national ban. “They don’t support states’ rights,” she says. She adds that there is “no doubt in my mind” that Laxalt would be another Republican to vote for a nationwide ban. “This is the tragedy. They don’t respect women,” she said. Follow Jennifer Rubin’s opinionsFollow Add Though Laxalt previously said he wouldn’t support a national ban, when asked about Graham’s proposal, Laxalt passed up the chance to object to it. Instead, all his spokesman would say is “This proposal has no chance to pass Congress and receive President Biden’s signature. The law in Nevada was settled by voters decades ago and isn’t going to change.” But of course, if Republicans had their way, a new ban would supersede Nevada law. Moreover, Laxalt’s credibility problems aren’t confined to abortion. Biden won Nevada by more than 33,000 votes (2.39 percent) in 2020, but that did not stop Laxalt from peddling the “big lie” that the election was stolen and doing his best to reverse the will of voters. Local media even recognized him as “the face of Trump’s baseless election fraud lawsuits.” The Nevada Independent recently reported, “In a press conference two days after Election Day in 2020, Laxalt and other Trump allies alleged that ‘illegal votes’ had been cast, including from voters who were deceased. However, it was ultimately a Republican man and vocal critic of the state’s election laws, Donald Kirk Hartle, who was charged with voting with his deceased wife’s ballot.” Laxalt didn’t stop there. The Nevada Independent reported, “Laxalt spearheaded a lawsuit in state court alleging that Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s office failed to keep non-citizens off Nevada voter rolls.” The suit was dismissed, and no evidence of fraud was uncovered. Still, Laxalt continued to cast doubt on the election. As late as last September, he “urged a rural county election official to pursue an audit of the 2020 presidential election results, according to an email from that election official sent at the time,” the Nevada Independent reported. Cortez Masto points out that shortly after he announced his candidacy, he was saying he would challenge the results if he lost. In March, the New York Times reported, he was “already laying detailed groundwork to fight election fraud in his race — long before a single vote has been cast or counted.” It’s no wonder Laxalt has been ducking a debate. Cortez Masto tells me, “I think it’s important for Nevada voters to hear from us.” She has offered three debates; Laxalt has been mum. The race might depend on Cortez Masto’s success in revealing that Laxalt is just another MAGA extremist favoring forced-birth laws. That might explain why she is running ads on abortion — both in English and in Spanish. Read More Here

Clerics, Trumpeters Set To Perform In Abuja Concert https://digitalarizonanews.com/clerics-trumpeters-set-to-perform-in-abuja-concert/ 1 The Christ Apostolic Church says no fewer than 2,500 trumpeters and some clerics will attend its National Praise Concert in Abuja. 2 This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the the church’s General Evangelist Hezekiah  Oladeji. 3 According to the statement, more than 3,000 renowned gospel musicians, trumpeters and some clerics, will be at the concert. 4 The statement said that the President, Christ Apostolic Church, Pastor Samuel Oladele and other clerics, had indicated interest to be in the concert. 5 “The event — Praise the Lord; for His Mercy Endureth Forever — will begin on Sept. 16 in the evening. 6 “It will take place simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, Olode and Ikeji Arakeji in Osun”, the statement said. 7 It said that the church would provide free buses within the FCT to the venue of the programme. 8 NewsSourceCredit: NAN NNN is an online Nigerian news portal that publishes breaking news in Nigeria and the world.Contacti: editor @ nnn.ng. Disclaimer. Read More Here

Trump Warns Of ‘big Problems’ If Indicted, Says He’d Still Run For Office https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-warns-of-big-problems-if-indicted-says-hed-still-run-for-office/ Former president Donald Trump warned that if he were indicted for mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House, there would be “problems in this country the likes of which perhaps we’ve never seen before.” Trump, speaking Thursday to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, added, “I don’t think the people of the United States would stand for it.” Hewitt, who is also a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, then noted that critics would describe the comment as inciting violence, and asked Trump to respond to the claim. “That’s not inciting — I’m just saying what my opinion is. I don’t think the people of this country would stand for it,” Trump said. When pressed by Hewitt, Trump said he thought there would be “Big problems. Big problems.” Federal agents conducted a court-authorized search of Trump’s club and residence on Aug. 8, as part of a long-running investigation into whether government documents — some of which are classified — were being stored at Mar-a-Lago instead of returned to the National Archives. The FBI probe is the latest legal pressure on Trump, who now faces growing scrutiny as the criminal probe intensifies. The investigation is looking into whether he or his former aides took classified government documents and improperly stored or never returned them. Trump’s lawyer has argued that the former president cooperated with federal authorities and that many of the documents were covered by executive privilege. In January 2021, the House impeached Trump on a single charge of “incitement of insurrection” for his role in whipping up a crowd of his supporters to stop Congress from the counting of electoral college votes for Joe Biden. A mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop the count in the transfer of power, an attack that resulted in five dead and injuries to dozens of members of law enforcement. In the interview with Hewitt, Trump also said he “would have no prohibition against running” for office if he were indicted. “It would not take you out of the arena,” Hewitt said, trying to clarify the former president’s position. Trump replied, “It would not.” Trump’s warning of problems echoes Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who told Fox News last month there would be “riots in the street” if Trump is prosecuted. Trump appeared to endorse the notion, sharing a link to a video of Graham’s comments on his Truth Social platform. Read More Here

Full Album Premiere: Mortuous – ‘Upon Desolation’ – Decibel Magazine https://digitalarizonanews.com/full-album-premiere-mortuous-upon-desolation-decibel-magazine/ photo by Chris Johnston Every time San Jose’s Mortuous sneak a doom passage into their thunderous death metal assault, it feels like watching a closer known for his 100-mph heat suddenly throw a knuckleball. The band will be blasting away, full speed ahead, when a side door opens and a weepy My Dying Bride violin melody slinks out; or a suffocating vortex of sound will momentarily dissipate to let a plaintive, funereal riff slip through. It’s high-wire stuff, and Mortuous make it look easy. Upon Desolation, the band’s second album, is thrillingly difficult to pin down. Incantation and Autopsy revolutionized death metal in its wild early days by cross-pollinating it with doom, but the former were mostly concerned with making it sound inhuman and evil, while the latter hitched it to a punkish groove. Mortuous are clear disciples of those bands when working in their death metal guise, but the way they incorporate doom elements into their sound has more in common with the elegance of the Peaceville Three, or early Katatonia. The combination of gracefulness, groove, and sheer heaviness that the band achieves on Upon Desolation is rare. It’s become their signature in a crowded death metal landscape, one they’re steadily rising to the top of. Listen to Upon Desolation in its entirety a day early below, and order a copy now via Carbonized Records. Mortuous are currently on tour with Full of Hell, Blood Incantation, Vermin Womb, God Is War: 9/13/2022 Gothic Theater – Denver, CO 9/14/2022 Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT 9/15/2022 The Olympic – Boise, ID 9/16/2022 Dante’s – Portland, OR 9/17/2022 Substation – Seattle, WA 9/20/2022 Starline Social Club – Oakland, CA 9/21/2022 1720 – Los Angeles, CA 9/22/2022 The Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA 9/23/2022 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 9/24/2022 Nile Underground – Mesa, AZ 9/25/2022 Sister Bar – Albuquerque, NM 9/26/2022 89th Street – Oklahoma City, OK 9/28/2022 Raccoon Motel – Davenport, IA 9/29/2022 Turf Club – St Paul, MN 9/30/2022 Reggies – Chicago, IL 10/01/2022 Legends – Cincinnati, OH 10/02/2022 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 10/03/2022 Mohawk – Buffalo, NY 10/04/2022 State House – New Haven, CT 10/05/2022 The Middle East – Cambridge, MA 10/06/2022 Monarch – Brooklyn, NY 10/07/2022 Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA Read More Here

Mortgage Rates Surpass 6 Percent For The First Time Since 2008 https://digitalarizonanews.com/mortgage-rates-surpass-6-percent-for-the-first-time-since-2008/ Mortgage rates shot above 6 percent this week for the first time in 14 years as inflation has remained resistant to the Federal Reserve’s efforts to tamp it down. The dramatically swift escalation has chilled what had been a hot U.S. housing market, increasing pressure on an economy plagued by unremitting inflation. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage — the most popular home loan product — soared to 6.02 percent this week, nearly double what it was nine months ago, according to data released Thursday by Freddie Mac. It has not been this high since November 2008. The jump came as inflation data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics this week showed consumer prices accelerating in August, particularly for items such as housing and food. The consumer price index had housing costs up 0.7 percent in August and 6.2 percent higher annually, the largest increase since 1990. “Mortgage rates have gone up four weeks in a row because of investors’ concerns about inflation,” said Holden Lewis, home and mortgage expert at NerdWallet. “Their worries are warranted, as we learned this week that inflation ran hotter than expected in August, as reflected in the consumer price index. That news boosted mortgage rates higher — a phenomenon that will be reflected in next week’s rates.” The 30-year fixed average began the year at 3.22 percent. After soaring to 5.81 percent in late June, it eased in July and early August as fears of a recession took hold. But since falling to 5.13 percent on Aug. 18, the 30-year fixed average has climbed nearly a percentage point in a month. Rates are still below the historical average of 7.8 percent, according to Freddie Mac. The sudden spike in rates this year has made homes less affordable and cooled sales. Prices have begun to moderate but remain elevated. The most recent Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home price index showed prices up 18 percent annually in June, down from 19.9 percent the previous month. Home sales fell in July for the sixth month in a row. Housing starts, a measure of new home construction, also sank that month. “Mortgage rates at or above 6 percent is likely the new reality and prices will have to adjust,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist with Bright MLS, the area’s multiple-listing service. “Relatively strong demand and still-low inventory will continue to support stable or growing prices in most markets, but gone are the days of seeing offers tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over asking price. In some places, particularly high-cost markets and places where prices have grown fastest over the past two years, we could see year-over-year price declines.” Demand for mortgages has fallen as swiftly as rates have risen. Total application volume fell for the fifth week in a row, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinances are off 83 percent from where they were a year ago. “With all eyes on the Federal Reserve’s next steps to tame high inflation, borrowers can expect continued volatility in mortgage rates,” Bob Broeksmit, MBA’s president and chief executive, wrote in an email. Home affordability fell to a new low for first-time buyers in the second quarter, according to a recent analysis of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas by NerdWallet. Even though more homes came on the market, higher prices and stagnant wages kept buyers on the sidelines. NerdWallet found that homes were listed for sale at 6.5 times the typical first-time buyer’s income across 50 U.S. metros, and 6.6 times their income across the nation. The recommended standard for first-time buyers is three times their income. August’s inflation reading surprised investors, who are wondering whether the Federal Reserve will consider lifting its benchmark rate by 100 basis points, rather than 75 basis points as it did in July. (A basis point is 0.01 percentage point.) The Fed’s rate-setting committee meets next week. In an effort to tamp down inflation, the central bank has raised the federal funds rate four times this year. It started with a 25-basis point increase in March, followed by a 50-basis point increase in May and back-to-back 75-basis point hikes in June and July. The Fed will probably want to see signs inflation is abating before it pulls back on raising rates. “The Federal Reserve was already going to increase short-term rates next week in its effort to restrain inflation,” Lewis said. “They might dial up the aggressiveness in response to this week’s unexpectedly high inflation report, further propelling mortgage rates upward.” When investors are worried about inflation, their appetite for buying bonds diminishes because the return on their investment is less when inflation is high. Inflation erodes the value of a bond’s future payments. Less demand causes bond prices to drop and yields to rise. Since mortgage rates tend to follow the same path as the 10-year Treasury yield, they rise, too. The yield on the 10-year Treasury popped back up to 3.42 percent on Tuesday before slipping to 3.41 percent on Wednesday, its highest level since mid-June. “The higher-than-expected CPI gave the Fed the permission to push forward with their 0.75 percentage point increase with some economists suggesting even a one percentage point increase would be viable,” said Nicole Rueth, producing branch manager at the Rueth Team. “Mortgage rates have already baked in this move with the jump we saw over the last two days.” Mortgage rates might not have peaked yet, Rueth said. “Comparative inflation from a year ago still has us replacing a very low inflation in September 2021,” she said. “With today’s inflationary pressures … we could see September’s CPI — released early Oct — still higher. October 2021’s inflation started the trend higher, so year-over-year comparisons will give us some relief. As inflation comes down, so will mortgage rates.” correction A previous version of this story said the consumer price index of housing costs experienced its largest increase since 1991. It is the biggest increase since 1990. Read More Here

Trump Chief Of Staff Used Book On President’s Mental Health As Guide https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-chief-of-staff-used-book-on-presidents-mental-health-as-guide/ Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff secretly bought a book in which 27 mental health professionals warned that the president was psychologically unfit for the job, then used it as a guide in his attempts to cope with Trump’s irrational behavior. News of John Kelly’s surreptitious purchase comes in a new book from Peter Baker of the New York Times and Susan Glasser of the New Yorker. The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021, will be published next week. The Guardian obtained a copy. The book Kelly bought, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, was a bestseller in 2017. In January 2018 its editor, then Yale psychiatrist Bandy Lee, described its aims in a Guardian column. She wrote: “While we keep within the letter of the Goldwater rule – which prohibits psychiatrists from diagnosing public figures without a personal examination and without consent – there is still a lot that mental health professionals can tell before the public reaches awareness. “These come from observations of a person’s patterns of responses, of media appearances over time, and from reports of those close to him. Indeed, we know far more about Trump in this regard than many, if not most, of our patients. “Nevertheless, the personal health of a public figure is her private affair – until, that is, it becomes a threat to public health.” Kelly, a retired general, became Trump’s second chief of staff in July 2017 – after Trump fired Reince Priebus by tweet – and left the job in January 2019. His struggles to impose order on Trump and his underlings and his virulent falling out with the president have been extensively documented. According to Baker and Glasser, who interviewed Kelly, the retired Marine Corps general bought a copy of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump as he “sought help to understand the president’s particular psychoses and consulted it while he was running the White House, which he was known to refer to as ‘Crazytown’”. “Kelly told others that the book was a helpful guide to a president he came to consider a pathological liar whose inflated ego was in fact the sign of a deeply insecure person.” The authors report that Kelly’s view was shared by unnamed senior officials, quoting one as saying: “I think there’s something wrong with [Trump]. He doesn’t listen to anybody, and he feels like he shouldn’t. He just doesn’t care what other people say and think. I’ve never seen anything like it.” The 25th amendment, which provides for the replacement of a president unable to meet the demands of the job, was seriously discussed at the end of Trump’s presidency, after the Capitol attack he incited. Baker and Glasser say the amendment was tentatively discussed by cabinet members “within months of Trump taking office”. However, its flaws – if Trump opposed its use he would be all but impossible to shift – precluded further action. Trump regularly dismissed claims about his mental health and his staff’s worries about it. In January 2018, after the publication of Michael Wolff’s tell-all book Fire and Fury, Trump memorably told reporters he was “a very stable genius”. Kelly has regularly attacked Trump. In October 2020, CNN reported that Kelly told friends Trump’s dishonesty was “astounding … more pathetic than anything else” and called Trump “the most flawed person” he had ever met. Trump blasted back, claiming Kelly “didn’t do a good job, had no temperament and ultimately he was petered out. He got eaten alive. He was unable to handle the pressure of this job.” The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump was a bestseller, hailed by the Washington Post as “the most daring book” of 2017. But it also stoked controversy over its discussion of the mental state of a public figure. In May 2020, Lee lost her job at Yale, in part, she said, over tweets about Trump. This month, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit in which Lee said she was wrongfully fired. Read More Here