You can always count on anti-Trump RINOs to play hardball — not with Democrats but with their own party.
Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday vetoed 22 bills, including those that to promote election integrity and ban the teaching of critical race theory.
In a Twitter thread, Ducey explained that he was holding the bills hostage because the state Legislature failed to approve his $12.8 billion budget.
“Today, I vetoed 22 bills,” he tweeted Friday. “Some are good policy, but with one month left until the end of the fiscal year, we need to focus first on passing a budget. That should be priority one. The other stuff can wait.”
We have the opportunity to make responsible and significant investments in K-12 education, higher education, infrastructure and local communities, all while delivering historic tax relief to working families and small businesses. 2/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) May 28, 2021
Ducey was pouting because the state House of Representatives and Senate adjourned until June 10 after Republicans were unable to muster the votes to pass his proposed budget.
The GOP has only a one-vote majority in both chambers, and Democrats opposed the governor’s bloated $12.8 billion budget, according to the Arizona Mirror.
Kelli Ward, the chairwoman of the Arizona Republican Party, slammed Ducey for not signing laws that would ban critical race theory and deter voter fraud.
“Ridiculous,” she tweeted. “Twenty two bills that the legislative branch worked all session on. Bills that went through the process & passed & went to the executive’s desk. This tyrannical approach is dangerous to what #WeThePeople in AZ support.”
Ridiculous. Twenty two bills that the legislative branch worked all session on. Bills that went through the process & passed & went to the executive’s desk. This tyrannical approach is dangerous to what #WeThePeople in AZ support. #ElectionIntegrity #StopCRT https://t.co/AvW2D2xdPp
— Dr. Kelli Ward ?? (@kelliwardaz) May 28, 2021
Republican state Rep. Mark Finchem blasted Ducey for throwing a “man-child temper tantrum” and acting like a “petty dictator.”
“This is like a man-child temper tantrum,” Finchem said Friday on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast.
The representative said Ducey’s childish antics are par for the course as he has repeatedly been at odds with his own party.
“We need to remember, Steve, that back in January, the Republican leadership — and I’m talking about the state committeemen — two-thirds of them voted to censure this governor for his behavior on a number of laws,” Finchem said.
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In the latest instance, Finchem torpedoed Ducey for refusing to sign legislation that would ban the divisive, anti-white critical race theory.
“He vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the teaching of critical race theory to government employees,” Finchem said. “That is absolutely outrageous.
“Then we go on to a budget that’s got so much pork in it you’d think we were going to a barbecue.”
Finchem said Republicans have tried in earnest to work with Ducey but balked because his budget proposal involves giving “big, fat gifts to some of his cronies.”
As a result, GOP state legislators called out Ducey on his porkfest.
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Finchem said the governor reacted by vindictively vetoing legislation addressing CRT and voter fraud.
“So now, in retribution, he decides to veto bills that have to do with election integrity, teaching critical race theory,” he said.
Another thing that frustrates Finchem is that the Arizona budget doesn’t have to be completed until July 1, but Ducey is pouting as if the deadline was days away.
“We don’t have to have a budget until July 1. We’ve got basically 30 days yet to do budget,” Finchem explained. “So for him to do something like this is beyond the pale.”
The representative said Ducey’s sophomoric sulking underscores what an irresponsible prima donna he is.
“He is attempting to act as a petty dictator, which, by the way, seems to be his MO since the beginning of the year,” Finchem said.
Sadly, Ducey isn’t the only Republican who repeatedly refuses to work with his colleagues to push pro-America legislation.
With feckless “allies” like these, who needs enemies?
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
