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Progressive Arizona AG shows contempt for the rule-of-law

Progressive Arizona AG shows contempt for the rule-of-law

I have often noted that our fealty to a rule-of-law is more fantasy than reality.  In fact, the progressive left – which touts the rule-of-law as an absolute – is largely responsible for ignoring it.  As the big government authoritarians in the American political system, those on the left prefer to rule by edict.

We see examples of this in all those Democrat prosecutors who simply refuse to enforce the law – or enforce it arbitrarily based on partisan political interests.  They say that some laws are too petty to enforce – and other laws are to be enforced excessively or not at all

We see this in the vigor with which prosecutors excessively enforce minor laws against minorities – and at the same time refuse to enforce laws against rioters and smash-and-dash mobs in our major cities.  Contrast that with the massive enforcement efforts against the Capitol Hill rioters.

Arizona has given us another example of the left’s disdain for a rule-of-law. 

The back story

Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court, the question arose as to whether an Arizona 1864 territorial code – later codified into law – would then be enforceable based on the fact that the law was never repealed. 

If you believe that the law takes precedence over the opinion of public officials, the answer is obvious.  Of course, the law applies — until it is taken off the books or amended by legislation.  (Which I suspect is going to happen in Arizona.) 

That was the decision of the Arizona Supreme Court.  They were right. They were upholding the rule-of-law.  The issue was NOT on the question of abortion – as those on the left claim.  The Arizona court simply supported the rule-of-law as the law exists at this time.

That means that those sworn to uphold the law – the police, the prosecutors and the courts – will enforce the law because the LAW rules.  Right?  Au contraire.  That is not how progressive Democrats operate.  THEY will decide which laws are to be obeyed – and how vigorously they will be enforced and against whom. That is what they call “prosecutorial discretion.”

Trashing the rule-of-law

Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes is the latest example of how progressive authoritarians view the rule-of-law.  At a political rally, Mayes proudly announced that as long as SHE is the Arizona attorney general, “no woman or doctor” will be prosecuted for violating the Arizona law by HER office. She even went further to say that she would not allow prosecution by county prosecutors.  By what authority (law) Mayes has the power to rule over county prosecutors is unclear.  The fact that she would even claim such power is frightening.

Ponder that.  One elected official openly states that she will not only NOT enforce a law declared legitimate by the state Supreme Court that she PERSONALLY does not like – but she will use whatever power or influence she may have to stop other prosecutors from enforcing the law.  She will operate in defiance of the rule-of-law concept.

Mayes makes a mockery of the rule-of-law.  She abuses “prosecutorial discretion” for political purposes.  She operates as an authoritarian – placing her personal political interests above the law.

Mayes is not an outlier.  She is part of a growing elitist establishment of progressive politicians and bureaucrats who believe THEY should rule regardless of the law.  No matter one’s opinion on abortion, all freedom loving Americans should be terrified by such arbitrary actions by an elected public official who, in this case, has taken an oath to uphold the rule-of-law, but refuses to do so.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So,there‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of Larry Horist Larry Horist is a businessman, conservative writer and political strategist with an extensive background in economics and public policy. Clients of his consulting firm have included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. He has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress. Horist has lectured and taught courses at numerous colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern, DePaul universities, Hope College and his alma mater, Knox College. He has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. Horist was a one-time candidate for mayor of Chicago and served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries appear frequently on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by readers for his style, substance and sense of humor. According to one reader, Horist is the “new Charles Krauthammer.” He is actively semi-retired in Boca Raton, Florida where he devotes his time to writing. So, there ‘tis is Horist’s signature sign off.

27 Comments

  1. Tom

    This article gets a Stop The Spin rating of STS-5. If this article was plastic and came to a point, it would be a top. It is that full of anti-abortion political spin. Consider this:

    1) By what authority Mayes can not prosecute is not unclear. It is actually very clear. According to Arizona, “The Arizona State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the state and the office is given authority by our state constitution. The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term but cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.”

    2) Article says, “Au contraire. That is not how progressive Democrats operate. THEY will decide which laws are to be obeyed ” This is max spin because many GOP voting women and men are also against what their Supreme Court just did. But Larry only has eyes for liberal Dems. Maybe that’s why he likes Frank Stetson so much.

    3) Article says, “The issue was NOT on the question of abortion “. Duhhhh Larry, this is exactly what the issue is, ABORTION!!! Majority of Arizonians want the right to what they call “Reproductive Health” which includes ABORTION! When this 1864 law was enacted, Arizona was not even a state.

    4) Article says, “One elected official openly states that she will not only NOT enforce a law….” And the article calls an Attorney General who is female and has a genuine concern for women’s health a “progressive authoritarian”. Fact is that from the Governor on down most of the AZ elected officials are appauled at what their supreme GOP heavy state supreme court did – EVEN KARI LAKE who has flipped now that she sees the backlash (but Larry does not mention the GOP’ers who have flipped!).

    5) Larry’s calling the Attorney General who is female and has a genuine concern for women’s health a “progressive authoritarian” shows Larry’s contempt for women. Larry, this is a health issue!!!! Larry watches MSNBC and gets many of his talking points from this network. Surely he saw this testimony of the health problem an Arizona elected congress lady had when her fetus was dying and she could not get it removed, see this testimony (which is the fate of 25,000 women per year if more states do this) at *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVuvLhmkE0M*

    Bottom line FOR INDEPENDENTS/UNAFFILIATED VOTER, Trump and his AUTHORITARIAN GOP have created this problem and are squarely to blame for this. Even AZ Republican legislators are flipping out of fear for their jobs! But Larry spins this as a progressive Dem problem. Its not. It is how the GOP will act when they have full control of the WH, Senate, and Legislature. We are seeing it now!!! Arizona has become a microcosm of what is about to happen nationally. Expect a repeal of this archaic, civil war law when women did not have rights and slavery still existed to be repealed next week! The AZ house is still in session, no special session required, and the bill to repeal is already written. AND, expect that AZ will be in the blue column this fall thanks to Trump and an ignorant and insensitive GOP that seems to hate women.

    Larry, in the future, I hope you will learn how to be more sensitive to women’s reproductive health and their right to pursue their reproductive rights and not be traumatized with the situation of DEATH BY THE RULE OF LAW!!!!

    Reply
    • krink

      All abortionists have the wrath of God abiding on them and Jesus will cast them into everlasting fire and brimstone in the lowest hottest hell and they deserve it. The unborn residing now in heaven shall wash their feet in the blood of every last one of these wicked pure evil abortion pushing monsters and they deserve that too.

      Reply
      • FRANK STETSON

        yeah Krink, Jesus is well known for casting folks into brimstone…… You got a handle on him all right.

        Reply
    • larry Horist

      Tom … So, you think it is okay for a person who has taken an oath to uphold the law to simply refuse to enforce a law out of personal distain. That by definition is authoritarian. You are typical of those on the left who prefer to rule by edict. That was the point of the commentary. The subject matter is just by example. You totally missed the point — and produced a rant on your personal position on abortion while avoiding addressing the central issue of authoritarian decision-making. I thought i made that clear enough so that NO fool could miss the point. But you proved me wrong. And you still arrogantly claim to speak for all independent voters — something no truly intelligent independent person would do. You can stop trying to define my feelings by inuendo and back handed insults — that is just manifest stupidity. Finally, I hope in the future you could provide more intelligent responses. But in view of the extent of your readership, however, your angry responses have little to no importance to me or the world — and that includes your silly rating system. LOL

      Reply
      • FRANK STETSON

        Actually, Horist, Tom pointed out that what the DA is doing is the law, is legal. Called discretion.

        Reply
    • FRANK STETSON

      OK, which pod people cloned Tom?

      Welcome to choice, liberty, and compassion.

      Thing is, they all know the political threat, they believe with their hearts the issue, but can’t risk riling the zealots.

      It’s like pro-Palestinian Democrats on steroids.

      Reply
  2. NavVet

    The people got just what they deserve. They voted this traitor democrat into office. She thinks she is above the law just like her pride and joy Biden. both will be very unhappy when the meet the head law maker face to face. They will find their refusal to abide by his laws carry a very severe penalty. I can only pray that they find Jesus before that day.

    Reply
    • krink

      She getting burned in the lowest hottest spot in hell. Just 45 IQ dunce Biden.

      Reply
    • Tom

      I am a Nav Vet too. Not sure why you call her traitor? She is like an Army-Navy football ref. She will only ever be right to 50% of the people. She certainly is not a traitor to the country because 70% of the USA agrees with her, including hard core GOP Kari Lake in AZ who has flipped from Anti-abortion to a covert Pro-choice stance since this ruling. She is not a traitor to the Bible because murder is defined in Old Testament as the ending of a life that exists outside of the womb. This is also based on the Jewish Talmud and other Hebraic scripture. She is not above the law because the State of AZ constitution (which is the people’s document of how their state will behave) gives her the power to decide what cases to prosecute and what not to prosecute. Please see the referenced Youtube video in my article response and see what can happen with such mindless laws. No wonder so many women back in the mid 1800’s died from pregnancy.

      Personally, I think men should not be deciding women’s issues unless we want women deciding men’s issues!

      Jesus help and healed first, and never condemned anyone. She just might be in heaven before you my dear Nav brother! :>)

      Reply
      • larry Horist

        Reverend Tom … You are now preaching theology without a license. LOL Have you ever heard of “prosecutorial abuse? The discretion you speak of involve facts, evidence and even determination if a crime can be successfully prosecuted. It is not intended to make broad political decision on who to prosecute and not prosecute based on partisan opinions. That is prosecutorial abuse. I did not call here a traitor, but she proves herself to by an ethically corrupt officeholder in violation to her oath. Your critical thinking appears to be diminishing by the day. Too may rotations in your spin machine???

        Reply
  3. kri

    Another God hating AG going to spend her eternity in eternal death and hell and she deserves it. Hey she loves death so much Jesus will give death to her for eternity. Jesus said all those who hate me love death.

    Reply
  4. Darren

    I am NOT pro Abortion.
    But abortion has to be allowed for Rape, Incest, danger to the mother.
    That should be the message over and over from the Republican base.
    Any Jack Ass that thinks the mother wishes NOT to live and choose delivery is
    a fool.
    What CHOICE, would YOU MAKE?

    Reply
    • Jim wampler

      Don’t let a rapist not get to be a daddy

      Reply
  5. larry Horist

    Darren … I agree totally on the three exemptions. That is why I think the Arizona Legislature will repeal and replace the 1864 law. The abortion advocates want it repealed immediately –before a replacement bill can be crafted. That should not happen for all the obvious reasons.

    Reply
    • FRANK STETSON

      “The abortion advocates want it repealed immediately –before a replacement bill can be crafted. That should not happen for all the obvious reasons.”

      Il Duce Horist once again feigns compassion for rape and incest victims by saying they must deliver these tragedies until Republicans get around fixing their pro-rape and pro-incest bill. It’s not that he’s pro-rape, or pro-incest, he just has no problem with waiting awhile until Republicans get around to fixed their own abortion of law.

      Horist is a pugnacious prick always demeaning pro-choice advocates as being abortion advocates. He himself misleadingly brands them as “pro-abortion.” He can’t find any pro-abortion group or association so he makes them up, gives them a bad name, and attempts to demean whenever he can. No one advocates abortion. No one is pro abortion. There is no cheerleading squad for abortion. We believe in choice. Horist is against freedom of choice, liberty, in this case. He favors the State forcing people to have babies. He favors the pregnancy mandate with little time for choice, if any time at all.

      I think they have shot down two or three attempts so far, mostly lead by Democrats. I believe another bill has hit the floor and Horist will be content to wait a few more weeks before it even comes to a vote. Meanwhile, what does Horist suggest for the victims of waiting? Since the bill provides incarceration for anyone involved in abortions, doctors, health care professionals, even folks who drive folks in or out of State for a procedure theoretically can be locked up. While Horist waits for his new law, he will lock up the AG for not locking all these folks up. This ain’t a fine, this is incarceration.

      Yeah, heaven forbid they have a few unwanted rape and incest babies because Republicans can’t craft a decent bill and must rely on the one from the 1860’s written by a guy who had a number of rape babies he forced the women to bear. And now that they realize they have totally fucked up, Horist suggests having some patience while they get around to fixing it. That’s a lack of compassion without much passion for doing the right thing. Matter of fact, he’s upset the AG is not locking folks up ASAP.

      I think simple agreement and extreme patience shows a lack of compassion for people living under this medieval law.

      Reply
  6. FRANK STETSON

    Jim,
    Too late, Trump already found liable for sexual abuse of a digital rape category although I am pretty sure none of his kids call him daddy, or dad.

    And now we get to hear all about his adventures with a porn star and a playboy model. What fun! I hope there’s plastic sheets and Jello involved.

    All to hide it from the press so he could win the election against Hillary while calling her out for letting Bill off the hook to stand by her man. Two of Trump’s wives dumped him over shit like this, but Melania the communist is hanging in there. Wonder if she will stand by her man in court? Haven’t seen her or the kids on this campaign foo fa ra. Or in court.

    I bet it takes weeks to select a jury. Have to be careful so as to get all AOC voters…….

    Reply
    • Jim wampler

      Maybe you can get court transcripts to read for whacking material. You could visualize being stormy. Use a cucumber up your ass. And then pick it clean. Hillary stayed with Bill to ride his coattails. She didn’t have the push to make it on her own. So much for powerful women. The dumb bitch. But Trump will come out of this. I can’t wait for the crooked prosecutor to explain why he elevated misdemeanor charges to felony. Interesting question. And why didn’t he go after Trump before he reentered the presidential race? And it’s not clear if laws are broken. Of course the commie Yankees in New York will probably convict him. But he will win on appeal. It’s amazing how low down crooked the democrats are.

      Reply
      • Jim wampler

        Meant to say pick.

        Reply
        • Jim wampler

          Lick damn it!!!! lol. I’m getting like Biden.

          Reply
  7. FRANK STETSON

    You called down the thunder, well now you’ve got it! State’s rights. Bringing you to hellmouth itself. Sacrificing our liberty and personal freedom for political purposes. Expressing the will of the minority against the majority as the rule of law. Doctors can be jailed now for helping people. How many innocents will die with doctors afraid to claim “life of the mother” until too late. How may will die in Idaho because you can be jailed for giving a pregnant person a ride across state lines for an abortion enslaving the pregnant to the State. One mother and son charged already with kidnapping for helping his young girlfriend. Kidnappers can get death in Idaho. Alabama’s AG threatened to prosecute any organization who helps a pregnant women cross the state line for an abortion. The threat worked, the organizations stopped, the women are forced like slaves to remain captives in bondage in their slave State forced to give birth to the sick and unwanted, sometimes from rape and incest. Four Texas counties have laws allowing bounty hunters to sue pregnant Texans just on the road possibly going to an abortion — don’t even have to cross State lines. Law and order forms an old time Western deadline along the N. Mexico border, where abortion is still legal. Yes, Republicans now have built a legal abortion wall in Texas to enslave pregnant women now “legally” unable to leave the State.

    SCOTUS said abortion up to the States. They said it would end there, people still had the right to travel, it would not be draconian but just limits State allowed procedures. But that is not the rule of law and that was never the case. It’s gonna keep escalating. Republicans will move to stop travel, to stop the morning-after pill, kill IVF, stem cell research, you name it. Republicans will never end the increasing persecution of the pregnant. People are being forced to give birth. People are being detained in state due to pregnancy. People are being denied life-saving procedures in a timely fashion. People are dying over this. In Texas, a guy whose wife used safe pills to abort is suing everyone involved under Texas law: the woman, the pill company, the people in NY that sent the pills. The TX State law that reaches out to punish every State in the Union, by law. This is how you end up as slaves to the state, imprisoned by the state, made slaves by the rule of law. Forced to have babies just like slaves created income for their masters via progeny. Can even be master’s mistake since rape and incest babies allowed. States rights aborting our freedoms and you question the AG’s statement against this 1864 territorial law, not the rule of law, not even a State law, a zombie law that the AZ supreme’s put back into play.

    Let’s follow the rule of law. The AZ AG said it: prosecutorial discretion is our rule of law. Horist, take her to court or STFU.

    And we will follow democracy and vote our feelings on abortion at the polls. Against the guy who made it so. And for State Constitutional amendments to make it law again. Following the rule of law, democracy, and State’s rights.

    Reply
    • larry Horist

      Frank Stetson …. Are you purposely misrepresenting the facts or just stupid? You and Tom apparently have not heard of prosecutorial abuse. That is not legal, It can involve both unnecessary prosecution or not prosecuting when required. The Arizona AG’s across the board decision to not prosecute regardless of the law, her oath and the individual circumstances is prosecutorial abuse on steroids. That is classic authoritarianism –rule by personal will.. The law gives her the right to prosecutorial discretion, but NOT prosecutorial abuse. If you think prosecutors making such clearly political decisions is okay, I expect you and Tom to be supporting Trump if he gets elected and has the AG use your brand of prosecutorial discretion politically. You obviously have no respect or knowledge in terms of the Constitution, oaths of office or rule-of-law.

      Reply
      • Frank stetson

        Stupid? Did you name call again. You are a pugnacious prick.

        Horist will vote for Trump three times and says I have no idea of the Constitution. That’s funny. It’s Arizona State law and AZ State Constitution. And you are right, I am no expert. Are telling us that you’re an expert on AZ Constitution before you read it? Hope you have to prove harm, that will be fun.

        BUSTED.

        Whatever happened to it’s just locker room talk? Until she does it. that’s what you got. You whine at the but 1/6/2021 language is a nothing burger even after the actions that followed.

        Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. .

        It appears in your smears, that you veer right and pick n choose when to be offended and when to ignore offense for political profits. It’s a Democrat and suddenly Mr I will vote for cheating, lying, criminal philanderer sexual abuser Trump a third time gets religion and feigns umbrage. .

        When she does it, take her to court. Then you can find umbrage with another quaint piece of jurisprudence; nullification.

        Until then, cry me a river about your high morals and I eill continue to feel it defines prosecutorial discretion. And both of us can watch AZ decide since I really doubt you can get Federal about this. Except in your mendacious rant of a screed.

        You’re about to vote for a felon for President and you want to show us high crimes and misdemeanors in AZ as if you are expert in AZ constitution and law. And bash others for not being constitutional experts and therfore stupid. I think, in your way, you just called Americans in general, stupid. That’s arrogance. .

        Reply
  8. larry Horist

    Frank Stetson … You are a joke — a pathetic one, but still a joke. You spew more personal and ad hominin insults directedly … by innuendo … and sarcasm than any person on PBP. In the world of sanctimonious hypocrisy to get the gold medal … and the silver … and the bronze. And you continue to lie about me though your invented Larry Horist. I draw your attention to your last line. “I think, in your way, you just called Americans in general, stupid. That’s arrogance.” As an obsessed reader of my commentaries, you have to know that I have the utmost respect for the intelligence and common sense of the American people. I have written to that point many times. And because you have to know it, I call it a lie. But that is what you use your straw man for … to misrepresent my opinions and motivations. You do it so often that you can fairly be called a liar. And I love you self-judged “BUJSTED.” LOL It is your feeble attempt to imbue credibility into your bs…. just as Tom uses his silly rating system. You guys want to play on the team and referee the game at the same time. That is arrogance.
    I just can’t get Statler and Waldorf out of my mind when read those long pompous and cranky harangues you guys put out. But keep in mind that Statler and Waldorf actually have an audience.

    Reply
    • FRANK STETSON

      Hoirst bleats: “Frank Stetson … You are a joke — a pathetic one, but still a joke. You spew more personal and ad hominin insults directedly … by innuendo … and sarcasm than any person on PBP. In the world of sanctimonious hypocrisy to get the gold medal … and the silver … and the bronze. And you continue to lie about me though your invented Larry Horist.”

      Over 50 words of ad hominem hate from the great master debater, great because he practices alone, a lot. The man who spends his days counting sarcasm and inuendo from his readers to rate and rank them according to perceived insult. Sarcasm, oh the pain. Inuendo, like what is that? What a victim. A unique occurrence, this time he has an actual beef rather than just frazzled nerves, bruised emotions, fake wounds, and FEAR.

      Horist says: “ I draw your attention to your last line. “I think, in your way, you just called Americans in general, stupid. That’s arrogance.” Now that Horist has an actual example for his victim status, he chooses to defend the absurd. Dude, “I think” pretty much says it’s an opinion. “in your way” pretty much says you did not directly say this,” and then the lament of poor Horist being accused of arrogance. You said Tom and I are stupid for not being Constitutional experts. Well, Mr. Horist, what portion of America falls into the category of not being Constitutional experts, that you deem as STUPID. Matter of fact, how many have voiced expertise on the Constitution right here on PBP that were not experts, not even correct, and therefore, based of your rude comments —– stupid.

      As I stated, I think what I said, (that means my opinion), based on your statements, (now clarified for aged thin-skinned Floridians oxygen deprived from huffing smoke), and given your meaningless whiney retort of a victim (FEAR), still stands as my opinion, but feel free to attempt to change that. So far, you failed.

      PS: BUSTED means just that. You have been caught in a mistake, have not defended or corrected, and therefore are elevated as BUSTED for telling a lie.

      In this case you are attempting to make what might be a State crime into a Federal crime and refuse to defend or admit you might be wrong. The BUSTED stands, you said NOTHING to change that. Besides hateful invective insults of a grade school nature, you just can’t argue the point so you diverted into the personal en masse.

      For fun —– you find a BUSTED that is not deserved. You probably can, but it will take some doing.

      As for Tom’s rating on spin — he pretty much explains himself and beyond your tears of fear, I don’t see you pushing back on the explanations.

      For the record and staying on point: how is the AZ AG going against the Constitution and isn’t this an AZ issue, not a Federal one? Didn’t you get that totally wrong?

      Reply
  9. FRANK STETSON

    Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh contemplated whether states could restrict their residents from getting abortions in other states: “In my view, the answer is not based on the constitutional right to interstate travel,” he wrote because he is very stupid and has a most tenuous grasp of the English language. First, there are three nods to interstate travel bans in the Constitution. There is nothing specific so the case will come for the SCOTUS who said it’s up to the States —- to review the Constitutionality of these travel bans. Not holding my breath given that Kavanaugh already thinks the Constitution has done it.

    Horist is protecting a rule of law that has been proven to only have minority acceptance in America fostered by a Republican Party that holds less than a 50% majority. He voids the rule of law for anything Trump because he likes Trump policies —– does he love Trump total immunity? Trump sexual abuse “grab em by the pussy” policy is political. Trump business cheating policies are ok. Basically, he is for, via his vote, a major policy and party platform plank to void the rule of law for anything Trump and for Trump to void the rule of law to let all of his criminal friends go free. Voiding the rule of law for Trump is OK for Republican’s like Horist.

    Specifically, Horist focuses on the AZ AG who states she will not prosecute, her right FYI under the rule of law, an 1864 AZ territory law as AZ state law, which was passed by a serial rapist pedophile. But he leaves out anything Republican, anything Trump that travels the same road of ignoring the rule of law. In for a peck, in for a pound. Cover the entire story, not just your spin.

    Reply
    • larry Horist

      Frank Stetson … Can always count on our to double down when you say things that are rather ridiculous. Prosecutorial abuse is against the law …. period. You just cannot seem to grasp that. Of course, it is not often prosecuted because fellow prosecutors will use it to not prosecute a colleague. I have occasionally written about the problems with he prosecutorial class. You forgot to call me a “pugnacious prick” in this posting. It seems to have become your favorite gratuitous and childish insult — and from a guy who claims to be above such insults. When you get a chance, look up hypocrisy in the dictionary. I think you will find your name as the third definition. LOL

      Reply
      • FRANK STETSON

        Sir, I only respond in kind when you start the name calling.

        As is your way.

        As is your kind.

        Still blaming Biden for your next Trump vote?

        Reply

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