Free Republic

The FBI is sending out a warning that two local state election boards were breached by foreign hackers. This comes amid increasing concerns from Donald Trump supporters about the possibility of a “rigged” election. Several news outlets are reporting that the hacking occurred in Arizona and Illinois. In a bulletin the FBI wrote: The FBI received information of an additional IP address, 5.149.249.172, which was detected in the July 2016 compromise of a state’s Board of Election Web site. Additionally, in August 2016 attempted intrusion activities into another state’s Board of Election system identified the IP address, 185.104.9.39 used in...

Driving to the Ranch through the Mohawk valley, east of Yuma, I noticed the gentleman pictured above.  I stopped to take his picture and determine his business. You can see that the soil in this area is a fluffy loam.  It is highly productive, irrigated by Colorado River water.  This area near Yuma is some of the most productive agricultural land in the United States and in the world. Leo did not mind having his picture taken.  I asked him if he were guarding the field from birds that would eat the seeds.  No, he said, ground squirrels. He...

Pick up a loaded AK clone, point it at your boyfriend's face at point blank range while you pin him to the bed.  The gun just "went off".  He is dead, and the woman is charged with negligent homicide. I wonder if Rosario was right handed.  Are those bruises below her left eye? The articles note that Gabriella does not have any prior arrests.  I found two for a Rosario Soto Leon in the Phoenix area, one on March 7th, another on April 20th, both in Maricopa County. Without further ID, it is impossible to know if it is...

West Enders: Never surrender! Efforts to rejuvenate the West End are not new in this community’s history. Mayor Rick Mueller reminded us of that fact during his “Spotlight” speech Tuesday morning at the Windemere Hotel and Conference Center. Technical problems prevented Mayor Mueller from starting his remarks with the benefit of a supporting video. All he had were a fist-full of notes and his decades-long memories of what Sierra Vista was like in its earlier days. That was more than enough. In the late ’90s, he and another local politician, Pat Call, invested themselves in doing something about the West...

When Arizona delegates to the Republican National Convention were asked Thursday how many would not vote for Sen. John McCain in next month's primary, more than half of their hands went up. The question stunned veteran pollster Frank Luntz, who had asked it as a part of a presentation on the last day of the convention on the challenges facing the party - one of which was party unity. "Oh my God," Luntz said. "Where's the chairman? You should have told me this before."

On July 6th, 2016, the Tucson City Council banned the sales of any gun capable of firing 10 or more rounds without reloading, at gun shows held at the Tucson Convention Center. From tucson.com: Any weapon capable of firing 10 or more rounds can no longer be sold at the Tucson Convention Center. The Tucson City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to add more restrictions on private gun sales at the city-owned venue. The resolution was put forward by Ward 3 Council Member Karen Uhlich and the Vice Mayor Kozachick.  From a pdf of the resolution: FWe request the...

According to the Phoenix City Council, Prescott Pete’s Highfalutin Shooting Gallery is crimethink and not allowed.  The arcade type of entertainment allows customers to shoot laser guns at targets that appear in the arcade.  No targets appear on humans.  It is simple fun with toy guns.  But even toy guns must not be allowed at the Phoenix event because "guns". From dcourier.com: On Monday, July 4, the City of Phoenix will recognize Independence Day by hosting one of the state’s largest annual events. Known as Fabulous Phoenix 4th, the free family-oriented celebration will feature 50 vendors. Despite putting in...

Pete and Valerie Fowler, of Prescott, said Prescott Pete’s Highfalutin Shooting Gallery was deemed inappropriate by the organizers of Fabulous Phoenix 4th. A letter from the City of Phoenix said the game wasn’t a good fit given current events and perceptions surrounding gun violence. "If it had happened immediately following the shooting in Orlando, I would have been a bit more understanding, but this was just out of the blue," Pete Fowler said. "For us to make this business work, we have to get into big events like (Fabulous Phoenix 4th)." The festival is in its 31st year and will...

Saturday, June 18, 2016: Live streaming coverage of the Donald J. Trump for President rally in Las Vegas, NV at Mystère Theater at Treasure Island. Coverage begins at 11:00 AM PDT. Las Vegas, NV Mystere Theater @ Treasure Island @ 11am PDT Saturday, June 18, 2016: Live streaming coverage of the Donald J. Trump for President rally in Phoenix, AZ at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Coverage begins at 4:00 PM PDT. Phoenix, AZ Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum @ the Arizona State Fairgrounds @ 4pm PDT

But Senator John McCain had other ideas, as now he's introduced legislation in with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 that will have the 1911's destroyed and recycled into components or different firearms. SEC. 331. REPURPOSING AND REUSE OF SURPLUS MILITARY FIREARMS.(a) Army Transfers.—(1) REQUIRED TRANSFER.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the Secretary of the Army shall transfer to Rock Island Arsenal all excess firearms, related spare parts and components, small arms ammunition, and ammunition components currently stored at Defense Distribution Depot, Anniston, Alabama,...

One of the most deadly of assaults is a surprise attack from someone who has gained the trust of the victim.  The Thugee of India perfected this technique over hundreds of years and are believed to have murdered more than a million people.  An attack reminiscent of Thugee, involving a former Arizona Democrat legislator, has been reported in Alaska.  The former Democrat legislator, Mark De Simone or Desimone, resigned from his legislative seat after being accused of domestic violence eight years ago. He was originally from New York.  From juneauempire.com: Mark De Simone, a 53-year-old man couch surfing in...

U.S. Sen. John McCain wrote the rules on dark money when he sponsored campaign finance reform, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act. Now he’s using millions of dollars in dark money in a bid to hold on to his tightly contested Arizona seat. An investigation into the various PACs supporting McCain brought to light some stunning conclusions. First, the vast majority of McCain campaign donations are not from the Arizonans he represents but from people and corporations outside of Arizona with a vested interest in McCain’s continued support and votes for their interests. Second, several of the PACs supporting McCain...

Dr. Kelli Ward is a former Arizona state senator who is running in the primary against John McCain.  She is a strong Second Amendment supporter, and a political outsider to Washington, D.C.  Her campaign is focusing on a number of issues, among them that it is time for John McCain to leave office, and her contrast with the Senator on the Second Amendment. John McCain has been a reliable "I support the Second Amendment, but" Senator.  He has supported bans on "assault weapons". He supported severe restrictions on gun shows, which would have effectively destroyed the popular gun culture...

For two years, the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AZCDL) has been pushing to pass a bill to enact a compact between states.  The purpose of the bill is to prevent a billionaire funded referendum from imposing Universal Background Checks (UBC), a precursor to firearms registration in Arizona.  Compacts between the states take precedence over state statutes; if another state signed on the the Compact created by SB2524, a Bloomberg funded referendum would not be able to impose UBCs on Arizona.  That, at least, is the theory. A few weeks ago, SB2524 passed the Arizona legislature. If it had become...

On the same day, Governor Ducey signed two bills that help to restore Second Amendment rights in Arizona.  HB 2338 stops educational institutions from banning the legal possession or carry of firearms on public right of ways that pass near or through the educational institution. From cqstatetrack.com: I. NOtwithstanding section 15-341 and subsection D of this section, the governing board of an educational institution may not adopt or enforce any policy or rule that prohibits the lawful possession or carrying of a deadly weapon on a public right‑of‑way by a person or on or within a person's means of...

SB 1266 allows for enforcement of the state preemption statutes.  Some local governments have been ignoring the preemption law because there were no penalties provided.  SB 1266 provides for penalties so that the preemption statute can be enforced.  The penalties are not insignificant, and has a provision for terminating employment of a person who ignores the preemption law.  Here is the change in the statute. From cqstatetrack.com: H. Any ordinance, regulation, tax or rule that is enacted by a political subdivision in violation of this section is invalid and subject to a permanent injunction against the political subdivision from...

The Arizona law increases penalties against protesters who block access to a political rally. Is blocking access to a political event a political statement in itself? In a Phoenix suburb in March, protesters parked about two-dozen cars in the middle of the highway to stop drivers on their way to an outdoor rally for Donald Trump and Joe Arpaio, the controversial Arizona sheriff. With posters that read "Dump Trump" and "Must Stop Trump," the protesters, in one sense, acted on their right to demonstrate against the Republican frontrunner and the sheriff who was sanctioned for refusing a judge's order to...

While growing up, I read a constant litany explaining that Javelina's were not dangerous. I read, over and over, that all the old stories of them attacking humans were old wives tales, not documented, never happened. So, I was a bit surprised to come across a news article from the 7th of May, 2016, that had hard evidence of an unprovoked real world attack by a herd of javelinas.  It was life threatening for an adult human with two leashed dogs. From fox10phoenix.com: The victim told authorities that a herd of javelina came out of a nearby wash, crossed...

A handgun was stolen from the back pocket of a legal gun carrier at a Phoenix McDonald’s on Saturday, 30 April, about 3:45 p.m. Link to video In a nation of millions of gun carriers, strange things happen. Both concealed carriers and open carriers have had handguns stolen from them in the past.  Concealed carry handguns are usually stolen after the gun is discovered during a robbery or assault. Open carriers’ guns have been stolen in a couple of armed robberies.  One of those was when the openly carried gun was required to be unloaded by law.  One concealed...

Kansas and Texas have removed bans on the carry of guns by permit holders in the last few years.  Kansas allows local governments to prevent permit holders from exercising Second  Amendment rights in public buildings if the public building puts metal detectors and armed guards on all the entrances.In other words, merely relying on a sign to prevent responsible and peaceful people from carrying arms, while not actively preventing criminals from carrying them, is no longer acceptable in Kansas.  Arizona is looking to follow Kansas’ lead.The theory is simple.  Mere signage will not stop people who have evil intent...