Arizona Conservatives Take Action

Last night on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives I attempted to bring a motion to immediately introduce legislation that would fully ban abortions in Arizona.

Majority Leader Ben Toma and the rest of House Republican “Leadership” fought it with more vitriolic fervor than I’ve ever seen them exert on Democrats.

In fact, let’s compare “Leadership’s” very different (and very disappointing) responses to two unscheduled motions that occurred on the House floor in the last 18 months.

In 2021, Rep. Michelle Udall joined with Democrats to stab the Republican caucus in the back by introducing a motion to give taxpayer subsidized university tuition to illegal aliens. Leadership even admitted after the fact that they knew in advance that she was going to do it. How did “Leadership” respond?

▪️Speaker Rusty Bowers feigned soft spoken surprise and did nothing to oppose her motion

▪️Majority Leader Ben Toma quietly snuck out of the House chamber and left the premises before the situation went down, so that he could say he “wasn’t there” for it

▪️Others in leadership generally just threw up their hands and acted like there was nothing that could be done to stop her motion from succeeding

Contrast that with what occurred last night…

I prepared a motion, in concert with the House Clerk’s Office (to ensure that it was in proper form), for the purposes of late introduction and consideration of a measure to “fully ban abortion in the state of Arizona” and that it be voted by the chamber on the third consecutive day. Someone informed “Leadership” of my intent to make the motion in advance. How did “Leadership” respond?

▪️I was warned by one member of “Leadership” not to do it and that they wouldn’t support it if I did.

▪️Speaker Bowers refused to recognize me to speak and instead proceeding directly to Committee of the Whole (COW). (Note: This is within the prerogative of the Chair’s power; however, seldom done. This was an intentional attempt to block the pro-life motion.)

▪️Rep. Mark Finchem, who was brought up to chair COW, refused to recognize me also, which forced Rep. Parker to object and demand a vote to overturn Finchem’s decision not to let me speak.

▪️Majority Leader Toma became so enraged that he was shaking and screamed at me on the floor of the House about how he’s “more pro-life than [I’ll] ever be,” and that our attempt to save tens, possibly hundreds, of thousands of babies lives who will be snuffed out by abortion under our current law was a “political stunt.” He also repeatedly screamed “count to 31 Jake” implying that because we didn’t have 31 Republican members there the motion was doomed to fail. Apparently Toma is unaware of our House Rules because my motion did not need 31 votes to succeed. It simply needed a “majority of those present on the floor” to succeed. For reference, Republicans last night outnumbered Democrats with a cushion. The Sergeant At Arms informed me after the fact that he had begun making his way across the floor to intervene because he was worried Toma was going to punch me.

TO RECAP THESE TWO VERY SYNONYMOUS PROCEDURAL SITUATIONS:

Giving Taxpayer Subsidized University Tuition to Illegals:
Bowers acted surprised when he wasn’t and did nothing to intervene. Toma left the Capitol so he could say he wasn’t present and wouldn’t be blamed.

Protecting Life in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned:
Bowers tried to block the effort and Toma became so enraged that he screamed absurdities and at least one person thought he was going to physically assault me.

It truly never ceases to amaze me how hard Establishment Republicans will fight the conservative members of their own Party. If only they would direct even a fraction of that same energy toward Democrats, America would not be in the mess we’re in now.

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