Immigration

Ariz. Law Backers Have Reason For Hope After Supreme Court Arguments

Sahil Kapur | April 25, 2012, 1:12PM

Arizona SB 1070 boycott immigration

By the end of Wednesday's Supreme Court oral arguments on the constitutionality of Arizona's immigration law, there was renewed hope for the law's backers that at least some aspects of it might survive, although no clear majority emerged one way or another.

Justice Antonin Scalia led the charge among justices inclined to agree with Arizona. He passionately argued that the Constitution provides states the authority to craft immigration policy to protect their borders -- an argument at odds with longstanding precedent.

"What does sovereignty mean if it does not include the ability to defend your borders? The states can police their borders," Scalia said, suggesting that the White House opposes the law because it "does not want [immigration] law enforced rigorously."

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Immigration

Will The Supreme Court Quash Arizona's Immigration Law?

Sahil Kapur | April 23, 2012, 11:57AM

Lest anyone think the Supreme Court is done playing with political dynamite this year: Next up, the Obama administration asks the justices to quash Arizona's immigration law, a measure that has sparked intense protests, boycotts and even rap songs.

The high court will hear oral arguments Wednesday on whether the state's tough law -- which permits police to check people's legal status during lawful encounters, and makes it a crime to look for work without legal status -- passes the constitutional test. Lower courts have sided with the administration and blocked its key provisions.

"This should be an easy case for the federal government," said Adam Winkler, a professor at UCLA School of Law. "Under longstanding precedent, the federal government has plenary authority over immigration. Yet here Arizona has imposed its own view of how immigration law should be enforced."

The core legal question is the extent to which states are empowered to make immigration laws, a turf constitutionally reserved for the federal government. The administration argues that Arizona's law coerces it to take a harder line on undocumented immigrants. Gov. Jan Brewer's legal team frames the statute as an effort to cooperatively assist the federal government in dealing with an immigration system that is widely regarded as broken.

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John McCain

John McCain Blames Illegal Immigrants For Arizona Fires

Benjy Sarlin | June 20, 2011, 2:52PM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

John McCain is pushing back against accusations of fearmongering after blaming illegal immigrants for starting fires in Arizona.

"There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally," Sen. McCain (R-AZ) told reporters on Saturday at a press conference. "The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border."'

Arizona is in the midst of battling a pair of huge blazes, the Horseshoe 2 fire and the more recent Wallow fire. Spokesmen for the forest service and for the federal group managing the disaster both told ABC News that while the ongoing Wallow fire was "human" caused, there was no evidence illegal immigrants were involved. The cause of the Horseshoe 2 fire is listed as "human," but that's as specific as it gets.

Immigrant rights groups jumped on McCain's remarks, saying that the Senator was whipping up nativist sentiment with his response.

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Jon Kyl

Jon Kyl's Approval Rating Falls After False Planned Parenthood Claim

Jon Terbush | May 6, 2011, 1:58PM

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is still a very popular politician in Arizona despite his false claim that abortions make up 90% of Planned Parenthood's services. Actually, that's not intended to be a factual statement.

In reality, Kyl's approval rating has gotten markedly worse since January, according to a PPP poll released on Friday, perhaps not coincidentally because of the false claim he made on the Senate floor last month, and the negative press attention it generated.

In the same PPP poll that showed Kyl's approval rating slipping, a majority of Arizonans said they opposed cutting funding for Planned Parenthood. Further, while Republicans' opinion of Kyl hasn't changed much since January, large numbers of Democrats and independents -- who both strongly opposed cutting funding for Planned Parenthood, according to the survey -- have soured on Kyl over the same period.

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John McCain

Poll: Only One-Third Of Arizonans Approve Of McCain's Job Performance

Jon Terbush | May 6, 2011, 11:38AM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

According to a PPP poll released Friday, only one-third of Arizona's registered voters approve of Sen. John McCain's (R) job performance, thus earning McCain the ignoble distinction of the nation's third least popular Senator based on PPP's data.

In the poll, 34% of voters said they approve of McCain's job performance, compared to 53% who disapprove.

Only Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) -- the erstwhile Democrat who has almost completely alienated his former party -- and Sen. John Ensign -- who stepped down this week after a protracted sex scandal -- have polled worse in PPP surveys in the past year. In March, PPP found that just 29% of Connecticut voters approved of Lieberman's job performance, while 58% disapproved. Just 29% of Nevadans gave Ensign positive marks in an April PPP poll, while 55% said the opposite.

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Arizona

GOP Gov. Brewer Slams Birtherism As 'Leading Our Country Down A Path Of Destruction' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 26, 2011, 10:33AM

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) appeared Monday night on CNN's John King, USA to discuss her recent veto of a "birther bill" -- a piece of legislation requiring candidates for public office to submit proof of U.S. citizenship to the state Secretary of State before they could appear on the state's ballot. And despite the issue's appeal to the GOP's Tea Party base, Brewer had nothing good to say about the bill.

"Well, you know, it seems to me that we have talked about this issue now going on probably two years, and that I believe that most people have reached out and they did their investigations, and it's become such a huge distraction," said Brewer. "I for one, I believe that what I have seen, and after speaking with governor -- or the prior governor of Hawaii -- that indeed he [Obama] was born in Hawaii.

"It's just something that I think is leading our country down a path of destruction, and it just is not serving any good purpose.

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Arizona

Brewer Vetoes Birther Bill In Arizona

Eric Kleefeld | April 18, 2011, 10:28PM

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ), who has been a darling on the right for her battles with the Obama administration over illegal immigration, health care and other issues, has now taken a potentially bold step against the Tea Party base: She has vetoed a "birther bill" -- a piece of legislation motivated by conspiracy theories about President Obama place of birth, requiring candidates for public office to submit proof of U.S. citizenship to the state Secretary of State before they could appear on the state's ballot.

"I do not support designating one person as the gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate, which could lead to arbitrary or politically motivated decisions," Brewer said in her veto message, the Associated Press reports. Brewer herself is a former Arizona Secretary of State.

"In addition, I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on Earth to submit their early baptismal circumcision certificates' among other records to the Arizona secretary of state. This is a bridge too far."

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Arizona

Gov. Brewer: AZ Birther Bill May Be 'Shooting A Little Bit From The Hip'

Jillian Rayfield | April 18, 2011, 4:17PM

AZ Gov. Jan Brewer (R)

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) indicated that she may not sign the recently passed "birther" bill into law, explaining that "I think my big concern probably, just shooting a little bit from the hip, is the fact that I don't know if we regulate federal elections."

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Birther

AZ Senate Passes Birther Bill With Overwhelming Majority

Evan McMorris-Santoro | April 14, 2011, 9:42AM

The Arizona state Senate passed Wednesday the revised version of a bill that would require candidates to prove their citizenship before they can appear on state ballots.

The bill will now head to the state House for a final vote.

Though President Obama is not named in the bill or specifically by the bill's sponsors, most read it as a directed attack from those who question whether Obama was born in the United States. Last week, lead House sponsor Rep. Carl Seel (R) met with Donald Trump, who's lately become the national spokesperson for skepticism about Obama's legitimacy. Seel told local press Trump gave his bill "the thumbs up."

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Donald Trump

Donald Trump To Meet With AZ Birther Bill Author In NYC

Evan McMorris-Santoro | April 7, 2011, 2:38PM

State Rep. Carl Seel (R-AZ) and Donald Trump

Donald "The Donald" Trump is taking further steps to make himself the nation's birther-in-chief. On the heels of his promise to reveal the truth about Obama's birth in the next several weeks, TPM has learned Trump will be hosting an author of Arizona's birther legislation in New York City this week.

According to his office, State Rep. Carl Seel (R) is currently en route to New York City to powow with Trump over HB 2177, a bill which would require all candidates for office to prove their citizenship to the Secretary of State's office before they can appear of Arizona ballots.

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Gabrielle Giffords

Rep. Giffords Making 'Excellent' Progress, May Attend Husband's Shuttle Launch

Jon Terbush | March 11, 2011, 11:56AM

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)

Just two months after suffering a gunshot wound to the head that left her in critical condition, Rep. Gabriel Giffords (D-AZ) is making 'excellent' progress in her rehabilitation treatment and can already communicate in full sentences, according to her doctors who spoke at a news conference Friday morning.

While remaining cautious, Giffords' doctors said she has been making "leaps and bounds" in her treatment, remaining positive throughout and even surprising them at times with her steady improvement. And, as was reported Thursday, her doctors said there is a "good possibility" that she will be well enough to attend her husband's shuttle launch on April 19.

"She's making so much progress, and it's so exciting for everyone, including her," said Dr. Dong Kim. "She's getting better on a daily basis."

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Jeff Flake

GOPer Flake Takes The High Road On Possible Giffords Senate Run

Susan Crabtree | February 16, 2011, 3:30PM

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) who announced his Senate bid this week, is taking the high road when it comes to the possibility of a general election match-up against the rapidly and remarkably recovering Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ).

"The most wonderful thing in the world would be to have her make a Senate run," Flake told TPM in an interview Tuesday.

While Flake declined to discuss whether he could beat her in a head-to-head Senate race, he said a Giffords' Senate run in 2012 would be an incredible and welcome development.

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Arizona

PPP Poll: Arizona Favors Gun Control

Eric Kleefeld | February 3, 2011, 4:50PM

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)

A new survey of Arizona from Public Policy Polling (D) finds an interesting result: This red state wants more gun control -- indeed, they favor it more than national surveys have shown since the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) in the Tucson area.

The poll asked: "In general do you think Arizona should have stricter laws concerning who can buy guns or not?" The answer was Yes 55%, No 38%.

As PPP's Tom Jensen points out: "That's a higher degree of support for increased gun control in the wake of last month's shootings in Tucson than national polls are showing. A recent CBS poll showed just 46% of voters across the country in support of tougher laws on guns and ABC and NBC both put the number at 52%."

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Linda Gray

Arizona GOPer: Roe v. Wade Contributed To Tucson Shootings

Jillian Rayfield | January 24, 2011, 3:37PM

Arizona State Sen. Linda Gray (R) argued over the weekend that gun control is not the way to prevent another shooting like the one in Tucson. The real answer, she said when asked about preventing such a shooting in the future, is to better "respect the life of an unborn."

"It is ironic that today is the day 38 years ago that the Supreme Court said we do not have to respect the life of an unborn and we have gone through now more then a generation of people, a large number of people who believe that it is fine to take an infant prior to it being born and to kill it. What type of respect is that for human life?"

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Gabrielle Giffords

Report: Giffords To Be Released From Hospital On Friday

Jillian Rayfield | January 19, 2011, 1:05PM

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)

Less than two weeks after she was shot in the head in Tucson, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) will reportedly be released from the hospital.

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Health Care

Dem Rep: Tucson Hero Wants Health Care Bill Kept In Place

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 19, 2011, 10:49AM

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

As Democrats ramp up their day-long press tour to criticize the House Republican plan to vote on a repeal of the landmark health care reform bill today, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is using this month's tragedy in Tucson to take on the GOP.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Wasserman Schultz -- who was joined by several other Democratic members of Congress as well as several Obama administration officials including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius -- said that one of the heroes of the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson that left six dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in the hospital is opposed to the House legislative action today.

"Normally I would step to a microphone like this and tell a story about the impact that decision might have on a constituent in my district," Wasserman Schultz said. "Instead what I'm going to do is share with you what Pat Maisch -- who was the hero who dropped the second magazine out of the gunman's hand during the tragedy in Tucson -- what she planned to say to Gabby Giffords when she was waiting on line to talk to her."

Wasserman Schultz said Maisch wanted the health care reforms signed into law by President Obama in March kept in place, and that the Arizona grandmother bemoaned the tone of the repeal debate led by the new Republican House majority.

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Giffords shooting

Poll: Americans High On Obama's Tucson Response -- And Low On Palin's

Jon Terbush | January 18, 2011, 11:10AM

Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) and President Barack Obama (D)

Sarah Palin may be reloading, but Americans are retreating from her--at least when it comes to how she responded to the shooting spree in Tucson that killed six and left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition.

According to a new ABC-Washington Post poll, just 30% of Americans approve of Palin's response to the shooting, versus 46% who disapprove. That low approval is even more striking when compared to Americans' opinion of how Obama responded to the tragedy. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they approve of the President's response, while only 12% respondents said they disapprove.

Similarly, a PPP poll released this morning also found that a plurality of voters disapproved of Palin's response to the shooting. Forty percent of respondents to that poll said Palin's response was "inappropriate" compared to 27% who said it was appropriate.

And as Greg Sargent points out, not even a majority of Republicans think Palin handled her response well, according to the ABC-Washington Post poll. Forty-eight percent of Republicans said Palin handled the situation well, fewer than the 53% who said Palin's nemesis, the so-called "lame stream media," handled it well.

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Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin Defends 'Blood Libel,' Says Loughner Was 'Perhaps Even Left-Leaning' (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | January 18, 2011, 9:20AM

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday night provided the nation with her definition of "blood libel" and defended her initial response to criticism of her map that featured the district of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in crosshairs. The map was released almost a year before the shooting that nearly took Giffords's life earlier this month.

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Arizona

Univ. Confirms It Was Responsible For Tucson Memorial T-Shirts Criticized By Conservatives

Rachel Slajda | January 14, 2011, 3:16PM

As TPM was first to report Wednesday, conservatives found themselves up in arms about T-shirts that were given out during the Tucson memorial for victims of last Saturday's shooting.

Some said the T-shirts, which read "Together We Thrive: Tucson & America," were an inappropriate political statement orchestrated by the White House, since President Obama spoke at the memorial.

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Health Care

GOP Won't Rename 'Repealing The Job Killing Health Care Law Act'

Brian Beutler | January 13, 2011, 2:59PM

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA)

In the wake of the shooting spree in Arizona, Democrats pressed Republicans to change the name of their health care repeal bill -- the bluntly titled "Repealing the Job Killing Health Health Care Law Act."

No luck. A spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor says they're sticking with that name.

As first reported by Greg Sargent, that vote is scheduled for next week. In a statement sent my way, Cantor spox Brad Dayspring confirms, "As the White House noted, it is important for Congress to get back to work, and to that end we will resume thoughtful consideration of the health care bill next week. Americans have legitimate concerns about the cost of the new health care law and its effect on the ability to grow jobs in our country. It is our expectation that the debate will continue to focus on those substantive policy differences surrounding the new law."

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Arizona

After The Shooting: Tucson Seeks The New Normal

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 13, 2011, 2:20PM

TUCSON, AZ -- They cheered, they cried, they celebrated and they mourned. And for perhaps the first time since the deadly shootings on Jan. 8, Tucson did it as one when the city gathered for last night's memorial service on the campus of the University of Arizona.

In the days immediately following the massacre at a constituent event for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Tucson struggled to find its footing. As I was told so many times by so many different people this week, Tucson is the "Berkeley of Arizona," a blue drop in a sea of red. So perhaps it was no surprise that the first reaction to the killings was fractured, rather than united with the state as a whole.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: 'We Will Heal': The Memorial In Tucson]

Just hours after suspected gunman Jared Lee Loughner's rampage outside a Safeway in one of the posher areas of the city I toured this week, Tucson Tea Party Patriots leader Allyson Miller struck a combative tone. She had already checked her group's Facebook page to make sure Loughner wasn't a tea partier.

"I think anytime you start suppressing freedom of speech, I think it's wrong," she told me. "I live here and I didn't hear anything [in the 2010 campaign] that concerned me in terms of inciting violence."

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John Boehner

Boehner Didn't Really Snub Obama, Tucson Memorial

Brian Beutler | January 13, 2011, 11:59AM

President Obama speaks at a bipartisan White House gathering with Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) in the background.

House Speaker John Boehner is catching a lot of flak for missing last night's memorial service in Tucson, reportedly declining an Air Force One invitation from President Obama in order to slap backs and clink glasses at an RNC event.

But a look at the timeline of events paints Boehner in a better light.

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Gabrielle Giffords

Sen. Gillibrand, Rep. Wasserman Schultz Describe Giffords Opening Her Eyes

Megan Carpentier | January 13, 2011, 10:23AM

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)

Last night, on the plane back to Washington with the President, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) described in more detail what they saw when, as President Obama said last night, "Gabby opened her eyes for the first time."

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Giffords shooting

Conservatives Criticize Free T-Shirts At Tucson Memorial Service

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 12, 2011, 8:25PM

TUCSON, AZ -- Some conservatives are upset over t-shirts bearing the logo "Together We Thrive: Tucson & America" that were handed out to attendees at tonight's memorial service in the McKale Center on the campus of the University Of Arizona here.

The shirts, which bear the same logo that adorns other items from the event -- including press passes, signage and volunteer t-shirts -- were placed on many of the seats in the lower sections of the arena when tonight's capacity crowd walked in.

The University Of Arizona did not immediately respond to requests for more information on the shirts, which are drawing fire in the conservative twitter- and blogosphere tonight. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. A person familiar with the event confirmed the university put the event together, and was responsible for t-shirts, tickets, fliers, etc.

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CBS

CBS Poll: Support For Stricter Gun Laws Spikes After Tucson Rampage

Jon Terbush | January 12, 2011, 10:31AM

Handguns on display

The number of Americans who favor stricter gun laws has spiked significantly in the wake of the weekend shooting spree that killed six and left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition, reversing a long-running trend of declining support for more stringent gun control, according to a new CBS poll.

In the poll, 47% of respondents said gun laws should be made tougher, while 36% said they should remain unchanged, and just 12% said they should be relaxed. While that means a slim plurality (48%) are opposed to strengthening gun laws, that opposition has dropped 10 points since CBS last polled the question less than one year ago.

In April 2010, CBS pegged total opposition to stricter gun laws at 58%, with 42% saying gun control was fine as is, and 16% saying that laws should be scaled back. And 40% supported tougher gun laws -- a number that's now risen to 47%.

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Westboro Baptist Church

Arizona Bill Aimed At Westboro Signed Into Law

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 11, 2011, 9:51PM

TUCSON, AZ -- Gov. Jan Brewer (R) tonight signed a hastily written and passed law aimed squarely at Westboro Baptist Church. The law, which will take effect immediately, aims to deny Westboro -- the notorious Kansas church group led by anti-gay preacher Fred Phelps -- the chance to disrupt the funeral of a 9-year-old girl killed in the mass shooting in Tucson Saturday morning.

From the Arizona Republic:

Senate Bill 1101 creates a "funeral protection zone" that bans protesters within 300 feet of a funeral service. The ban applies to one hour before, during or after a funeral service. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

The bill was passed in the legislature earlier today by unanimous votes in the state House and Senate. As TPM reported earlier today, the bill was modeled on similar legislation aimed at curbing Phelps and his church in Ohio. That law has been upheld by a federal district court.

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Virginia Foxx

GOP Rep: Loughner's Beliefs 'The Liberal Of Liberals'

Brian Beutler | January 11, 2011, 4:44PM

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) says political rhetoric doesn't really incite violent behavior at all -- but not before describing Arizona shooting suspect Jared Loughner as a "communist" and "the liberal of liberals."

"This guy appears to be a communist," Foxx told the Winston-Salem Journal. "His beliefs are the liberal of the liberals [sic]. There is no evidence whatsoever that this man was influenced by Sarah Palin or anybody in the Republican Party. This man is not a conservative; he's a fan of communism - that's the opposite of conservatism."

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Westboro Baptist Church

Arizona's Anti-Westboro Baptist Bill Modeled After Ohio Legislation

Evan McMorris-Santoro and Ryan J. Reilly | January 11, 2011, 3:20PM

TUCSON, AZ -- The Arizona state legislature's plan to limit the ability of members of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church to protest the funerals of victims of the mass shooting over the weekend is gathering overwhelming bipartisan support.

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Stephen Colbert

Colbert On AZ Shooting: 'Did We Pick Someone To Blame Yet?' (VIDEO)

David Taintor | January 11, 2011, 12:30PM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert last night started out on a serious note, offering condolences to the families and friends of the victims of Saturday's mass shooting that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hospitalized in critical condition.

"We, of course, send our thoughts and prayers," Colbert said. He then added that now is not the time to "lay blame or politicize" the tragedy, only to follow by showing a handful of highly politicized pundits reacting to the shooting.

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Gabrielle Giffords

Giffords Doctors: 'She's Breathing On Her Own'

Jillian Rayfield | January 11, 2011, 12:27PM

Doctors at the University of Arizona Medical Center just gave a press conference on the condition of the mass shooting victims in Tucson, and said that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is "breathing on her own" after being shot in the head.

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Arizona

Arizona's Fixation On Immigration And Guns: A Recent History

Jillian Rayfield | January 11, 2011, 12:19PM

TPM illustration: Chris Broughton, Jared Lee Loughner, Sheriff Joe Arpaio

The mass shootings in Arizona over the weekend that killed six and left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) in critical condition after being shot in the head hardly marks the first time the state has been under scrutiny for its tense political atmosphere and somewhat off-the-rails policies. In April, TPM took a microscope to the state in the wake of its incredibly controversial immigration policy.

So it's time to ask again, what's the matter with Arizona?

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Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart: I Hate Our Toxic 'Political Environment' -- But Who Knows If It Caused AZ Shooting? (VIDEO)

David Taintor | January 11, 2011, 11:53AM

Jon Stewart

In the wake of the mass shooting in Arizona over the weekend that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hospitalized in critical condition, Jon Stewart last night traded quick quips for a warning: "I would love to say that we've got a great show for you tonight; not sure that's the case."

"How do you make sense of these types of senseless situations?" Stewart asked. Both sides of the political aisle are trying to exonerate themselves from blame, or implicate the other side, he said.

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CBS

CBS Poll: Nearly Six In Ten Say Heated Rhetoric Unrelated To AZ Shooting

Jon Terbush | January 11, 2011, 10:18AM

US Senate candidate Joe Miller's (R-AK) supporters in a parade with guns in hand.

In a CBS poll released this morning, almost 60% of Americans said they don't think strong political rhetoric is to blame for Saturday's shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona that left six dead and wounded over a dozen others, including Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

In the poll, 57% of respondents said that intense political discourse had nothing to do with the attack, versus 32% who said that it was a contributing factor to the shooting. By political demographics, Republicans were less inclined to see a connection. Sixty-nine percent of Republicans said there was no connection, while 19% said it was in some way related. Among Democrats, 42% saw a connection between violent rhetoric and the weekend's events, compared to 49% who said the two were unrelated.

The results show that the general public largely disagrees with one of the early story lines to emerge from the tragedy--that a recent spike in violent political speech may have created an environment in which someone actually took violent action.

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Westboro Baptist Church

Pima County GOP Chair Opposes Anti-Westboro Law

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 10, 2011, 10:49PM

TUCSON, AZ -- The leader of the county Republican party here says he's inclined to oppose the state legislature's efforts to prevent the Westboro Baptist Church from capitalizing on Saturday's shootings at a constituent event for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) by staging protests outside the funeral of the shootings youngest victim, 9-year-old Christina Green. But that doesn't mean he's prepared to let the protests go unhindered.

Brian Miller, chair of the Pima County GOP, says the nascent effort to pass a law that keeps Westboro from harassing mourners sounds to him like a dangerous step toward limiting First Amendment rights.

"I don't know what's in the law, but I do think it's indicative of always looking to the law to solve problems," Miller told me in an interview tonight. He said the county GOP is against those kinds of solutions.

"We will not sign on or advocate any policy that limits free speech," he said.

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Westboro Baptist Church

Arizona To Take On Westboro Baptist Church In Wake Of Shooting

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 10, 2011, 6:53PM

A member of the Westboro Baptist Church protests at a military funeral.

TUCSON, AZ -- The Arizona state legislature is planning to limit the ability of members of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church to disrupt the funerals of victims of Saturday's deadly shooting, an area state Representative tells TPM.

In one of its first acts since a gunman attacked a constituent event hosted by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), a bipartisan group of state legislators is expected to push through a bill this week that would deny the Westboro Bapist Church -- the Kansas-based congregation led by Fred Phelps that's best known for protesting military funerals -- some of the media spotlight the group seems to crave.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Moment Of Silence: Nation Reflects On Tragic Arizona Shooting]

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Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews Grills Tea Party Leader: Why Would Someone Bring A Gun To A Political Rally?

Jillian Rayfield | January 10, 2011, 6:43PM

Chris Matthews & Judson Phillips

Chris Matthews talked to Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips today, and grilled him on second amendment issues and the "history of violence" in America. Referencing the fondness of tea partiers for bringing guns to political rallies, Matthews asked: "Why are guns talked about so much, especially on the right?"

Phillips replied that "guns are talked about on both sides of the political spectrum," and "liberals talk about it all the time. Usually in terms of taking the right to bear arms away from us."

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Arizona

Gov. Brewer: Arizona 'Will Never Be Brought Down' (VIDEO)

Jon Terbush | January 10, 2011, 5:07PM

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who was scheduled to deliver her state of the state address today, instead used the occasion to mourn the past weekend's shooting in Tucson, and to call on the nation to persevere.

"I had intended to deliver a state of the state address today, remarks that outline an exciting and solid plan for job creation, education and tax reform," Brewer said. "And I will deliver that plan to you, but not now, not today."

"Tragedy and terror sometimes comes from the shadows to steal our joy and take away our peace," Brewer went on. "That happened on Saturday, when a gunman took away people we love, innocent people."

Brewer then called for a moment of silence to honor the victims of the tragedy and their families, naming each of the six people killed including 9-year-old Christina Green and Arizona's Chief Federal Judge John M. Roll. President Obama had led the nation in a moment of silence earlier today.

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Tea Party Express

Tea Party Express Fundraises Off Giffords Shooting: 'Tea Party Won't Be Silenced'

Jillian Rayfield | January 10, 2011, 4:55PM

In an apparent effort to distance themselves from the mass shootings in Arizona over the weekend, the Tea Party Express sent out an email to supporters proclaiming that they "won't be silenced" -- and asking for contributions.

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Gabrielle Giffords

Brady Defends Proposed Law Banning Bullseyes On Politicians

Brian Beutler | January 10, 2011, 3:59PM

Rep. Bob Brady (D-PA) doesn't just think things like putting bullseyes on your political opponents is in poor taste. He thinks it should be illegal. In the wake of the Arizona shooting spree, he's introducing legislation to extend protections given to the President of the United States to members of Congress and others.

Predictably, he's taking a lot of heat for it. Though practically everybody has come down hard on Sarah Palin for her now infamous target list -- Palin herself took it off her PAC's website after the shooting -- it appears the Giffords attack had nothing to do with Palin or any particular piece of rhetoric.

But Brady's not backing down. Monday afternoon, he entered the lion's den -- Fox News -- to defend himself.

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