The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast

Earlier this year, "The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast," launched a miniseries profiling each congressional district in Arizona. In this week's episode, we're taking a look at the West Valley's Congressional District 8. It's home to popular spots in the state like State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Cardinals play, as well as the popular concert venue Gila River Arena. It includes Glendale, Peoria, and Surprise. It also has large retirement communities in towns like Sun City and Sun City West. Republican Debbie Lekso represents the district in Congress. She took the seat in a special election in 2018. Lekso joined hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen to talk about the political issues most important to her community, including social security and veteran benifit.You'll also hear from voters directly on which issues are most likely to drive them to the polls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes has brought police practices and accountability to the forefront of American discourse. In cities across the nation, protesters have taken to the streets, demanding justice and change. Phoenix is no different.This week The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, is examining two solutions proposed to address police brutality, profiling and other practices being scrutinized as unjust. These include civilian oversight and "defunding the police."Related: Every 5 days, an Arizona officer shoots someone, a Republic analysis findsIn June, the Phoenix City Council approved spending $3 million of its $1.3 billion budget for a new Office of Accountability and Transparency that will focus on police oversight. Hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen explore the function of the new office with reporters Jessica Boehm and Uriel Garcia. Plus, an explanation on what "defunding the police" means and how likely the proposal is to pass muster among Phoenix constituents and city council members. Read more: Phoenix police will stop using strangleholds on people, chief says Police officers are rarely prosecuted or convicted in Arizona. Here are some of the hurdles Phoenix protesters demand more police oversight from City Council Sheriff: Hispanic, black drivers more likely to be held longer in traffic stops than white drivers Phoenix approves budget with fully-funded police civilian oversight office Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, The Gaggle will discuss the status of police oversight in Phoenix. Reporters Jessica Boehm and Uriel Garcia will talk about the call to “defund the police.” They’ll explain what it all means and the likelihood of these proposals coming to fruition. But before that, you should understand the backstory about police shootings in Phoenix. Last July, the Arizona Republic released an in-depth investigation on this very subject. The findings provide perspective for the current unrest across the nation. So today, The Gaggle is re-airing this old episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a pivotal point in Republican Gov. Doug Ducey’s leadership in Arizona. Amid conflicting signals from the White House, governors across the country have played an outsized role in managing the health and economic crises. In addition to the pandemic, many governors are being questioned about their responses to police brutality in wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Ducey is no exception. Some questioned whether his implementation of a statewide curfew was in response to looting at Scottsdale Fashion Square, an upscale shopping center. Ducey also received criticism for issuing the curfew without speaking to Democratic mayors, including Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.It’s been a historic run of problems for the state and the nation. It’s unclear how much these recent moments will define Ducey’s legacy governor.How does Ducey’s leadership fare in contrast? And how will his handling of the pandemic shape his legacy as the 23rd governor of Arizona? In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen are joined by political reporter Maria Polletta.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona mayors who broke with Republican Gov. Doug Ducey's approach to the coronavirus said the governor has made no direct contact since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.Flagstaff and Tucson mayors Coral Evans and Regina Romero told The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast they had communication with the Ducey administration early on in the pandemic through morning conference calls with Ben Blink, the governor's policy adviser for local governments. However, the calls have since ceased. Evans and Romero were the first in the state to issue proclamations in mid-March, closing certain businesses and public gathering spaces. Gov. Ducey issued a statewide stay-at-home March 30. In the May 27 interviews, Evans and Romero said their proactive approaches were in response to information from scientists and public health officials. They also spoke about the plight of their residents and what further action will be needed to revive their cities' economies and public health.Mayor Evans expressed displeasure with the governor, who has said he wants Arizona to take unified approach in combating COVID-19. "It seems to me that if we want to speak as one voice, then everybody would have the opportunity to be part of the conversation," Evans told national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen. "It makes no sense to me that the mayors that care so passionately about their communities never had a conversation with the governor the entire time this has been going on." In this episode you'll hear Evans and Romero's thoughts on: Why they issued proclamations shutting down their cities before Gov. Ducey's stay-at-home order. The state response to COVID-19. Partisan politics imbued in coronavirus discourse. The distribution of federal relief funding and what it will be used for  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On May 25, George Floyd was killed while in the custody of four Minneapolis police officers. The officers' actions leading to his death violated the policies of the Minneapolis Police Department. Floyd’s death became a catalyst for protests across the country, including protests in Phoenix. Local protesters decried Floyd's death, as well as the death of 28-year-old Dion Johnson. Authorities allege Johnson struggled with an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper before the shooting. However, there is no footage of Johnson's death, and the trooper who shot him was not equipped with a camera. After three nights of unrest, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency. He also declared a weekly curfew, which will expire on the morning of Monday, June 8. More than 200 protesters were arrested Sunday night for violating the curfew.In issuing the curfew, Ducey said his administration had received requests from local leaders. However, the mayors of Phoenix and Tucson — Arizona's largest cities — said they were not notified of the curfew by Ducey's administration. Annie DeGraw, a spokeswoman for Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, said they had not spoken or heard from the governor on this topic or any other topic for months.In today's bonus episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen talk to photojournalist Rob Schumacher about what he's witnessing while covering the protests. Our podcast also talks to city of Phoenix reporter Jessica Boehm about the breakdown in communication between Ducey's administration and local mayors amid the protests and COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this year, "The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast," launched a miniseries profiling each congressional district in Arizona. In this week's episode, we're taking a look at the east Valley's Congressional District 5. The district includes Gilbert and Queen Creek, as well as eastern Mesa and parts of Chandler.Representing the dyed-in-the-wool conservative district is Republican Andy Biggs. Biggs has made headlines recently for voting against COVID-19 stimulus package, citing his concern about the impact of the packages on the national debt.Biggs joined hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen to talk about the political issues most important to his community, many of which have changed during the pandemic. You'll also hear from voters in his district directly.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Navajo Nation, located in parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, is one of the hardest hit places in the state from COVID-19 cases and is now leading the country in per-capita infection rates.Most recent numbers show 2,344 persons per 100,000 on the Navajo Nation were infected by the new coronavirus. In second was New York with 1,806 cases per 100,000. Since early March the Navajo Nation has enacting some of the strictest policies in the state, including nightly and weekend-long curfews.The response started when Navajo Nation President Jonathon Nez declared a state of emergency and days later closed the nation to visitors after three confirmed cases were reported. More than half of the Navajo Nation's cases involve residents in Arizona counties. In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen are joined by breaking news reporter Chelsea Curtis to break down the Navajo Nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since his first press briefing March 2 to extending the statewide stay-at-home order April 29, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has filled a momentous, and at times controversial, timeline of actions regarding the new coronavirus.His incremental progressions have evoked bold responses from constituents, business owners and political leaders on both sides of the aisle; and his administration's decisions to cut off data from university researchers modeling state-specific COVID-19 case projections has led to national scrutiny and a swift reversal.Dissent from all angles has rendered impossible a scenario in which the governor can take action without accounting for political consequence.This week on The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen parse the messy web of politics that has affected Gov. Ducey's decision making. Joining the hosts are Arizona Repubilc reporters Maria Polletta and Ryan Randazzo.In this episode, you'll hear:  Who's advising Ducey and what political calculations he has to make Possible reasons why the Ducey administration has sidelined university experts studying COVID-19  The implications of Ducey's actions on other Arizona GOP contenders Audio in this episode was collected from Channel 3, Channel 15, The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, Thomas Hawthorne and David Wallace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Arizona Legislature adjourned March 23 as a precautionary health measure to combat the new coronavirus, the session's abrupt end killed dozens of bills that had progressed in the state chambers, leaving them with no path to the governor's office.Lawmakers' original plan to reconvene April 13 was scrapped after Gov. Doug Ducey implemented a stay-at-home order March 30 that is currently in effect until May 15. Now, bills pertaining to education, suicide prevention, criminal justice reform, short term rentals, taxation, and even road kill face uncertain futures.This week on the Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen break down the prominent bills from this session with Arizona Republic reporters Andrew Oxford, Maria Polletta and Lily Altavena. Oxford, Polletta and Altavena explain what the bills would've done and how likely they were to pass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices