Grassroots support Mark Brnovich

Republican Grassroots Support Mark Brnovich  Wednesday, Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon called on my primary opponent to get out of the attorney general’s race. I appreciate Congressman Salmon’s principled stand and his call to put the good of the party ahead of my opponent’s personal pursuits.   In his statement, Congressman Salmon noted, "When someone is so mired in conflict ... it's time to move on and whether you're innocent or guilty, it's time to think what's best for the people."    And yesterday, Senator Jeff Flake called for my opponent to not seek re-election: "I'm not saying he should resign, just that he should not seek re-election." My primary opponent responded with an assertion that he still has the support of grassroots conservative Republicans across Arizona and that he will not back down. Traveling around the state, meeting with so many of you, we know that we have the support of the grassroots. To date, my campaign has been publicly endorsed by over 70 Republicans grassroots leaders from across the state, including: Len Munsil, President of Arizona Christian University Randy Kendrick The Honorable Frank Antenori, former State Senator The Honorable Dean Martin, former State Treasurer The Honorable Linda Gray, former State Senator The Honorable Barbara Leff, former State Senator The Honorable Kathleen Dunbar, former State Representative & Tucson City Councilmember Michelle Arnett, Mohave County GOP 2nd Vice Chair; Vice President of the Colorado River Republican Women’s Club Ray Sweeney, Maricopa County Member-at-Large Vince Manfredi, City of Maricopa GOP Chair Richard Mihalik, Congressional District 1 Member-at-Large Mickie Niland, CD 5 Member-at-Large & LD 12 Chair Daniel Grimm, CD 5 Member-at-Large Haydee Dawson, CD 5 Member-at-Large Laddie Shane, CD 6 Member-at-Large Shirley Dye, LD6 Republican Activist Marcus Huey, CD 8 Member-at-Large Bill Baxter, CD 9 Member-at-Large Sean McClusky, LD10 Republican Precinct Committeeman Lori Oien, LD10 Republican Precinct Committeeman David Henderson, LD15 GOP Chair Jerry Clingman, LD16 GOP Chair Sandi Bartlett, LD17 GOP Secretary Bert Moll, LD17 GOP Recording Secretary Angi Stamm, Legislative District 17 2nd Vice Chair Jeni White, Immediate Past LD18 GOP Chair Kevin Payne, LD 21 GOP Chair Teresa Wright, LD21 1st Vice Chair Eric Morgan, LD22 GOP Chair Paul Whetten, LD25 GOP Chair Charlie Ellis, LD29 GOP Chair John Wilson, LD29 GOP 1st Vice Chair Aaron Borders, LD29 Republican Activist Jared Gorshe, Arizona Federation of College Republican Lilia Dashevsky, Arizona Teenage Republican Chair Dylan Lefler, President, Northern Arizona College Republicans Carlos Alfaro, President, Arizona State University College Republicans Steven Lee, Vice President, Arizona State University College Republicans Zoey Kotzambasis, President, University of Arizona College Republicans Nathan Brown, ASU College Republican Treasurer Susan Cohen, Prescott Republican Activist Pam Miller, Prescott Republican Activist Bill Feldmeir, Yavapai County Republican Activist Anita Christy, Gilbert and Payson Republican Activist Donna Alu, President of Tucson Republican Women; LD 9 GOP Chair Nancy McLain, President of the Colorado River Republican Women’s Club Sylvia Cole, Social Secretary of the Colorado River Tea Party Patriots Dr. Laurence Schiff, M.D., President of the Kingman Republican Men’s Club Donna Johnson, 1st Vice President of the Yuma County Republican Women’s Club Landis Aden Shane Wikfors, Conservative Activist Jennifer Wright, Conservative Activist Chad Kirkpatrick, Conservative Activist Lisa Askey, Chandler Susan Hicks, Gilbert Debbie Smith Mary Baumbach Loraine Pellegrino Billie Orr, Prescott Pam Jones, Prescott Phyllis Robinson, Prescott Nettie Lamerson, Prescott Pam Calhoon, Prescott Steve Rutherford, Prescott Sue Rutherford, Prescott Myra Nathenson, Prescott Steve Nathenson, Prescott Robb Witt, Camp Verde Mal Barrett, Sr., former Chair of Yavapai County Republican Party Doyle Scott, Past 2nd Vice Chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Committee Barry Denton, Immediate Past President of the Yavapai County Republican Men’s Forum Would you like to join this growing list? Please respond to this email.   The filing deadline for this quarter is the end of this month. Can you help me by donating a few dollars today? Whatever you can give is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use to help us win the primary and ultimately defeat my liberal Democratic opponent.   For more information, please visit: www.Mark4AZ.com.   Sincerely, Mark

The Arizona Republic's pathetic take on Andrew Thomas for Governor

Really? This is the BEST the liberal media can come up with to describe his candidacy?

IN THE RACE: Andrew Thomas, Republican. EXPERIENCE: Former Maricopa County prosecutor. CHANCES: Though he’s downplayed his disbarment for overzealous prosecution of elected officials, it’s unlikely that Thomas can overcome that political baggage. He doesn't seem to be campaigning much is isn't viewed by many as a serious candidate. Mark Henle/The Republic

Uh let's see...the Republic has done more than almost anyone to smear Thomas and ruin his career, which makes it difficult for him to make a living, much less campaign while he's forced to collect signatures and $5s for Clean Elections funding. Thomas has attended plenty of debates - but maybe since many of them have been put on by Tea Parties, the Republic doesn't care to cover them. Now that he's turned in all of his signatures, expect to hear a lot more from him.

Thomas is going to take the conservative base in the primary, as all the other of the candidates split the rest of the GOP moderate-to-liberal-vote (note the exception of Melvin, who is also very conservative, but is not expected to turn in enough signatures to make the ballot). Look at it this way: If the conservative base, conservatively estimated at 1/3 of the GOP vote, votes for Thomas, then he gets about 33% of the vote. That leaves 66% of the vote to be split among Ducey, Bennett, Jones, Smith and Riggs. It is statistically impossible for one of those remaining five to get more than 33% of that remaining pot, considering the first four are running fairly close (view the polls here).

I think most Arizonans have figured out that the Bar coming after Thomas was a partisan witch hunt. Look how much it hurt Bill Clinton when the Arkansas State Bar suspended his license for five years - zero. I recently had a prestigious conservative legal organization try to recruit me to work for them, and when I told them I was collateral damage in what happened to Thomas, that the Bar suspended my license, they didn't even care, and said, "We look at that as par for the course if you're a conservative attorney, it's expected."

Thomas is the only candidate running for governor who has the guts to take on corruption in government. He also is the most principled. Point to one example where he deserted conservative principles? Or where you could not rely on him and his word? Stand up to Brewer's Obamacare Medicaid expansion? CHECK (unlike most of the gubernatorial candidates). Endorsed by AZ Right to Life for years? CHECK. Stood up against Common Core? CHECK. Concerned about illegal immigration? CHECK.The list goes on. Name an issue, any issue.

Andrew Thomas has charisma, good looks, and got into Harvard Law School as a white guy with no connections, just from an average background. It's frankly amusing to me how the liberal news media overlooks all that, especially the dismissal of his intelligence. Then they act shocked when he does well despite their constant attacks. 

If you want the same old tired politician who inevitably - as well as now while they're campaigning - compromises their values and ours, go with someone else. But if you want someone you can trust, who isn't afraid to take on corruption in government, then you know who to support.

Seattle Set To Destroy Economy With Highest Minimum Wage Increase In The World

The city of Seattle is about to phase in a drastic increase in the minimum wage to $15/hr, thanks to the efforts of its new socialist city councilwoman, Kshama Sawant. Seattle’s far left mayor Ed Murray has now taken up the effort, and it is expected to be passed into law by the city council soon. The increase will affect nearly 100,000 workers, including almost all fast-food workers. Around 30 percent of all jobs in Seattle currently pay less than $15/hr. What is going on is pay-to-pay politics, led by the unions. The losing mayoral candidate, incumbent Mike McGinn, unsuccessfully tried to save his campaign with a union quid pro quo. He received a $100,000 contribution from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union 21 last year, coincidentally timed about the same time he came out publicly opposing a new Whole Foods development in West Seattle. Whole Foods does virtually everything the left wants - except they’re non-union. Whole Foods already pays its non-management employees an average of $15/hr, provides excellent benefits and health care, including same-sex benefits, and executive pay is capped. The company routinely makes Fortune’s list of “Best Companies to Work For.” Whole Foods is now the largest natural foods chain in the nation, not exactly a far right type of organization. Even though Whole Foods would be perfect for bohemian West Seattle, the unions take the approach, “Either you’re union, or we will go after you and destroy you.” They have a stranglehold on the local politicians in Seattle.  
Read the rest of the article at Townhall

Mark Brnovich leading Tom Horne in latest poll for Attorney General primary

In addition to the official poll, farther below, check out this online poll at the AZ Capitol Times currently on their homepage, which has Brnovich trouncing Horne - and even WITHOUT the 9% voting for Horne, Brnovich beats the Democrat!

Mark Brnovich Leading in New Poll Among Arizona GOP Primary Voters We’ve got great news! A new poll released today by a reputable national polling firm shows that I am leading in the polls for attorney general against incumbent Attorney General Tom Horne. The poll among likely GOP primary voters indicates 33% of the respondents are supporting me, Mark Brnovich, compared to 32% who are supporting Horne, while 35% are still undecided. The poll also shows that Tom Horne’s favorability ratings have plummeted following his scandal-ridden past two weeks with 49% of GOP primary voters now having an “unfavorable” opinion of Tom Horne, compared to 24% who have a “favorable” opinion of him. Folks, momentum is on our side and voters are rallying around the campaign across the state. We have focused almost entirely on a grassroots effort and your hard work is paying off. Early voting is right around the corner and I need your help to not only win this primary but to win the November general election against the liberal Democratic nominee. We’ve got a very important fundraising deadline coming up at the end of this month and I’m asking you to please donate whatever you can to help continue this momentum. Can you help me get my message out to the 35% that are undecided and let them know that they have a credible alternative this August? Can you give $5, $10, $20, or even $50 today? All of the money you donate will help me increase my name ID and will ensure we show a strong fundraising quarter at the end of May. Please visit my website at www.Mark4AZ.com to learn more about my campaign or find me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Mark4AZ.com.  To view the poll, click here. Sincerely, Mark Contributions to Mark for AZ are limited to $4,000 per individual ($2,000 for each election - primary & general). Married couples with a joint bank account may contribute a maximum of $8,000, ($2,000 per person for each election - primary & general). Multicandidate PACs may contribute a maximum of $4,000 ($2,000 per each election - primary & general). Super PACs may contribute a maximum of $9,120 ($4,560 per each election - primary & general). Unless otherwise directed by a donor, Mark for AZ will allocate a contribution to the maximum amount permitted for the primary election, with any remaining funds allocated to the general election. Funds from corporations, limited liability companies and labor organizations are prohibited. Credit card contributions may be accepted only if the contribution is made from personal funds, and not with a corporate, limited liability company, or labor organization credit card or funds provided by another person. Contributions from foreign nationals may not be accepted unless they have permanent residency status in the United States. Contributions are not tax deductible.

Arizona’s Pseudo-Conservative Attorney General Embroiled In Campaign Scandals

The scandals are beginning to snowball around Arizona’s Attorney General Tom Horne, who is running for reelection this year. The latest revelation comes from a high-level staffer within the office, Sarah Beattie, who resigned last month because she believed Horne was running his campaign out of the government office. Elections attorney Tom Ryan was so appalled that he is representing her pro bono, filing complaints against Horne. Ryan told the Arizona Republic last week, "Mr. Horne has effectively turned the executive office of the Attorney General's Office into his personal campaign headquarters, and we are largely paying for his staff to run his re-election campaign. He's been very clever about it. But when you see the affidavit from Sarah Beattie (the ex-employee), it will become abundantly clear that the taxpayers are funding his campaign. If I'm right, he not only should be prosecuted for that but he needs to be removed from office immediately." Beattie, whose desk was 20 feet from Horne's office at one point, told the Phoenix New Times, "Every day, all day was campaign [work]." She watched Horne make phone calls from his state office. She said, “The AG's executive office is the campaign headquarters [for Horne].” Beattie reveals specifics, such as a campaign flyer created during work hours and that Horne ordered a campaign related email deleted. Beattie is now afraid she is being targeted by the Horne administration for exposing this.

Read the rest of the article at Townhall

IC Arizona recommends candidates to clean up the AZ Bar Board of Governors

If you're an attorney in Arizona and tired of abuses like this by the State Bar of Arizona, here are the candidates I recommend voting for to start cleaning things up. Notice if you go to the State Bar's website, you can find nothing on the home page about this annual election - one of the biggest annual events you'd think for the Arizona Bar. Surprised? It's done on purpose. The leftists that control the Bar would prefer to have as few attorneys as possible vote to control their leadership. If you can actually FIND the page to read about the candidates, the link to vote online doesn't work!

Maricopa County attorneys can choose 9 members. I recommend the following 8:

Nick Dranias - constitutional law attorney with the Goldwater Institute

Steven D. Keist

Michael Kielsky - libertarian lawyer with a great track record at fighting speed cameras

Alex Lane - Outstanding honest criminal defense attorney, former prosecutor

Jack Levine - wants to disband the mandatory Bar, and was disciplined by the Bar no doubt for having the guts to take this on (incumbent, fortunately!)

Ronald W. Meyer - wants to stop the State Bar's left wing activism

Bert E. Moll

Yavapai attorneys can choose one attorney. I recommend the following:

Andre E. Carmen


Read about these attorneys here

If you can locate the link to vote on the Bar's website, let me know, I spent 10 minutes trying to find it and cannot.

Here is the current Board of Governors, composed of mostly left wing activists

If I'm missing someone who should be included, please email me at rachel-at-intellectualconservative.com

Do Intellectual Conservative readers agree with Hot Air readers on the presidential primary?

 
Hot Air recently polled its readers about the next presidential primary. We were most surprised about some of the candidates who polled the worst, garnering around 1% or so. Are our readers similar to those who read Hot Air, or are there some differences? Let's find out. Cast your vote now - on the right side of our homepage. 

GOP candidate Brnovich seeking to unseat AG Horne visits locally

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GOP candidate Brnovich seeking to unseat AG Horne visits locally

Mark Brnovich

Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 12:01 am

By MATT HICKMAN Today’s News-Herald |0 comments

Incumbents are seldom beaten in American politics for one reason above all others — name recognition. But an incumbent’s familiarity can become a liability when voters come to associate the name with negative publicity.

Former Arizona Gaming Commissioner Mark Brnovich is betting that scale has tipped against sitting attorney general Tom Horne, and now is the time to make his move in the Republican primary.

Though he’s yet to officially file for the Aug. 26 primary, Brnovich, who has also been a state and federal prosecutor, has been on the campaign trail since October, and on Monday and Tuesday he was in Lake Havasu City speaking to the local men’s and women’s Republican groups.

“I was really excited to get the chance to talk to them,” Brnovich said. “They get the fact that we should have an attorney general who represents Arizona values.”

Openly attacking Horne, going so far as to call him a “bully,” and referring to Horne’s highly publicized scandals, chided, “When the AG gets in the headlines for the wrong reasons, that means something’s not right… We need to have an AG not distracted by legal and ethical problems representing us.”

Brnovich said he would do a better job than Horne of fighting against, what he calls, “federal overreach.”

“(Our attorney general) has to make sure we’re asserting our rights under the 10th Amendment,” Brnovich said. “Radicals in the Obama administration are imposing on our state sovereignty.”

Specifically, Brnovich pointed to the federal government’s efforts to discourage coal production and usage, which, he said, hurts Arizonans.

“If EPA rules and regulations (encroach on state’s rights), you’ve got to be suing them,” Brnovich said. “The left has been doing that for decades, using the courts to fight battles.”

Brnovich said he’s pursuing the role of the state’s highest law enforcement official out of an obligation to “protect the most vulnerable in our society.”

Improving the efficacy of Child Protective Services is among Brnovich’s chief priorities, as is fighting Mexican drug cartels.

As for marijuana, Brnovich said Arizona shouldn’t be in a hurry to legalize.

“Legislators and governors, they make the rules,” he said. “But I’m also a big believer that states are labs of democracy. Colorado and Washington are doing (legalization), but I don’t see any need to rush in Arizona. Let’s see what happens in Colorado. Let’s take some time to separate the facts from the noise.”

Brnovich said he got his conservative convictions from his mother, who grew up in Yugoslavia.

“It was horrible; she went through World War II and then Communism,” Brnovich said. “She taught me two things, one is that the USA is the greatest country on Earth and it carries the torch of liberty and freedom. And two, if government gets too big, it’s big enough to take away your freedoms.”

Reprinted from Havasu News

IRS Brazenly Continues Crackdowns On Conservative Organizations

A little publicized IRS decision should have conservatives who write about politics very alarmed. The IRS revoked the tax-exempt status of a conservative political organization, the Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty (PHCIL), due to a handful of articles that founder Gary Aldrich wrote in his personal capacity. His decade-old articles simply criticized Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, which the IRS claimed constituted electioneering. The articles were linked to as "alerts" from the PHCIL website. The American Spectator noted, “Although the literature demands that those like Clinton and Kerry be kept out of power, it never specifically says, ‘Don’t vote for Clinton or Kerry.’ As a former elections attorney for Maricopa County in Arizona, I recognize the difference between politicking vs. electioneering - yet the IRS appears not to care about the distinction. The IRS justified revoking PHCIL's tax-exempt status with this draconian language, "[PHCIL] has shown a pattern of deliberate and consistent intervention in political campaigns” and has made “repeated statements supporting or opposing various candidates by expressing its opinion of the respective candidate’s character and qualifications.”

Read the rest of the article at Townhall

Antenori: The Establishment Trap

Alliance for Principled Conservatives

Fight for Arizona ! 

Found on Southern Arizona News Examiner - http://soaznewsx.com/  The Establishment Trap By Frank Antenori I was recently invited for coffee by a close friend and fellow Republican to discuss upcoming state legislative races. Well respected in both local grass roots circles as well as the so called "GOP Establishment," he was chosen to reach out to me in hopes of convincing me to not get involved in several key legislative primaries. However, by the time we finished our second cup of coffee, he would not only fail to convince me to stay silent, but he would instead volunteer to help me in my efforts to inform GOP voters of the threat to our state. It took a simple history lesson to change his mind. I take you back to the 46th Legislature. In 2004, a handful of so called "pragmatic" Republicans conspired with Democrats to give then Governor Janet Napolitano a budget that would increase state spending by more than $700million, a 10% increase in spending in a year that saw little inflation (2%). Worse yet, that budget created a $500 million budget deficit; in violation of Arizona's Constitution which requires a balanced budget. Rightfully, fiscal conservatives were outraged at what was clearly an irresponsible budget. In response, conservatives recruited fiscally responsible primary opponents to challenge these fiscally irresponsible Republicans. Then the "GOP Establishment" stepped in. They argued that we risked losing our legislative majorities by running more conservative candidates in the general. Even going as far as saying that even though these "pragmatic" Republicans may have strayed a bit and voted with Democrats for the big spending budget, at least they voted right on things like guns, faith and family issues. They used the old rationale of "even the worst Republican is better than the best Democrat any day." Generally I would agree with that statement, however, it only holds true if those Republicans support the Republican platform and not the Democrat platform. In 2004, there were 39 Republicans in the House and 17 in the Senate. (In Arizona, you need only control 31 seats in the House and 16 in the Senate to maintain your majority.) Many of the party faithful bought the establishment's argument, held their noses and voted for the fiscally irresponsible Republicans "for the good of the Party." Deep down they hoped these "pragmatic" Republicans would realize the error of their ways and act "more Republican" and fiscally responsible if they got re-elected. As a result, the fiscally conservative challengers were defeated and the "GOP Establishment" candidates got re-elected. What did voting for the establishment candidate get us? Over the next few years, more and more spending occurred and the budget deficit got bigger, ballooning to over $2.2 billion. Well at least it helped us keep our majorities in the legislature right? Not exactly, in the House the GOP lost six seats and our majority declined to 33 seats; dangerously close to the 31 needed to maintain majority control. Then in 2008, "Pragmatic Republicans" did it again. Cutting a backroom deal in the dark of night with legislative Democrats and Governor Napolitano, four House and four Senate Republicans essentially voted to put Arizona on the verge of Bankruptcy. They left the State with no money in the Rainy Day Fund and a $3 Billion budget deficit. This time conservatives had enough. A grassroots groundswell of conservative candidates filed to run for the legislature and challenge the big spenders of both parties. Once again the "GOP Establishment" clamored about "party unity, we're going to lose our majority if we elect conservatives in the primary, think of the big picture and don't get hung up on a single budget vote, etc." This time, despite the GOP establishment spending heavily on their "pragmatic" candidates, the GOP primary voters weren't going to listen. Fiscal conservatives won primary after primary, soundly defeating establishment candidates in several key races. Instead of lining up behind the party's nominees, the GOP establishment instead sided with Democrats by undermining conservative candidates in the general election. Establishment lackey and so called "political consultant" Nathan Sproul even penned an open letter to voters stating "In my opinion, the Republican Nominees are not reflective of the overall electorate." His statement was quickly picked up by Democrats and used in mailers against conservatives. Despite the "GOP Establishment's" efforts to torpedo our candidates, we not only kept our majorities in the State House and Senate, but increased them! Keep in mind this was 2008, the year Barack Obama was elected President. Conventional political wisdom predicted a Democrat landslide nationally and the Tea Party was still more than a year from even coming into existence. Arizona was one of only two states in the whole country that saw Republicans add seats to their legislatures. The GOP Establishment was not only WRONG, they were DEAD WRONG. Then came 2010; "the year of the Tea Party." Both Establishment GOP candidates as well as Democrats were steam rolled by conservatives. Republicans obtained "Super majorities" in both houses of the legislature and it immediately led to a balanced budget in Arizona, the first in over five years. Now we're back to 2014 and here we go again. A new bunch of so-called "Pragmatic Republicans" have again voted with state Democrats to bring Obamacare to Arizona and once again bust the state's bank by voting for fiscally irresponsible budgets. Where there was once $1Billion in the Rainy Day fund, now there's essentially nothing. The budget is once again structurally unbalanced and we're looking at huge deficits again in 2016 and 2017. So guess what the "Establishment" is saying. Yep, you guessed it: "Don't primary them, they only voted 'wrong' on Obamacare and the budget, but otherwise, they're still better than Democrats. Don't primary them for the 'good of the party' and so we don't lose our majorities."  Well I for one am not buying it. I'm not going to let history repeat itself. These turncoat Republicans, also known as "Legistraitors," are causing irreparable damage to our states' fiscal and economic future and they must go. We can't let the financial disaster of 2004-2008 happen again. Reelecting these "pragmatic" traitors to the platform will spell fiscal disaster for Arizona. Ask yourself, do you want to go through what we had to go through back in 2009-2011? Huge budget cuts, a sales tax increase, selling our Capitol? Heck no!  http://soaznewsx.com/Opinion/ID/4655/Frank-Antenori-The-establishment-trap Arizona is worth Fighting For. Join the Alliance. Fight for a conservative majority in 2014

Second Amendment Hurdles and Liberal Hypocrisy: Emily Gets Her Gun….But Obama Wants to Take Yours

Washington Times columnist Emily Miller has written a jaw-dropping book about the arduous process required to legally own a gun in our nation’s capital. At first glance, since the cover features Miller in a pink tank top holding her SIG Sauer, it appears to be a basic story about a girl learning to shoot a gun for the first time. It is nothing of the sort. Miller relays going through each and every onerous, tedious requirement Washington, D.C. requires to simply acquire a firearm – and that does not even include carrying a firearm, which is prohibited unless in a box and under limited circumstances. She observes, “there is no other constitutional right that requires American citizens to pass tests to exercise it.” This book is an eye opener for those of us who do not live in an area with strict gun control laws. In Arizona, which has the least restrictive gun control laws in the country, you can buy a gun from virtually anyone, sometimes instantaneously without a background check, you do not need to register it, and can carry it concealed or unconcealed without a permit. Miller intersperses her story with a comprehensive update on the latest gun control efforts by the Obama administration, a few state governments, and related legal battles. She provides real statistics related to guns and crime, and contrasts them with liberal hypocrisy. Gun-related murders in the U.S. have decreased almost 40 percent in the last 20 years. Britain, which has strict gun control laws, has few gun-related homicides but a higher violent crime rate than the U.S. Washington, D.C. has in place all the gun control laws that Obama is pushing on the federal level, yet robberies with guns went up 18 percent there in just one year. And, you can bet none of those guns were legally registered under D.C. law.

Read the rest of the review at the Selous Foundation for Public Policy Research

Nevada Rancher Cattle Standoff Far More Complex Than Simple Lawbreaking

Some legalistic conservatives aren’t jumping to the defense of Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and his recent standoff with the federal government. They’d rather focus on the fact that he broke federal law by not paying taxes for permitting his cattle to graze on 150 square miles of scrub desert overseen by the federal government. Such a shallow analysis fails to take into account the facts during the years leading up to the showdown, as well as other laws that may likely exonerate him. Bundy paid grazing taxes until 1993, when federal grazing rules were restricted in the Gold Butte and Bunkerville areas of Nevada for the dubious reason of protecting the desert tortoise. The desert tortoise is listed as vulnerable, not endangered, despite virtually every media article hysterically referring to it as “endangered.” It is not clear how grazing cattle threatens the desert tortoise. Even more bizarre, it has been revealed that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has shot many of the desert tortoises it claims to protect. Infuriated by the federal government instituting these draconian environmental regulations in 1993, Bundy insisted on paying grazing fees to local government instead of the feds, so his money wouldn’t be used against him, but Clark County declined. After that, Bundy says the federal government overreach drove every other rancher in the area out of business except him. He owns the last large cattle ranch remaining in Clark County. The feds now own 84 percent of the land in Nevada, and large portions of other Western states, including a massive 96 percent of the land in Alaska.

Read the rest of the article at the Selous Foundation for Public Policy Research