Irked representatives enshrine their names in amendment

A technical education in taking credit ... If there was an award for most creative nana-nana-boo-boo, Arizona House Republican leaders would surely have won it last week.

Furious that the state Senate used creative tactics to get to Gov. desk its version of a bill to restore funding to high-school career and technicaleducation programs instead of a House version of the bill, House members decided to tack on an entertaining amendment.

It states the House considers JTEDs “an important component of a wellrounded education system” and that restoring funding is an important priority for the House. It goes on to list every House member who sponsored the House version of the bill — all 56 of them. It then provides a timeline to make sure anyone who might actually read the bill that the House passed its bill before (emphasis added) the Senate passed its version. So there, Senate. But while we’re giving out awards, we can’t overlook Ducey. He wins for best selective memory.

Upon signing the $28 million refunding legislation, he issued a news release reminding the public that he told the Legislature during his January State of the State address that career and techni- cal education was a key priority. “This victory is a high testament to what I’ve said since the beginning – we can be responsible with our budget while adding significant, real dollars to K-12 education,” Ducey said in the news release.

Apparently he was taking the “do as I say, not as I do” approach to political parenting.

Glaringly omitted by the governor was the fact his budget did not restore JTED funding. He instead proposed giving the programs $10 million a year over three years, and only then if they worked with businesses to apply for the money through a new grant program.

Harry Truman famously said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” He obviously never held office in Arizona.

The color of money ... A campaign to force disclosure of “dark money” political contributions has just started, but the effort, led by former Arizona Attorney General is already getting national attention.

Goddard, one of the co-chairmen of the anti-dark-money campaign, will speak at the winter meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General this weekend, along with journalist and author

Mayer has just released a book on the topic, “Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Rise of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right.”

The Kochs have become the poster children for dark money, pouring their fortune into nonprofit corporations that are not required by federal law to disclose their donors. The campaign Goddard is helping lead seeks to change the state constitution to require disclosure when certain spending levels are hit.

Goddard, not surprisingly, recommends giving Mayer’s book it a read. Something he no doubt will share with the attorneys general.

After the conference, Insider will check with current Arizona AG

see if he put the tome (it runs more than 400 pages) on his reading list. Brnovich was one of many Arizona candidates who benefited from dark-money contributions in 2014. The book has been praised in progressive circles, but panned by many conservatives.

Honoring Antonin Scalia ... Gov. Ducey visited the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to pay his respects to the late Supreme Court Justice

Ducey took a break from the Republican Governor’s Association conference in Washington, D.C., and headed to the court, where Scalia was lying in repose.

Ducey was joined by his chief of staff, and his deputy chief of staff.

Scalia died Feb. 13 at a West Texas hunting resort.

Shortly after learning of Scalia’s death, Ducey issued a statement, calling him a “true patriot and a fierce defender” of the U.S. Constitution.

“His unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the founding principles of our country was an inspiration to those of us devoted to the expansion of freedom,” Ducey’s statement said. “... While we mourn his death, his wisdom lives on. Because of Justice Scalia, Americans live in a more free and just nation.”

“I think we need somebody there now to do the job. And let’s get on with it.” — Retired Supreme Court Justice

arguing President should nominate a candidate to replace late Justice Antonin Scalia and not defer to his successor as some Republicans have suggested.

Compiled by Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl, Alia Beard Rau and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez. Get the latest at