Vince Leach  

Serial homophobe and MAGA Republican extremist Vince Leach was a member of the Arizona State Senate, representing District 11. He assumed office on January 14, 2019. He left office on January 9, 2023. Leach ran for re-election to the Arizona State Senate to represent District 17. He lost in the Republican primary on August 2, 2022. Leach served as state Senate president pro tempore from 2021 to 2023. Before joining the state Senate, he represented District 11 in the state House from 2015 to 2019. Leach criticized Arizona public schoolteachers over the 2018 Arizona teachers' strike and for wearing red shirts to support salary increases. In 2019, Leach sponsored legislation that would give unrestricted power to the Arizona attorney general to rewrite the ballot text of citizen voter initiatives. Leach sponsored several anti-medical marijuana bills in the state Senate; none advanced. In 2020, Leach promoted the conspiracy theory QAnon, a radical pro-Trump fringe movement, on social media. In 2021, Leach supported legislation that made it easier to purge Arizona voters from the early voting list. The bill, signed into law by Republican Governor Doug Ducey, was one of many efforts by Republicans nationwide to restrict voting following Trump's loss in the 2020 United States presidential election. In 2021, Leach sponsored legislation that would block any Arizona county or municipal government from banning so-called gay "conversion therapy." At the time, 20 states and Pima County, Arizona had enacted such bans. In 2022, Leach sponsored Arizona legislation to give the legislature the power to overturn election results. Leach is running for election to the Arizona State Senate to represent District 17. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. He advanced from the Republican primary on July 30, 2024 having beaten extremist Justine Wadsack.
Vince Leach Floats Making Tribal Land, Water 'Available' To Arizona Amid Bid For State Senate Seat
"Land wasn’t the only tribal asset that Leach latched onto. Both candidates were asked about how they’d handle future CAP cuts of Colorado River water for the city of Tucson, and McLean recalled Leach’s solution. “He talked about water resources that are held by Gila River Indian Community,” said McLean, “and the implication there was that he would be quite happy to go in and take the Indigenous water as well.”"
Oct. 31, 2024
In A Key Legislative Race, The GOP Candidate Joked About Feeding Dogs To Haitians
"A GOP candidate whose state Senate race could determine which party controls the legislature embraced a racist lie demonizing a group of legal immigrants, telling a room of gay Republicans last month that Pima County’s stray dogs would be fed to Haitian people if Democrats win elections. Vince Leach made the comment at a Log Cabin Republican meeting in Pima County on Sept. 22. The former state senator, who defeated Sen. Justine Wadsack in the July GOP primary, made the comment in the midst of a back-and-forth between Republican legislative candidates and the crowd."
Oct. 3, 2024
AZ Proposal Would Make It A Crime To Let Minors Attend 'Drag' Shows
Republican state senators are crafting legislation to make it a crime for parents to let a minor attend "drag" shows, saying that promotes "sexual perversion." Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, who is leading the effort, also complained of a Pride Night at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, which was billed as a "family friendly'' event in which children were present.
Jun. 14, 2022
Forget Rape Victims And Transgender Kids. Lawmakers Protect 'Vulnerable' Gunmakers Instead
"To hear our leaders tell it, gun manufacturers and dealers are suffering the same sort of discrimination long experienced by African Americans. “Somehow our society has to come to grips with, we lived for years and years and years with guns and ammunition,” Sen. Vince Leach, R-Saddlebrooke, said this week, during a hearing on the bill. “We lived through, as terrible as it was, … segregation and the racism that followed it and now we’re seeing different forms of racism coming forward."
Apr. 1, 2022
Shame On Every Republican Who Voted To Sabotage Arizona's Schools
"It’s not surprising that our leaders finally broke down and agreed to allow the public schools to spend money that’s already sitting in their bank accounts – money the Legislature appropriated last June. What is stunning is that 20 Republicans – 14 in the House and six in the Senate – actually voted to stiff the schools and to heck with the impact on the one million Arizona children who attend them."
Feb. 22, 2022

In other words, as PROVEN by this bill, Republicans and ammosexuals find it wrong to discriminate against inanimate objects but have no problem discriminating against people.
Emails Reveal Covert Efforts By Republican Vince Leach To Promote GOP Gerrymander
"Arizona Senator Vince Leach (LD 11), a Republican incumbent who is currently seeking reelection, has led a successful advocacy effort to ensure his place of residence is drawn into a safe Republican legislative district in the IRC’s draft legislative map."
Dec. 2, 2021
Bill Would Prevent Gay Conversion Therapy Bans In Arizona
"Arizona State Sen. Vince Leach is sponsoring a bill with the backing of several Republicans that would prevent any municipality or county from banning so-called gay “conversion therapy.”
Feb. 7, 2021
Who Are The Republicans Attacking Arizona’s Education?
"Proposition 208 passed during the 2020 general election, and received 1,675,810 votes, with approximately 52% of the vote and also received more votes than President-Elect Joe Biden, or Donald Trump did this election ... Now, there is a group of Republican politicians that are teaming up with one another to find any possible way to undermine the education funding initiative–including a joint lawsuit attempting to challenge the constitutionality of the education-funding proposition. This Republican coalition to invalidate the Invest in Education initiative includes Republicans from both legislative chambers, and even statewide politicians."
Dec. 7, 2020
Why Does Vince Leach Have A Discredited Racist Dog Whistle Editorial Cartoon On His Face Book Page
Jun. 22, 2020
Two GOP Lawmakers Promote QAnon On Social Media
"On Saturday, Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, posted a cartoon from political cartoonist Ben Garrison depicting President Donald Trump, his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and a figure whose head is a large Q marching and preparing to step on miniature figures labeled as globalists, Marxists and traitors."
Jul. 6, 2020
Sen. Leach Shares Fake Anti-Marijuana Meme
"Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, shared a meme Monday afternoon from a parody group, but it appears the senator may not have been in on the joke. [...] Under benefits, listed are several synonyms for “none” while the risks include deadly communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and leprosy. The group from which the meme comes from says it strives to eradicate marijuana from the “entire planet” among other lofty goals."
Jul. 22, 2019
Arizona Bill Putting More Requirements On Initiative Petition Circulators Advances
"this isn’t the first bid by Leach, backed by business interests that tend to oppose voter-crafted ballot measures, to impose new regulations."
Mar. 6, 2019
Battle Lines Drawn In Arizona Gay Discrimination Case
"Supporting the two owners of Brush & Nib Studio: 26 members of the Arizona Legislature — including [...] Representative Vince Leach"
Dec. 24, 2018
AZ’s Worst Legislator: Vince Leach, Not A Servant Of The People In LD 11
"Leach has sponsored ideas such as: Protecting Dark Money contributors, Overruling local election results and ballot initiatives, such as whether local towns can prohibit plastic bags in stores, Opposing a woman’s right to choose and Allowing taxpayer money to help students choose private religious schools."
Jun. 11, 2018
Legislators Who Pushed APS’ Agenda Against Renewables Got Rewarded With Campaign Contributions, New Filings Show
"A few months before receiving $2,000 from the Pinnacle West PAC, Republican Sen. Vince Leach introduced APS-backed legislation which would limit financial penalties for utilities who fail to meet renewable energy standards. APS acknowledged writing the legislation with Leach. The bill passed on party lines with unanimous Republican support in both chambers."
Jul. 12, 2018

 

Representative Vince Leach Brags About Being ALEC's

“Legislator Of The Week"
 
"Republican Representative Vince Leach (LD 11) sent out a press release on Wednesday announcing that the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has picked him as their “Legislator of the Week.” In his release Leach writes, “For decades ALEC has been the flagship organization at the state level fighting to promote free markets, low taxation, and federalism.”

 
In fact, ALEC is a front organization that allows corporations and politicians to scheme behind closed doors on ways to create and rewrite state laws. These “model bills” are often created only to benefit huge corporations or advance politicians’ own special interests. ALEC has been behind efforts to privatize schools, disenfranchise voters, attack worker’s rights, and more.

 
“Representative Leach may see this a badge of honor to brag about, but there’s nothing honorable about being associated with an organization that helped create such awful policies as the anti-immigrant law SB1070 in Arizona, and exists mainly to serve the interests of corporations and donors,” said Josselyn Berry, Co-Director of ProgressNow Arizona.
 
Representative Leach has long been involved with ALEC, with his financial disclosure forms showing that the organization regularly pays for him to be wined and dined at conferences all over the country. A report from March 2018 shows Representative Leach is a current member of ALEC, along with numerous other Arizona legislators and even lobbyists from APS and The Goldwater Institute."

May 31, 2018
Rep. Vince Leach Hiding Secret Emails With APS About Its Dirty Bill
Apr. 24, 2018
ALEC Legislator Fast Tracks A Bill To Block Local Campaign Finance Ordinances In Arizona
"A state bill that would ban cities and counties from requiring dark money groups to disclose their donors is moving rapidly through the Arizona state legislature. HB 2153 would make it illegal for localities to require tax exempt organizations to disclose donors and register as political action committees. The bill introduced by Rep. Vince Leach (R-11)"
Mar. 29, 2018
New Arizona Law Aims To Buck Clean Energy Ballot Plan
"APS worked with bill sponsor Rep. Vince Leach, R-Tucson"
Mar. 23, 2018
Tempe Voters Pass Dark Money Ban: Your Move, Arizona Legislature
"The bill was introduced by Vince Leach, a Republican from Tucson, and is backed by the Goldwater Institute, which has argued that maintaining donor privacy is essential for protecting free speech. Supporters argue that publicizing the identity of donors could have a chilling effect"
Mar. 14, 2018
Arizona Lawmakers Who'll Make Your Jaw Drop: No. 2: Rep. Vince Leach
"This Tucson Republican is the front man for the stinkiest of a bucketful of stink bombs aimed at undermining your constitutional right to make laws at the ballot box: Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s House Bill 2404"
Mar. 30, 2017
Lawmakers Want Ballot Initiatives Dead, Dead, Dead
"The Republicans who control the Arizona Legislature want to remove you from the democratic process. They want to render you politically powerless. It’s that simple. They have the nerve to call this “reform.” The idea is to make it essentially impossible for regular citizens to get an initiative on the ballot. That way, our elected officials are the only ones who get to make laws. There are several bills in the Legislature that would wipe you off the political map. One is sponsored by Rep. Vince Leach. House Bill 2404 is a death warrant for direct democracy."
Feb. 6, 2017
Bill Would Save Just One Phoenix Lawyer $145,000
"State legislators rejected a bill last year crafted specifically to help a Phoenix lawyer and real-estate investor avoid paying $146,100 in county fees. The same legislation with the same wording and the same benefits to the same real-estate investor was reintroduced in the Arizona House of Representatives this month and is once again up for a vote. [...] The bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Vince Leach, of Pinal County, said in testimony at the state Capitol this week that the new legislation was unrelated to last year's."
Feb. 26, 2016
Legislators Thumb Nose At Voucher Accountability
"Arizona’s voucher system is copied – with several hugely consequential exceptions – right from the playbook of the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC, as it is better known, draws up “model” legislation backed by conservative legislators and corporate lobbyists. One of their model laws is for what they call “education savings accounts.” The bill now under consideration by the Legislature that seeks to make all students in the state eligible for the program is backed by lawmakers who themselves are backed heavily by the American Federation for Children (AFC), which is in the business of supporting school choice in general and vouchers in particular. AFC showered Arizona legislative candidates with $300,000 in independent expenditures in the 2014 elections. The beneficiaries included 10 of the 28 legislators who sponsored either the House, Senate or both versions of the universal voucher legislation. The organization spent [...] $9,000 apiece for Vince Leach and Steve Smith"
Feb. 21, 2016
  

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