Podcast appearances and mentions of kris mayes

As a bonus for listeners, we're sharing this week's episode from "Trumpland with Alex Wagner" on attorneys general and their legal battles against Trump's agenda. Numerous lawsuits are underway as efforts ramp up to fight against the Trump administration's agenda, with the charge led by a select group of attorneys general. On this episode, Alex Wagner heads to Phoenix, Arizona where Democratic state attorneys general organized a town hall for citizens impacted by Trump's executive orders and DOGE's targeting of the federal government. Alex speaks directly with some of the AGs behind these legal efforts, including Kwame Raoul of Illinois, William Tong of Connecticut, and Letitia James of New York. Then she sits with Arizona AG Kris Mayes, the organizer of the town hall, for a look at what's next as these attorneys continue to advocate on behalf of the U.S. Constitution and the citizens it protects.Follow and listen to the whole series here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumpland-with-alex-wagner/id1638974657

Numerous lawsuits are underway as efforts ramp up to fight against the Trump administration's agenda, with the charge led by a select group of attorneys general. On this episode, Alex Wagner heads to Phoenix, Arizona where Democratic state attorneys general organized a town hall for citizens impacted by Trump's executive orders and DOGE's targeting of the federal government. Alex speaks directly with some of the AGs behind these legal efforts, including Kwame Raoul of Illinois, William Tong of Connecticut, and Letitia James of New York. Then she sits with Arizona AG Kris Mayes, the organizer of the town hall, for a look at what's next as these attorneys continue to advocate on behalf of the U.S. Constitution and the citizens it protects. Remember to follow the show so you don't miss a single episode. And sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen without ads.

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas interviews Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes who refers to Trump and Musk's plundering of the government as a “coup” and discusses her various lawsuits against Trump. Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal judge has blocked an effort by the Trump Administration to freeze a large chunk of federal aid. Arizona Attorney General joined the show to talk about why she joined other states in the latest lawsuit.

To talk about Andy Biggs pursuing a run for governor, Kris Mayes challenging Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship and more, the Show sat down with Marcus Dell'Artino of First Strategic and former state lawmaker Aaron Lieberman.

The left can't beat Trump. AG Kris Mayes sues Trump. Ana Navarro's racist comment. Warren Petersen joins the show.

Arizona's Attorney General Kris Mayes made a stop at the KTAR studios to talk with The Mike Broomhead show about the lawsuit filed against President Donald Trump's Executive ordering to end birthright citizenship, She also gave her thoughts on his changes to the death penalty.  

2024 was a busy year for the office of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes: continued opioid and other lawsuits aimed at protecting the state's residents, attempting to crack down on school voucher and sober living home scams, legal action against a foreign alfalfa farm and more. Just before the end of the year, we sat down with Mayes in a conference room at the Attorney General's office to discuss several topics.

Arizona AG Kris Mayes sues Saudi firm over ‘excessive’ groundwater pumping, saying it’s a public nuisance. Will she win the case?

Matt Beienburg joins the show.

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024Today, the employee from the Florida Department of Health that sent letters to television stations to stop airing Amendment 4 ads says Ron DeSantis directed him to do so and he resigned in protest before sending more; the Central Park Exonerated Five have filed a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump; Donald stages a photo op at McDonalds; an analysis finds that Trump's plan would render Social Security insolvent in six short years; more fact checking on Trump's FEMA comments Monday; Attorney General Kris Mayes has secured a guilty plea in the fraudulent elector scheme; and Allison delivers your Good News. Here is my new ad for #HarrisWalz. My story never gets easier to tell, but everything is on the line this election. Please watch and share - x.com/MuellerSheWrote/status/1847296099398361455Smalls cat food is made with protein packed recipes made with ingredients – delivered right to your door. To get 50% off your first order, plus free shipping, go to Smalls.com/DAILYBEANS and use promo code DAILYBEANS at checkout. Stories:Central Park Five sue Donald Trump for jogger case remarks made at presidential debate (AP News)Trump's Social Security plan would hasten insolvency, lead to bigger benefits cuts, analysis finds (CBS News)Attorney General Mayes Announces Plea Deal in Cochise County Election Interference Case (azag.gov)Fact check: Trump repeats debunked lies about FEMA's hurricane response during North Carolina visit (Daniel Dale | CNN)Trump evasive about raising Pa. minimum wage while pretending to work at McDonald's in Bucks County (The Philadelphia Inquirer)Harris Social Media Toolkit Harris Campaign Social Media Toolkit (kamalaharris.com)Give to the Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign Kamala Harris — Donate via ActBlue (MSW Media's Donation Link)See What's On Your Ballot, Check Your Voter Registration, Find Your Polling Place, Discover Upcoming Debates In Your Area, And Much More! Vote411.orgCheck Your Voter Registration!  Vote.orgHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/From The Good NewsYou can almost always find a transcript at: the-daily-beans.simplecast.com Learn More About Rep. Morelle - NY-25 (house.gov)Ohio Voter Information (ohiosos.gov)Rural Dog Rescue (ruraldogrescue.com)Texas Voter Information (votetexas.gov) Check out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Subscribe for free to MuellerSheWrote on Substackhttps://muellershewrote.substack.com Follow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill https://muellershewrote.substack.comhttps://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrotehttps://www.threads.net/@muellershewrotehttps://www.tiktok.com/@muellershewrotehttps://instagram.com/muellershewroteDana Goldberghttps://twitter.com/DGComedyhttps://www.instagram.com/dgcomedyhttps://www.facebook.com/dgcomedyhttps://danagoldberg.comHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?Supercasthttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/OrPatreon https://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcasts with our affiliate linkThe Daily Beans on Apple Podcasts

We're diving back into Arizona's rural water issues. We'll speak with Arizona's Attorney General, Kris Mayes, about a letter she sent to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. And we'll head back to the topic of Fondemonte, a Saudi-owned farm in rural Arizona, as we speak to the reporter who broke that story some years back about his work and the new documentary it led to.

Attorney General Kris Mayes joined Mike to share her thoughts and concerns regarding uranium mining near the Grand Canyon.

Tuesday, August 6th 2024Today, Kamala Harris is set to announce her VP pick this morning; Jenna Ellis has flipped in the Arizona fraudulent elector case; the Justice Department has won a landmark antitrust case against Google; Kamala launches ‘Republicans for Harris' in push to win over GOP voters put off by Trump; RFK Jr. admits putting a dead bear cub in New York City's Central Park nearly 10 years ago; Clarence Thomas is busted for failing to disclose more private flights; the former Marion police chief will be charged with crime in connection to the raids of a small Kansas newspaper; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Promo Code:Helix is offering up to 20% off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners! Go to https://www.helixsleep.com/dailybeans.StoriesFormer Marion police chief to be charged with crime in connection to raids (KSHB)Google illegally maintains monopoly over internet search, judge rules (AP News)VP's campaign launches ‘Republicans for Harris' in push to win over GOP voters put off by Trump (AP News)RFK Jr. admits putting dead bear cub in New York City's Central Park nearly 10 years ago (CBS News)Give to the Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mswmediaforharrisCheck out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Subscribe to Lawyers, Guns, And MoneyAd-free premium feed: https://lawyersgunsandmoney.supercast.comSubscribe for free everywhere else:https://lawyersgunsandmoney.simplecast.com/episodes/1-miami-1985Subscribe for free to MuellerSheWrote on Substackhttps://muellershewrote.substack.comFollow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill Follow Mueller, She Wrote on Posthttps://post.news/@/MuellerSheWrote?utm_source=TwitterAG&utm_medium=creator_organic&utm_campaign=muellershewrote&utm_content=FollowMehttps://muellershewrote.substack.comhttps://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrotehttps://www.threads.net/@muellershewrotehttps://www.tiktok.com/@muellershewrotehttps://instagram.com/muellershewroteDana Goldberghttps://twitter.com/DGComedyhttps://www.instagram.com/dgcomedyhttps://www.facebook.com/dgcomedyhttps://danagoldberg.comHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/From The Good NewsHelp out with the Harris campaign (kamalaharris.com)Crooked Mile Cheese (IG)https://www.crookedmilecheese.comFriends: Pivot! (Clip) | TBS (YouTube) Live Show Ticket Links:https://allisongill.com (for all tickets and show dates)Friday August 16th Washington, DC - with Andy McCabe, Pete Strzok, Glenn Kirschner https://tinyurl.com/Beans-in-DCSaturday August 24 San Francisco, CA https://tinyurl.com/Beans-SF Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?Supercasthttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/OrPatreon https://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcasts with our affiliate linkThe Daily Beans on Apple Podcasts

ESA programs continue to face relentless opposition in AZ.

AG Kris Mayes loses another lawsuit.

Attorney General Mayes joined Mike to explain why she disagrees with a judge's ruling that the state can spend opioid settlement money on the Department of Corrections.

AG Kris Mayes abused power and neglected legal duties while in office.

Arizona Senator Anthony Kern has been indicted by the Attorney General of Arizona. Kris Mayes is claiming Anthony Kern sent fake electorates to try and overturn the 2020 election. Join Me On Telegram https://t.me/theambermayshow ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get all your My Pillow Products at a DISCOUNT www.mypillow.com/amber Use Promo Code AMBER and save up to 66% off Promo code-AMBER 800-957-2123 Get Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine and SAVE Dr Stella Immanuel www.drstellamd.com Use Promo Code AmberMay and save Dr Meehan- Telemed & Supplements https://www.meehanmd.com/ Use Promocode Amber Docuseries Restore Your Brain Health, Reverse the Effects of Alzheimer's https://wr374.isrefer.com/go/bhbt/amberhiliker/ Get Spike Support from The Wellness Company. Spike Support and give your body the natural immune support it needs to protect yourself and your family. https://www.twc.health/discount/AMBERMAY?ref=AMBERMAY Use PromoCode AmberMay Patriot Mobile- Free Activation https://www.patriotmobile.com/amber/ Use Promocode AMBER The Flynn Movie https://www.flynnmovie.com/ref/azladyz/ War On Truth Movie https://hisglory.tv/may/?ref=448448 Promocode MAY Freedom First Coffee FreedomFirstCoffee.com Use Promocode AMBER Freedom First Beef FreedomFirstBeef.com Use Promocode AMBER 15% for our Natural & Organic Skincare and natural hand-poured 100% soy wax candles http://www.PureBeautybyLorina.com Use Promo code AmberMay Delicious Cheesecakes https://belovedcheesecakes.com/ PromoCode AMBER The Commander's Artist Save 10% Promo Code Amber https://thecommandersartist.com/shop/ Lose Weight Attain Your Health Goals https://ambermay.kannaway.com/ Reverse aging with Timeless Pack www.TimelessPack.com Promocode AmberMay https://ambermay.kannaway.com/ambermay/product/MY003E?categoryid=460 Lose Weight While Drinking Java www.CupAHealth.com PromoCode Amber ___________________________________________________________________ Hero's Soap Save 10% with Promo Code AmberMay We strive to create a brand that pays homage to the values that our country was founded on by our forefathers. With a Veteran of the United States Air Force as one of the owners, we understand the dedication & sacrifice that each family makes to serve their country. https://herosoapcompany.com/ambermay My Patriot Supply https://mypatriotsupply.com/Amber?rfsn=6442302.fa4e33 Survival Supplies & Emergency Preparedness Gear Trusted Self-Reliance & Food Independence The original Patriot survival company. My Patriot Supply was founded by people with a passion for self-sufficiency and food independence. We not only understand the drive to practice emergency preparedness, we are active participants in the survivalist lifestyle. We believe that true freedom comes from attaining a certain level of self-reliance. Get ALL Your Marketing Logos and Websites and More Here! www.jawdd.com Business Owners, GET Your Employee Tax Credit with the Cares ACT https://ercfilenow.com/vid/azladyz Get a Rebate On All Your Purchases of Gas https://upside.app.link/CDZ8N Use promocode CDZ8n Essential Oils https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/referral/2013099 Checkout all the facts about the Great Reset https://timetofreeamerica.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We Are on These Platforms Frankspeech.com https://home.frankspeech.com/shows/amber-may-tv-show Rumble https://rumble.com/c/c-811265 Odysee https://odysee.com/@azladyz:c Locals https://theambermayshow.locals.com Brighteon https://www.brighteon.com/channels/azladyz Bitchute https://www.bitchute.com/search/?query=azladyz&kind=video CloutHub: https://clouthub.com/c/4EWXEKT9 Podbean: http://theambermayshow.podbean.com https://YourNews.com Catch Amber May Paisley Radio Wednesday 9pm (uk time) repeated Fridays at 1am (uk time) 2PM MST https://paisleyradio.com/ Catch Amber May On UG Media Fridays 10PM (UK Time) 3pm MST/5pm EST https://theug.media/wp-content/ugplayer/xlplayer.html Catch Amber May on Express Radio Station Thursday at 6pm MST/8pm EST https://live365.com/station/Express-Radio-a64355 Catch Amber On The Military Broadcast Radio Wednesday at 2pm MST/ 4pm EST https://www.facebook.com/MBRTalk

AG Mayes joins Barry Markson to talk about the Arizona fake elector indictments, abortion law and more.

The Arizona Supreme Court granted Kris Mayes' request for a 90 stay on the 1864 abortion ban. Barry Markson calls in to explain whether the abortion ban will ever see the light of day.

Brad Miller is running in the GOP primary for Pinal County Attorney and he explains how any county attorney can stop AG Kris Mayes from going after "alternate" electors.

Liz sits down with Arizona trial lawyer Tom Ryan to discuss last week's indictment of fake electors by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. It's indictment-thirty for Boris Epshteyn and Christina Bobb!   Links: Gag Order https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/JustSecurityNY2016ElectionInterferenceCaseClearinghouse%E2%80%94Order-granting-State-of-New-York-motion-to-restrict-Trump-extrajudicial-statements-March-26-2024.pdf  Indictment https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/Indictment%20Redacted.pdf  DM Cantor on Class 2 felonies in AZ https://dmcantor.com/class-2-felony-in-arizona# AZ Central story https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/24/arizona-fake-electors-indictments/73184206007/ A.R.S. 13-2310 https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/02310.htm DM Cantor on Fraudulent Schemes https://dmcantor.com/blog/what-are-fraudulent-schemes-in-arizona   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

In a video of protesters at NYU, a young woman admitted that she didn't really know why she was protesting. Kris Mayes, the Arizona General Attorney, won by a couple thousands votes in a state that does not verify ballots, but claims the election was totally legitimate. Yet, she is now taking President Trump to court in Arizona. Why? And, the mayor of San Jose, California, who is a proponent of defunding the police, was doing an interview on the street when he was attacked. Guess what he did? You might ask that mayor why he called 911 and why he said to defund the police. This is the state of American politics thanks to the Left and the Mockingbird Media. What does God's Word say? Proverbs 9:10 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.Ephesians 2:1-10Made Alive in Christ2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.Episode 1,562 Links:VIDEO: A REAL interview we had at NYUGeorgia's Election Board to Fulton County: Your 2022 Election Results Were False! Georgia's election officials now admit in writing that 2022 results should never have been certifiedHuh? “If you're a drag queen and you know it shout free Palestine”The Democrat Mayor of San Jose, once a police reform advocate, had his security guard beaten by a thug while filming an interview. He grabs his phone and calls the police instead of coming to his employee's aid14 yo girl hears for the first time after getting cochlear implants

Plus #msnbc Lawrence O'Donnell and other lamestream offerings on subject of diaper Donald #sleepydon - secret service preparing for the Donald to finally go to jail!!!! Arizona attorney general Kris Mayes indicts 11 fake electors including Giuliani and Mark Meadows, so here comes a fifth indictment or is it six we lose count! LOL

Silk questions AZ AG Kris Mayes New indictments against President Trump allies. Thereafter the phone lines are open for you to "ASK SILK" anything. Tonight at 10pm ET. Use Promo Code: DIAMOND or TRUMPWONDiamondandSilk.com1. https://DrStellaMD.com2. http://PatchThat.com3. https://www.KattsRemedies.com/shop/ ?aff=34. https://TWC.Health (Spike Protein Support)5. https://CardioMiracle.com6. https://MyPillow.com/TrumpWon7. https://TheDrArdisShow.com/shop-all/8. https://www.Curativabay.com/?aff=19. http://MaskDerma.com10. https://GiveSendGo.com Follow on https://ChatDit.comhttps://FrankSocial.com/u/DiamondandSilk LINDELL TV, CTATV, RSBN, GETTR, RUMBLESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thank you Arizona attorney general Kris Mayes for doing your job! I'm working on cartoons about my animals. When I was a kid, they put me in an honors class but I had just seen Cheech and Chong at the drive-in with my older sister! And I made some kind of comment about smoking in my assignment, it was a little joke and they took it down! First time I was censored as an artist, it was about third grade so I was around 9 years old. The second time my artwork was censored was at Oxford. I spent a lot of time cutting up articles from The economist to create an image of a woodpecker, pecking at a "nest" in a saguaro. Except the woodpecker's beak was made up of George W Bush's shoe (remember somebody threw a shoe at him which is an ultimate insult in Muslim society LOL

Kris Mayes and Katie Hobbs take to the national media to sound off on the Arizona Supreme Court's abortion ruling. Inflation is ticking up, but Democrats say otherwise. Whoopi Goldberg warns that Republicans are trying to bring back slavery. Alex Kolodin, Mark Lamb, Brandon Judd and Ben Toma join the show.

Attorney General Mayes joins Mike to share her thoughts on the recent Arizona abortion ban ruling.

Wednesday, April 10th, 2024Today, the Arizona Supreme Court has lifted a stay on an 1864 law making abortion illegal in nearly all circumstances; Jack Smith files his immunity brief to the the Supreme Court; Trump Media stock has erased all of it's gains since going public; the courts deny another Trump motion to delay the election interference trial; the parents of a school shooter James and Jennifer Crumbley are sentenced to over 10 years in prison; Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman are in more trouble; the DoJ is refusing to give the audio of special counsel Hur's interview with President Biden to Republicans in Congress; Major TV Networks Band Together In a Bid To Get a Trump-Biden Debate On The Books; plus Allison and Dana deliver your good news. Our Guest Chris Geidner:https://www.lawdork.comhttps://x.com/chrisgeidner Abortion in Arizona set to be illegal in nearly all circumstances, state high court rules (AZ Central)Conservative hoaxers to pay up to $1.25M under agreement with New York over 2020 robocall scheme (AP)Trump Media stock erases all gains since it began trading as DJT shares fall again (NBC News)Michigan school shooter's parents sentenced to 10 years in prison for not stopping a ‘runaway train' (AP) Subscribe to Lawyers, Guns, And MoneyAd-free premium feed: https://lawyersgunsandmoney.supercast.comSubscribe for free everywhere else:https://lawyersgunsandmoney.simplecast.com/episodes/1-miami-1985Check out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Follow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill Follow Mueller, She Wrote on Posthttps://post.news/@/MuellerSheWrote?utm_source=TwitterAG&utm_medium=creator_organic&utm_campaign=muellershewrote&utm_content=FollowMehttps://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrotehttps://www.threads.net/@muellershewrotehttps://www.tiktok.com/@muellershewrotehttps://instagram.com/muellershewroteDana Goldberghttps://twitter.com/DGComedyhttps://www.instagram.com/dgcomedyhttps://www.facebook.com/dgcomedyhttps://danagoldberg.comHave some good news; a confession; or a correction?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/From The Good News:SXSW Cat Talkhttps://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/events/PP135111Public Service Loan Forgiveness Help Tool (PSLF)https://studentaid.gov/pslf Upcoming Live Show Dateshttps://allisongill.com (for tickets and show dates)Sunday, June 2nd – Chicago IL – Schubas TavernFriday June 14th – Philadelphia PA – City WinerySaturday June 15th – New York NY – City WinerySunday June 16th – Boston MA – City WineryWednesday July 10th – Portland OR – Polaris Hall(with Dana!)Thursday July 11th – Seattle WA – The Triple Door(with Dana!)6/17/2024 Boston, MA https://tinyurl.com/Beans-Bos27/25/2024 Milwaukee, WI https://tinyurl.com/Beans-MKE7/28/2024 Nashville, TN - with Phil Williams https://tinyurl.com/Beans-Tenn7/31/2024 St. Louis, MO https://tinyurl.com/Beans-STL8/16/2024 Washington, DC - with Andy McCabe, Pete Strzok, Glenn Kirschner https://tinyurl.com/Beans-in-DC8/24/2024 San Francisco, CA https://tinyurl.com/Beans-SF Live Show Ticket Links:Chicago, IL https://tinyurl.com/Beans-ChiPhiladelphia, PA https://tinyurl.com/Beans-PhillyNew York, NY https://tinyurl.com/Beans-NYCBoston, MAhttps://tinyurl.com/Beans-Bos2Portland, ORhttps://tinyurl.com/Beans-PDXSeattle, WAhttps://tinyurl.com/Beans-SEA Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?Supercasthttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/OrPatreon https://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcasts with our affiliate linkThe Daily Beans on Apple Podcasts

Guests: Catherine Christian, Lisa Rubin, Eric Lipton, Kris Mayes, Mary McCordA last ditch attempt to delay trial fails. Tonight: six days from the people v. Donald Trump, why the New York charges have a chance to stick. Then, alarming new reporting on a grifting First Family not named Biden. And Arizona's attorney general on the new abortion ban in her state.  Want more of Chris? Download and subscribe to his podcast, “Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes podcast” wherever you get your podcasts.

The Arizona Supreme Court has upheld a nearly 160-year-old abortion law that effectively bans the practice in our state. Attorney General Kris Mayes says she will not prosecute any doctor under the law. Plus, does more discipline in schools hurt students more than it helps? That and more on The Show.

In a decision that has ignited widespread anger, the Arizona Supreme Court has reinstated an archaic 1864 law criminalizing nearly all abortions in the state. The law, a relic from before Arizona's statehood, threatens to imprison anyone involved in performing or facilitating an abortion, except in cases where the woman's life is in danger, offering no exception for rape or incest. Arizona now joins the ranks of states with the most severe abortion restrictions, spotlighting the battle for reproductive rights as a central issue in the upcoming 2024 elections. The law subjects physicians to potential imprisonment, drawing fierce criticism from Democrats, including President Joe Biden, who condemned the law as cruel and an attack on women's freedoms fueled by a Republican agenda. In response to this draconian ruling, Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to fight for reproductive freedoms, highlighting the ruling's potential to shutter abortion clinics across the state of Arizona. The state's Democratic Attorney General, Kris Mayes, has vowed not to enforce this oppressive law, labeling the court's decision as unconscionable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does the AG know what her job is?

Arizona republicans are checking AG Kris Mayes for her lawfare tactics.

Arizona Attorney General Mayes joined Mike to talk about the situation surrounding CEO forums and Arizona's gift clause.

Attorney General Mayes joins Barry Markson to talk about her first year in office.

Drive in with The Morning Ritual weekday mornings on KNST AM790 CD-8 candidate Abe Hamadeh talks about terrorists firing missiles at a US Navy Warship, anti-Semitism all over America, Kris Mayes going after GOP supervisors wanting to hand-count ballots, the insane ruling in the Kari Lake envelope lawsuit and more.

Kris Mayes indicts county supervisors for election fraud.

Attorney General Mayes joins Mike to talk about the lawsuit filed against Meta.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joins Mike to give an update on the Saudi-Arabian land leases in Arizona that have been using ground water.

Kris Mayes has jumped into her role as state attorney general. Mayes has not been shy about taking on major issues, from abortion rights and critiquing the state's water policy to casting a skeptical eye on Arizona's new universal school voucher program. As the first Democrat to hold the seat in more than a decade, Mayes confirmed her office is investigating potential fraud related to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Arizona played a key role in tipping the election to President Joe Biden. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Mary Jo Pitzl is joined by Republic state politics reporter Stacey Barchenger. She covers the governor and attorney general's offices. Their exclusive interview with Mayes covers election integrity, how she is prioritizing numerous pressing issues, and her office's fight against the fentanyl epidemic in Arizona.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abe Hamadeh is forced to pay fees to Kris Mayes and Adrian Fontes amid his challenge of the 2020 Arizona AG election.

Kris Mayes sends a warning regarding the enforcement of the voter-approved English language instruction model in Arizona.

Hillary Clinton received backlash for criticizing an Arizona county supervisor who received threats.

Attorney General Mayes joins Mike to talk about some concerns she has about the ESA program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drive in with The Morning Ritual weekday mornings on KNST AM790 Senator Jake Hoffman explains why he thinks Katie Hobbs and Kris Mayes are attacking parents using their tax dollars to send their children to the schools they want. Hoffman also calls out lies the Dems are saying about ESAs.

Drive in with The Morning Ritual weekday mornings on KNST AM790 Abe Hamadeh talks about Kris Mayes ignoring a SCOTUS ruling about religious freedom and is willing to force someone to do anything if she believes it's discriminatory toward the LGBT crowd. Abe also updates us on his case and is feeling confident about it.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is warning Arizonans of an Artificial Intelligence scam call that can mimic the voice of a loved one. Jim and Jayme talk about how to avoid falling for these scams and how A.I. is advancing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is suing a telecommunications company that she thinks is responsible for more than 7 billion robocalls to people on the Do Not Call list. Jim and Jayme talk robocalls and the number of people receiving them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs FOUR gun control bills into law | Colorado lawmakers stand with Zooey Zephyr of Montana | Anti-hate groups worry domestic extremists will be training Arizona police under new rule | A chance to see her bee business take off | Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Red Rocks and on HBO Max documentary Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE: Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs four gun control bills into lawGOVERNMENTBY: SARA WILSON - APRIL 28, 2023 11:54 AMThe Governor, surrounded by gun-control advocates at a bill signing ceremony said, “Coloradans deserve to be safe in our communities, in our schools, our grocery stores, nightclubs and everywhere in between,” The new laws raise the minimum age to buy a gun to 21, impose a three-day waiting period for gun purchases, expand the state's Extreme Risk Protection Order law and make it easier for gun violence survivors to sue the gun industry.Under Senate Bill 23-170, district attorneys, educators, mental health professionals and other medical providers will be able to petition a judge to confiscate guns from a potentially dangerous person. Previously, only law enforcement and family members had that power under the state's Extreme Risk Protection Order law, also known as the red flag law, which was created in 2019.The expansion aims to increase utilization of the process and extend the petition authority to people who interact with an at-risk person regularly. It is a recognition that some law enforcement officials have been reluctant to use the red flag law when potentially appropriate due to concerns over the Second Amendment.Senate Bill 23-169 raises the age to purchase any gun to 21 years old. Previously, the age restriction was 18 to buy a long gun and 21 to buy a handgun. There are exceptions for members of law enforcement and the military.House Bill 23-1219 imposes a three-day waiting period for people to get a gun after they pay for it. Bill sponsors said that the delayed access to firearms will provide a cooling-off period for people in crisis who might harm themselves or others.Cities will be able to establish longer waiting periods if they choose. If the purchaser's background check takes longer than three days — which it rarely does — they would still need to wait until the background check clears to get their gun.Finally, Senate Bill 23-168 removes a state protection for gun and ammunition dealers and manufactures against lawsuits. Previously, plaintiffs had to pay the legal fees for defendants in dismissed cases involving gun sellers. That is no longer the case.The law makes the gun industry susceptible to lawsuits under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.bill sponsor Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, said, “​​We finally, after 23 years of waiting, can open up Colorado courtrooms to gun violence victims and survivors seeking justice,” Less than an hour after the bill signing, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners leader Taylor Rhodes announced on Twitter that the group had already filed lawsuits challenging the minimum age requirement and waiting period laws. He said they are seeking plaintiffs who could establish standing against the other two new laws.Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would outlaw unserialized firearms, also known as ghost guns. Another firearm bill that would have banned semi-automatic weapons in the state died in its first committee hearing last week.The Legislature adjourns on May 8.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado lawmakers stand with Zooey ZephyrDemocratic state Rep. Brianna Titone of Arvada led over 75 Colorado elected officials - including two Republicans - in sending a letter to Montana lawmakers condemning the removal of Rep. Zooey Zephyr and calling for her to be allowed back in the Montana House chamber.In the letter, Rep. Titone said the removal was an attempt to erase trans people amid growing violence against them and an increase in anti-trans laws being passed in state legislatures.Titone said “As elected officials, it is our responsibility to act with integrity and defend our democracy, and we are deeply concerned with erosion of democratic norms we see proliferating in statehouses across the country. Regardless of your personal stance on these issues, she is still a colleague and a duly elected and sworn representative of the people of Montana. Her voice is no less important than yours.”The letter was joined by two Republican lawmakers, state Reps. Ron Weinberg of Loveland and Rick Taggart of Grand Junction.On Tuesday, Montana House Republicans posted a notice announcing they would take up disciplinary measures against Zephyr, Montana's first openly transgender representative, after she said that legislators who voted for a bill that bans gender-affirming care for minors would have blood on their hands, in reference to suicide rates among trans youth. The Montana House voted along party lines Wednesday to bar Zephyr from entering the House floor or gallery for the remainder of the legislative session, only allowing her to participate in votes via Zoom.Rep. Titone made history in 2018 when she was elected the first openly transgender state legislator in Colorado. As chair of the Colorado Legislative LGBTQ caucus, she's worked alongside members of the House and Senate to expand and protect LGBTQ rights in the state.In the letter, Titone applauded Zephyr for her efforts in the Montana Legislature, saying that she has “placed a spotlight of truth on the very real damage anti-trans legislation could have on Montanans who are already struggling with discrimination and growing fear of physical harm.”The Montana state legislative session ends on May 10, and Zephyr is unlikely to be reinstated before the end of the session. Aside from state Rep. Brianna Titone, here are the elected officials from Colorado who signed Titone's letter to the Members of the Montana House of Representatives:Statewide officials:Colorado Secretary of State Jena GriswoldColorado State Treasurer Dave YoungColorado state senators and representatives:House Speaker Julie McCluskieSenate President Steve FenbergHouse Majority Leader Monica DuranSenate Majority Leader Dominick MorenoRep. Ruby DicksonRep. Jenny WillfordRep. David OrtizRep. Kyle BrownRep. Sheila Lieder Rep. Cathy KippRep. Lindsey DaughertyRep. Steven WoodrowRep. Mary YoungRep. Barbara McLachlanRep. Meg FroelichRep. Lorena GarciaRep. Steph VigilRep. Jennifer Lea ParentiRep. Michael J. WeissmanRep. Mandy LindsayRep. Junie Joseph Rep. Karen McCormickRep. Said SharbiniRep. Elizabeth VelascoRep. Regina EnglishRep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez Rep. Elisabeth Epps Sen. Lisa A CutterRep. Tammy StoryRep. Naquetta RicksRep. Dafna Michaelson JenetRep. Andrew Boesenecker Rep. Iman JodehRep. Emily SirotaRep. Shannon BirdRep. Marc SnyderRep. Meghan LukensRep. Jennifer BaconRep. Chris deGruy KennedySen. Janet Buckner Sen. Julie GonzalesSen. Nick HinrichsenSen. Janice MarchmanRep. Eliza Hamrick Rep. Matthew MartinezRep. Ron Weinberg Sen. Rhonda FieldsSen. Faith WinterRep. Javier MabreyRep. Judy AmabileRep. William LindstedtSen. Rachel ZenzingerRep. Leslie HerodRep. Bob MarshallRep. Rick TaggartRep. Tisha MauroSen. Sonya Jaquez LewisSen. Chris HansenSen. Dylan RobertsSen. Jeff BridgesRep. Alex ValdezSen. Jessie DanielsonSen. Tony ExumLocal government:Castle Pines City Councilman Roger D. HudsonBroomfield Mayor Guyleen CastriottaArvada City Councilmember Randy MoormanArvada City Councilmember Lauren SimpsonErie Trustee Emily BaerErie Trustee Daniel HobackErie Mayor Justin BrooksBoulder County Commissioner Ashley StolzmannGreeley City Councilor Tommy ButlerGreeley City Councilor Member Deborah L DeBoutezBoulder Mayor Aaron BrockettDouglas County Commissioner Abe LaydonARIZONA MIRROR: Anti-hate groups worry about Arizona law enforcement trainingBY: ISAAC STONE SIMONELLI/AZCIR - MONDAY MAY 1, 2023 11:32 AMWarnings issued by high-profile civil rights and advocacy groups to Arizona's governor and attorney general failed to stop a rule change that effectively lowers the bar for extremist organizations attempting to radicalize law enforcement officers through government-funded training.Letters sent in March by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center warned the rule creates a loophole that could be exploited by domestic extremist groups.The contentious rule change, as first reported by AZCIR in 2022, shifted the responsibility of continuing education training oversight from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board to local law enforcement heads. In their letters, the groups cited an increase in extremist and conspiratorial rhetoric espoused by Arizona public officials, specifically, publicly elected sheriffs. “We are deeply concerned by the possibility that this amended rule will open the door for Arizona peace officers to receive training from adherents of the ‘constitutional sheriffs' movement and other actors who urge local law enforcement to assume authorities beyond those allowed by law,” wrote Mary McCord, the executive director of Georgetown University Law Center's ICAP, a nonpartisan institute focused on constitutional rights and protecting democratic processes.McCord warned that such taxpayer-funded trainings “would place residents at risk of improper activity by county peace officers” and pose a particular threat to brown and Black communities, “who are at the greatest risk of harm from abuses by law enforcement.”The letters cited previous reporting about so-called “constitutional sheriff” groups, which include the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. The group is part of a national movement built on the idea that a local sheriff's power supersedes that of higher government entities including the U.S. president and the U.S. Supreme Court, and that sheriffs have a duty to nullify laws they interpret as unconstitutional.The civil rights and advocacy organizations highlighted numerous connections between the CSPOA and a variety of hate groups, with the NAACP denouncing some CSPOA members as “prominent antisemites, QAnon conspiracists, white nationalists and neo-confederates.”Sarah Kader, community manager for ADL Arizona, a state-level branch of a national organization that combats hate groups in the U.S., wrote “If the revised rule goes into effect, we fear that domestic extremists, based on their previous actions, will rush to take advantage of the opportunity,” Rachel Goldwasser, a senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, warned that the rule change could be used as a blueprint for creating workarounds allowing extremist organizations to train law enforcement in other states.Neither the governor, Democrat Katie Hobbs nor the attorney general, Democrat Kris Mayes, directly addressed concerns about neo-confederates and other domestic extremists running law enforcement trainings.ADL confirmed it did not receive a response from Gov. Hobbs' office until after the rule change took effect, though a spokesperson indicated the group had “every reason to believe that the Governor's office understands the concerns we have raised in our letters and is taking them seriously.” In their letters, ADL, SPLC and the NAACP all expressed concerns that more than half of Arizona sheriffs are at least partially aligned with the constitutional sheriff movement—connections AZCIR highlighted in its 2022 reporting.Rachel Goldwasser of SPLC said “Arizona has a large extremist presence in the Legislature, sheriffs' offices and among the public, unfortunately. They'll exploit any opportunity for these extremists to spread their ideology.”Three of the four letters also issued a warning about Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who has known ties to CSPOA and is the frontman for Protect America Now, another so-called “constitutional sheriff” organization.Lamb, who announced a bid for the U.S. Senate in April, has developed a national presence by appearing on a slew of fringe right-wing news networks and podcasts, including those espousing QAnon conspiracies. Lamb did not respond to a request for comment.Sarah Kader of ADL said “In recent years, extreme ideologies have been mainstreamed and normalized at an alarming pace. This is due in large part to the growing number of elected officials and other high-profile individuals who traffic in conspiracies and hate.”This article first appeared on Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.DENVER WESTWORD: How Hard Can it Bee? ZzzzzzBee Here Now: Capella Ranch Has a Honey of an IdeaCATIE CHESHIRE APRIL 25, 2023 6:53AMIn countries like Germany and Slovenia, inhaling the aerosol created by bees in an apiary, or collection of beehives, is an authorized treatment for respiratory diseases. But in the United States, there are only three places that offer the experience: one in Georgia, one in Michigan, and Capella Ranch in Lafayette Colorado, which just opened for its second season.Carolyn Peterson, who owns the ranch with her family said “I'm going to be out here all summer, talking to people and enjoying them and hearing their stories. They're going to come stressed out, and then they're going to leave relaxed.”Capella Ranch currently has sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats, Nubian goats, ducks, chickens, a few turkeys and, of course, bees, the first of which arrived in 2018. To create their bee therapy Shangri-la, the Petersons started by building two cedar huts shaped like irregular pentagons. The cedar contributes to the aroma in the huts, although its durability in the Colorado weather is its chief asset here. The slanted roof of the hut concentrates the aerosol so people can breathe it in while they're lying flat. “Everyone comes out with a different experience,” Carolyn says. “They get in there. They lie down. They take in the whole thing, and then they just sort of concentrate on the humming of the bees.”When bees make honey, there's a lot of water in it at first, so the insects work to reduce the moisture content by flapping their wings. As it evaporates, the moisture is carried into the air to form an aerosol that people find therapeutic.The bees also create an electromagnetic field with their vibration, which is at a frequency that's calming to the human parasympathetic nervous system - a network of nerves that helps relax the body. Some people can feel the field, but most notice the smell first. Underneath the scent of cedar, there is the aromatic tang of the bees at work. Almost like the smell of a newborn baby, but with an extra oomph.“That is all the pollen, nectars, amino acids and essential oils that the bees are bringing in to make the honey,” Carolyn says. “It's just kind of an odd smell, and it's supposed to be very good to breathe in.”In Slovenia, the bee experience has been used to calm firefighters after hard jobs, children who have behavioral problems at school, and parents of those children, who might need some relaxation as well. The Petersons note that they aren't medical professionals, so they don't consider their huts medicinal.“If it happens to help, great,” Carolyn says. “It's relaxing. It's thirty minutes of nobody bugging you.”One person who says the bee huts have helped is Marsha Ruggeri, who lives in Lafayette. She went to Capella Ranch four times during its inaugural season.She first came with a friend who'd bought a deal on Groupon. After struggling with heightened asthma symptoms the past two years — which she attributes to wildfires and air pollution — Ruggeri was excited to learn of a potential way to alleviate her symptoms.And, it worked!“I'm not saying it was a panacea,” she says. “It felt like I was actually doing something that wasn't an inhaler or medication and I was regaining some control over how my body was reacting to all this shit in the air.”On Ruggeri's third visit, she experienced the electromagnetic field produced by the bees.“I was laying on my side, and then all of a sudden, I could feel it,” she says. “It really deserves more than one treatment. It's kind of like people who go for acupuncture, and they're like, ‘Well, it didn't do anything for me.' You really need to try it more than once.”Along with the eight hives in the huts, there are six to eight more near a special pond on the ranch where the bees drink. Last summer, over a hundred people came to Capella Ranch to check out the bees; a TikTok Charlie made announcing that the huts were open has gained about 20,000 views.One of those visitors, a reiki and yoga teacher from Fort Collins named Yarmey, found Capella Ranch on Instagram. “I'm really interested in energy and grounding and our connection to nature,” she says. Reiki is a practice of directing energy to help facilitate healing.After her first visit, Yarmey came back a second time, when she says she was really able to share a meditative space with the bees, reveling in their presence in a way that humans rarely get to do with other species.“When else in your life do you get to share space with a million other beings who all are very clear about their purpose and their path and what they need to be doing? Everything felt a little slower, more grounded.”The huts are now open for a second season; anyone is welcome except those allergic to bee or wasp stings. A thirty-minute session is $35; an hour runs $60. CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEKDENVER POST: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, with Angel Olsen - this Thursday and Friday night at Red Rocks.By JOHN WENZEL | jwenzel@denverpost.com | The Denver PostApril 28, 2023 at 6:00 a.m.Jason Isbell's voice can be a strapping, mournful thing, muscular and dripping with vulnerability as he chronicles his life in song. And on this day, it's still waking up.“This time of year I drink my black coffee cold so I can get it down quicker,” the 44-year-old singer-songwriter said over the phone from his Nashville porch on Monday. “I've spent so many years working late at night that it makes it hard for me to get on with normal life. It's tough, you know? But I think it's tough no matter how you do it.”Isbell's family and acclaimed music career test his resolve while giving him motivation to stay sober and productive. He has won a quartet of Grammy Awards since 2018 — about a decade after getting kicked out of his former alt-country band, Drive-By Truckers, for drinking and drugs In the HBO Max documentary “Music Box: Jason Isbell — Running with Our Eyes Closed,” which was released on April 7, we're afforded a close-up on his life as he records the album “Reunions” with his band, the 400 Unit. His intimate musical and romantic partnership with wife Amanda Shires (who is an acclaimed solo artist herself), his love of his daughter Mercy Rose, his past divorce, and the shock of the pandemic are all there in vivid cross-section.“If you're a recording artist or entertainer with any kind of success, you don't want to spend too much time looking back,” said Isbell, who was born in Green Hill, Ala., to a 17-year-old mother. “It's a self-centered way of living. But one thing I was surprised by watching the (documentary) is that I'd forgotten how hard those old days were, growing up where I did and having addiction issues. It was nice to see but painful to watch, that all of this was real and really happened to me, even if it's long in the rearview.”Isbell will headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre May 3 and 4 with the 400 Unit, on tour for their new album “Weathervanes,” to be released June 9. The lead single “Death Wish” has already been covered by Jack White and featured on “American Idol.” Isbell's melodies channel Americana, folk, country, and rock and roll. His lyrics are cutting, urgent, and full of visceral metaphors. On “Death Wish,” he sings:“I wanted action, she wanted answers / Sunrise with the dealers and the dancers / It takes a whole lot of medicine to feel like a little kid.”Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit With Angel Olsen, Two shows, May 3 and 4, at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Tickets at axs.com, and I think Adam may have an extra still, too. Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs FOUR gun control bills into law | Colorado lawmakers stand with Zooey Zephyr of Montana | Anti-hate groups worry domestic extremists will be training Arizona police under new rule | A chance to see her bee business take off | Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Red Rocks and on HBO Max documentary Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE: Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs four gun control bills into lawGOVERNMENTBY: SARA WILSON - APRIL 28, 2023 11:54 AMThe Governor, surrounded by gun-control advocates at a bill signing ceremony said, “Coloradans deserve to be safe in our communities, in our schools, our grocery stores, nightclubs and everywhere in between,” The new laws raise the minimum age to buy a gun to 21, impose a three-day waiting period for gun purchases, expand the state's Extreme Risk Protection Order law and make it easier for gun violence survivors to sue the gun industry.Under Senate Bill 23-170, district attorneys, educators, mental health professionals and other medical providers will be able to petition a judge to confiscate guns from a potentially dangerous person. Previously, only law enforcement and family members had that power under the state's Extreme Risk Protection Order law, also known as the red flag law, which was created in 2019.The expansion aims to increase utilization of the process and extend the petition authority to people who interact with an at-risk person regularly. It is a recognition that some law enforcement officials have been reluctant to use the red flag law when potentially appropriate due to concerns over the Second Amendment.Senate Bill 23-169 raises the age to purchase any gun to 21 years old. Previously, the age restriction was 18 to buy a long gun and 21 to buy a handgun. There are exceptions for members of law enforcement and the military.House Bill 23-1219 imposes a three-day waiting period for people to get a gun after they pay for it. Bill sponsors said that the delayed access to firearms will provide a cooling-off period for people in crisis who might harm themselves or others.Cities will be able to establish longer waiting periods if they choose. If the purchaser's background check takes longer than three days — which it rarely does — they would still need to wait until the background check clears to get their gun.Finally, Senate Bill 23-168 removes a state protection for gun and ammunition dealers and manufactures against lawsuits. Previously, plaintiffs had to pay the legal fees for defendants in dismissed cases involving gun sellers. That is no longer the case.The law makes the gun industry susceptible to lawsuits under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.bill sponsor Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, said, “​​We finally, after 23 years of waiting, can open up Colorado courtrooms to gun violence victims and survivors seeking justice,” Less than an hour after the bill signing, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners leader Taylor Rhodes announced on Twitter that the group had already filed lawsuits challenging the minimum age requirement and waiting period laws. He said they are seeking plaintiffs who could establish standing against the other two new laws.Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would outlaw unserialized firearms, also known as ghost guns. Another firearm bill that would have banned semi-automatic weapons in the state died in its first committee hearing last week.The Legislature adjourns on May 8.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado lawmakers stand with Zooey ZephyrDemocratic state Rep. Brianna Titone of Arvada led over 75 Colorado elected officials - including two Republicans - in sending a letter to Montana lawmakers condemning the removal of Rep. Zooey Zephyr and calling for her to be allowed back in the Montana House chamber.In the letter, Rep. Titone said the removal was an attempt to erase trans people amid growing violence against them and an increase in anti-trans laws being passed in state legislatures.Titone said “As elected officials, it is our responsibility to act with integrity and defend our democracy, and we are deeply concerned with erosion of democratic norms we see proliferating in statehouses across the country. Regardless of your personal stance on these issues, she is still a colleague and a duly elected and sworn representative of the people of Montana. Her voice is no less important than yours.”The letter was joined by two Republican lawmakers, state Reps. Ron Weinberg of Loveland and Rick Taggart of Grand Junction.On Tuesday, Montana House Republicans posted a notice announcing they would take up disciplinary measures against Zephyr, Montana's first openly transgender representative, after she said that legislators who voted for a bill that bans gender-affirming care for minors would have blood on their hands, in reference to suicide rates among trans youth. The Montana House voted along party lines Wednesday to bar Zephyr from entering the House floor or gallery for the remainder of the legislative session, only allowing her to participate in votes via Zoom.Rep. Titone made history in 2018 when she was elected the first openly transgender state legislator in Colorado. As chair of the Colorado Legislative LGBTQ caucus, she's worked alongside members of the House and Senate to expand and protect LGBTQ rights in the state.In the letter, Titone applauded Zephyr for her efforts in the Montana Legislature, saying that she has “placed a spotlight of truth on the very real damage anti-trans legislation could have on Montanans who are already struggling with discrimination and growing fear of physical harm.”The Montana state legislative session ends on May 10, and Zephyr is unlikely to be reinstated before the end of the session. Aside from state Rep. Brianna Titone, here are the elected officials from Colorado who signed Titone's letter to the Members of the Montana House of Representatives:Statewide officials:Colorado Secretary of State Jena GriswoldColorado State Treasurer Dave YoungColorado state senators and representatives:House Speaker Julie McCluskieSenate President Steve FenbergHouse Majority Leader Monica DuranSenate Majority Leader Dominick MorenoRep. Ruby DicksonRep. Jenny WillfordRep. David OrtizRep. Kyle BrownRep. Sheila Lieder Rep. Cathy KippRep. Lindsey DaughertyRep. Steven WoodrowRep. Mary YoungRep. Barbara McLachlanRep. Meg FroelichRep. Lorena GarciaRep. Steph VigilRep. Jennifer Lea ParentiRep. Michael J. WeissmanRep. Mandy LindsayRep. Junie Joseph Rep. Karen McCormickRep. Said SharbiniRep. Elizabeth VelascoRep. Regina EnglishRep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez Rep. Elisabeth Epps Sen. Lisa A CutterRep. Tammy StoryRep. Naquetta RicksRep. Dafna Michaelson JenetRep. Andrew Boesenecker Rep. Iman JodehRep. Emily SirotaRep. Shannon BirdRep. Marc SnyderRep. Meghan LukensRep. Jennifer BaconRep. Chris deGruy KennedySen. Janet Buckner Sen. Julie GonzalesSen. Nick HinrichsenSen. Janice MarchmanRep. Eliza Hamrick Rep. Matthew MartinezRep. Ron Weinberg Sen. Rhonda FieldsSen. Faith WinterRep. Javier MabreyRep. Judy AmabileRep. William LindstedtSen. Rachel ZenzingerRep. Leslie HerodRep. Bob MarshallRep. Rick TaggartRep. Tisha MauroSen. Sonya Jaquez LewisSen. Chris HansenSen. Dylan RobertsSen. Jeff BridgesRep. Alex ValdezSen. Jessie DanielsonSen. Tony ExumLocal government:Castle Pines City Councilman Roger D. HudsonBroomfield Mayor Guyleen CastriottaArvada City Councilmember Randy MoormanArvada City Councilmember Lauren SimpsonErie Trustee Emily BaerErie Trustee Daniel HobackErie Mayor Justin BrooksBoulder County Commissioner Ashley StolzmannGreeley City Councilor Tommy ButlerGreeley City Councilor Member Deborah L DeBoutezBoulder Mayor Aaron BrockettDouglas County Commissioner Abe LaydonARIZONA MIRROR: Anti-hate groups worry about Arizona law enforcement trainingBY: ISAAC STONE SIMONELLI/AZCIR - MONDAY MAY 1, 2023 11:32 AMWarnings issued by high-profile civil rights and advocacy groups to Arizona's governor and attorney general failed to stop a rule change that effectively lowers the bar for extremist organizations attempting to radicalize law enforcement officers through government-funded training.Letters sent in March by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center warned the rule creates a loophole that could be exploited by domestic extremist groups.The contentious rule change, as first reported by AZCIR in 2022, shifted the responsibility of continuing education training oversight from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board to local law enforcement heads. In their letters, the groups cited an increase in extremist and conspiratorial rhetoric espoused by Arizona public officials, specifically, publicly elected sheriffs. “We are deeply concerned by the possibility that this amended rule will open the door for Arizona peace officers to receive training from adherents of the ‘constitutional sheriffs' movement and other actors who urge local law enforcement to assume authorities beyond those allowed by law,” wrote Mary McCord, the executive director of Georgetown University Law Center's ICAP, a nonpartisan institute focused on constitutional rights and protecting democratic processes.McCord warned that such taxpayer-funded trainings “would place residents at risk of improper activity by county peace officers” and pose a particular threat to brown and Black communities, “who are at the greatest risk of harm from abuses by law enforcement.”The letters cited previous reporting about so-called “constitutional sheriff” groups, which include the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. The group is part of a national movement built on the idea that a local sheriff's power supersedes that of higher government entities including the U.S. president and the U.S. Supreme Court, and that sheriffs have a duty to nullify laws they interpret as unconstitutional.The civil rights and advocacy organizations highlighted numerous connections between the CSPOA and a variety of hate groups, with the NAACP denouncing some CSPOA members as “prominent antisemites, QAnon conspiracists, white nationalists and neo-confederates.”Sarah Kader, community manager for ADL Arizona, a state-level branch of a national organization that combats hate groups in the U.S., wrote “If the revised rule goes into effect, we fear that domestic extremists, based on their previous actions, will rush to take advantage of the opportunity,” Rachel Goldwasser, a senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, warned that the rule change could be used as a blueprint for creating workarounds allowing extremist organizations to train law enforcement in other states.Neither the governor, Democrat Katie Hobbs nor the attorney general, Democrat Kris Mayes, directly addressed concerns about neo-confederates and other domestic extremists running law enforcement trainings.ADL confirmed it did not receive a response from Gov. Hobbs' office until after the rule change took effect, though a spokesperson indicated the group had “every reason to believe that the Governor's office understands the concerns we have raised in our letters and is taking them seriously.” In their letters, ADL, SPLC and the NAACP all expressed concerns that more than half of Arizona sheriffs are at least partially aligned with the constitutional sheriff movement—connections AZCIR highlighted in its 2022 reporting.Rachel Goldwasser of SPLC said “Arizona has a large extremist presence in the Legislature, sheriffs' offices and among the public, unfortunately. They'll exploit any opportunity for these extremists to spread their ideology.”Three of the four letters also issued a warning about Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who has known ties to CSPOA and is the frontman for Protect America Now, another so-called “constitutional sheriff” organization.Lamb, who announced a bid for the U.S. Senate in April, has developed a national presence by appearing on a slew of fringe right-wing news networks and podcasts, including those espousing QAnon conspiracies. Lamb did not respond to a request for comment.Sarah Kader of ADL said “In recent years, extreme ideologies have been mainstreamed and normalized at an alarming pace. This is due in large part to the growing number of elected officials and other high-profile individuals who traffic in conspiracies and hate.”This article first appeared on Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.DENVER WESTWORD: How Hard Can it Bee? ZzzzzzBee Here Now: Capella Ranch Has a Honey of an IdeaCATIE CHESHIRE APRIL 25, 2023 6:53AMIn countries like Germany and Slovenia, inhaling the aerosol created by bees in an apiary, or collection of beehives, is an authorized treatment for respiratory diseases. But in the United States, there are only three places that offer the experience: one in Georgia, one in Michigan, and Capella Ranch in Lafayette Colorado, which just opened for its second season.Carolyn Peterson, who owns the ranch with her family said “I'm going to be out here all summer, talking to people and enjoying them and hearing their stories. They're going to come stressed out, and then they're going to leave relaxed.”Capella Ranch currently has sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats, Nubian goats, ducks, chickens, a few turkeys and, of course, bees, the first of which arrived in 2018. To create their bee therapy Shangri-la, the Petersons started by building two cedar huts shaped like irregular pentagons. The cedar contributes to the aroma in the huts, although its durability in the Colorado weather is its chief asset here. The slanted roof of the hut concentrates the aerosol so people can breathe it in while they're lying flat. “Everyone comes out with a different experience,” Carolyn says. “They get in there. They lie down. They take in the whole thing, and then they just sort of concentrate on the humming of the bees.”When bees make honey, there's a lot of water in it at first, so the insects work to reduce the moisture content by flapping their wings. As it evaporates, the moisture is carried into the air to form an aerosol that people find therapeutic.The bees also create an electromagnetic field with their vibration, which is at a frequency that's calming to the human parasympathetic nervous system - a network of nerves that helps relax the body. Some people can feel the field, but most notice the smell first. Underneath the scent of cedar, there is the aromatic tang of the bees at work. Almost like the smell of a newborn baby, but with an extra oomph.“That is all the pollen, nectars, amino acids and essential oils that the bees are bringing in to make the honey,” Carolyn says. “It's just kind of an odd smell, and it's supposed to be very good to breathe in.”In Slovenia, the bee experience has been used to calm firefighters after hard jobs, children who have behavioral problems at school, and parents of those children, who might need some relaxation as well. The Petersons note that they aren't medical professionals, so they don't consider their huts medicinal.“If it happens to help, great,” Carolyn says. “It's relaxing. It's thirty minutes of nobody bugging you.”One person who says the bee huts have helped is Marsha Ruggeri, who lives in Lafayette. She went to Capella Ranch four times during its inaugural season.She first came with a friend who'd bought a deal on Groupon. After struggling with heightened asthma symptoms the past two years — which she attributes to wildfires and air pollution — Ruggeri was excited to learn of a potential way to alleviate her symptoms.And, it worked!“I'm not saying it was a panacea,” she says. “It felt like I was actually doing something that wasn't an inhaler or medication and I was regaining some control over how my body was reacting to all this shit in the air.”On Ruggeri's third visit, she experienced the electromagnetic field produced by the bees.“I was laying on my side, and then all of a sudden, I could feel it,” she says. “It really deserves more than one treatment. It's kind of like people who go for acupuncture, and they're like, ‘Well, it didn't do anything for me.' You really need to try it more than once.”Along with the eight hives in the huts, there are six to eight more near a special pond on the ranch where the bees drink. Last summer, over a hundred people came to Capella Ranch to check out the bees; a TikTok Charlie made announcing that the huts were open has gained about 20,000 views.One of those visitors, a reiki and yoga teacher from Fort Collins named Yarmey, found Capella Ranch on Instagram. “I'm really interested in energy and grounding and our connection to nature,” she says. Reiki is a practice of directing energy to help facilitate healing.After her first visit, Yarmey came back a second time, when she says she was really able to share a meditative space with the bees, reveling in their presence in a way that humans rarely get to do with other species.“When else in your life do you get to share space with a million other beings who all are very clear about their purpose and their path and what they need to be doing? Everything felt a little slower, more grounded.”The huts are now open for a second season; anyone is welcome except those allergic to bee or wasp stings. A thirty-minute session is $35; an hour runs $60. CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEKDENVER POST: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, with Angel Olsen - this Thursday and Friday night at Red Rocks.By JOHN WENZEL | jwenzel@denverpost.com | The Denver PostApril 28, 2023 at 6:00 a.m.Jason Isbell's voice can be a strapping, mournful thing, muscular and dripping with vulnerability as he chronicles his life in song. And on this day, it's still waking up.“This time of year I drink my black coffee cold so I can get it down quicker,” the 44-year-old singer-songwriter said over the phone from his Nashville porch on Monday. “I've spent so many years working late at night that it makes it hard for me to get on with normal life. It's tough, you know? But I think it's tough no matter how you do it.”Isbell's family and acclaimed music career test his resolve while giving him motivation to stay sober and productive. He has won a quartet of Grammy Awards since 2018 — about a decade after getting kicked out of his former alt-country band, Drive-By Truckers, for drinking and drugs In the HBO Max documentary “Music Box: Jason Isbell — Running with Our Eyes Closed,” which was released on April 7, we're afforded a close-up on his life as he records the album “Reunions” with his band, the 400 Unit. His intimate musical and romantic partnership with wife Amanda Shires (who is an acclaimed solo artist herself), his love of his daughter Mercy Rose, his past divorce, and the shock of the pandemic are all there in vivid cross-section.“If you're a recording artist or entertainer with any kind of success, you don't want to spend too much time looking back,” said Isbell, who was born in Green Hill, Ala., to a 17-year-old mother. “It's a self-centered way of living. But one thing I was surprised by watching the (documentary) is that I'd forgotten how hard those old days were, growing up where I did and having addiction issues. It was nice to see but painful to watch, that all of this was real and really happened to me, even if it's long in the rearview.”Isbell will headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre May 3 and 4 with the 400 Unit, on tour for their new album “Weathervanes,” to be released June 9. The lead single “Death Wish” has already been covered by Jack White and featured on “American Idol.” Isbell's melodies channel Americana, folk, country, and rock and roll. His lyrics are cutting, urgent, and full of visceral metaphors. On “Death Wish,” he sings:“I wanted action, she wanted answers / Sunrise with the dealers and the dancers / It takes a whole lot of medicine to feel like a little kid.”Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit With Angel Olsen, Two shows, May 3 and 4, at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Tickets at axs.com, and I think Adam may have an extra still, too. Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Arizona Attorney General Mayes joins Mike to discuss Arizona's water resources. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 84, The 966 speaks with Faisal Durrani, partner and head of Middle East research for the global real estate company Knight Frank. Mr. Durrani shares some of the highlights and key information from Knight Frank's recently-released 2023 report on real estate in Saudi Arabia, The Saudi Report 2023, a publication which touches on many subjects beyond real estate, including hotels and tourism, travel preferences for Saudis domestically, and so much more. Before the conversation, the hosts discuss the situation in Sudan and Saudi Arabia's role in assisting other nations in getting its civilians out of harms way in the country, how a Saudi company became ensnared in the politics of the Western US water crisis, and much more. 4:01 - Richard's one big thing is Saudi Arabia's assistance in getting civilians out of harms way in the war-torn country. Sudan is just across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia, and both nations share a long border with that pivotal trade route, raising the stakes for the Kingdom as yet another nation in its neighborhood is threatened with instability. Sudan has a 530-mile (853 km) coastline bordering the Red Sea, and that waterway's maximum width is 190 miles. There are fears that the fighting could further fragment the country, worsen political turbulence and draw in neighboring states. Saudi Arabia received praise from U.S. President Joe Biden for its work and hospitality in rescuing civilians from harm's way. 12:04 - Lucien's one big thing is the water crisis in the American west, and how it has ensnared a Saudi company, Fondomonte, a subsidiary of Almarai, the Kingdom's largest big agricultural company. Saudi Arabia's own water conservation has lead Saudi Arabia to explore farming and agriculture opportunities abroad, both in wheat and other imports from places like Ukraine and in Africa, and in agricultural enterprises abroad, including in the United States. Fondomonte in Arizona farms alfalfa to feed cows for dairy products in the Kingdom. Fondomonte had permitting applications into the state for drilling the wells but those were denied ceremoniously by the state's attorney general, Kris Mayes, who used the opportunity to make an example of Saudi Arabia's farms in Arizona and the need for water to be used by locals. The permits were denied after Hays raised objections in early April to state agencies about discrepancies in application paperwork, including listing different landowners and conflicting information about whether the wells were new or replacements,” azcentral.com reports. Valued at $14.3 billion, the Almarai Company – which owns about 10,000 acres of farmland in Arizona under its subsidiary, Fondomonte – is one of the biggest players in the Middle East's dairy supply. The company also owns about 3,500 acres in agriculture-heavy Southern California, according to public land records, where they use Colorado River water to irrigate crops.26:28 - The 966 speaks with Faisal Durrani, partner and head of Middle East research for the global real estate company Knight Frank. Mr. Durrani shares some of the highlights and key information from Knight Frank's recently-released 2023 report on real estate in Saudi Arabia, The Saudi Report 2023, a publication which touches on many subjects beyond real estate, including hotels and tourism, travel preferences for Saudis domestically, and so much more. 1:12:07 - Yallah! 6 top storylines to get you up to speed on all things Saudi headed into the weekend. World Military Spending Rises to Record as Insecurity SwellsDefense expenditure increased by 3.7% in real terms to reach a record high of $2.24 trillion in 2022, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI, said on Monday. About half the annual increase was due to Ukraine's ballooning military budget, according to data for the eastern European country that excludes foreign aid. Arms budgets are expanding across Europe in response to Russia's aggression at the same time as tensions in East Asia are prompting larger outlays in that part of the world. In another sign of how the world is sliding back into a situation last seen during the Cold War, military expenditure in central and western European countries exceeded the 1989 level for the first time.Saudi Arabia Advances 17 Ranks in World Bank's Logistics Performance IndexSaudi Arabia, which came in at 38, was ranked 55 in the 2018 report, and has seen its stock as a global logistics hub rise as it formulates plans for as many as 60 logistics hubs around the Kingdom, and contemplates wholesale upgrades of existing ports, as well as a number of greenfield facilities. Identical rankings to Saudi Arabia were achieved by India, Lithuania, Portugal and Turkey, also all ranked 38-equal, with identical overall LPI scores of 3.4. The rankings were topped by Singapore, with a score of 4.2, with Finland coming second, also on 4.2 and Denmark third, with 4.1Saudis constitute 82.2% of workforce in financial and insurance activitiesReflecting the success of localization efforts, Saudis constituted 82.2 percent of the number of workers in the financial and insurance sectors in 2022.  Saudi citizens who are working in financial and insurance activities reached 75,001, while foreigners totaled only 16,290 or 17.8 percent, bringing the total number of workers to 91,291 last year.  Male workers made up 93 percent of the workforce in financial and insurance activities – reaching 71,648 workers in 2022, while the number of females working in these activities hit 19,643, according to Al-Eqtisadiyah. Saudi Public Investment Fund ranks 5th with worth $620bnThe ranking of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has improved from sixth to fifth place among the largest sovereign funds in the world for the first time, with assets valued at SR2.3 trillion ($620 billion). The fund's share of the world's sovereign wealth has increased to 6.2%, up from 5.9%, according to Arab News.Unemployment in Saudi Arabia Reaches Record Low with Women Driving the Change — Jadwa InvestmentThe unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia dropped to 8 percent at the end of 2022, down from 11 percent in 2021, with women driving that positive change, according to a recently-released report from Jadwa Investment, citing the General Authority for Statistics' (GaStat) latest labor market release.Female unemployment was down to 15.4 percent in 2022 versus 22.5 percent in the previous year.Saudi Arabia is building more hotels than UAE for the first timeAccording to a report in Hotelier Middle East, the UAE is no longer the regional leader when it comes to building hotels. "According to STR, Saudi Arabia has almost double the number of hotel rooms being built than the UAE. Saudi sits behind only China and the US globally in terms of the number of hotel rooms currently being built."

Conflicting rulings on mifepristone have led to confusion about the availability of the medication used in abortions. Attorney General Kris Mayes talks about the legal road forward. Plus, you've likely heard his music, but the Avett Brothers' frontman is in town this week to talk about his paintings. That and more on The Show.

Drive in with The Morning Ritual weekday mornings on KNST AM790 Former Arizona Assistant AG Jen Wright talks about a judge ordering a motion for a new trial on May 16 for Abe Hamadeh to prove there are enough uncounted provisional ballots to give him the win over Kris Mayes. Jen also explains how the Maricopa County Election report is a sham.

Arizona GOP moving variety of conspiracy-fueled voter suppression bills | Bill authorizing universal youth mental health screenings at school is moving in Colorado legislature | New Colorado GOP chair is a fringe character, prominent conservatives announce they're leaving the Party | VP Harris announces Biden Administration disbursement of $200 million in wildfire preparedness and mitigation funds | Billy Idol in DenverSong playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: ARIZONA MIRROR:Conspiracy theories still dominate Arizona Senate Elections CommitteeBY: JOE DUHOWNIK/COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - MARCH 21, 2023 4:18 PMNearly a month after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes released documents further disproving claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, Senate Republicans continue to make the same claims in the election committee.The most recent tantrum came during testimony regarding HB2415, which would remove people from the active early voting mailing list if they go a full year without participating in an election. Republicans said it's a way to declutter the list.Opponents argued that the bill would only disenfranchise voters, as many only vote in presidential elections every four years, and could be removed from the mail ballot list without knowing it.“Conspiracy theories” also came up again later in the committee meeting, this time in regard to HB2591, which would prohibit voters from using ballot drop boxes outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and would require that drop boxes be inside or attached to county buildings and be under 24/7 video surveillance. Bill sponsor Gail Griffin, a Republican state representative from Tucson, said she's seen video of “people with boxes coming and dumping ballots,” though she maintained that “2,000 Mules” - a propaganda film about imagined “ballot mules” stuffing ballots in the 2020 election. The fantasy about ballot mules is a cornerstone of the bigger fantasy that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election, even though he won by 3 full percentage points and 7 million votes.Democrats said restricting the times when voters can drop off ballots will make it harder for some to cast their vote. Republicans' only response was that those folks would need to use one of the less accessible options that remain if they want to vote. Cool. The Republican-dominated committee supported five more measures they say will increase election integrity. Republican state Representative Austin Smith sponsored HB2552 to preemptively prohibit ranked choice voting in Arizona. A companion bill already passed through the Senate in February.Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist representing the Arizona League of Women Voters, said more than 60% of Arizona voters support ranked choice voting, which is used in Maine, Alaska, and multiple cities like New York and San Francisco.“There should be no reason to preemptively silence the voice of your own constituents,” she told the committee.The committee ended with discussion on HB2613, which would require that all vote recording tabulation machines be 100% sourced from and built in the U.S. in response to fantasies about foreign tampering of voting machines in the 2020 election - where Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden by 3 full percentage points and 7 million legally cast votes. Jen Marson, representing the Arizona Association of Counties, said the machines used now are already manufactured in the U.S., but some parts, like plastics and electronics, are sourced from other countries.The bill's GOP sponsor said he doesn't know that U.S. companies have the capacity to completely home-grow the voting machines, but “if there is a need, I do believe that the American engineering mindset would step up.”For my part - I'll just say his point makes absolutely no sense.This article was first published by Courthouse News Service and is republished under their terms of use.UCLA HEALTHSuicide rate highest among teens and young adultsMarch 15, 2022By Sandy CohenNote: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2023.Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Recent weeks have brought heartbreaking examples of this trend, including the March 1 death of Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer, 22; and Ohio State football player Harry Miller's revelations that he attempted suicide, shared his struggles with his coach and got help. Miller announced his medical retirement from football on March 10 in a Twitter post that's been shared more than 10,000 times.“This is not an issue reserved for the far and away,” wrote Miller. “It is in our homes. It is in our conversations. It is in the people we love.”Carl Fleisher, MD, who specializes in adolescent and child psychiatry at Boston Child Study Center in Los Angeles said “Teenagers and young adults have had rising rates of suicide compared to 10 or 15 years ago, Young people are particularly vulnerable to suicide. The things that make them vulnerable are where they stand socially and where they stand developmentally.”Developmentally, their judgment and decision-making abilities are still coming online. The prefrontal cortex — the brain's executive control center — doesn't fully develop until one's mid-20s.That makes young people more impulsive "They're not going to weigh risks and consequences in quite the same way older folks will.”Socially, teens and young adults don't have the same connections older adults do. Someone who is married, has a long-term partner or has children or grandchildren is in a different place socially than someone who is just coming into their own, living with roommates or alone.The isolation of the pandemic exacerbated social disconnection even more.So it's good to hear that a bill that would make it easier… Colorado Newsline article followsCOLORADO NEWSLINE:BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 20, 2023 2:54 PM…  for schools to provide mental health assessments, and connect students to therapy, passed the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday.House Bill 23-1003 would allow public schools to participate in a voluntary mental health screening program for sixth through twelfth graders and refer them to treatment if needed, primarily through the state's existing free youth therapy program, called I Matter.Bill sponsor Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat, said she was motivated to run the legislation after alarming statistics from the Colorado Healthy Kids Survey that showed nearly 40% of Colorado youth reported feeling depressed for at least two straight weeks.“That's a pretty significant indicator for severe depression,” she said. “I wanted to come up with a way for kids to learn about therapy and access to therapy through screenings in school. We have the I Matter program, so we have somewhere kids can go for help.”In a post-pandemic environment in which Children's Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health, Michaelson Jenet said screening can be a powerful preventative tool for students under profound pressures.Parents could opt their child out of the assessment, but students 12 years and older would be able to participate even if their parents don't want them to.Under the program, if the provider finds that a student could benefit from treatment, their parents will be notified and given information about the I Matter program, which has provided free therapy services to over 5,500 Colorado youth since it launched in October 2021.If the assessment provider finds that a student is in crisis — at-risk for attempting suicide, physical self-harm or harming others, for example — the school would follow its crisis response protocol.The Colorado Health Institute endorsed the concept of universal mental health screenings in schools in a report published earlier this month.The report authors wrote “Schools are uniquely positioned to help address this (mental health) crisis by meeting youth where they already spend most of their day. Screening all students for social and emotional needs strengthens prevention, detection, and early intervention.”Organizations including the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine, the Healthy Schools Campaign, Mental Health America also recommend screening all students.Republicans in the House opposed the bill on the grounds that a program where students could participate even if parents opt out violates parental rights. Most of the floor debate centered on whether 12 years old is too young for students to decide whether to undergo a mental health assessment. Existing Colorado law allows minors 12 years and older to seek therapy without their parent or guardian's consent.Democrats hold healthy majorities in both the House and Senate this session.The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton.COLORADO SUN: and on the other side of the aisle: The new chair of Colorado's GOP says people concerned he will end all hope of Republicans winning here, should “relax”.Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish3:20 AM MDT on Mar 16, 2023Dave Williams' election as Colorado GOP chair has prompted prominent Republicans to announce they are leaving the party and heightened the possibility that unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up nearly half of the state's electorate, could be shut out of the GOP's future primaries.Mandy Connell, a conservative talk radio host, tweeted her exit from the GOP on Saturday just after the election denier and former state representative was chosen to lead Republicans for the next two years.Connell told The Colorado Sun, “I hoped the Republican Party could move beyond Donald Trump and looking backwards at the 2020 election. With the election of Dave Williams for the Colorado chairmanship, it is apparent that they are not ready to do that. And I am.”The GOP has steadily lost registered voters in Colorado over the past two decades, a slide that accelerated after Trump took office. The share of registered Republicans declined to 24.2% in January from 31.1% in January 2016. There are no statewide elected Republicans, and the party is in a big minority in the legislature and in the congressional delegation following a disappointing 2022 election cycle that only saw the GOP lose more political power.Some in the party fear Williams, who beat six other chair candidates, may lead to further decline. Dick Wadhams, who was Colorado GOP chair from 2007 to 2011 and now works as a Republican political consultant, worries the “party will have no credibility” if Williams pursues the agenda he campaigned for chair on.Williams says his detractors should “relax.”“I can understand why some people are concerned, especially because of the fearmongering of Dick Wadhams,” Williams said. “But the truth is I'm only here to go attack Democrats, and if they can't get behind that then I'm not sure what else is going to unite us.”Williams, who vowed to be a “wartime” leader of the Colorado GOP, was a divisive figure during his time in the state legislature - and last year he lost a primary challenge to Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn by just shy of 20 points.Williams was elected chair by the Colorado GOP's state central committee, which is made up of about 400 people. During the event Saturday in Loveland, Williams focused his message on defending Donald Trump and preventing unaffiliated voters from participating in GOP primary elections, something Colorado voters approved in 2016. Ari Armstrong, a columnist for Complete Colorado, tweeted that he is leaving the party. “Colorado GOP leaders have made abundantly clear that theirs is the party of conspiracy mongering and petty bigotry,” he said. “The state party is not serious about winning elections or helping to guide policy. Enough.”Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer also hinted on Twitter at a switch: “I think I'll be doing the same (as) Mandy Connell. When I rejoined the party I had hoped it was changing. It is in other states but not here. The lunatic fringe is ascendant.” and speaking of the lunatic fringeCOLORADO NEWSLINE:Feds to send nearly $200 million to help communities prepare for wildfiresBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MARCH 21, 2023 4:30 AM     Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials said Monday that the Biden administration will send $197 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities prepare for wildfires this summer.The funding represents the first round of a new $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense Grant program authorized under the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that President Joe Biden signed in 2021. Grants in the first year of the program would be available for more than 100 projects in 22 states, according to a White House fact sheet.The funding is meant to help communities prepare for wildfires, which Harris said was preferable to responding to fires already wreaking havoc.“The best time to fight a fire is before it starts,” she said on a Monday call with reporters.The funding announced Monday can be used to write or update wildfire preparedness plans or on other mitigation efforts, such as clearing highly flammable brush.Among the largest grants was a $9.9 million disbursement to the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District in eastern Oregon to clear hazardous fuels from evacuation routes on county roads.The New Mexico nonprofit Cimarron Watershed Alliance also received $8 million to create defensible space around homes and fuel breaks designed to stop a fire's spread.Archuleta County, Colorado, will receive $1.1 million to remove hazardous fuels over 600 wooded acres.Gila County AZ will receive $341,000 for evacuation planning and clearing flammable brush around buildings Communities in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wiscons, North Carolina and Georgia will also receive grants.A full list of grants announced Monday is available here.The Vice President said the remaining roughly $800 million will be released over the next four years.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “This is an initial round of funding - a critical down payment.”The Forest Service, which is part of the Agriculture Department, judged grant applications on three criteria: communities that have experienced a severe disaster, are at high risk of a wildfire and are low income. All grants announced Monday met at least two of the three criteria and most met all three, he said.Wildfires have become more destructive in recent decades for a variety of reasons, including hotter and drier weather because of climate change, as well as increased development in areas at high risk of fire.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: You might know him from the movie “Big” - it's Billy Idol! Mission Ballroom in Denver on Tuesday April 4th at 8pm - that's election night and that's also a kickass venue to see rock and roll giant like Billy. Information at billyidol.net - and don't use .com because there is no redirect.Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Courthouse News Service, UCLA Health, Colorado Sun, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Arizona GOP moving variety of conspiracy-fueled voter suppression bills | Bill authorizing universal youth mental health screenings at school is moving in Colorado legislature | New Colorado GOP chair is a fringe character, prominent conservatives announce they're leaving the Party | VP Harris announces Biden Administration disbursement of $200 million in wildfire preparedness and mitigation funds | Billy Idol in DenverSong playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: ARIZONA MIRROR:Conspiracy theories still dominate Arizona Senate Elections CommitteeBY: JOE DUHOWNIK/COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - MARCH 21, 2023 4:18 PMNearly a month after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes released documents further disproving claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, Senate Republicans continue to make the same claims in the election committee.The most recent tantrum came during testimony regarding HB2415, which would remove people from the active early voting mailing list if they go a full year without participating in an election. Republicans said it's a way to declutter the list.Opponents argued that the bill would only disenfranchise voters, as many only vote in presidential elections every four years, and could be removed from the mail ballot list without knowing it.“Conspiracy theories” also came up again later in the committee meeting, this time in regard to HB2591, which would prohibit voters from using ballot drop boxes outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and would require that drop boxes be inside or attached to county buildings and be under 24/7 video surveillance. Bill sponsor Gail Griffin, a Republican state representative from Tucson, said she's seen video of “people with boxes coming and dumping ballots,” though she maintained that “2,000 Mules” - a propaganda film about imagined “ballot mules” stuffing ballots in the 2020 election. The fantasy about ballot mules is a cornerstone of the bigger fantasy that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election, even though he won by 3 full percentage points and 7 million votes.Democrats said restricting the times when voters can drop off ballots will make it harder for some to cast their vote. Republicans' only response was that those folks would need to use one of the less accessible options that remain if they want to vote. Cool. The Republican-dominated committee supported five more measures they say will increase election integrity. Republican state Representative Austin Smith sponsored HB2552 to preemptively prohibit ranked choice voting in Arizona. A companion bill already passed through the Senate in February.Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist representing the Arizona League of Women Voters, said more than 60% of Arizona voters support ranked choice voting, which is used in Maine, Alaska, and multiple cities like New York and San Francisco.“There should be no reason to preemptively silence the voice of your own constituents,” she told the committee.The committee ended with discussion on HB2613, which would require that all vote recording tabulation machines be 100% sourced from and built in the U.S. in response to fantasies about foreign tampering of voting machines in the 2020 election - where Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden by 3 full percentage points and 7 million legally cast votes. Jen Marson, representing the Arizona Association of Counties, said the machines used now are already manufactured in the U.S., but some parts, like plastics and electronics, are sourced from other countries.The bill's GOP sponsor said he doesn't know that U.S. companies have the capacity to completely home-grow the voting machines, but “if there is a need, I do believe that the American engineering mindset would step up.”For my part - I'll just say his point makes absolutely no sense.This article was first published by Courthouse News Service and is republished under their terms of use.UCLA HEALTHSuicide rate highest among teens and young adultsMarch 15, 2022By Sandy CohenNote: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2023.Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Recent weeks have brought heartbreaking examples of this trend, including the March 1 death of Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer, 22; and Ohio State football player Harry Miller's revelations that he attempted suicide, shared his struggles with his coach and got help. Miller announced his medical retirement from football on March 10 in a Twitter post that's been shared more than 10,000 times.“This is not an issue reserved for the far and away,” wrote Miller. “It is in our homes. It is in our conversations. It is in the people we love.”Carl Fleisher, MD, who specializes in adolescent and child psychiatry at Boston Child Study Center in Los Angeles said “Teenagers and young adults have had rising rates of suicide compared to 10 or 15 years ago, Young people are particularly vulnerable to suicide. The things that make them vulnerable are where they stand socially and where they stand developmentally.”Developmentally, their judgment and decision-making abilities are still coming online. The prefrontal cortex — the brain's executive control center — doesn't fully develop until one's mid-20s.That makes young people more impulsive "They're not going to weigh risks and consequences in quite the same way older folks will.”Socially, teens and young adults don't have the same connections older adults do. Someone who is married, has a long-term partner or has children or grandchildren is in a different place socially than someone who is just coming into their own, living with roommates or alone.The isolation of the pandemic exacerbated social disconnection even more.So it's good to hear that a bill that would make it easier… Colorado Newsline article followsCOLORADO NEWSLINE:BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 20, 2023 2:54 PM…  for schools to provide mental health assessments, and connect students to therapy, passed the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday.House Bill 23-1003 would allow public schools to participate in a voluntary mental health screening program for sixth through twelfth graders and refer them to treatment if needed, primarily through the state's existing free youth therapy program, called I Matter.Bill sponsor Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat, said she was motivated to run the legislation after alarming statistics from the Colorado Healthy Kids Survey that showed nearly 40% of Colorado youth reported feeling depressed for at least two straight weeks.“That's a pretty significant indicator for severe depression,” she said. “I wanted to come up with a way for kids to learn about therapy and access to therapy through screenings in school. We have the I Matter program, so we have somewhere kids can go for help.”In a post-pandemic environment in which Children's Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health, Michaelson Jenet said screening can be a powerful preventative tool for students under profound pressures.Parents could opt their child out of the assessment, but students 12 years and older would be able to participate even if their parents don't want them to.Under the program, if the provider finds that a student could benefit from treatment, their parents will be notified and given information about the I Matter program, which has provided free therapy services to over 5,500 Colorado youth since it launched in October 2021.If the assessment provider finds that a student is in crisis — at-risk for attempting suicide, physical self-harm or harming others, for example — the school would follow its crisis response protocol.The Colorado Health Institute endorsed the concept of universal mental health screenings in schools in a report published earlier this month.The report authors wrote “Schools are uniquely positioned to help address this (mental health) crisis by meeting youth where they already spend most of their day. Screening all students for social and emotional needs strengthens prevention, detection, and early intervention.”Organizations including the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine, the Healthy Schools Campaign, Mental Health America also recommend screening all students.Republicans in the House opposed the bill on the grounds that a program where students could participate even if parents opt out violates parental rights. Most of the floor debate centered on whether 12 years old is too young for students to decide whether to undergo a mental health assessment. Existing Colorado law allows minors 12 years and older to seek therapy without their parent or guardian's consent.Democrats hold healthy majorities in both the House and Senate this session.The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton.COLORADO SUN: and on the other side of the aisle: The new chair of Colorado's GOP says people concerned he will end all hope of Republicans winning here, should “relax”.Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish3:20 AM MDT on Mar 16, 2023Dave Williams' election as Colorado GOP chair has prompted prominent Republicans to announce they are leaving the party and heightened the possibility that unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up nearly half of the state's electorate, could be shut out of the GOP's future primaries.Mandy Connell, a conservative talk radio host, tweeted her exit from the GOP on Saturday just after the election denier and former state representative was chosen to lead Republicans for the next two years.Connell told The Colorado Sun, “I hoped the Republican Party could move beyond Donald Trump and looking backwards at the 2020 election. With the election of Dave Williams for the Colorado chairmanship, it is apparent that they are not ready to do that. And I am.”The GOP has steadily lost registered voters in Colorado over the past two decades, a slide that accelerated after Trump took office. The share of registered Republicans declined to 24.2% in January from 31.1% in January 2016. There are no statewide elected Republicans, and the party is in a big minority in the legislature and in the congressional delegation following a disappointing 2022 election cycle that only saw the GOP lose more political power.Some in the party fear Williams, who beat six other chair candidates, may lead to further decline. Dick Wadhams, who was Colorado GOP chair from 2007 to 2011 and now works as a Republican political consultant, worries the “party will have no credibility” if Williams pursues the agenda he campaigned for chair on.Williams says his detractors should “relax.”“I can understand why some people are concerned, especially because of the fearmongering of Dick Wadhams,” Williams said. “But the truth is I'm only here to go attack Democrats, and if they can't get behind that then I'm not sure what else is going to unite us.”Williams, who vowed to be a “wartime” leader of the Colorado GOP, was a divisive figure during his time in the state legislature - and last year he lost a primary challenge to Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn by just shy of 20 points.Williams was elected chair by the Colorado GOP's state central committee, which is made up of about 400 people. During the event Saturday in Loveland, Williams focused his message on defending Donald Trump and preventing unaffiliated voters from participating in GOP primary elections, something Colorado voters approved in 2016. Ari Armstrong, a columnist for Complete Colorado, tweeted that he is leaving the party. “Colorado GOP leaders have made abundantly clear that theirs is the party of conspiracy mongering and petty bigotry,” he said. “The state party is not serious about winning elections or helping to guide policy. Enough.”Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer also hinted on Twitter at a switch: “I think I'll be doing the same (as) Mandy Connell. When I rejoined the party I had hoped it was changing. It is in other states but not here. The lunatic fringe is ascendant.” and speaking of the lunatic fringeCOLORADO NEWSLINE:Feds to send nearly $200 million to help communities prepare for wildfiresBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MARCH 21, 2023 4:30 AM     Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials said Monday that the Biden administration will send $197 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities prepare for wildfires this summer.The funding represents the first round of a new $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense Grant program authorized under the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that President Joe Biden signed in 2021. Grants in the first year of the program would be available for more than 100 projects in 22 states, according to a White House fact sheet.The funding is meant to help communities prepare for wildfires, which Harris said was preferable to responding to fires already wreaking havoc.“The best time to fight a fire is before it starts,” she said on a Monday call with reporters.The funding announced Monday can be used to write or update wildfire preparedness plans or on other mitigation efforts, such as clearing highly flammable brush.Among the largest grants was a $9.9 million disbursement to the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District in eastern Oregon to clear hazardous fuels from evacuation routes on county roads.The New Mexico nonprofit Cimarron Watershed Alliance also received $8 million to create defensible space around homes and fuel breaks designed to stop a fire's spread.Archuleta County, Colorado, will receive $1.1 million to remove hazardous fuels over 600 wooded acres.Gila County AZ will receive $341,000 for evacuation planning and clearing flammable brush around buildings Communities in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wiscons, North Carolina and Georgia will also receive grants.A full list of grants announced Monday is available here.The Vice President said the remaining roughly $800 million will be released over the next four years.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “This is an initial round of funding - a critical down payment.”The Forest Service, which is part of the Agriculture Department, judged grant applications on three criteria: communities that have experienced a severe disaster, are at high risk of a wildfire and are low income. All grants announced Monday met at least two of the three criteria and most met all three, he said.Wildfires have become more destructive in recent decades for a variety of reasons, including hotter and drier weather because of climate change, as well as increased development in areas at high risk of fire.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: You might know him from the movie “Big” - it's Billy Idol! Mission Ballroom in Denver on Tuesday April 4th at 8pm - that's election night and that's also a kickass venue to see rock and roll giant like Billy. Information at billyidol.net - and don't use .com because there is no redirect.Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Courthouse News Service, UCLA Health, Colorado Sun, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

DACA recipients are still in a form of legal limbo, more than a decade after President Obama announced it. Attorney General Kris Mayes talks about joining an effort to try to preserve the program. Plus, nearly 4,000 migrant children were separated from their parents during the Trump Administration – and many have yet to be reunited. That and more on The Show.

Arizona AG Kris Mayes refocuses Election Integrity Unit on protecting election officials and voting rights | CO Gov. Jared Polis and Democrats introduce bills to lower healthcare costs | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples commission sets field hearings for AZ, CA, MT, NM | Department of Defense provides process for service members to obtain abortions when stationed in states where abortion is banned | Ani DiFranco does a western swing with shows in CO, MT, and ID.Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: ARIZONA MIRROR: ARIZONA AG INVESTIGATES FAKE ELECTORSKris Mayes is investigating Trump's ‘fake electors,' focusing on threats to election workersBY: JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY - MARCH 3, 2023 7:12 AMWhile her predecessor used a dedicated election crimes division to investigate hundreds of bogus election fraud claims, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she will redirect the unit's focus to prosecute election-related threats and protect voting rights. “We are almost at a crisis situation in our state, in the sense that we now have a third of our counties experiencing the resignation of high-level election officialS due to death threats and harassment. That is unacceptable,” Former AG Mark Brnovich, the Republican who Mayes replaced this year, persuaded the state legislature to create the Election Integrity Unit so his office could have a dedicated team to investigate election fraud claims. But Brnovich buried what was arguably its most important work, a 10,000-hour investigation debunking hundreds of fraud claims related to the 2020 election. AG Mayes released the results of that investigation earlier this month. And the Election Integrity Unit is also investigating a much larger effort to undermine the will of the voters — The Trump / Eastman / Perry plot to send fraudulent slates of electors for former President Donald Trump to Congress on Jan. 6 - using the state's seal. While she was secretary of state, Gov. Katie Hobbs requested Brnovich investigate the criminal use of the state seal on false documents, but Brnovich did nothing. There were actually multiple “fake elector” schemes in Arizona. One was tied to the Arizona Republican Party and allegedly done at the request of the Trump campaign. It involved officials including former AZ GOP chairwoman Kelli Ward, state Sen. Jake Hoffman, state Sen. Anthony Kern and Turning Points USA CEO Tyler Bowyer. That fake electors scheme is also the subject of a federal investigation. Another group, the Sovereign Citizens of the Great State of Arizona, also created an alternate slate of electors for Trump, independent of the former President's desperate and nihilistic attempts to steal the 2020 election for himself.Since the 2020 election, threats to election officials nationwide have been increasing. Arizona has been at the forefront of those threats, with the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice getting involved in multiple cases. Most recently, veteran Cochise County Election Director Lisa Marra resigned. In her departure letter, she described a workplace that was hostile due to a monthslong saga in which Marra stood up to election conspiracists' insane demands and threats.Last year, the director of elections in Yavapai County resigned due to more than 18 months of threats she received. GOP-dominated Yavapai County has been a hotbed of hostile activity, with the white supremacist Oath Keepers intimidating voters before federal law enforcement got involved. AG Mayes said the images of armed men watching drop boxes “disturbed” her and set her on a path to begin speaking to police and sheriff's departments across the state. Making sure voters feel safe and secure when using a drop box will be a major priority, Mayes said, and if that means making sure that agents with the Attorney General's Office are present alongside law enforcement, then that might be the case. Currently, Mayes has 60 agents working directly with her in the office. Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies had to be dispatched in riot gear to deal with angry and armed crowds of butt-hurt snowflake losers (my term) during the 2020 election, when they descended upon the Maricopa County tabulation center. Deputies have had to dedicate security to election officials who faced threats as well.During the midterms, Maricopa County spent approximately $675,000 on security for the elections, a number the Sheriff expects to be “substantially” higher for the next election as he and his deputies are already preparing for the next wave of threats to election officials, as well as illegal activities around drop boxes. But for AG Mayes, the Arizona Election Integrity Unit can be a force that actually protects voting rights in the state. “We really want to repurpose the Election Integrity Unit to be an arm of the Attorney General's Office that is focused on protecting democracy in Arizona, protecting election officials against the rise of death threats and intimidation against them, and to protect the voting rights of every legally registered Arizonan.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and a group of Democratic lawmakers have introduced a slate of new bills that are meant to reduce health care costs in the state.BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 3, 2023 2:04 PMThe bills would reduce premiums for Colorado Option health insurance plans, lower prescription drug costs and work to increase transparency around the huge profits being made by hospitals.“Saving people money on healthcare has been a top priority for me since Day One, and it's a big challenge,” said Gov. Polis. “We want to pound away on it every year, to find every cost driver and address it, to make sure Coloradans stop having to overpay for prescription drugs, insurance, and the health care that they need.”House Bill 23-1224 would work to improve the Colorado Option, the state-regulated plan offered by private insurers that passed just last year. The bill would make it easier for consumers to compare prices on standardized plans, and empower the state's insurance commissioner to hold carriers accountable for the cost reduction requirements in Colorado Option standardized plans.Another bill, House Bill 23-1225, addresses the state's prescription drug affordability board. It would allow the board to review any number of expensive prescription drugs instead of only a dozen as outlined in the legislation that created the board.The board, which has not yet reviewed the costs of any drugs so far, has the authority to set an upper payment limit if it determines a drug is unaffordable for Coloradans.House Bill 23-1227, would give more oversight power to the state's Division of Insurance over pharmacy benefit managers. “In some cases, PBMs are coming between consumers, health insurance plans, pharmacies and manufacturers while making very, very large profits. PBMs can be a part of the plan to save Coloradans money on prescription drugs, but they have to follow the rules,” Jodeh, one of the bill sponsors, said.Lawmakers highlighted other pieces of health care cost saving legislation:HB23-1226 would enhance current hospital financial transparency reporting in an effort to highlight what is driving up hospital costs in the state.COLORADO SUN: And, Almost four years after becoming the first state to cap insulin copayments, Colorado may limit what consumers pay for epinephrine autoinjectors, also known as EpiPens, which treat serious allergic reactions.In 2007, the wholesale price of a single EpiPen was about $47. Today, two brand-name autoinjectors cost just under $636 at a Walgreens in Denver, according to GoodRx. A proposed state law would cap out-of-pocket copays at $60 for a two-pack of Epi Pens.The bill is part of a nationwide push by states to address the soaring prices of lifesaving drugs. New Hampshire passed a law in 2020 requiring insurance to cover the autoinjectors, and Rhode Island lawmakers are considering a similar measure this year. No state has capped what consumers pay for EpiPens, though the New Jersey Senate passed a bill in June to do so; that measure is pending in the legislature's lower house.state Rep. Iman Jodeh, a bill sponsor, said “The need for EpiPens doesn't discriminate based on who you are. This unfortunate trend we're seeing of lifesaving medication being out of reach for so many people is something we need to end.”In 2019, Colorado became the first state to enact a law that set a $100 limit on monthly copays for insulin, a hormone that regulates the blood sugar of people with diabetes.Since then, 21 other states, plus Washington, D.C., have implemented laws limiting insulin costs. Congress imposed a $35 insulin copay cap for seniors on Medicare, and, in his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden called for expanding this cap to every American.KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.Tagged: Colorado legislature, Colorado politics, EpiPen, Iman Jodeh, insulin, Kaiser Health News, KHN, prescription drug costsAZMIRROR: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples field hearing comes to AZ in MayBY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MARCH 3, 2023 12:27 PM     As part of the U.S. departments of the Interior and Justice's work to combat the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis, the Not Invisible Act Commission will be hosting its first round of field hearing sessions this spring. “In partnership with the Justice Department and with extensive engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders, the Interior Department is marshaling our resources to finally address the crisis of violence against Indigenous peoples,” she added. FROM WORC: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People is an epidemic stemming from over 500 years of colonization that has harmed Indigenous communities across the globe.  For Indigenous women in the United States, this means being amongst the population that is murdered at 10 times the national average. According to the Indian Law Resource Center, more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, and more than half have experienced sexual violence. There is no official statistic regarding how many Indigenous women go missing within the United States, and many families report the same experiences where law enforcement will dismiss a missing loved one's case. In a Montana Public Radio article from 2019, people who had missing loved ones reported that law enforcement officers had told them “that their daughters were drunk or had run away.” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said “This work requires each of us to face our own trauma, to relive unimaginable pain, and visualize a future in which our loved ones are safe, and our communities have closure. We're here for our children, grandchildren, and relatives we have yet to meet.”The Not Invisible Act was signed into law in October 2020. It is the first bill in history to be introduced and passed by four U.S. congressional members who are enrolled in federally recognized tribes. Then- Representative Haaland, one of those four, spearheaded the bill during her time in Congress.At that time she said “A lack of urgency, transparency, and coordination has hampered our country's efforts to combat violence against American Indian and Alaska Native people” The commission established by the Not Invisible Act is a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors. In April, the commission will hold field hearings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Anchorage, Alaska. In June, more hearings are scheduled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, northern California and Albuquerque, New Mexico.  In July, a hearing will be held in Billings, Montana. A national, virtual field hearing is also planned for later in the summer. These field hearings will feature panel discussions and a public comment period. For more information, go to https://www.bia.gov/service/mmuCOLORADO NEWSLINE: Land of the free.BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - MARCH 4, 2023 11:05 AMU.S. Rep. Jason Crow D-Colorado praised the Department of Defense's decision to ensure service members have access to reproductive health care including abortion after he proposed a bill that would have done the same last fall. “After the Supreme Court's extreme and dangerous decision to take away a woman's fundamental right to an abortion, servicemembers struggled to access basic reproductive health care,” Crow said. “I applaud the Department of Defense for moving to protect our servicemembers and mitigate challenges of recruitment, readiness, and retention in the ranks. The servicemembers who fight for us should not have to fight for their own basic health care.”One of Crow's goals was to ensure that service members stationed in states that enacted abortion bans were allowed to travel to states, such as Colorado, where abortion is still legal.A Department of Defense news release said “Our Service members and their families do not control where they are stationed, and due to the nature of military service, are frequently required to travel or move to meet operational requirements. The efforts taken by the Department today will not only ensure that Service members and their families retain the fundamental right to make their own health care decisions, as well as ensuring they're afforded the time and flexibility needed to do so. In response, Rep. Lauren Boebert and fellow Republicans said they plan to maintain their laser focus on the REAL truth behind Hunter Biden's laptop.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Ani DiFranco! It's the 25th anniversary of the excellent album, Little Plastic Castle, originally released in 1998. Ani is doing a run of shows starting March 15 hitting Boulder, Fort Collins, Breckenridge, Salt Lake City, Boise, Bozeman, Missoula and finishing in New Orleans at the FREE French Quarter Music Festival, April 13.Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Kaiser Health News, Colorado Sun, and the Western Organization of Resource Councils at worc.org. Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Arizona AG Kris Mayes refocuses Election Integrity Unit on protecting election officials and voting rights | CO Gov. Jared Polis and Democrats introduce bills to lower healthcare costs | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples commission sets field hearings for AZ, CA, MT, NM | Department of Defense provides process for service members to obtain abortions when stationed in states where abortion is banned | Ani DiFranco does a western swing with shows in CO, MT, and ID.Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: ARIZONA MIRROR: ARIZONA AG INVESTIGATES FAKE ELECTORSKris Mayes is investigating Trump's ‘fake electors,' focusing on threats to election workersBY: JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY - MARCH 3, 2023 7:12 AMWhile her predecessor used a dedicated election crimes division to investigate hundreds of bogus election fraud claims, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she will redirect the unit's focus to prosecute election-related threats and protect voting rights. “We are almost at a crisis situation in our state, in the sense that we now have a third of our counties experiencing the resignation of high-level election officialS due to death threats and harassment. That is unacceptable,” Former AG Mark Brnovich, the Republican who Mayes replaced this year, persuaded the state legislature to create the Election Integrity Unit so his office could have a dedicated team to investigate election fraud claims. But Brnovich buried what was arguably its most important work, a 10,000-hour investigation debunking hundreds of fraud claims related to the 2020 election. AG Mayes released the results of that investigation earlier this month. And the Election Integrity Unit is also investigating a much larger effort to undermine the will of the voters — The Trump / Eastman / Perry plot to send fraudulent slates of electors for former President Donald Trump to Congress on Jan. 6 - using the state's seal. While she was secretary of state, Gov. Katie Hobbs requested Brnovich investigate the criminal use of the state seal on false documents, but Brnovich did nothing. There were actually multiple “fake elector” schemes in Arizona. One was tied to the Arizona Republican Party and allegedly done at the request of the Trump campaign. It involved officials including former AZ GOP chairwoman Kelli Ward, state Sen. Jake Hoffman, state Sen. Anthony Kern and Turning Points USA CEO Tyler Bowyer. That fake electors scheme is also the subject of a federal investigation. Another group, the Sovereign Citizens of the Great State of Arizona, also created an alternate slate of electors for Trump, independent of the former President's desperate and nihilistic attempts to steal the 2020 election for himself.Since the 2020 election, threats to election officials nationwide have been increasing. Arizona has been at the forefront of those threats, with the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice getting involved in multiple cases. Most recently, veteran Cochise County Election Director Lisa Marra resigned. In her departure letter, she described a workplace that was hostile due to a monthslong saga in which Marra stood up to election conspiracists' insane demands and threats.Last year, the director of elections in Yavapai County resigned due to more than 18 months of threats she received. GOP-dominated Yavapai County has been a hotbed of hostile activity, with the white supremacist Oath Keepers intimidating voters before federal law enforcement got involved. AG Mayes said the images of armed men watching drop boxes “disturbed” her and set her on a path to begin speaking to police and sheriff's departments across the state. Making sure voters feel safe and secure when using a drop box will be a major priority, Mayes said, and if that means making sure that agents with the Attorney General's Office are present alongside law enforcement, then that might be the case. Currently, Mayes has 60 agents working directly with her in the office. Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies had to be dispatched in riot gear to deal with angry and armed crowds of butt-hurt snowflake losers (my term) during the 2020 election, when they descended upon the Maricopa County tabulation center. Deputies have had to dedicate security to election officials who faced threats as well.During the midterms, Maricopa County spent approximately $675,000 on security for the elections, a number the Sheriff expects to be “substantially” higher for the next election as he and his deputies are already preparing for the next wave of threats to election officials, as well as illegal activities around drop boxes. But for AG Mayes, the Arizona Election Integrity Unit can be a force that actually protects voting rights in the state. “We really want to repurpose the Election Integrity Unit to be an arm of the Attorney General's Office that is focused on protecting democracy in Arizona, protecting election officials against the rise of death threats and intimidation against them, and to protect the voting rights of every legally registered Arizonan.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and a group of Democratic lawmakers have introduced a slate of new bills that are meant to reduce health care costs in the state.BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 3, 2023 2:04 PMThe bills would reduce premiums for Colorado Option health insurance plans, lower prescription drug costs and work to increase transparency around the huge profits being made by hospitals.“Saving people money on healthcare has been a top priority for me since Day One, and it's a big challenge,” said Gov. Polis. “We want to pound away on it every year, to find every cost driver and address it, to make sure Coloradans stop having to overpay for prescription drugs, insurance, and the health care that they need.”House Bill 23-1224 would work to improve the Colorado Option, the state-regulated plan offered by private insurers that passed just last year. The bill would make it easier for consumers to compare prices on standardized plans, and empower the state's insurance commissioner to hold carriers accountable for the cost reduction requirements in Colorado Option standardized plans.Another bill, House Bill 23-1225, addresses the state's prescription drug affordability board. It would allow the board to review any number of expensive prescription drugs instead of only a dozen as outlined in the legislation that created the board.The board, which has not yet reviewed the costs of any drugs so far, has the authority to set an upper payment limit if it determines a drug is unaffordable for Coloradans.House Bill 23-1227, would give more oversight power to the state's Division of Insurance over pharmacy benefit managers. “In some cases, PBMs are coming between consumers, health insurance plans, pharmacies and manufacturers while making very, very large profits. PBMs can be a part of the plan to save Coloradans money on prescription drugs, but they have to follow the rules,” Jodeh, one of the bill sponsors, said.Lawmakers highlighted other pieces of health care cost saving legislation:HB23-1226 would enhance current hospital financial transparency reporting in an effort to highlight what is driving up hospital costs in the state.COLORADO SUN: And, Almost four years after becoming the first state to cap insulin copayments, Colorado may limit what consumers pay for epinephrine autoinjectors, also known as EpiPens, which treat serious allergic reactions.In 2007, the wholesale price of a single EpiPen was about $47. Today, two brand-name autoinjectors cost just under $636 at a Walgreens in Denver, according to GoodRx. A proposed state law would cap out-of-pocket copays at $60 for a two-pack of Epi Pens.The bill is part of a nationwide push by states to address the soaring prices of lifesaving drugs. New Hampshire passed a law in 2020 requiring insurance to cover the autoinjectors, and Rhode Island lawmakers are considering a similar measure this year. No state has capped what consumers pay for EpiPens, though the New Jersey Senate passed a bill in June to do so; that measure is pending in the legislature's lower house.state Rep. Iman Jodeh, a bill sponsor, said “The need for EpiPens doesn't discriminate based on who you are. This unfortunate trend we're seeing of lifesaving medication being out of reach for so many people is something we need to end.”In 2019, Colorado became the first state to enact a law that set a $100 limit on monthly copays for insulin, a hormone that regulates the blood sugar of people with diabetes.Since then, 21 other states, plus Washington, D.C., have implemented laws limiting insulin costs. Congress imposed a $35 insulin copay cap for seniors on Medicare, and, in his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden called for expanding this cap to every American.KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.Tagged: Colorado legislature, Colorado politics, EpiPen, Iman Jodeh, insulin, Kaiser Health News, KHN, prescription drug costsAZMIRROR: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples field hearing comes to AZ in MayBY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MARCH 3, 2023 12:27 PM     As part of the U.S. departments of the Interior and Justice's work to combat the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis, the Not Invisible Act Commission will be hosting its first round of field hearing sessions this spring. “In partnership with the Justice Department and with extensive engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders, the Interior Department is marshaling our resources to finally address the crisis of violence against Indigenous peoples,” she added. FROM WORC: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People is an epidemic stemming from over 500 years of colonization that has harmed Indigenous communities across the globe.  For Indigenous women in the United States, this means being amongst the population that is murdered at 10 times the national average. According to the Indian Law Resource Center, more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, and more than half have experienced sexual violence. There is no official statistic regarding how many Indigenous women go missing within the United States, and many families report the same experiences where law enforcement will dismiss a missing loved one's case. In a Montana Public Radio article from 2019, people who had missing loved ones reported that law enforcement officers had told them “that their daughters were drunk or had run away.” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said “This work requires each of us to face our own trauma, to relive unimaginable pain, and visualize a future in which our loved ones are safe, and our communities have closure. We're here for our children, grandchildren, and relatives we have yet to meet.”The Not Invisible Act was signed into law in October 2020. It is the first bill in history to be introduced and passed by four U.S. congressional members who are enrolled in federally recognized tribes. Then- Representative Haaland, one of those four, spearheaded the bill during her time in Congress.At that time she said “A lack of urgency, transparency, and coordination has hampered our country's efforts to combat violence against American Indian and Alaska Native people” The commission established by the Not Invisible Act is a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors. In April, the commission will hold field hearings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Anchorage, Alaska. In June, more hearings are scheduled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, northern California and Albuquerque, New Mexico.  In July, a hearing will be held in Billings, Montana. A national, virtual field hearing is also planned for later in the summer. These field hearings will feature panel discussions and a public comment period. For more information, go to https://www.bia.gov/service/mmuCOLORADO NEWSLINE: Land of the free.BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - MARCH 4, 2023 11:05 AMU.S. Rep. Jason Crow D-Colorado praised the Department of Defense's decision to ensure service members have access to reproductive health care including abortion after he proposed a bill that would have done the same last fall. “After the Supreme Court's extreme and dangerous decision to take away a woman's fundamental right to an abortion, servicemembers struggled to access basic reproductive health care,” Crow said. “I applaud the Department of Defense for moving to protect our servicemembers and mitigate challenges of recruitment, readiness, and retention in the ranks. The servicemembers who fight for us should not have to fight for their own basic health care.”One of Crow's goals was to ensure that service members stationed in states that enacted abortion bans were allowed to travel to states, such as Colorado, where abortion is still legal.A Department of Defense news release said “Our Service members and their families do not control where they are stationed, and due to the nature of military service, are frequently required to travel or move to meet operational requirements. The efforts taken by the Department today will not only ensure that Service members and their families retain the fundamental right to make their own health care decisions, as well as ensuring they're afforded the time and flexibility needed to do so. In response, Rep. Lauren Boebert and fellow Republicans said they plan to maintain their laser focus on the REAL truth behind Hunter Biden's laptop.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Ani DiFranco! It's the 25th anniversary of the excellent album, Little Plastic Castle, originally released in 1998. Ani is doing a run of shows starting March 15 hitting Boulder, Fort Collins, Breckenridge, Salt Lake City, Boise, Bozeman, Missoula and finishing in New Orleans at the FREE French Quarter Music Festival, April 13.Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Kaiser Health News, Colorado Sun, and the Western Organization of Resource Councils at worc.org. Thank you for listening! See you next time.

You may not know it, but the Federal Trade Commission has declared this week National Consumer Protection Week. So, now is the perfect time to speak with Kris Mayes, who was recently voted in as the Arizona Attorney General. Her office is responsible for defending the state against lawsuits and issuing legal advice to state agencies. However, another important role of the Arizona Attorney General is prosecuting consumer fraudsters and protecting Arizonans who have been defrauded by scammers. Mayes joins us on the On Your Side Podcast.

The Arizona Supreme Court doesn't care if Gov. Hobbs pressed "pause" on executions — and Jim Sharpe thinks that's tough for her to swallow because she really wanted to press "stop."  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host: Kevin Smith Dives into the weekly news most impactful to the HeartlandHEADLINESElection deniers face a nationwide wave of pushback MSN - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/election-deniers-face-a-nationwide-wave-of-pushbacks/ar-AA17widQVoices against Republican push to make it harder to amend the Missouri constitution gain conservative support StL Today - https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/gop-bid-to-make-it-harder-to-amend-missouri-constitution-draws-conservative-opposition/article_0a88a4ee-3bf9-5fd4-a0f2-a186f774149a.htmlLIGHTNING ROUNDAlabamaBuild a better catfishOutdoor Life - https://www.outdoorlife.com/fishing/alligator-catfish-hybrid-alabama/?fbclid=IwAR3aRzF2ieI5BLrwpolXdPEQ1tYVXMPdQfVfxqLubGtRDxr-IKTHzvlucGE&mibextid=Zxz2cZKentuckyTrigger ban on abortion to remain in effect. Lexington Herald Leader - https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article272525366.htmlIowa Asset limit for SNAPIowa Capital Dispatch - https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/02/15/bill-could-make-iowans-with-cars-savings-ineligible-for-snap-medicaid/KansasLegislators seek to erase trans peoples legally.PBS - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/kansas-push-to-define-sex-decried-as-erasing-transgender-peopleGOP disdain for small governmentKansas Reflector - https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/15/kansas-cities-push-back-against-house-bill-nullifying-local-anti-discrimination-ordinances/MissouriRockwood fires back against racist parent. KMOX - https://www.audacy.com/kmox/articles/news/school-responds-to-complaint-about-book-on-black-astronautBlack leaders rally.AP - https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-st-louis-missouri-813d91d638a6822fdfbeb613ea523f53Missouri's Don't Say Gay Law ABC - https://abcnews.go.com/US/new-missouri-bill-takes-dont-gay-law/story?id=96977642OklahomaParental Rights still at stake post Marriage Equality The 19th - https://19thnews.org/2023/02/oklahoma-judge-parental-rights-lgbtq-same-sex-marriage/South CarolinaNikki Haley shows love for neo-confederates.Meidas Touch - https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1625639934999797760

Host: Kevin Smith Dives into the weekly news most impactful to the HeartlandHEADLINESElection deniers face a nationwide wave of pushback MSN - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/election-deniers-face-a-nationwide-wave-of-pushbacks/ar-AA17widQVoices against Republican push to make it harder to amend the Missouri constitution gain conservative support StL Today - https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/gop-bid-to-make-it-harder-to-amend-missouri-constitution-draws-conservative-opposition/article_0a88a4ee-3bf9-5fd4-a0f2-a186f774149a.htmlLIGHTNING ROUNDAlabamaBuild a better catfishOutdoor Life - https://www.outdoorlife.com/fishing/alligator-catfish-hybrid-alabama/?fbclid=IwAR3aRzF2ieI5BLrwpolXdPEQ1tYVXMPdQfVfxqLubGtRDxr-IKTHzvlucGE&mibextid=Zxz2cZKentuckyTrigger ban on abortion to remain in effect. Lexington Herald Leader - https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article272525366.htmlIowa Asset limit for SNAPIowa Capital Dispatch - https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/02/15/bill-could-make-iowans-with-cars-savings-ineligible-for-snap-medicaid/KansasLegislators seek to erase trans peoples legally.PBS - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/kansas-push-to-define-sex-decried-as-erasing-transgender-peopleGOP disdain for small governmentKansas Reflector - https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/15/kansas-cities-push-back-against-house-bill-nullifying-local-anti-discrimination-ordinances/MissouriRockwood fires back against racist parent. KMOX - https://www.audacy.com/kmox/articles/news/school-responds-to-complaint-about-book-on-black-astronautBlack leaders rally.AP - https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-st-louis-missouri-813d91d638a6822fdfbeb613ea523f53Missouri's Don't Say Gay Law ABC - https://abcnews.go.com/US/new-missouri-bill-takes-dont-gay-law/story?id=96977642OklahomaParental Rights still at stake post Marriage Equality The 19th - https://19thnews.org/2023/02/oklahoma-judge-parental-rights-lgbtq-same-sex-marriage/South CarolinaNikki Haley shows love for neo-confederates.Meidas Touch - https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1625639934999797760

Drive in with The Morning Ritual weekday mornings on KNST AM790 Jen Wright is part of Abe Hamadeh's legal team and talks about how Maricopa County finally let Abe's legal team go to the Recorder's office to scan ballot images and look at adjudication logs but a county employee kicked them out after only an hour. That is against the law. The county gave this info to Kris Mayes days after the election.

Newly Elected Attorney General Kris Mayes joins Mike O'Neil on The Think Tank to discuss new policy changes to Arizona.   TIMESTAMPS:SEG1 - 0:00SEG 2 - 9:03SEG 3 - 17:22SEG 4 - 30:33See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Attorney General Mayes joins Mike to discuss the Transaction Record Analysis Center, Super Bowl security and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electric utilities are falling short on climate action. To explain why, we're bringing back our season one finale. This episode features former utilities regulator Kris Mayes, who recently won a nail-biting election to become the second woman and first openly LGBTQ attorney general of Arizona. Go, Kris! Since season one, Leah has been busy investigating utilities' past and present role spreading climate denial, doubt, and delay. You can read the paper she co-wrote on the topic last fall, and discover the dirty truth about your electric utility and their climate plans in the report she released with Sierra Club. Spoiler alert, Arizona Public Service is one of the top offenders. We can't wait to share the whole sordid tale with you one more time… In 2013, a series of attack ads blitzed television sets across Arizona. They warned of a dire threat to senior citizens. Who was the villain? Solar energy. These ads came from front groups funded by Arizona Public Service, the state's largest utility. It was part of a years-long fight against rooftop solar that turned ugly. “I mean, for Star Wars fans, APS became the Darth Vader of electric utilities in America. I mean, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a utility that behaved as badly as APS did in the last decade,” explains former regulator Kris Mayes. But APS isn't alone. It's a prime example of how monopoly utilities abuse their power to influence regulatory decisions and slow clean-energy progress. What happens if your electric utility starts doing things you don't agree with? What if they start attacking solar and proposing to build more and more fossil gas plants? What if they actively resist clean energy progress? Well, you don't get a choice. You have to buy electricity, and you have to buy it from them. As a customer you're funding that.  In this episode, we'll detail how it happened in Arizona – and how public pressure forced APS to come clean. Featured in this episode: Ryan Randazzo, Kris Mayes, David Pomerantz. 

Kris Mayes explains why she has paused executions in Arizona. Have we been doing them wrong?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Arizona Republic is under the microscope based on their reporting about actions that took place under new AZ Attorney general Kris Mayes.

Gas lighting has become a mainstay of establishment politics. If you don't like gas prices then buy an electric car says Pete Buttigieg, US Secretary of Transportation - that way you “never have to worry about gas prices again.” This is the same Pete who was dropped off with his bike from an SUV for a photo-op suggesting he rode to work. If inflation is too high and the cost of living, including gas, is beyond what you can afford then, as Stacey Abrams who ran for Governor of Georgia suggested, have an abortion. After all, “having children is why you are worried about the price of gas.” This is the same Abrams who would not concede her loss, just like Hillary Clinton. President Biden had simpler advice on inflation, though, just buy generic cereal. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York said something similar, just eat Chef Boyardee. But even so, the idea of inflation, which is at a forty year high, may just be a made-up thing anyway. It doesn't exist. As Joy Reed of MSNBC said, it's “not part of the normal lexicon of the way people talk… they've been taught.”
 
Donald Trump has been used in the same way, as a tool of gas lighting and as a pulse to determine political opinion. He is the 100 Flowers President and a symbol of a modern day Operation Trust. Take note: Donald Trump was accused of colluding with Russia to rig a Presidential election, putting our National Security at risk, acting like a dictator, extorting Ukraine, and on August 8, 2022, he became the victim as a former President of a politically motivated FBI raid on his Florida residence Mar-a-Lago over supposedly classified documents. 

However, it was actually the Clintons who brokered backdoor deals with the Russians - Uranium 1 - and it was Hillary Clinton who ran an unprotected server with sensitive information, including emails. It was also Joe Biden, and his supporters, who began their power trip with mountains of executive orders and calls to disband Congressional procedure and ignore Supreme Court Rulings, or pack the court. Turns out it was actually President Joe Biden, on video, who admitted he threatened Ukraine that if they did not fire a prosecutor investigating his criminal, crackhead son, they would not be getting a billion dollar aid package. Furthermore, Joe Biden is on tape in 2016 telling the former Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, to keep the money tight so that incoming President Trump won't figure out what is happening. 

So what is happening here? Now we see that the pattern and plot thickens. We just learned that as Vice President, Joe Biden was keeping, illegally, classified documents at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. This is the same University of Penn that received millions in CCP donations - $3 in 2020 and a total of $258 from China, Saudi Arabia, and other foreign countries. 

Not only did the same intelligence/government apparatus illegally spy on an incoming President in 2016, but virtually every government agency, politically corrupt official, and corporation, was using social media giants like Twitter as their personal censor. Requests poured into Twitter and Facebook from the incoming Biden team to censor the Hunter Biden laptop story, as confirmed by Mark Zuckerberg himself. Requests came from everyone from Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs to Dr Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, now sitting board member of Pfizer. Censor political options and censor information contrary to the propaganda of multi-national corporations. Another report form the San Francisco Standard just unveiled that countless Doctors on social media promoting by LGBTQ rhetoric and pandemic mitigation were actually fake accounts. The White House also used Facebook as an official censor, blatantly telling the company: “We are gravely concerned that your service is one of the top drivers of vaccine hesitancy - period.” This included an attempt at censoring a viral video posted by Fox news broadcaster Tucker Carlson about adverse events of the Covid vaccine. The response: “Regardless of popularity, the Tucker Carlson video does not qualify for removal under our policies. Following the government's decision yesterday, we are allowing claims that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine causes blood clots, but we still do not allow categorical claims that it or other vaccines are unsafe or ineffective,” Facebook wrote to former Biden White House senior advisor for Covid-19 response Andy Slavitt. Going even further, they demanded Facebook do the same pertaining to any information about January 6, which they said was “plotted, in large part, by your platform.” 



We have watched how hundreds of billions of US tax dollars, and money that doesn't exist, which greatly contributes to inflation, have been shipped overseas to a country that has had intimate, shady, and treasonous, business ties with the President and his family - i.e. Ukraine. We watched how that money supported ‘fighting tactics' - such as setting up military equipment next to ‘schools and hospitals' - that according to Amnesty International ‘endanger civilians'. Then we watched that money pour back into the United States, largely to Democrats and the President, but also to Republicans, in a monumental money laundering operation run by Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX. We continue to watch the political establishment of America that should be concerned with our boarder, our people, our defence, our flag, etc., neglect such things in favor of protecting a border and people on the other side of the world, while flying their flag, even when it is clear that Ukraine is run by a dictator who has stripped away ‘rights' of publishing, press, free speech, and religion, in a war that is a losing proposition no matter how morally fought. 


Watching Zelensky (or Zelenskyy - a spelling that changes like the pronunciation of Kiev and Kyiv) literally meet with Hollywood actors, celebrities, etc., in the middle of a war, reminds us of President Joe Biden literally conducting staged events at a fake White House set. Watching Zelensky and his Nazi Azov march into our Capitol and demand money is shocking to say the least, calling it an investment. It is not an investment in anything except the military industrial complex, the Democratic Party, poverty, starvation, and global conflict. 


The entirety of human civilization is so fractured that breathing wrong can be seen as an aggressive action deserving of prison time. Opposition and free thought are no longer allowed anywhere under any circumstance. Earlier in 2022 President Joe Biden infamously stated that republicans opposed to his agenda were fascists. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre went further, stating the if you don't think like the majority then you are an extremist, despite the fact that Biden's approval rating is below 40%. 

Recently we have seen both representative Dan Crenshaw and Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade continue this rhetoric. The 20 Republicans refusing to support Kevin McCarthy for speaker were called terrorists, saboteurs, and insurrectionists. 

The new Secretary of State for Arizona, the drug cartel attorney Adrain Fontes, who claimed he'd work for all Arizonians, is also now claiming we must protect our elections from ‘Maga Fascists'. The new Attorney General in Arizona, Kris Mayes, seconded that by stating ‘we have to remain vigilant' in order to protect democracy. Any question of election tampering, rigging, manipulation, etc., is seen as worse than raping a child. Even in Brazil where convicted criminal, and therefore disqualified candidate, Luiz Lula da Silva, won the presidency over Jair Bolsonaro, the people have been protesting non-stop over what they know was a rigged election. Protest over the weekend involved mobs entering the grounds of the Brazilian government peacefully. The New York Times obviously compared this to January 6, 2021, conveniently since it happened on the weekend anniversary, suggesting that the two events were cut from the same cloth. Invocations of January 6 imply what that event has been used to invoke, the holocaust, Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, etc. All of this while ignoring Ray Epps, who texted his nephew that morning stating: “I was in the front with a few others. I also orchestrated it.” Want proof, just listen and watch the videos where he is literally orchestrating the organization of marching capitol while Trump supporters claim he is a FED. 

Meanwhile in Mexico a civil war has broken out and remnants of it are beginning to pour across the southern boarder. Not only is this a reality denied by so many, but when President Joe Biden recently visited El Paso, Texas, the streets were cleaned up quickly to cultivate the appearance of a functioning city. 


What this tells us is that homelessness, drugs, violence, crime, border issues, supply chain problems and power outages (including open sabotage), are all easy problems to fix. They only persist because they benefit the people in power. 
((all clips played in this show are archived herein - some are hard to find and, if desired, should be shared with the show to as many people as possible))

Drive in with The Morning Ritual weekday mornings on KNST AM790 Jen Wright was the Assistant Attorney General under Mark Brnovich and ran the civil division of the Election Integrity Unit. Wright talks about Kris Mayes' office lying about how she left her job, Abe Hamadeh's lawsuit and Kari Lake's trial and appeal.

Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: NEVADA CURRENT:Get insurance while the gettin' is goodOpen enrollment for health insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act in Nevada, and nationwide for that matter, ends on Jan 15. It's anticipated to be the largest enrollment in the state's history.Across the U.S. nearly three in four people enrolled through the marketplace receive health care coverage that's subsidized — the highest rate since the ACA was implemented.A Biden administration spokesperson said “Nevada Health Link had a record-setting enrollment last year and with the expanded help of the Inflation Reduction Act, and we look forward to even more Nevadans finding quality, affordable health care for 2023,”  In 2022, enrollment hit record highs nationally and in Nevada, when 101,411 people signed up for coverage during open enrollment in the state, aided by subsidy enhancements in the American Rescue Plan Act. Those savings amount to an average of $4,494 for a middle-class family of four in Nevada.“The more enrolled we see, the healthier Nevada is,” said Katie Charleson, the communications officer at Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.But while more people are getting access to health care than ever before, systemic barriers are still making it harder for some populations to get coverage. Americans who have a high school education or less, are Hispanic, live in rural areas, or lack internet access at home are disproportionately underrepresented in the subsidized marketplace plans despite being eligible, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.For individuals who get enrolled in January, your coverage will begin February 1st, go to healthcare.gov to get insured. SOURCE NM:Congress green-lights NM plan to further tap the land grant fund for public educationA few lines in the 4,000-page budget bill recently signed by President Biden will mean hundreds of millions more in funding for New Mexico's public school students each year. Last year, voters in N.M. overwhelmingly approved pulling an additional 1.25% from the state's multi-billion dollar Land Grant Permanent Fund, for education, each year. But because the fund was initially set up by Congress back when New Mexico first became a state, the shift in funds required Congress to sign off.In the next fiscal year in New Mexico, over $200 million will be disbursed out of a pool of money that's fed by revenue from oil, gas and mineral extraction on state-owned lands. Over half of the funds are destined for the state's early childhood education system, as it hires more staff and works to reach all corners of the state, providing free or low-cost child care and pre-kindergarten schooling.  U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said “When we improve our education and child care system, we also make our state a better place to raise a family, to start or expand a business, to find a good-paying job, and to hire the best and brightest employees,”The rest of the fresh funding will go to K-12 public education, beefing up instruction for students who are at-risk, making the school year longer and paying teachers better.Advocates say infusing public education with much-needed resources will go a long way toward putting New Mexico into compliance with a court order to provide equitable education to all of the state's students, including those who are Indigenous, come from families with low incomes, have disabilities, or who are learning English.  according to the judge's ruling in the Yazzie-Martinez case, Those students have historically not received the quality of education they have a right to under the New Mexico ConstitutionThe effort to further tap the oil and gas funds for public schools in New Mexico has spanned years. With President Biden's approval, it will finally cross the finish line.COLORADO NEWSLINE:Trump attorney Jenna Ellis of Colorado under investigation for alleged misconduct.Jenna Ellis, the Colorado attorney who represented former President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn the 2020 election, is under investigation by the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.Ellis has been the target of formal complaints regarding what critics characterized as her professional misconduct connected to Trump's effort to reverse the results of a free and fair election. In May a complaint from the States United Democracy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, asked Colorado Attorney Regulation Counsel Jessica Yates to investigate Ellis for multiple alleged violations of professional rules and impose possible “substantial professional discipline.”In the final report of the U.S. House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, Ellis is described as the deputy to Trump campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani, The complaint says “Ellis made numerous public misrepresentations alleging fraud in the election — even as federal and state election officials repeatedly found that no fraud had occurred that could have altered the outcome and even as Mr. Trump and his allies brought and lost over 60 lawsuits claiming election fraud or illegality.”Among the many alleged instances of misconduct the complaint cites, it notes that Ellis urged lawmakers in various swing states to intervene on Trump's behalf and even certify false electors for Trump, and it says she drafted dishonest memos purporting to give legal rationale for then-Vice President Mike Pence to block the congressional electoral count on Jan. 6, 2021. In a deposition Ellis gave to the Jan. 6 committee in March, a transcript of which the committee released this week, she indicates that Colorado is the only state where she has bar membership. During the deposition a questioner referred to a $22,500 invoice Ellis submitted to Trump for work she performed in December 2020 and January 2021. Ellis invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to answer whether she received payment.CHALKBEAT COLORADO:How to fund Colorado schools in ways that reflect student needs. How to open college opportunities to more students. How to narrow pandemic learning gaps, especially in math.When Colorado lawmakers convene Jan. 9, they'll have pressing education issues to address, competing needs to balance, and a tricky budget to navigate.Expect bills that seek to address youth mental health, school safety, and teacher shortages. Lawmakers could find bipartisan agreement on efforts to improve math instruction and better connect higher education and job opportunities. But debates over rewriting the school finance formula and overhauling the school accountability system could divide Democrats.For a fifth session, Democrats will control both chambers and the governor's office. They grew their majorities in November's election. The Colorado General Assembly will be full of new members, many from the progressive wing of the party, potentially introducing new political dynamics.At the same time, lawmakers with a long history of engagement on education issues have moved into leadership positions. Members of a special committee on school finance, for example, now lead the House Democrats, the Senate Republicans, and the powerful Joint Budget Committee. The House Education Committee has at least four former teachers, a former school board member, and members with experience in mental health and higher education administration.Colorado economists expect the state to have more money in its 2023-24 budget, but inflation will play an outsize role controlling spending. And the risk of a recession could diminish revenue. Questions of short-term uncertainty and long-term sustainability will affect K-12 and higher education.Here are seven issues we'll be watching in the 2023 legislative session:Is this the year? The interim committee on school finance has been trying for five years to rewrite a decades-old school finance formula that nearly everyone agrees is unfair.The current formula sometimes sends more money to well-off districts than to ones serving more students in poverty, and no school district wants to get less than they get now. Bret Miles, head of the Colorado Association of School Executives, said his members would object to a formula rewrite that “takes from one school district to give it to another.”State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, chair of the Joint Budget Committee, said one of her priorities will be developing a “hold-harmless” provision for the new formula. Fewer students and higher local property tax revenues take some pressure off state education funding obligations. Lawmakers could use that cushion, she said, then phase in a new formula to ensure no district gets less than it does now.Brenda Dickhoner, president and CEO of the conservative education advocacy group Ready Colorado, expects Republicans to push their own priorities for school finance, which means more focus on money following students and less concern for the impact on district budgets.Dickhoner said she hopes all sides are “at the table thinking about how we can more equitably fund our students and really get to a student-focused formula.”State and national test data show that students' math skills took a bigger hit from pandemic learning disruptions than did reading. Right now, Colorado doesn't have the tools to address it.House Education Chair Barbara McLachlan said she's working with Gov. Jared Polis' office on legislation that would better train teachers on best practices in math instruction and make training available to parents so they can better support their children.In his November budget letter, Polis called on lawmakers to ensure that every school district adopts high-quality instructional materials and training and gets all students back on track in math.How to improve math skills also remains a priority for conservatives. Dickhoner said her organization is looking to higher-performing states for ideas.The push comes after years of intense focus on improving reading scores. Expect the debate over the math bills to mirror ones about reading instruction, including how much the state should be involved in setting curriculum.Last year Colorado flirted with fully funding its K-12 system after years of holding back money for other budget priorities. But a last-minute deal to reduce property tax increases would have reduced state revenues, and Democrat lawmakers held back.Getting more funding for schools is always a top priority for the Colorado Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, but wiping out the withholding known as the budget stabilization factor and fully funding Colorado schools are unlikely to happen this year.Colorado will have less money overall after voters approved two ballot measures — one lowering the income tax rate and the other setting aside money for affordable housing. That shouldn't cut into budgetary spending, but will reduce the buffer the state has in case of an emergency.Zenzinger said it's important to increase K-12 spending and that lawmakers hope to do better than the $9.1 billion proposed by Polis in his budget recommendation.But budget writers also have their eye on long-term sustainability and any future recession.The picture is different for higher education, which has to fight for scraps. Polis wants to increase university budgets and financial aid by 6.8%. Schools are expected to make a case for more funding, especially to keep tuition low and because inflation exceeds that.Metropolitan State University of Denver President Janine Davidson said the school will seek more investment from lawmakers. Programs to help students from low-income backgrounds or who are the first to go to college in their family are costly, she said. And the state funds schools with a lower share than it did 30 years ago.Lawmakers also may address how to ensure students can get to and stay in college.Elaine Berman, Colorado Trustees Network chair, said college board members want more support for students who need skills or credentials for in-demand jobs. School trustees want more funds to build partnerships with businesses and communities to better connect college degrees to jobs, she said.Lawmakers also may explore how to make it easier for students to get college and workforce skills earlier, including extending opportunities in college and vocational schools.The Colorado Community College System also wants more college options for incarcerated people. The federal government will begin to allow those students access to federal grants, and the system wants the state to prepare for the changes. It's also a priority for Representative-elect Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, who led Adams State University's prison education program.“I think it's time that we really boost up education for this population,” Martinez said.Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Higher Education has a small agenda starting with removing military draft questions from college enrollment applications, which colleges report stops some students from enrolling.Advocacy groups plan to ask lawmakers to make filling out the FAFSA a requirement to graduate. That's the federal application for financial aid, and each year Colorado students who don't finish the form leave behind almost $30 million in federal grants. Plus students who fill out the FAFSA are more likely to go to college, according to research.“We want to make sure that we get it right,” said Kyra DeGruy Kennedy, Rocky Mountain region director for the advocacy group Young Invincibles. “And so if that means we have to wait another year, we'll totally wait another year, but we are hopeful that this is a year that we'll be able to make some progress on it.”The top priority of CASE, the school executives group, is convening a task force to consider changes to the school accountability system. They will press this even though a recent audit found that the system is largely “reasonable and appropriate” and that most schools receiving state intervention improve.Miles said the system still hurts school districts that receive low ratings called turnaround and priority improvement, even if the intentions are good.“It's terrific that they make a difference,” he said of the state teams that work with schools with low test scores. “It doesn't change the fact that it's harder to hire in a turnaround school than a performance school” — the schools that meet state academic goals.Jen Walmer, state director of Democrats for Education Reform, said she expects any reform to be contentious, with debate about the makeup of the task force and the scope of its work — as well as whether Colorado needs a change at all.ARIZONA MIRROR:Katie Hobbs officially became Arizona's governor on Monday, ushering in a new set of priorities and vision for the state and setting the stage for contentious battles with the GOP-controlled legislature.She was administered the oath of office by Roopali Desai, a friend and former attorney who became a federal judge in 2022. Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel administered the oaths of office for Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Democratic Attorney General Kris MayesThe ascension of Hobbs to governor and the victories of Fontes and Mayes marks the first time since 1975 that Democrats have controlled the top three statewide posts. With it comes a new approach to governing that was immediately on display.Just hours after taking the oath of office, Hobbs issued an executive order prohibiting employment discrimination in state agencies and requiring them to adopt anti-discrimination policies. By contrast, when Ducey assumed office in 2015, his first action was an executive order aimed at making it more difficult for state agencies to create regulations.Hobbs campaigned on protecting abortion rights, funding public schools and making permanent programs like a child tax credit that would disproportionately benefit low- and middle-income families. “Today marks a new era in Arizona, where my Administration will work to build an Arizona for everyone,” Hobbs said in a written statement after being sworn in. “It's time for bold action and I feel ready as ever to get the job done. Let's get to work.”A public inauguration ceremony will be held at the state Capitol on Jan. 5.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK:Colter Wall, playing the Mission Ballroom in Denver, two nights, Thursday and Friday January 19th and 20th. Colter Wall and his music are from the prairies of southern Saskatchewan, where he lives and raises cattle. He sings traditionals known to most, historic reverie, and poignant originals, sure to be raising both goosebumps and beers throughout the evening.His tour kicks off a month-long tour with 3 dates in Ft Worth and New Braunfels Texas next week, then  Denver, Tulsa, OKC, St Louis, Memphis, Fayetteville AR, back to Dallas and finishing in Houston on Friday February 18. Colterwall.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, Chalkbeat Colorado, Arizona Mirror and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: NEVADA CURRENT:Get insurance while the gettin' is goodOpen enrollment for health insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act in Nevada, and nationwide for that matter, ends on Jan 15. It's anticipated to be the largest enrollment in the state's history.Across the U.S. nearly three in four people enrolled through the marketplace receive health care coverage that's subsidized — the highest rate since the ACA was implemented.A Biden administration spokesperson said “Nevada Health Link had a record-setting enrollment last year and with the expanded help of the Inflation Reduction Act, and we look forward to even more Nevadans finding quality, affordable health care for 2023,”  In 2022, enrollment hit record highs nationally and in Nevada, when 101,411 people signed up for coverage during open enrollment in the state, aided by subsidy enhancements in the American Rescue Plan Act. Those savings amount to an average of $4,494 for a middle-class family of four in Nevada.“The more enrolled we see, the healthier Nevada is,” said Katie Charleson, the communications officer at Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.But while more people are getting access to health care than ever before, systemic barriers are still making it harder for some populations to get coverage. Americans who have a high school education or less, are Hispanic, live in rural areas, or lack internet access at home are disproportionately underrepresented in the subsidized marketplace plans despite being eligible, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.For individuals who get enrolled in January, your coverage will begin February 1st, go to healthcare.gov to get insured. SOURCE NM:Congress green-lights NM plan to further tap the land grant fund for public educationA few lines in the 4,000-page budget bill recently signed by President Biden will mean hundreds of millions more in funding for New Mexico's public school students each year. Last year, voters in N.M. overwhelmingly approved pulling an additional 1.25% from the state's multi-billion dollar Land Grant Permanent Fund, for education, each year. But because the fund was initially set up by Congress back when New Mexico first became a state, the shift in funds required Congress to sign off.In the next fiscal year in New Mexico, over $200 million will be disbursed out of a pool of money that's fed by revenue from oil, gas and mineral extraction on state-owned lands. Over half of the funds are destined for the state's early childhood education system, as it hires more staff and works to reach all corners of the state, providing free or low-cost child care and pre-kindergarten schooling.  U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said “When we improve our education and child care system, we also make our state a better place to raise a family, to start or expand a business, to find a good-paying job, and to hire the best and brightest employees,”The rest of the fresh funding will go to K-12 public education, beefing up instruction for students who are at-risk, making the school year longer and paying teachers better.Advocates say infusing public education with much-needed resources will go a long way toward putting New Mexico into compliance with a court order to provide equitable education to all of the state's students, including those who are Indigenous, come from families with low incomes, have disabilities, or who are learning English.  according to the judge's ruling in the Yazzie-Martinez case, Those students have historically not received the quality of education they have a right to under the New Mexico ConstitutionThe effort to further tap the oil and gas funds for public schools in New Mexico has spanned years. With President Biden's approval, it will finally cross the finish line.COLORADO NEWSLINE:Trump attorney Jenna Ellis of Colorado under investigation for alleged misconduct.Jenna Ellis, the Colorado attorney who represented former President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn the 2020 election, is under investigation by the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.Ellis has been the target of formal complaints regarding what critics characterized as her professional misconduct connected to Trump's effort to reverse the results of a free and fair election. In May a complaint from the States United Democracy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, asked Colorado Attorney Regulation Counsel Jessica Yates to investigate Ellis for multiple alleged violations of professional rules and impose possible “substantial professional discipline.”In the final report of the U.S. House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, Ellis is described as the deputy to Trump campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani, The complaint says “Ellis made numerous public misrepresentations alleging fraud in the election — even as federal and state election officials repeatedly found that no fraud had occurred that could have altered the outcome and even as Mr. Trump and his allies brought and lost over 60 lawsuits claiming election fraud or illegality.”Among the many alleged instances of misconduct the complaint cites, it notes that Ellis urged lawmakers in various swing states to intervene on Trump's behalf and even certify false electors for Trump, and it says she drafted dishonest memos purporting to give legal rationale for then-Vice President Mike Pence to block the congressional electoral count on Jan. 6, 2021. In a deposition Ellis gave to the Jan. 6 committee in March, a transcript of which the committee released this week, she indicates that Colorado is the only state where she has bar membership. During the deposition a questioner referred to a $22,500 invoice Ellis submitted to Trump for work she performed in December 2020 and January 2021. Ellis invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to answer whether she received payment.CHALKBEAT COLORADO:How to fund Colorado schools in ways that reflect student needs. How to open college opportunities to more students. How to narrow pandemic learning gaps, especially in math.When Colorado lawmakers convene Jan. 9, they'll have pressing education issues to address, competing needs to balance, and a tricky budget to navigate.Expect bills that seek to address youth mental health, school safety, and teacher shortages. Lawmakers could find bipartisan agreement on efforts to improve math instruction and better connect higher education and job opportunities. But debates over rewriting the school finance formula and overhauling the school accountability system could divide Democrats.For a fifth session, Democrats will control both chambers and the governor's office. They grew their majorities in November's election. The Colorado General Assembly will be full of new members, many from the progressive wing of the party, potentially introducing new political dynamics.At the same time, lawmakers with a long history of engagement on education issues have moved into leadership positions. Members of a special committee on school finance, for example, now lead the House Democrats, the Senate Republicans, and the powerful Joint Budget Committee. The House Education Committee has at least four former teachers, a former school board member, and members with experience in mental health and higher education administration.Colorado economists expect the state to have more money in its 2023-24 budget, but inflation will play an outsize role controlling spending. And the risk of a recession could diminish revenue. Questions of short-term uncertainty and long-term sustainability will affect K-12 and higher education.Here are seven issues we'll be watching in the 2023 legislative session:Is this the year? The interim committee on school finance has been trying for five years to rewrite a decades-old school finance formula that nearly everyone agrees is unfair.The current formula sometimes sends more money to well-off districts than to ones serving more students in poverty, and no school district wants to get less than they get now. Bret Miles, head of the Colorado Association of School Executives, said his members would object to a formula rewrite that “takes from one school district to give it to another.”State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, chair of the Joint Budget Committee, said one of her priorities will be developing a “hold-harmless” provision for the new formula. Fewer students and higher local property tax revenues take some pressure off state education funding obligations. Lawmakers could use that cushion, she said, then phase in a new formula to ensure no district gets less than it does now.Brenda Dickhoner, president and CEO of the conservative education advocacy group Ready Colorado, expects Republicans to push their own priorities for school finance, which means more focus on money following students and less concern for the impact on district budgets.Dickhoner said she hopes all sides are “at the table thinking about how we can more equitably fund our students and really get to a student-focused formula.”State and national test data show that students' math skills took a bigger hit from pandemic learning disruptions than did reading. Right now, Colorado doesn't have the tools to address it.House Education Chair Barbara McLachlan said she's working with Gov. Jared Polis' office on legislation that would better train teachers on best practices in math instruction and make training available to parents so they can better support their children.In his November budget letter, Polis called on lawmakers to ensure that every school district adopts high-quality instructional materials and training and gets all students back on track in math.How to improve math skills also remains a priority for conservatives. Dickhoner said her organization is looking to higher-performing states for ideas.The push comes after years of intense focus on improving reading scores. Expect the debate over the math bills to mirror ones about reading instruction, including how much the state should be involved in setting curriculum.Last year Colorado flirted with fully funding its K-12 system after years of holding back money for other budget priorities. But a last-minute deal to reduce property tax increases would have reduced state revenues, and Democrat lawmakers held back.Getting more funding for schools is always a top priority for the Colorado Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, but wiping out the withholding known as the budget stabilization factor and fully funding Colorado schools are unlikely to happen this year.Colorado will have less money overall after voters approved two ballot measures — one lowering the income tax rate and the other setting aside money for affordable housing. That shouldn't cut into budgetary spending, but will reduce the buffer the state has in case of an emergency.Zenzinger said it's important to increase K-12 spending and that lawmakers hope to do better than the $9.1 billion proposed by Polis in his budget recommendation.But budget writers also have their eye on long-term sustainability and any future recession.The picture is different for higher education, which has to fight for scraps. Polis wants to increase university budgets and financial aid by 6.8%. Schools are expected to make a case for more funding, especially to keep tuition low and because inflation exceeds that.Metropolitan State University of Denver President Janine Davidson said the school will seek more investment from lawmakers. Programs to help students from low-income backgrounds or who are the first to go to college in their family are costly, she said. And the state funds schools with a lower share than it did 30 years ago.Lawmakers also may address how to ensure students can get to and stay in college.Elaine Berman, Colorado Trustees Network chair, said college board members want more support for students who need skills or credentials for in-demand jobs. School trustees want more funds to build partnerships with businesses and communities to better connect college degrees to jobs, she said.Lawmakers also may explore how to make it easier for students to get college and workforce skills earlier, including extending opportunities in college and vocational schools.The Colorado Community College System also wants more college options for incarcerated people. The federal government will begin to allow those students access to federal grants, and the system wants the state to prepare for the changes. It's also a priority for Representative-elect Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, who led Adams State University's prison education program.“I think it's time that we really boost up education for this population,” Martinez said.Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Higher Education has a small agenda starting with removing military draft questions from college enrollment applications, which colleges report stops some students from enrolling.Advocacy groups plan to ask lawmakers to make filling out the FAFSA a requirement to graduate. That's the federal application for financial aid, and each year Colorado students who don't finish the form leave behind almost $30 million in federal grants. Plus students who fill out the FAFSA are more likely to go to college, according to research.“We want to make sure that we get it right,” said Kyra DeGruy Kennedy, Rocky Mountain region director for the advocacy group Young Invincibles. “And so if that means we have to wait another year, we'll totally wait another year, but we are hopeful that this is a year that we'll be able to make some progress on it.”The top priority of CASE, the school executives group, is convening a task force to consider changes to the school accountability system. They will press this even though a recent audit found that the system is largely “reasonable and appropriate” and that most schools receiving state intervention improve.Miles said the system still hurts school districts that receive low ratings called turnaround and priority improvement, even if the intentions are good.“It's terrific that they make a difference,” he said of the state teams that work with schools with low test scores. “It doesn't change the fact that it's harder to hire in a turnaround school than a performance school” — the schools that meet state academic goals.Jen Walmer, state director of Democrats for Education Reform, said she expects any reform to be contentious, with debate about the makeup of the task force and the scope of its work — as well as whether Colorado needs a change at all.ARIZONA MIRROR:Katie Hobbs officially became Arizona's governor on Monday, ushering in a new set of priorities and vision for the state and setting the stage for contentious battles with the GOP-controlled legislature.She was administered the oath of office by Roopali Desai, a friend and former attorney who became a federal judge in 2022. Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel administered the oaths of office for Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Democratic Attorney General Kris MayesThe ascension of Hobbs to governor and the victories of Fontes and Mayes marks the first time since 1975 that Democrats have controlled the top three statewide posts. With it comes a new approach to governing that was immediately on display.Just hours after taking the oath of office, Hobbs issued an executive order prohibiting employment discrimination in state agencies and requiring them to adopt anti-discrimination policies. By contrast, when Ducey assumed office in 2015, his first action was an executive order aimed at making it more difficult for state agencies to create regulations.Hobbs campaigned on protecting abortion rights, funding public schools and making permanent programs like a child tax credit that would disproportionately benefit low- and middle-income families. “Today marks a new era in Arizona, where my Administration will work to build an Arizona for everyone,” Hobbs said in a written statement after being sworn in. “It's time for bold action and I feel ready as ever to get the job done. Let's get to work.”A public inauguration ceremony will be held at the state Capitol on Jan. 5.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK:Colter Wall, playing the Mission Ballroom in Denver, two nights, Thursday and Friday January 19th and 20th. Colter Wall and his music are from the prairies of southern Saskatchewan, where he lives and raises cattle. He sings traditionals known to most, historic reverie, and poignant originals, sure to be raising both goosebumps and beers throughout the evening.His tour kicks off a month-long tour with 3 dates in Ft Worth and New Braunfels Texas next week, then  Denver, Tulsa, OKC, St Louis, Memphis, Fayetteville AR, back to Dallas and finishing in Houston on Friday February 18. Colterwall.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, Chalkbeat Colorado, Arizona Mirror and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Chris Merrill, filling in for Mike Broomhead, discusses the breaking news of Maricopa Count Superior Court confirming Arizona's recount elections. Plus, KTAR's Barry Markson joins Chris to discuss the news and how recounts can affect voters perceptions of elections.  TIMESTAMPS:SEG 1- 0:00SEG 2 - 12:23SEG 3 - 15:57SEG 4 - 25:52See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Merrill, filling in for Mike Broomhead, is joined by KTAR political expert, Mike O'Neil, to discuss Kris Mayes and Tom Horne's wins in the state recount elections. Plus. Scottsdale police warning about ticketing scams, the state's minimum wage is going up in 2023, and following up on yesterdays New Years' predictions.  TIMESTAMPS:SEG 1- 0:00SEG 2 - 11:54SEG 3 - 15:49SEG 4 - 25:22See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan Barr, the attorney representing Katie Hobbs and Kris Mayes in their election court cases, joins Barry Markson filling in for Mike Broomhead, to discuss the lack of evidence against the newly elected politicians and why the judges put in place such a fast turnaround for the cases. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barry Markson, filling in for Mike Broomhead, talks with Kris Mayes, Arizona's attorney general-elect, on her staff's priorities for the job. Then, Barry discusses the travel delays affecting the country's holiday travel plans, Kari Lake and Abe Hamadeh's election lawsuits being thrown out, and New York state representative George Santos lying about his background to voters.  TIME STAMPS:SEG 1 - 0:00SEG 2 - 11:39SEG 3 - 15:32SEG 4 - 25:58See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.