Hmmm... Inquiring minds are wondering what's up with that news story today from Lachlan Markay writing in Axios
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy
Scoop: Jeff Flake seeds new voting nonprofit
Jeff Flake.(Image from an earlier post on MesaZona)
Lachlan Markay Axios | 2021-10-13T14:06:19.270716Z
"Former Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican who's now President Biden's nominee to be ambassador to Turkey, is funding a nonprofit focused on election processes in his home state of Arizona, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Arizona is ground-zero for election conspiracy theories. While those behind the Public Integrity Foundation say that's not the impetus for the group, they hope it will address some of the underlying issues.
What's happening: Flake's Senate campaign committee — which is still active — donated $150,000 to the Foundation in late September, days after it was formed, according to Federal Election Commission records.
- Tyler Montague, the Foundation's chairman, told Axios the group approached Flake about backing its efforts, and his donation is its largest financial commitment, so far.
- "Jeff Flake is a long time friend, and he’s also interested in one of the charter purposes of the foundation, which is to do research and education around alternative forms of voting," Montague said in a text message.
- Like Flake, Montague is a Republican who's been critical of Donald Trump. He also runs the Public Integrity Alliance, a Mesa-based advocacy group that sued Maricopa County last year over ballot instructions it said violated state law.
- Flake did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his donation.
The details: Montague said the Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, will study practices such as ranked-choice voting and approval voting.
- "We aren’t limiting ourselves to any one particular method," he said.
- The group is eyeing models such as Alaska's, which in 2020 included a top-four primary and a ranked-choice general election.
- "Ranked-choice voting has a lot of merits even though NYC botched their first election with it," Montague said.
Between the lines: The Foundation is launching in a state bedeviled by controversies and conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election.
- While a Republican-led "audit" of the state's election confirmed Biden's victory last year, state and national GOP leaders continue to falsely claim that fraud tainted the outcome.
- Montague said that controversy wasn't the impetus for the Foundation but improved election processes could be an antidote in the future.
- "It’s definitely a sign that there is a disconnect between the agenda of who we are electing and what the general public believes/wants," he said. "Which is one of the key arguments made by people who advocate for something like RCV over our current election methods."
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RELATED CONTENT
Feb 3, 2021 · Tyler Montague appearing in a video paid for by the Arizona Public Integrity Alliance during the 2016 election cycle.
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ADDITIONAL BLOG POSTS
19 APRIL 2017
Entire Stream Here in Mesa: Jeff Flake Town Hall
Published on Apr 13, 2017
Views: 10,623
Smirking Jeff Flake Spars with ANGRY crowd in his first Town Hall This Year and seemed to think it was all a big joke.
But will he be smirking and laughing at his constituents at the next election?
That is up to you....
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., got more boos than cheers from the estimated 1,800 people who turned out to his town hall in Mesa, Ariz., on Thursday evening, the lawmaker's first such event of the year.
The audience appeared to be comprised of mostly Democratic activists - as evident by the majority of people who protested the senator's statements throughout the event
But will he be smirking and laughing at his constituents at the next election?
That is up to you....
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., got more boos than cheers from the estimated 1,800 people who turned out to his town hall in Mesa, Ariz., on Thursday evening, the lawmaker's first such event of the year.
The audience appeared to be comprised of mostly Democratic activists - as evident by the majority of people who protested the senator's statements throughout the event
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Fmr. GOP Sen. Jeff Flake: Republicans Are Indulging Trump's Base | Amanpour & Company
There are good reasons Jeff Flake is a Former GOP Senator from Arizona - he chose NOT to run. . . There are many back stories to that decision. It may be interesting to note that "Republicans Indulging Trump" staged an America First Rally on Friday, May 21, 2021 here in Mesa that attracted a lot of attention.
Back on November 2017 Flake appeared on the stage here in Mesa in a display of what they like to call
"non-partisan politics" - and just spontaneous remarks
Mesa Mayor John Giles Caught Prodding Jeff Flake On-Stage with Hot Open Mic
Here's our self-described "non-partisan" Mayor getting caught on an open mike pinned to Flake's lapel pin encouraging him to run for President . . . Couple of nice LDS dudes, huh??
Published on Nov 17, 2017
Views: about 740
ABC15's microphone picked up a conversation between Senator Flake and Mesa's major Giles joking about President Trump.
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