SedonaEye.com J. Rick Normand, Investigative and Financial Columnist
Sedona AZ (July 21, 2016) – Some of you may know that I am a Constitutionalist and an activist member of THE TENTH AMENDMENT CENTER as well as our local government watchdog group, ARIZONA LIBERTY (hereinafter “AZL”). I take the sanctity of the United States Constitution and its Amendments very seriously. I also take seriously the actions and words of those who don’t care to believe in it and think they are exempt from its lawful authority.
First and foremost, AZL views as a primary concern…
The 10th Amendment which secures and insures state’s sovereignty.
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Nevertheless, in my opinion, no one in their right mind should expect the federal government, including the federal courts, a branch of the federal government, to limit its own power. Furthermore, I don’t believe just voting federal legislative players in or out of office, under a two party system that offers little difference between alternatives, has been a good strategy for liberty either.
And, by the way, the heralded 10th Amendment really should be read in conjunction with the 9th Amendment which reads; “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” With this Amendment we can literally do away with all the concerns people have for their special interests without a need to petition the courts or government for a granting of their specific interests as if they were “rights.” Yet, this Amendment is commonly ignored by activists.
In other words, if you have a problem with the federal government, you need something outside the federal government to stop it. That would be the states and the people. And the Constitution grants the states and the people that right without having to be labeled or differentiated as inferior to the Federal government.
On October 18, 2012, Angela LeFevre, former City of Sedona Councilor and a very vocal supporter of KSB, had released in her behalf by Steve DeVol, who was responsible for its content as owner and publisher of Sedonadotbiz, a campaign video of her failed 2012 run for Arizona Legislative District 6 House of Representatives.
During the taping of this video, however, LeFevre made two interesting comments, mimicked by KSB and Councilor Williamson, and promoted by Sedonadotbiz, that caught my attention and should catch the attention of every citizen of Sedona and the Verde Valley. One was a total misinterpretation of the Tenth Amendment coupled with an unwitting violation of the Ninth Amendment. The two videotaped public statements I refer to occur at the 4:42 mark and again at the 5:05 mark. Beginning at the 4:42 mark, candidate and future city of Sedona Councilor LeFevre remarks “…our federal government does an awful lot of work to keep this place the way it is. They are stewards. There are hundreds and hundreds of instances where our federal government does an amazing job of protecting our lands…” and at the 5:05 mark, she launches into this “…Sovereignty [of states] is a misnomer when it comes to one state which is a part of the United States of America and I don’t think that trying to create a sovereign state of Arizona does us any good whatsoever.”
These statements evidence a complete and utter ignorance of the Constitution of the United States, its Amendments (especially the Tenth) and the interpretive rulings of the Supreme Court of the United States relative to state’s rights and sovereignty. I’ve also heard city of Sedona Councilor Williamson state in public that “the State of Arizona” is not sovereign in response to a question posed to her by me on October 13, 2015, as to whether or not our state is sovereign.
In light of what I’ve written above about the sovereignty of the 50 states, I present herein, with Arizona State Senate President Pro Tempore Sylvia Allen’s permission, the following letter copied to me from her, verbatim, as follows:
[emphasis provided by this writer]
Senator Sylvia Tenney Allen
Lightning Bolt Update, 7/12/16
Local Control
Over the past few years, the state has been pushing back on cities and counties who are trying to implement the progressive left’s agenda by passing local ordinances and city codes that are contrary to state law. This session, SB 1487 state law; local violations; penalties was passed and signed by the Governor. It directs the Attorney General (AG) upon request of a member of the Legislature to investigate any alleged violations of the Arizona Constitution or state law by a governing body of a county or municipality. State shared revenues, transaction privilege, and excise taxes could be withheld if the complaint is not addressed and the State Constitution and State laws upheld. This has caused a heated debate, which I intend to answer today; what is local control and how should the state support it?
As Supreme Court Justice John Roberts has said, “The states are separate and independent sovereigns.” These sovereign states created the federal government. After the founding of our country, each of the independent states began creating laws that were having an impact on the ability of the country to be cohesive for the purposes of commerce, trade and currency. To keep our country united and stable the federal government was strengthened through the Constitution through the consent of the states. As Justice John Roberts has said, “Federal Government must show that a constitutional grant of power authorizes each of its actions. The same does not apply to the state because the Constitution is not the source of their power.”
The enumerated powers listed in the Constitution should check the federal government’s power and all other issues and concerns are left up to the States (10th Amendment). Unlike the state, the cities, towns and counties are political subdivisions of the state. They are not sovereign jurisdictions themselves. They were organized under the state constitution to allow government to be closer to the people. Their constitutional duties are for transportation, public safety and good governing principles for order and peace. These political subdivisions were not intended to thwart state law and act as independent and sovereign entities.
More and more, these political subdivisions are becoming bold to implement a liberal progressive agenda because they are unhappy that voters elected principled conservatives to the Legislature. State government has a responsibility and a duty to establish statewide policy on matters that affect the entire state. Take, for example, the minimum wage and employment benefits. What would our state look like if each city or county decided that they were going to implement a different minimum wage? You would have a patchwork of employment laws that would make it harder for businesses to operate. Businesses are mobile and operate in multiple cities and counties throughout our state. It would be so burdensome to expect them to follow each political subdivision’s employment laws. The same is true for our country as a whole. If each state had its own currency like it once did, it would cause a patchwork that would make it nearly impossible to do business creating a stagnant or declining economy.
When the state stands against the federal government it is due to the federal government going outside its enumerated powers listed under the US Constitution and controlling the state above what is constitutional. The sovereign states should stand up and check the federal government, which is what the Founding Fathers envisioned. The State also has the right to check the cities and counties who are political subdivisions when they are going outside of the enumerated powers.
Cities, towns, counties and other political subdivisions play an important role for local government. It ensures that daily government can be closer to the people and reflect the needs and values of different communities. It would be counter to our conservative principles to micromanage the daily governance of local governments. But when it comes to matters of statewide concern, violations of state law or infringing on the public’s constitutional rights, the state must step in. Our system of government is made up of checks and balances to keep any one entity from creating tyranny and chaos. Most important to understand is that we as citizens are sovereign, and we were born with basic human rights. Government was created by the people to protect those rights.
Sincerely,
Senator Sylvia Tenney Allen
President Pro Tempore
602-926-5409
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007 [end]
Many past and present City of Sedona Councilors and staffers, as well as certain local media outlets that are friendly to same, have a habit in Sedona of speaking about and publishing their mistaken commentaries regarding Constitutional Law as if they had the authority to speak for the City in behalf of misrepresented citizens. Enough is enough! It was for this reason that this writer, Mike Schroeder and Dwight Kadar formed our regional watchdog group you now know as Arizona Liberty. Arizona Liberty, commonly known as “AZL,” was chiefly responsible for the defeat of the Sedona-Verde Valley Red Rocks National Monument proclamation effort. As of today, AZL regularly works with the State Legislature, particularly Sylvia Allen and Bob Thorpe, many of its agencies, Congressman Gosar’s office and staff, and its research is archived with the state. With very adequate funding and information distribution capabilities, we are now involved with state issues as well as local government oversight. Our capabilities are growing exponentially. We are here to protect our private citizens against legislative abuse and give a voice to the ignored!
Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!
JRN
There is a mistake in your writing
“Are capabilities are growing expotentially…also your whole article sounds very hipocrital and self serving…
AZ Liberty is just a retreaded name for the Tea Party, who the majority of the country have come to regard as self serving A..oles
(SedonaEye.com editor: Thank you for indicating the error and it has been corrected.)
Thank you so much, J. Rick, for having made Senator Allen’s letter public. In particular her comments about municipalities and counties not remaining accountable to state law, which resulted in passage of SB 1487 are extremely fascinating. Quoting a small portion of the Senator’s words, with emphasis being on the constitutional duties on non-sovereign jurisdictions:
“Unlike the state, the cities, towns and counties are political subdivisions of the state. They are not sovereign jurisdictions themselves. They were organized under the state constitution to allow government to be closer to the people. Their constitutional duties are for transportation, public safety and good governing principles for order and peace. These political subdivisions were not intended to thwart state law and act as independent and sovereign entities.”
It is my hope that Arizona Liberty will take these words seriously enough to proceed with the necessary steps to facilitate a lawmaker with authority to open an investigation within the Attorney General’s office relating to Sedona’s extensive self-imposed expanded jurisdiction.
ESM
@Eddie S. Maddock
Thank you Eddie. AZL now works closely with the Republican majority in the State House, with Governor Ducey and with 4th District U.S. Representative Paul Gosar in Washington.
@West sedona resident,
Looks like it says “Our” to me but you misspelled hypocritical in the same sentence. Hypocritical as to what? Meanwhile, if you think this article is self serving why don’t to tell it to our friend, Sylvia Allen, and the Governor of our state as well as the Attorney General. Please stop making yourself look perpetually stupid! And, finally Wsr, you’re always trying to tag someone as a Tea Party member when you can’t even define what that means. Why don’t you tell us all, in very specific terms, what and who the Tea Party is?
JRN
Great article Rick! It’s about time the State is finally going to address these issues. The City of Sedona has always broken election laws as a means to get political cronies into City Council in order to funnel tax dollars to special interests. The health, welfare, and safety of the citizens has never mattered to these money grubbing vermin. I have always known nothing would be done without a watch dog group. A great big thank you to you, and the liberty group. Maybe the citizens will get their civil rights returned to them. A direct quote from Jessica Williams in a city council meeting is ” I don’t only represent the citizens of Sedona” She was and is correct she represents special interests. Maybe someday the label flatlanders will be a thing of the past.
One more thing. Can someone please teach Steve Segner how to spell.
Why is ANYBODY reading what someone writes who calls themselves “West Sedona Resident” says. Whoever it is is hiding under their desk.
Might as as well sign the comment “Batman”. Just as goofy and inconsequential.
I take exception to your comment “chiefly responsible for the defeat SVVRRNM”, after all..the majority of the Verde Valley was against it, you may have brought it to the fore, but please, get your hand off your shoulder. By the way, I’m an avid reader of yours and like the watch dog (lone ranger) common since you bring to the Rocks……….
Thank you J. Rick and the AZ liberty group.We need help to stop the insane lodging council.
@david,
Good comment and I hear you. AZL was the main messenger, but there were several others that worked really hard at sending the same message and we are grateful to all of them. Without them, we wouldn’t have succeeded. And, that’s not to overlook the great city councilors and township board members who stood up for the interests of all of Red Rock Country instead of just their own constituencies. Finally, I appreciate you as a reader who can voice a correct and valuable criticism of my oversight. Stay with us, David.
JRN
More @david,
Now that you properly induced me to thank all the others who helped with the defeat of the Sedona-Verde Valley Red Rocks National Monument proposed proclamation, I think I should mention the names of those who really did seriously pitch in towards that effort. If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know. Their names are Sandra Cosentino, Dan Dagget, Eddie Maddock, Craig Dibles, Concerned Citizens 4 America-Sedona, and House Representative Bob Thorpe, AZ Senate President Pro Tem, Sylvia Allen, as well as AZ Land Dept Commissioner Lisa Atkins. Thank you, one and all!
JRN
Thank you J. Rick very well written. You are definitely the right one to write about this. I’m so thankful for this law and for Arizona Liberty. Taking this on as a watchdog group is the only way we can reverse what the last two councils have put in place. Sedona is no longer a nice place nor is it a good place for residents or small businesses to be. Thank you Thank you! This brings sunshine back to our lives.
@ Mike Schroder
How Mike why would anybody care about anything you write or say as well….. You seem to have diarrhea of the pen and mouth…..Seems you have all and any problem figured out…. So why not shut your mouth, put down you pen and run for some elected office or something…..
@West sedona resident,
Hey moron, Mike Schroeder (yes, you misspelled his name) wouldn’t need to run for office to change this town. He could just buy it. Mike was the founder of the DISH Network. I’d be real careful if I were you about telling him to shut his mouth. On a monthly basis, he pays his house staff more than you’ve made in your entire life. He can easily afford to find out who you are. OMG, you are truly one stupid person and you’re about to run out of anonymity.
JRN
@JRN. Aka little Rickey
Wow Rick you must be really impressed with people that have money and power since you live off your daddy’s trust fund…..
Two words for you little Rickey…. (deleted by editor) you
You feel to understand that if my anonymity gets broken. Who cares
There you go once again being a bully. Do you think that Mike Schroeder needs you to stick up for him???? Everyone in this town knows Mike Schroeder. He’s the guy with the money who tried to stand up for many of us to keep those lights off of 89A and he was the guy with the money to stop the National Monument we know that you were his mouth piece and flunky then and I guess you think that you still are.
Like you said above J Rick, Mike Schroeder is the founder of DISH very impressive in deed, where did you make your millions, what’s your claim to fame, Oh that’s right a loud mouth bully.
As far as Mike Schroeder buying this city, what a great idea, why don’t you ask him about that and see if he doesn’t laugh you right out of his house.
Dear West sedona resident,
It’s beginning to appear that your envy problem is descending into mental illness. I think most here would agree with me. Really, you do need to seek professional psychiatric help.
Darlene Lancer, JD, MFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and expert on relationships and codependency. She writes about “Envy” at http://psychcentral.com/lib/envy-jealousy-and-shame/ as follows:
“Envy is a common defense to shame, when we feel less than another in some respect. When the defense is working, we’re not aware of feeling inadequate.” But, when it’s not working then “Arrogance and aggression serve as defenses along with envy.” As for you, J. Rick, you might want to think about that last sentence and notify the police. Considering how things are going these days, Wsr seems increasing angry and possibly dangerous.
And, never forget Wsr, “Of the deadly sins, only envy is no fun at all.” You must be having no fun at all. Please, please, try to get a grip.
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@I See Through You
I’m in full agreement with you when you say “Considering how things are going these days, Wsr seems increasing angry and possibly dangerous. ”
The sad part is you can tell she is connected to or employed by the city. She may snap, I hope she seeks professional help before it is too late.
@observer
@i see through you
So dramatic…
Your post don’t surprise since any and all your complaints on SE or so so so overblown
Drama queens
Btw don’t work for sedona I’m retired
@West sedona resident,
I asked you above, “Why don’t you tell us all, in very specific terms, what and who the Tea Party is?” All readers at this site have noticed that you can’t seem to answer. You love to throw about labels, but typically, you don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, do you?
And, by the way, you said you’re retired…I think you meant “a retread,” didn’t you?
JRN
@Wear sedona resident? Did you mean “West”? Or are you yet another crackpot using the tired pseudo of West Sedona something-or-other. You clearly win the prize for displaying your hostility and anger. “Wear sedona resident” – ha, ha, ha.
@kudos
Glad I made you laugh….
you seem so very very angry and hostile all the time, Im glad I could brighten up your day
To West Sedona Resident and West sedona resident and your other handles,
Having an education in psychology, I have recently felt compelled to research your envy and anger problem(s) and have discerned this:
>West Sedona Resident and West sedona resident are likely a retired man-wife team operating off two different computers and email addresses in the same physical location.
>Both are likely pure Marxists who don’t believe in individual creation of wealth through ownership of small business.
>Both likely are suffering from extreme envy of wealth earned by small business successes of others.
>Both likely envy the material possessions of others who are visibly more successful than they are.
>Both likely tend to believe that other’s superior material well-being is the result of inheritance, luck, corruption or criminal activity instead of creativeness and hard work since they can’t deal with the fact that they have been life-long failures themselves.
>Both are likely to envy attractive charismatic people who demonstrate their success.
>One is likely an unreasoning fanatical political activist, or maybe environmentalist or animal rights proponent, while the other is likely to have worked a life-time for a corporate paycheck in a non-financial research function who can’t understand the decision making processes required of successful small business operators. This is the person who is capable of uncontrollable anger and retaliation.
>Both likely believe they are intellectuals but can’t understand why so many other people they believe to be inferior to them are, instead, so much more successful than they are.
>Both are likely suffering serious health problems exacerbated by their relentless inner rage at their own failures which they believe were caused by others of different or opposed political and spiritual belief systems.
And, although this has nothing to do with psychology as a discipline, I am told by a former military intelligence officer, that hecklers likely don’t know of the technological capability of cyber threat technicians relative to tracking hecklers/hackers by computer ID regardless of IP address. Physical addresses can be tracked by reading GPS transponders embedded in their PC or smartphone. The police are integrated into these tracking systems.
@i see through you
So what that’s ALOT of useless information and mostly wrong..
You really need to get a life
A nice lady in a previous post gave the name and number of a Consuling service…. Perhaps you should give them a call and get your life back
Have a great day I hope that was helpful
@ I see thru you
I have come across personality profile of my own regarding your bizarre behavior
See if this fits
1). Angry tea party political member particularly since Ted Cruz bailed
2) hates all things government
3) tends to lean to the negative never seeing a positive outlook
4) hates thier life and most likely needs to get laid
5) hates government entilitlements yet collects SS and medicare(those are ok cause she receives them)
6) I got mine mentality
7) watches fox new incessantly
8) was once employed by government and got fired
9)wants government out of her life unless of course it suits her/his needs
10). Is a total hypocrite ..
11). Needs to get laid( I know I repeated it but you really need to)
12). Really dissatisfied with her/himself
13) consider thier life a total failure
Hope that helps
I know it took West sedona resident, a while to figure this out, as she kept saying her email “handle” was getting hacked. She is not the sharpest tool in the shed. You can type any title or email address into the Sedona Eye comment section and it will be accepted. There is no email address verification.
You can tell by her writing style, lack of anything useful to say and multiple comments as to who the author is.
She also likes to end correspondence on her Sedona Emails with “Hope this helps.”
You should see the vile things she writes before it is edited. You are right in your statement “life-long failures themselves”, “envy” and “anger.” Then again, as a city employee that has been passed over for promotion 3 times, you can’t really be surprised.
She does need help.
@i see thru you
I read your post up above for the first time
You made me laugh……you whoever you are ….are really delusional and crazy..
You got me laughing…
Dear West sedona resident aka Concerned for you,
Every reader at this site knows you’re emotionally-challenged and are in need of professional psychiatric care. Proof is that you posted, within a 24hr period, three diametrically opposed replies to my first comment about your profile. Why did you do that? Because I’m dead on target in my analysis of your warped mind and you know it and you’re scared, not to mention that, you were probably lying in bed inebriated for a 24hr span trying to figure out how to reply. Yes, you’re probably angry “Wsr” aka “Concerned for you,” while consumed with hate and, doubtless, you’re dangerous to people whom you imagine to be superior to you such as Tea Party people. But, you’re convoluted psyche would never generate enough courage for you to confront your targets face to face, meaning you might mount a physical attack from behind even on a small woman such as me. If you’re not afraid, then instruct the publisher here to release your name and email address and I will do the same. Come on and show some courage for once.
How can we help? How do we file a complaint?,
At J. Rick Normand Love the fact that Arizona is finally going to deal with these rogue cities. Can you tell us how to file our own complaints on the bill SB 1487.
When you envision me laughing, picture the maniacal cackle of the Wicked Witch of the West riding her broom, from the Wizard of Oz.
West…get it?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH
@I see they you
Ok you go first…
@@west sedona resident
That’s a really bad hack job
@i see thru you
I’m getting concerned for you mental health… Your really concocting some really crazy, bizzare scenarios in that crazy crazy head of yours…
Do yourself and your loved ones a favor……call that consuling number you posted and please take your meds…get yourself some help
Everyone who does not agree with paying special interests public money should turn these takers in, under the new law SB 1487. All this other banter is simply garbage. They are only trying to muddy the waters, and create confusion. The Sedona chamber of commerce is not even a true non-profit. They are a for profit private membership organization. In Florida the IRS arrested the City Council and the Chamber director. More information about this is coming out. The sedona criminals will made to answer for there crimes. Watch out Segner. I hope the law gets you before some other people punch you out.
http://ij.org/press-release/judge-sides-piano-man-government-land-grab/
shout out from this Jersey gal off the Parkway
“JRN” – “West Sedona Resident”? Oh my, how brave people can be when they are hiding under their desk.
Anyone who actually reads anything that people that hide like this is really wasting a lot of his or her time. People that are too ashamed of their identity – now have a “voice” ON THE INTERNET? Pretty Funny – sad.
Living in the most diverse and beautiful state in the nation, and the most beautiful and diverse land in the world, remember this: California faced economic and cultural upheavals unimaginable due to poor policy and lack of moral backbone. When reading of Arizona’s, especially Sedona’s government issues, it reminds me to encourage your state and your city to not go down Californians’ path of ignorance and supposition. California is not a state to model economics or social concepts after because we’re now faced with the outcomes of poor decisions and idiots (us & them) legislating. Our towns and state are often corruptible and ingrained with the largess of a state educational system that suffered and suffers from Spiritualism & Maniacal Egos built by the ME generation (born 1950s). It’s unbelievable what teachers in the California public education system are expected to teach, and or accept as teachable! Mostly garbage in, garbage out. Good luck AZ. May you look at the history of your neighbor and not repeat it.
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