Journalists’ Roundtable: 10-1-21: Courts invalidate mask mandate ban, flat tax on ballot, Trump endorses Lake

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It’s time now for the Journalists’ Roundtable and for a look at some of this week’s top stories, we welcome Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services and Laurie Roberts of The Arizona Republic.

This week’s Journalists’ Roundtable covered:

  • Courts Invalidate Mask Mandate Ban
  • Flat Tax on Ballot
  • Trump Endorses Lake
  • Sinema vs. Democrats

Mask Mandate Ban Invalidated

Howie Fischer: “What happened was lawmakers use a process called budget reconciliation bills. What this is a Christmas tree in some cases.  The constitution says that the only thing that can be in the actual budget is numbers. What the budget reconciliation bill is supposed to do is put into effect policy changes. So let’s say, in the budget bill you have something that says we’re gonna spend $3 million on new schools, what the reconciliation bill will say is where those schools will be.”

Laurie Roberts: “They pass things without public input and without an up or down vote. They shove things into the reconciliation bill and it’s a Christmas tree of things that this judge has said that it may be legal for you to do these things but you didn’t do it in the proper way and so they’re tossing them out. What’s interesting to me is that Gov. Ducey fired back at them angrily and republicans are having a fit over this but in fact, it really should change the way the legislature does things.”

Donald Trump endorses Kari Lake for Governor

Howie Fischer: “If one person stands out, assuming everybody is going after the MAGA crowd and everything else and makes the point that Laurie wants to make is ‘Do you want to make a point?’ Or do you want to win elections? That can make a difference.”

Laurie Roberts: “That’s the big get for any republican in 2022. At some point, the rest of the candidates in this race are going to have to decide who will go away from Donald Trump and bring republicans back to sanity otherwise they’ll be irrelevant.

Howie Fischer/Capitol Media Services & Laurie Roberts/The Arizona Republic

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