[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, WITH ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN RUBEN GALLEGO ON THIS ONE-YEAR MARK SINCE THE INSURRECTION AT THE U.S. CAPITOL, ON.

ON AND ON "CRONKITE NEWS," HEAR ABOUT A UNIQUE PROGRAM RUN BY THE PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION THAT HELPS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN IS IS IT POSSIBLE TO ESCAPE FROM REALITY BY WATCHING TELEVISION FOR READING BOOKS?

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THIS IS JANUARY 6TH, MARKING ONE YEAR OF THE RIOT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.

TODAY PRESIDENT BIDEN ADDRESSED THE NATION AND SPOKE IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS.

>> THOSE WHO STORMED THIS CAPITOL, AND THOSE WHO INSTIGATED AND INCITED, AND THOSE WHO CALLED ON THEM TO DO SO, HELD A DAGGER AT THE THROAT OF AMERICA, AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

THEY CAME HERE IN RAGE, NOT IN SERVICE OF AMERICA, BUT RATHER IN SERVICE OF ONE MAN.

WHAT DO WE NOT SEE IN WE DIDN'T SEE A FORMER PRESIDENT WHO JUST RALLIED A MOB TO ATTACK SITTING IN A PRIVATE DINING ROOM OFF OF THE OVAL OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE WATCHING TELEVISION AND DOING NOTHING FOR HOURS AS POLICE WERE ASSAULTED, LIVES AT RISK, THE NATION'S CAPITOL UNDER SIEGE.

>> PRESIDENT BIDEN DID NOT MENTION FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP BY NAME, BUT REFERRED TO HIM MANY TIMES.

>> THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS SPREAD LIES BECAUSE HE SEES HIS OWN INTERESTS AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN AMERICA'S INTEREST, AND BECAUSE HIS BRUISED EGO MATTERS MORE TO HIM THAN OUR DEMOCRACY OR CONSTITUTION.

>> THE PRESIDENT ENDED HIS ADDRESS BY TALKING ABOUT A NEW BEGINNING.

>> SO NOW LET'S STEP UP, AND WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THE BEGINNING OF A RENAISSANCE OF LIBERTY AND FAIR PLAY.

>> AND THE PRESIDENT LATER SPOKE TO REPORTERS.

>> WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE EXTENT OF THIS WOUND.

YOU CAN'T PRETEND.

THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, UNDERSTANDABLY WANT TO GO, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I JUST AS SOON NOT FACE IT.

YOU HAVE GOT TO FACE IT.

THAT'S WHAT GREAT NATIONS DO.

THEY FACE THE TRUTH.

DEAL WITH IT AND MOVE ON.

>> WE'LL HEAR FROM ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN RUBEN GALLEGO ON THE ANNIVERSARY LATER IN THE SHOW.

>>> MORE THAN 10,600 CASES OF COVID-19 HAVE BEEN REPORTED, AS THE OMICRON VARIANT TAKES HOLD IN THE IS STATE.

AND 16 DEATHS WERE ADDED TODAY.

>>> THE STATE SUPREME COURT ISSUED A UNANIMOUS RULING THAT THE GOVERNOR AND STATE LAWMAKERS VIOLATED THE SINGLE-SUBJECT RULE IN PASSING LAST YEAR'S STATE SUBJECT RULING.

IT MEANS THAT LAWMAKERS CAN NO LODGER PUT THINGS IN THE STATE BUDGET THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STATE BUDGET.

>>> AND A COURT FOUND CYBER-NINJASES IN CONTEMPT.

THEIR LAWYER TRIED TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CASE, BUT THE JUDGE DENIED THE ATTEMPT.

>>> IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE THE RIOT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.

ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN RUBEN GALLEGO WAS ONE OF THE MANY MEMBERS INSIDE THE BUILDING WHEN THE RIOT TOOK PLACE.

WE SPOKE TO HIM EARLIER ABOUT THE ATTACK.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

JANUARY 6TH, SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY, AND IN SOME WAYS IT FEELS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO YOU?

>> IT GOES BOTH WAYS.

>> TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW AND WHAT YOU DID ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.

>> HARD TO FIT IT IN THIS SMALL SEGMENT, BUT ONE YEAR TODAY, THERE WAS AN INSURRECTION IN THE HOUSE OF CONGRESS.

WE KNOW THE VOTES WERE VERY SAFE, SECURE, AND TRANSPARENT IN ARIZONA, BUT STILL THEY TRIED TO CHALLENGE THEM, CLAIMING FRAUD.

I WAS THERE ON THE FLOOR WITH CONGRESSMAN HOWARD.

AND WE STARTED NOTICING COME COMMOTION.

WE STARTED HEARING PEOPLE SHOUTING AND BANGING ON DOORS.

AND MY -- MY GOAL THAT DAY WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT NUMBER 1 WE FINISH OUR JOB, AND NUMBER 2 THAT EVERYONE SURVIVE THAT DAY.

I HELPED AS MANY MEMBERS AS I COULD PUT ON THE GAS MASKS.

AND A COUPLE OF OTHER YOUNGER MEMBERS, WE PREPARED OUR SELVES FOR A FIGHT.

>> WAS THIS A COUP ATTEMPT OR INSURRECTION?

>> I THINK IT WAS A COUP ATTEMPT.

WE KNOW DONALD TRUMP DID NOT CALL THE NATIONAL GUARD ON PURPOSE, TRYING TO SEE HOW THIS EVOLVED, HOPING TO CLAIM MARSHALL LAW AND DELAY THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, AND TALKING AND HEARING FROM SOME OF HIS FORMER ADVISORS, CLEARLY IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTURN OUR ELECTIONS.

>> AND YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S INVESTIGATION.

TALK ABOUT THIS.

>> WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, AND IT IS DANGEROUS THAT HE IS MOVING SO SLOW.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- PRETTY SOON, WE'RE GOING TO BE OPENING UP THE 2024 ELECTION, AND WILL THEY BE WILLING TO INDICT TRUMP HIMSELF IF HE ANNOUNCES HE IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2023.

SO THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF THE REPUBLICANS TAKE OVER THE HOUSE IN 2022?

SO, YOU KNOW, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR SPEED HERE.

YOU CAN HAVE IT WITH JUSTICE, AND HAVE IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME, BY MAKING SURE YOU ARE PRESERVING DEMOCRACY.

>> NEED FOR SPEED FOR THOSE THAT PLANNED THE ATTACK?

>> IF THERE WAS ILLEGAL METHODS THEY WERE USING TO DELAY THE CERTIFICATION, THEN, YES, THEY SHOULD BE HELD CRIMINALLY LIABLE.

THERE IS A LINE OBVIOUSLY THERE.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE CERTIFICATION.

BUT ONCE WE FULLY GET INTO THIS INVESTIGATION, I'M SURE IT WILL POINT OUT, THEY WERE ALSO ACTING BEYOND THEIR LIMITS OF CONGRESS.

>> AND REACTION THAT DEMOCRATS ARE MAKING TOO MUCH OF THIS.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> THESE ARE THE SAME FOLKS THEY CLAIM WE WERE TRYING TO SENSOR PREVIOUS ACTS.

SO THAT IS LAUGHABLE.

THERE IS NOTHING LAUGHABLE ABOUT A POTENTIAL OVERTHROWING OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

IT WAS SERIOUS.

THE POLICE WERE GETTING HIT WITH HAMMERS AND CATTLE PRODS, AND THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

THERE WAS CERTAINLY AN INSURRECTION ATTEMPT.

JUST BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SUCCEED, DOESN'T MEAN IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND IN THE END FOR THE SAKE OF THIS COUNTRY AND THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY, WE CAN'T FORGET WHAT HAPPENED.

>>> AND WITH THAT IN MIND, HOW SHOULD JANUARY 6TH BE REMEMBERED?

>> I THINK IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED AS AN ATTEMPTED COUP, AGAIN, TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN A VACUUM.

IT ACTUALLY STARTS RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION WHEN DONALD TRUMP CLAIMS THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED, AND OTHER POLITICIANS PLAYS ALONG WHEN THEY KNEW THE ELECTION WAS FREE AND FAIR.

SO WE NEED TO TEACH THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> AND LAST QUESTION, FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER SAID, QUOTE, I FEAR FOR OUR DEMOCRACY.

DO YOU?

>> I DO.

I FEAR ANOTHER ATTEMPTED CUE CUE -- COUP THAT IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE STATE OFFICES.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PLACES LIKE ARIZONA, WHERE MARK IS AS FASCIST AS YOU BECOME.

AND HE WILL MAKE SURE DONALD TRUMP WINS, EVEN IF IT MEANS THROUGH ILLEGAL MEANS.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR GUARD UP, BECAUSE THE NEXT CREW IS GOING TO BE A BUNCH OF POLITICIANS IN SUITS, YOU KNOW, TURNING ELECTION RESULTS AROUND.

>> ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN RUBEN GALLEGO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> WE WRAP UP OUR CONVERSATION LS WITH ADVOCATES ABOUT THEIR HOPES FOR THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

SANDY, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE FROM THE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION?

>> WELL, AS ALWAYS WE WANT TO SEE THEM DO NO HARM.

WE WANT TO SEE THEM WEAKEN OUR PROTECTIONS FOR WATER AND MORE VOTER SUPPRESSION BILLS, AND WHAT WE DO WANT TO SEE THEM DO IS CONTINUE THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

IT'S SUNSET IS UP THIS YEAR, AND HOLD THAT AGENCY ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER PROTECTION PROTECTION, WHICH THEY ARE NOT DOING.

>> AND HOW ABOUT YOU?

>> I AGREE.

I BELIEVE WATER IS GOING TO BE CRUCIAL, AND CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND WE'RE ABLE TO HOLD EITHER REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS ACCOUNTABLE.

>> IS THERE A HARD PARTISAN DIVIDE AT THE LEGISLATURE WHEN IT COMES TO WATER ISSUES, AND VOTER SUPPRESSION, AND IF THERE IS THAT DIVIDE, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT?

>> THERE IS A HARD PARTISAN DIVIDE.

YOU SEE IT -- THE DEMOCRATIC BILLS THAT WOULD ADVANCE LIMITS ON GROUND-WATER PUMPING OR PROMOTE FLOWING RIVERS, THEY DON'T EVEN GET HEARD LET ALONE DISCUSSED, AND THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS ESPECIALLY ACT AS GATE KEEPERS RELATIVE TO THOSE BILLS.

REPRESENTATIVE GRIFFIN, THEY ARE BOTH HER BILLS.

BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIVIDE.

SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER, AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY SHOULD BE DOING.

JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE IT ON THEIR AGENDA, DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULDN'T BE.

SO WE TRY TO CONVINCE A COUPLE OF REPUBLICANS TO OPPOSE THE BAD BILLS OR SUPPORT SOMETHING GOOD, AND THEN -- YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF TIMES THINGS WILL TAKE SEVERAL SESSIONS BEFORE YOU CAN GET THEM THROUGH.

>> AND WHEN IT COMES TO WATER ISSUES, CLIMATE CHANGE, CLEAN AIR, CLEAN ENERGY, WHAT CAN THE LEGISLATURE DO?

>> LISTEN TO CONSTITUENTS.

I THINK WE HAVE [ INAUDIBLE ] WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CLEAN WATER OR CLEAN AIR, WHEN KIDS CAN'T RIDE THEIR BIKE AND HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS.

AND TWO OF OUT OF THREE BLACK PEOPLE CAN DIE FROM ASTHMA.

SO IT'S A LAYERING OF ISSUES THERE.

AND WE HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN SESSION, THEY ARE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS, AND UNDERSTAND THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS INTERCONNECTED WITH EVERY SINGLE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE.

AND THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD.

>> AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET AN ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION TOGETHER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE SEEING IT -- WE'RE SEEING AN ENVIRONMENTAL -- YOU KNOW, JUST -- IT'S EVERYWHERE, ENVIRONMENTAL COALITIONS COMING AND GROWING, AND BECAUSE OF THE CRISIS WE'RE IN, AND BECAUSE FOR SO LONG WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING THAT ON THE BACK BURNER, AND NOW WE ARE IN A CRISIS, AND WE'RE SEEING BLACK AND INDIGENOUS AND YOUNG PEOPLE GOING ON THE STREETS AND CALLING ON THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SO THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT.

>> YOU BOTH HAVE MENTIONED VOTING ISSUES, AND VOTING RIGHTS, I THINK PEOPLE ARE SAYING, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS VOTING RIGHTS, WHY THE ISSUES?

>> WE CAN'T HAVE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY, AND I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NOW THAT ALL OF THESE ISSUES INTERSECT.

AND YESTERDAY WE HAD 31 ORGANIZATIONS SIGN ON TO PRIORITIES FOR THE COMING SESSION, SO THERE IS A REALLY STRONG CROSS-SECTION OF GROUPS THAT WANT TO SEE THE LEGISLATE LEGISLATETURE ACT AND THEY CAN.

>> YOU AGREE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> PATRICIA LOST HER 28-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, COURTNEY IN 2019 TO ALCOHOL ABUSE.

COURTNEY'S DEATH AND EXPERIENCES IN REHAB LEAD PATRICIA TO START A PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO GRADUATED FROM REHAB.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

PURSE IMPRESSIONS.

WHAT IS THAT?

>> PURSE IMPRESSIONS, WE PROVIDE FRESH START PURSES AND BACKPACKS FOR GRADUATES OF REHAB.

>> SO IT'S BACKPACKS AND PURSES FOR FOLKS THAT GRADUATED FROM REHAB, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE GO THROUGH A PRETTY GRUELLING PROCESS, AND GOOD LUCK, BYE-BYE.

>> YEAH, MY DAUGHTER COURTNEY WOULD BE IN AND OUT OF REHAB, AND WHEN YOU LEAVE REHAB, THEY WOULD ONLY GIVE YOU A PLASTIC BAG, AND SHE FELT IT WAS UNDIGNIFIED, AND SHE WANTED TO WALK OUT AND MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION.

>> AND IT ALSO RECOGNIZES, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT PEOPLE CARE.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE HEAR FROM GRADUATES IS THAT THE THING THAT STRIKES THEM THE MOST IS SOMEBODY CARED.

>> AND YOU HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT YOUR DOUBTER, AND DIFFICULT STORY, BUT AS COMFORTABLE AS YOU ARE TO TALK ABOUT HER AND HER LIFE, PLEASE DO.

>> YEAH, SHE HAD BEEN IN AND OUT OF REHAB SINCE SHE WAS 24 YEARS OLD, AND AT 27 SHE HAD STAGE FOUR CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER, AND SHE PASSED AT 28 DUE TO CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER.

AND WE RECEIVED 400 PURSES FOR AT HER MEMORIAL.

AND AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, I OUTGREW THE HOUSE, SO I DECIDED TO OPEN A BOUTIQUE TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CHARITY AND DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> AND HOW IS IT WORKING OUT SO FOR A?

>> FANTASTIC.

AND AS I TELL EVERYONE, EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO LOSING SOMEONE WITH AN ADDICTION, AND ALSO ALL WOMEN HAVE A PURSE.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> YES.

IT REALLY DOES SHOW THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE CARES ABOUT YOU.

SO WHAT SHOULD THEY DO?

>> THEY CAN DONATE AT THE BOUTIQUE, OR THEY CAN PICK ITEMS UP, AND THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE.

>> AND WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN HEARING FROM FOLKS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM REHAB AND RECEIVED THEIR PURSES OR BACKPACKS?

>> WELL, I HAVE RECEIVED TO DATE, OVER 80 LETTERS OF GRATITUDE.

I HAVE HAD HAND-WRITTEN LETTERS FROM JUST ABOUT 80 GRADUATES WHO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THAT SOMEONE CARED, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO LEAVE REHAB WITH DIGNITY.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A WAY TO LEAVE WITH A STEP UP.

>> YES, AND THEY HAVE SPENDING 30 DAYS WORKING ON THEMSELVES AND TRYING TO BE A BETTER PERSON, AND WHEN THEY WALK OUT THAT DOOR, THE WORLD HASN'T CHANGED.

AND IT GIVES THEM SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO.

>> AND WHAT IS NEXT?

>> WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN FLORIDA, COLORADO, WASHINGTON, D.C., CANADA, AND ARIZONA.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO OPEN CHAPTERS.

>> WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED THIS, DID YOU THINK IT WOULD REACH THIS LEVEL?

>> OH, MY GOSH, NO.

I'M TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY AND AMAZED, AND I'M SURE IT IS COURTNEY'S SPIRIT.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY.

CONGRATULATIONS ON DOING SUCH A NICE THING IN SUCH A TERRIBLE SITUATION.

AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.

>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME AND ALLOWING ME TO TELL MY STORY.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR ON, AN EFFORT TO HELP THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.