>> Ted: IT'S THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE AND A LOOK AT THE TOP STORIES INCLUDES THE SUPREME COURT IMPOSING SANCTIONS.

THAT'S NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

IT'S FRIDAY AND IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE AND JEREMY DUDA, MARY JO PITZL AND NICK AND THEY SAID, WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US, IT'S NOT TRUE.

>> SHE TRIED TO BEHAVIOR TURN HER LOSS TO KATIE HOBBS AND IT GOES BACK TO THE TRIAL COURT AND ONE OF THEM STOOD OUT AS -- I THINK IT WAS ADDED INTO THE LEGAL BRIEFINGS INTO THE COURT OF APPEALS THAT 35,000 PLUS BALLOTS WERE INJECTED INTO THE TOTAL.

WELL, TURNS OUT IT IS DISPUTED AND NOT A FACT AND WAS NOT ACTUALLY TRUE.

THIS IS BETWEEN ESTIMATES THAT WERE MADE BECAUSE ABOUT THE POST OFFICE AND POLL WORKERS DON'T COUNT THIS ON ELECTION NIGHT AND BUSY DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AND DELIVER ESTIMATES BASED ON NUMBER OF TRAYS AND WEIGHT OF BALLOTS, ET CETERA.

ONCE THAT COUNTED THE BALLOTS, IT WAS 35 NOW OFF AND IT IS NOT AN UNDISPUTED FACT AND THE ATTORNEYS HAVE TO PAY SANCTIONS AND ONLY $2,000.

THE LAKESIDE WILL ARGUE THIS IS CHUMP CHANGE AND SENDS A MESSAGE.

THEY WERE, IN FACT, SAYING IT WAS UNEQUIVOCALLY FALL.

>> Ted: AGAIN, $2,000, THAT'S NOT MUCH.

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE REALLY WATCHING YOUR BUDGET, BUT IT'S A PENALTY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY MINOR AND I WOULD QUESTION IF THAT WILL HAVE A DETERRENT EFFECT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF ELECTION CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD.

>> Ted: IT DIDN'T INCLUDE ATTORNEY'S FEES.

>> WE'VE SEE THIS FOR A LOT OF CASES FOR THE PAST TWO AND A YEARSs STILL NONE OF THOSE HAVE HAD A DETERRENT EFFECT EITHER.

>> KA RI LAKE HAS SPENT $2,000 AN A STEAK BUT THEY WENT OUT OF ITS WAY TO SAY THESE $35,000 BALLOTS WERE INJECTED INTO THE SYSTEM AND YOU COULD ARGUE THAT.

YOU COULD MAKE THAT CLAIM.

WE WOULD BE OK WITH THAT, BUT WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IS SAY THAT IT'S AN UNDISPUTED FACT IT WAS INJECTED INTO THE SYSTEM.

THEY SAID, LOOK, YOU LIED AND WE'LL SANCTION YOU.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN SPRAWLING AND THEY SAID THIS ENTIRE LAWSUIT WAS BROUGHT FOR AN ILLEGITIMATE PURPOSE AND WENT FOR A NARROW RULING.

>> Ted: IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THE ATTORNEYS SAID, DON'T SANCTION US BECAUSE WE'RE REPRESENTING WHAT OUR CLIENT TRULY BELIEVES.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING CONVENTION.

CONVENTION.

DEFENSE.

[ Laughter ] >> GOING BACK, YOU CAN'T SAY WHAT YOU WANT NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU BELIEVE IT.

>> Ted: YOU CAN'T SAY WHAT YOU WANT BECAUSE THERE COMES A POINT WHERE THERE'S COMMON SENSE.

>> SOMETHING CALLED PURGERY WHICH HOPEFULLY WE HAVEN'T LOST SIGHT OF.

>> Ted: LET MOVE ON AND MARY JOW LET'S TALK ABOUT LIZ HARRIS EXPELLED AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NAMING HER REPLACEMENT AND TOOK THEIR TIME DOING IT, DIDN'T THEY?

>> THAT'S DISPUTED AND THEY MADE IT CLEAR, INTERVIEWING THESE CANDIDATES AND VET THEM AND NEED TIME TO DO THAT AND THIS ISN'T ORDER OF THE ORDINARY AND WHAT, ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, THREE WEEKS SINCE HARRIS WAS EXPELLED, AND HAD GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, BUT YEAH, LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN HOWLING, SAYING THIS IS TAKING TOO LONG.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT'S DONE AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR BYPASSED LIZ HARRIS AND APPOINTED JULIE WILOUGHBY.

>> Ted: WHO IS SHE?

>> SHE RAN LAST YEAR IN AN ELECTION AND NARROWLY LOST THE SECOND SPOT TO 270, 275 VOTES.

VIEWED AS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE MODERATE THAN HARRIS AND LOW BAR TO CLEAR CONSIDERING SOME OF THE THINGS SHE WAS COMPELLED FOR.

SHE SEEMED LIKE A STATE ACOMPLI.

LIZ PARIS WAS ONE OF THE HARRIS TO REPLACE HER AND THEN I THINK EVERYBODY KNEW WHO WAS THE PICK.

IT WAS JACK SELLERS REPRESENTING THAT DISTRICT.

BY TRADITION, HE WOULD MAKE THAT PICK.

BUT DRAGGED OUT, HE INTERVIEWED FOLKS THIS WEEK AND WE HEARD A SCATHING FLOOR SPEECH ABOUT HOW LONG THIS IS TAKING.

AND HE WAS CHOSEN IS MORNING AND LOOKS LIKE THEY'LL GET BACK TO WORK NEXT WEEK.

>> Ted: DO WE KNOW WHY HE SUPPORTED NO?

>> HE SAID HE COULDN'T SUPPORT THE CANDIDATES AND POSTING ONLINE PREVIOUSLY THAT HE WAS -- OR THE BOARD IN GENERAL WAS ASKING THE CANDIDATES FOR THEIR OPINIONS ONLY THINGS LIKE, DID JOE BIDEN WIN THE 20 2020 ELECTION?

HE VIEWED THESE CANDIDATES AS POTENTIALLY FLIRTING WITH THESE IDEAS.

I THINK THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS VOTE.

>> Ted: DOES JULIE FLIRT WITH THESE CONSPIRACY IDEAS?

>> SHE CAMPAIGNED WITH HARRIS IN THE PRIMARY AND WILLING TO ASSOCIATE HERSELF WITH THIS.

EARLIER TODAY, I WASN'T AT THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT SHE DID DISTANCE HERSELF AFTER APPOINTED.

IS THAT RIGHT?

>> I WASN'T AT THAT NEWS CONFERENCE, AND I'M NOT SURE, AND SHE HAS NOT BEEN ON THE RECORD OF DENYING ELECTION RESULTS.

AS A BRAND NEW LAWMAKER, SHE'S PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY RIGHT AFTER HER ELBOW TELLING HER TO VOTE, ESPECIALLY LIKE A BUDGET BLIZZARD NEXT WEEK.

TELETALK >> Ted: TALK TO US HOW THIS CHANGES THE DOWNTOWN DYNAMICS, IF AT ALL IN THE LEGISLATURE?

>> SHE'LL PROBABLY FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE MAJORITY, WHICH WAS NOT WHAT HARRIS ALWAYS DID.

IF YOU REMEMBER THE BEGINNING OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HARRIS HELD OUT AND WOULD NOT VOTE ON THAT, BUT JULIE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT SHE WOULD GAIN.

>> Ted: NOT THE SAME WILD CARD AS LIZ HARRIS.

>> ASKED HER IF SHE WAS AN ELECTION DENIER AND DISMAYED IN 2023 STILL TALKING ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION AND I WOULD IMAGINE SHE WOULD PROBABLY, LIKE MOST NEWLY APPOINTED LAWMAKERS, WILL FALL IN LINE WITH LEADERSHIP.

EXACTLY WHAT THAT DOES FOR THEM, IT'S HARD TO SAY.

THEY'VE BEEN ON HOLD AS THEY ONLY HAVE 30 REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE AND NEED 31 TO PASS A BILL.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, YOU HAVE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR AND ANYTHING THAT PASSES WITH 31 REPUBLICAN VOTES AND TO DEMOCRATIC VOTES WON'T GET KATIE HOBBS' SIGNATURE TO BEGIN WITH.

HOW MUCH THIS CHANGES THINGS IN TERMS OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AND THE BIG TICKET ITEMS, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WILL HAVE AN EFFECT UNLESS THEY WANT TO SEND OUT MUCH VETO FODDER.

>> I DO THINK IT WAS INTERESTING SHE DID NOT ATTEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR'S MEETING AND THERE WAS HARRIS SUPPORTERS THERE WHICH MIGHT BE THE REASON SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE IN THE ROOM AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM CAUSE TO PROTEST.

>> Ted: NICK, WHO IS JENNIFER POLLACK AND WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HER IN.

>> THE?

>> SHE'S THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVE, AND SHE ANNOUNCED ON TWITTER EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT SHE'S GOING TO NOT RUN FOR REELECTION IN 2024.

SHE'S A DEMOCRAT WHO HAS BEEN -- TO TAKE A STEP BACK, A LONG-TIME TEACHER, A TEACHER FOR, I THINK TWO DECADES IN CHANDLER AN HAD AN MASSIVE IMPACT AND SELECTED A NUMBER OF FOLKS IN THE STATE CAPITOL.

SHE DIDN'T REALLY GIVE TOO MANY CLEAR SIGNS AS TO WHY SHE WANTS TO LEAVE THE LEGISLATURE.

I THINK SHE WANTS TO TAKE HER TALENTS OR LEADERSHIP ELSEWHERE.

SO NOT JUST SAYING I WANT TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY.

I'M DONE WITH THIS WHOLE POLITICS' THING.

SHE MAY BE ANNOUNCING SHE'S NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION TO GET MOVING ON HER NEXT THING.

THIS COULD BE WHAT SHE'S THINKING.

SHE MAY BE TELEGRAPHING TO DEMOCRATS, HEY, THIS IS A HOTLY CONTESTED SEAT BECAUSE YOU NEED A GOOD CANDIDATE TO WIN IN THIS DISTRICT.

>> Ted: TO THE NEXT POINT, THIS IS A COMPETITIVE DISTRICT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AS A REAL SUCKER PUNCH TO THE GUT HERE FOR DEMOCRATS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS BAD FOR DEMOCRATS, GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS AND ARGUABLY THE MOST COMPETITIVE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN THE STATE.

JENNIFER HAS SHOWN OVER THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS AN EIGHT ABILITY TO WIN IN THIS DISTRICT OR POTENTIALLY HINGE ON WHO WINS AND THE DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE TO FIND NOT JUST ONE, PROBABLY TWO AND ALWAYS SINGLE SHOTTED AND IF THEY WANT TO WIN CONTROL, WHICH I THINK DEMOCRATS WANT TO DO NEXT YEAR.

THEY'LL HAVE FIELD THE TWO CANDIDATES AND FIELDED TWO CANDIDATES IN 2022, THEY WOULD HAVE WORE.

WON.

LIZ HARRIS MAY NOT HAVE TO BE THE BEST AND THE FORMER REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE FROM THAT DISTRICT JUST FILED PAPERWORKPAPERWORK AND WON FOUR AND HAS BEEN A GOOD FIT.

THE TWO ARE POTENTIALLY A DIFFICULT DUO AND WILL HAVE TO FIND GOOD CANDIDATES.

>> Ted: CAN THE TWO DEMOCRATS FIND TWO GOOD CANDIDATES?

>> I ASSUME THE SEARCH IS ON, BUT POLLACK -- AND THE QUESTION, IN THE MODEL OF POLLACK AND SHE APPEALED TO THE INTELL CROWD BECAUSE SHE TALKED UP THE VALUE OF EDUCATION AND NOT LIKE JENNIFER WININGER AND WILLOUGHBY WILL BE SOMEWHAT KNOWN.

THE ISSUE WILL BE, WHO ARE THEY PEOPLE AND WHO WILL BE DEMOCRATS BE AND HOW MUCH OF AN IDENTITY CAN THEY CARVE OUT IN THE NEXT, I DON'T KNOW, IF THEY FILE IN A COUPLE OF MONTH AND WHAT IDENTITY CAN THEY ESTABLISH?

>> Ted: DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT WHY SHE DECIDED NOT TO RUN?

>> INCOME MAY BE AN ISSUE AND LEGISLATURE IS PAID $24,000 A YEAR.

>> Ted: UNLESS YOU HAVE A HOME IN FLAGSTAFF.

>> ARE YOU SAYING SHE DIDN'T GET RICH AS A TEACHER?

>> Ted: STEPHANIE STALL-HAMILTON AND HIDING THE BIBLES AND PUTTING THEM IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

ETHIC'S COMPLAINT NOW?

>> SO ON MONDAY, WE GOT THE OFFICIAL ETHIC'S COMPLAINT WHICH STEMS FROM NOW THE COUPLE WEEK'S OLD, THE REVELATION THAT REPRESENTATIVE HAMILTON HAD BEEN PUTTING BIBLES, I THINK UNDER COUCH CUSHIONS AND ONE IN THE FRIDGE, IN THE MEMBER'S LOUNGE IN THE HOUSE.

THIS IS A STRANGE STORY AND I DON'T FEEL THERE'S BEEN A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY ALL OF THIS HAPPENED.

NOW WE HAVE THE OFFICIAL ETHIC'S COMPLAINT AND THE COMMITTEE IS SAYING THAT THIS WAS AN OFFENSE TO PUBLIC DECENCY AND FORCED OTHER MEMBERS TO DESECRATE THE BIBLES BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THE COUCH CUSHIONS AND SAT ON THESE BIBLES.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT STEPHANIE STALL-HAMILTON, SHE'S AN ORDAINED MINISTER HERSELF, NOT AN AG NOT AG GNOSTIC AGNOSTIC OR AND SHE HAD SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROLE IN RELIGION AND LIFE.

SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO START A CONVERSATION BY DOING THIS AND I HAVE TO CONVERSATION TO TRY TO START.

>> Ted: NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT THE PLAY FULLNESS.

>> THAT DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST FOR ME AND I'M NOT SURE IF ETHIC'S INVESTIGATION WILL SHED LIGHT ON THAT.

>> Ted: MAYBE IN THIS ETHIC'S COMPLAINT, SHE VIOLATED STATE LAW BY COMMITTING THEFT.

>> SHE MOVED THE BIBLES AROUND.

SHE DIDN'T TAKE THEM HOME OR SELL THEM ONLINE, BUT MOVED AROUND THEIR MOTION.

SOLOCATION.A LITTLE BIT OF SEMANTICS AND NO MATTER WHERE THIS COMPLAINT GOES, THIS IS UNLIKELY.

PROBABLY INPOSSIBLEIMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS WILL NOT VOTE TO EXPEL HER OVER THIS PLAYFUL ACTION.

>> Ted: HOW MUCH OF LIZ HARRIS IS PLAYING IN THIS PARTICULAR EFFORT?

>> IT WON WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF THIS WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE COMPLAINT, BUT LITTLE UNDER HALF OF THE HOUSE WAS NOT EXPULSION AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL WRANGLE CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVES.

YOU NEED A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF DEMOCRATIC VOTES THERE.

I CAN DEFINITELY SEE IF THE ETHIC'S COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISCIPLINE AND DEFEND THIS, BUT REMEMBER, HARRIS TICKED OFF A LOT OF REPUBLICANS AND MADE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE LDS CHURCH AND HAS NOT IRRITATED HER OWN PARTY IN QUITE THE SAME WAY.

>> SHE WAS THE ONE WHO FILED THE ETHIC'S COMPLAINT AGAINST HARRIS AND A LOT OF REPUBLICANS SUPPORTED THAT, AND THERE WERE SOME IN THE PARTY WHO DIDN'T LIKE THAT.

>> Ted: A LITTLE BIT OF A TALE THERE.

>> THAT'S THERE.

>> ONE TURN DESERVES ANOTHER, MAYBE.

>> I AGREE SHE WON'T GET DISPELLED BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS WOULDN'T BE ON BOARD AND THEY CAN DRAG HER NAME THROUGH THE MUD AND PUT IT ON THE BOARD FOR A CENSURE VOTE.

>> MAKE DEMOCRATS DEFEND THIS IN AN ELECTION CYCLE WHERE THE LEGISLATURE IS POTENTIALLY UP FOR GRABS.

>> Ted: JEREMY, STAYING WITH YOU, WE HAVE MEDICAID BILLS THAT NODE TO BE PAID.

THE MONEY WAS THERE AND THEY WAITED AROUND AND FINALLY OK'D IN THIS WEEK?

>> THIS IS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION.

MEDICAID ACCESS IS USUALLY PAID THROUGH FUNDING AND THEY GIVE ACCESS, THE STATE MEDICAID ACCESS TO SPEND THE FEDERAL FUNDS AND OPEN QUESTIONS DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO AND A PRACTICE THEY'VE FOLLOWED FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY CAN EASILY FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY HAVE AND WHAT THE FUNDING WILL LOOK LIKE.

THIS YEAR, IT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE IS ENHANCED FEDERAL FUNDING FROM SOME 2020 COVID RELIEF FUNDING.

THEY KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO EXPIRE SOMETIME THIS YEAR.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH FEDERAL MONEY THEY WOULD BE.

THEY SPIT-BALLED THIS AND YOU'LL HAVE TO AUTHORIZE MORE FEDERAL FUNDING.

THAT AUTHORIZATION EXPIRED BECAUSE OF THE DOLLAR FIGURE.

THEY DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THEIR BILLS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.

THEY CAME BACK AND PASSED PARTIAL AUTHORIZATION.

THIS FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT KIND OF GOT HELD HOSTAGE IN THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AND THIS WAS IN THE BUDGET, THE CONTINUATION BUDGET THAT THEY SEND GOVERNOR HOBBS, WHICH THEY KNEW SHE WOULD VETO.

IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE BOTH SIDES WOULD BLINK FIRST AND IT HAPPENED TO BE SENATE BECAUSE ACCESS WOULD NOT PAY ITS BILLS AND STATE STARTS WRACKING UP INTERESTING AND CAN WE CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT WE WON'T GET PAID FOR AWHILE.

>> Ted: THAT'S MEDICAID AND EDUCATION FUNDING THAT NEEDS TO BE OK "OK'D TO SPENT.

>> UNIVERSAL VOUCHERS HAS 54,000 ENROLLEES AND THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AND THEY NEED A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION TO COVER THE BILL FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH JUNE 30.

>> Ted: IF IT'S GROWING THAT FAST, HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU NEED?

>> THEY BETTER AUTHORIZE A MUCH HIGHER FIGURE.

>> YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SPENDING TRENDS AND THE AVERAGE SCHOLARSHIP NOW IS $10,000.

WHEN THIS WAS DEBATED A YEAR AGO, IT WAS 7,000 AND THAT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF SPECIAL NEEDS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

>> Ted: THEY HAVE THE VOUCHER EXPANSION AND ARE THESE TRAINS ON THE SAME TRACK HERE?

>> NO, THEY'RE ON A COLLISION COURSE.

>> Ted: SO THEY'RE ON THE SAME COURSE.

[ Laughter ] >> HEADING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, YES.

>> NO, THEY'LL HAVE TO EXPAND THIS APPROPRIATION OR THIS IS HEADED OFF A CLIFF.

>> PROBABLY NOT OFF A CLIFF FOR AWHILE.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS.

>> NEXT YEAR.

NOT THIS YEAR.

>> THERE'S ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.

>> I THINK IT WOULD BE NEXT YEAR.

>> THEY NEED MONEY FOR THIS YEAR YEAR.

>> THAT'S THE SAME LEGISLATURE AND THE SAME SET OF FOLKS TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

I MEAN, THE FACT IS, THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE DIDN'T PUT AWAY ENOUGH MONEY FOR THIS WHEN THEY PASSED IT.

>> Ted: YOU HAVE THE $200 MILLION THAT NEEDS TO GET AUTHORIZED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

>> I THINK YOU CAN DO THAT UP UNTIL JUNE 30th.

>> Ted: YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING UP UNTIL JUNE 30th.

>> THERE'S JUST SOME THINGS LIKE ACCESS WOULD NOT THE INSURANCE GO WITHOUT PAYMENT AND THE STATE WOULD NOT ALLOW THAT.

YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR YOUR SCHOOL BILLS AND EVEN WITH THE AGGREGATE EXPENDITURE LIMB LIMIT FOR SCHOOLS, THEY'LL GET AROUND TO IT.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY, THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE AEL BRINKSMANSHIP.

>> MAYBE THE REPUBLICANS WILL EXTRACT SOME CONCESSIONS FROM THE DEMOCRATS AND IN THE END, THEY DON'T, BECAUSE WHO WANTS TO BE THE BAD GUY WHO STOPPED SCHOOLS FROM SPENDING MONEY AND STOPS MEDICAID FROM PAYS BILLS.

>> THIS IS SUBPOENA SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENT AND KATIE HOBBS PUT THIS IN HER PROPOSAL TO GET RID OF THE ESA PROPOSAL.

EVEN AT THE TIME, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND WE WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT AND THE POINT IS BEING MADE FOR THEM A BIT MORE SINCE THEN AND THAT WON'T HAPPEN WITH THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE.

THEY'LL HAVE TO, I THINK -- KATIE HOBBS WILL HAVE TO SUCK IT UP AND SPEND THE MONEY ON THIS PROGRAM SHE SEVERELY DISLIKES FOR NOW AND WE'LL SEE HOW NEXT YEAR'S LEGISLATION SHAKES OUT.

>> Ted: BEFORE WE GET GOING HERE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BASICALLY, THE TERRITORIAL AREA ABORTION LAW, WHICH THE STATE NEEDS TO DEFEND IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, SHE IS BASICALLY SAYING, DON'T LOOK AT ME, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TO DEFEND THIS.

IS THIS TRUE?

>> AND NOBODY HAS RIGHT, INCLUDING SOMEONE WHO DECOURTS LAST YEAR, HAD THE RIGHT TO REPRESENT THE DEFENSE ON THAT AND ARGUING THIS DOCTOR FROM AN ANTIABORTION PREGNANCY CRISIS CLINIC NAMED THE GUARDIAN AND AD LITEM FOR THE WEDNESDAY, DEFENSE AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY LEGAL RIGHT TO DEFEND THIS LAW AND THEREFORE, NOBODY DOES.

THE LEGISLATURE, THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE IS NOT DEFENDING IT.

MARK BRNOVICH IS GONE AND A DEMOCRAT HAS TAKEN HIS PLACE.

IF NOBODY IS THERE TO DEFEND IT, IT'S A DEAD ISSUE.

>> Ted: A 15-WEEK ABORTION BAN THAT STILL STANDS.

>> OH, YES.

THAT'S THE LAW OF THE STATE UNTIL THE NEXT THING COMES ALONG.

>> Ted: THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYING I'M THE ONE WHO DEFENDS THIS AND THAT MEANS NO ONE CAN DEFEND IT.

>> THIS IS A HOT BUTTON POLITICAL ISSUE AND PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES ABOUT ABORTION.

THIS IS A LEGAL TECHNICALITY, WHICH IS THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEM PROVIDES THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE, MOSTLY MINORS, REPRESENTED IN THE COURT SYSTEM BY A SO-CALLED GUARDIAN.

I THINK IT MAY BE FOR WARDS OF STATE AND I'M NOT SURE THE ENTIRE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM, BUT FOLKS REPRESENTED BY SOMEONE ELSE IN THE COURT SYSTEM.

OUR FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL, MARK BRNOVICH, SAYS THEY SHOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AND I'LL APPOINT A GUARDIAN AND IT TURNS OUT A DOCTOR WHO HAS TIES TO ANTIABORTION GROUPS AND HE'LL BE THE REPRESENTATIVE OF UNBORN FETUSES IN THIS COURT CASE.

AND KRIS MAYES SAYS THAT'S AN INCOHERENT LEGAL THEORY THEY'VE THESE AREN'T PEOPLE AND DON'T NEED RELATES IN COURT.

REPRESENTATIVES IN COURT.

>> THE BENEFIT IF YOU'RE IN THE PRO LIFE CAMP IS THAT IT HAS THREE HARSH PENALTIES AND DOCTORS CAN BE PENALIZED AND CRIMINALIZED AND PUT IN JAIL IF THEY PERFORM ABORTIONS.

WHEREAS, THE 15-WEEK BAN PASSED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO IS NOT AS PUNITIVE.

>> Ted: SO WE CLEARED THAT ONE UP BUDGET TALKS KICKING UP NEXT WEEK?

>> SO WE'RE TOLD AND THE HOUSE IS HOPING TO INTRODUCE BILLS TO THE APPROPRIATION'S COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY AND MONDAY IS COMING BACK FROM THEIR THIRD SPRING BREAK AND GET SOME BRIEFINGS FROM LEADERSHIP ON WHAT'S IN THIS BUDGET PACKAGE.

DEMOCRATS GOT SOME BRIEFING TODAY.

I'M TOLD THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

SO WE'LL SEE HAPPY CAMPERS ON WHEN WE GET TO MONDAY AFTERNOON.

>> Ted: HOW MANY DAYS AND WEEKS ARE WE AWAY FROM SOMETHING HAPPENING?

>> WE SAID WE'LL BE HERE UNTIL THE END OF JUNE AND WE MIGHT BE AND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE BILLS DOESN'T MEAN EVERYTHING WILL AGREE.

>> Ted: WHAT DO YOU THINK NICK?

HOW QUICKLY WILL THIS HAPPEN?

>> I DON'T THINK WE'LL PASS A BUDGET ON TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY AND PERFORMANCE BUDGETS PASSED AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SEE NEXT WEEK.

>> Ted: IS NOT SO SKINNY BUDGET?

>> SLIGHTLY SKINNY.

>> Ted: IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS AND YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK.