The Jeff Oravits Show Podcast

Congressman Biggs: Impeachment, Spending & Iran

Congressman Andy Biggs gives a D.C. update!IMPEACHMENTSPENDING & DEBT What happened to the Tea Party movement?IRAN What's the future look like? Is it time to get out of certain foreign entanglements?Catch an all new show Monday - Friday at 4:06 on 97.1FM and www.TalkWithJeff.com

#784 with Elisha Dorfsmith & OPEN lines!

TOP 4 at 4:00 (0-19:00)
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick takes a break from Congress to treat "alcohol dependence".
Elisha tells us about prisoner sentenced 12 years for a cellphone.
Let’s regulate the politicians, HB2252 now at Legislature.
Is it about time? APS won’t spend $$$ on corp. comm. candidates.
Hunting concerns in AZ, wood stoves under assault & school choice! (19:00-29:00)
 
Hunters Concerned Over 2 of Thorpes Proposed Laws
Listeners are concerned with two of Rep. Bob Thorpes bills, HB2130 and HB2131. Both are bills related to hunting including limiting game cameras and limiting hunting around tanks and watering holes.
The unintended consequences of laws. Is there an assault on wood stoves?
 
Sex Ed. & school choice (30:00-42:00)
Was there anything good in Senator Allens sex ed. bill. Jeff and Elisha debate the issue.
School choice works!  Vouchers for ALL! Look at Sunny Slope and charters in FLG. Olivia chimes in on some bureaucratic nonsense.Thursday at 4:06, Congressman Andy Biggs of AZ!

Rep. Walt Blackman Legislative Preview

Jeff sat down with Representative Walt Blackman of LD6 to discuss some of his proposed bills for this legislative session including criminal justice reform and the coach travel bill which would stop politicians and government officials from traveling first class on the taxpayers dime.

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Allen Discusses Sex Ed. Bill

Arizona Senator Sylvia Allen discusses SB-1082, the Sex Education bill that has received national attention. What is her intentions with this bill? What's the controversy? Senator Sylvia Allen gives Jeff this exclusive interview to explain her bill. Also discussed (last 5 minutes or so) Senator Allens support of Jeff's proposal, and now Rep. Blackman's Bill, to stop elected representatives and government officials from flying first class on the tax payer dime.

Private border walls? Rep. Petersen discusses

Arizona House Majority Leader Warren Petersen discusses his bill that if passed would allow private property owners bordering Mexico the ability to build a private border wall without local permission or permitting process. 

#779 John Kistler & Rob Wilson

John Kistler guest co-hosts open line Wednesday. - Flagstaff City Council considers raising impact fees which will make housing more expensive in Flagstaff
- Counties standing up to state governments that are anti 2nd Amendment. Is this coming to AZ. 
- Rob Wilson of Timberline Firearms and Training discusses Virginia Legislatures proposal to shutdown shooting ranges. 
- Some great callers including a caller asking when the traffic issues in FLG will be addressed. Jeff finds that one really funny!

Jeff Proposes Coach Airfare (Rita Cheng) Law for Government Officials

President of NAU Rita Cheng & her husband spent over $30,000 of NAU funds for first & business class airfare to Russia. NAU buys Rita Cheng's husband $5,000+ business class ticket to travel with her to Israel despite a sponsor willing to pay for coach tickets. In total, Cheng was ordered by Auditor General to pay back $37,964. So what are the consequences, what'd she do in response? She paid back $179 out of her pocket and the non-profit NAU Foundation paid NAU $37,785 on her behalf. How in the HELL did this ever happen? Why is this foundation that many donate to for scholarships and other causes bailing out Rita Cheng? How do you spend $30,000 to go to Russia! Why did she only pay $179 with her own money? By the way she makes $475,000 per year plus benefits! Why are public figures and those in a position of public trust flying first class on the public dime?Jeff finds airfare to Russia for under $1,000!Jeff proposes 3 things that should happen now...apology anyone! And what was the NAU Foundation thinking!Finally Jeff proposes a NEW LAW for ARIZONA and he has support for a bill in the Legislature!The Coach Class Travel Bill (I know many of you want to call it the Rita Cheng Bill)
Government officials and/or employees on official government travel shall only be reimbursed for coach and/or lowest price economy airfare. The tax payer and/or public entity of which the public official represents will not pay for airfare upgrades such as business class or first class. Further, travel by the public official’s family shall not be reimbursed. The spouse of the government official/employee has to pay for their own ticket. Government officials include:
Elected representatives and their staff.
Employees of government entities such as towns, cities, counties, the state and state agencies, special districts, universities and community colleges. 
Upgraded travel by public officials is allowed if the public official pays the difference of the upgraded cost minus the coach fare full price ticket.Jeff also gives updates on a mountain lion issue near Tucson and Rep. Warren Petersons private border wall bill. Rep. Peterson should be on the show this week!Find out who will sponsor & co-sponsor the Coach Class Travel Bill on Tuesdays Jeff Oravits Show on 97.1 the Big Talker and www.TalkWithJeff.com

Audit finds NAU President Cheng “inappropriately” spent $40,277 on travel.

An Auditor General report of NAU President Rita Cheng and her husband  has found that NAU
“inappropriately paid for $40,277 of the President’s and her spouse’s travel expenses that conflicted with policies and lacked appropriate documentation, which put public monies at potential risk of misuse”
 
The audit goes on to describe how Cheng and NAU deviated from University and ABOR policies by purchasing
business- and first-class airfare, 
lodging that exceeded allowable rates
and (other) unallowed expenses
 
CHENG’S INAPPROPRIATE EXPENSES INCLUDED:
$30,641 Business & First Class airfare to Russia for Cheng & her husband 
$5,862 business class airfare for her husband to join her in Israel despite a sponsor offering to pay coach for Cheng and her husband. 
$1,751 for 13 hotel stays that exceeded State’s reimbursement rates 
$2,023 in expenses for Cheng and her husband that were specifically not allowed under university and ABOR policy including “visas to Russia, early flight check-in fees, valet parking, room service that was in addition to her daily meal allowance, and a duplicate hotel reimbursement.”
INAPPROPRIATE EXPENSES PAID BACK NOT BY CHENG BUT BY NON PROFIT
The Northern Arizona University Foundation, NAU FOUNDATION a (501-C-3) has stepped up to pay for Cheng’s inappropriate travel. According to the audit: 
in November 2019 the Northern Arizona University Foundation reimbursed the University $37,785 for the airfare to Russia, the President’s spouse’s airfare to Israel, the Visas to Russia, and early check-in fees”
Foundations such as NAU Foundation have come under scrutiny from Attorney General Mark Brnovich for their lack of oversight. Criticism of this foundation was also widely discussed on the Jeff Oravits Show when former Flagstaff Mayor Jerry Nabours questioned millions of dollars in real estate purchases in Flagstaff with no clear indication as to the intended use or purpose of the pricey acquisitions. 
CONSEQUENCES & PRECEDENT OF CHENG’S INAPPROPRIATE TRAVEL EXPENSES?
Does this set precedent for travel of those who serve under President Cheng? In the end Cheng did not have to pay back the inappropriate travel expenses out of her own pocket. The Foundation came to her assistance and quickly footed the bill. The audit noted that,
“when executive management does not follow established policies, including compliance with documentation requirements, they set an unfavorable tone that policies do not need to be followed”.
 
In 2018 President Cheng’s contract was extended with a base salary of $475,000 per year plus other benefits. President Cheng has repeatedly been invited to come on the Jeff Oravits Show and has declined all past invitations.  
 

AZ 5th highest min. wage + SANCTUARY Yavapai?

Show notes for Thursday, January 2, 2020
Snow packs looking good in NAZ! Wasn’t Arizona supposed to be hotter and drier with skiing a thing of the past? Jeff's highly refined, fine tuned commonsense observations!Have livable ($15 minimum) wage proponents killed apprenticeships? Arizona now has the 5th highest minimum wage in the country competing with exodus states like NY and CA for the top spots! What this mean going forward? What’s to come in Flagstaff when they hit $15 per hour next year. The first job kids will never get and the death of apprenticeships (unless it has to do with melting glaciers)Bernie the SOCIALIST raises bid dollars!BUT Trump raises more!Is Yavapai now a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County?Drake Mitchell from Arizona Citizens Defense League gives an update on what happened and what’s to come.Cyber security with Governor Ducey’s head of security.My past interview with Tim Roemer, Governor Ducey’s head of cyber security for AZ. It’s only gonna get more challenging to secure personal and public info. There’s a bright 6 figure future for those interested in a new career protecting data!How much environmental damage is your eco friendly battery causing? A listener chimed in on Jeff’s 24/7 comment line, 877-971-3971. What damage is being caused by the environmentally friendly alternatives? 

Will Yavapai become 2A Sanctuary County?

Drake Mitchell from the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AZCDL) joins Jeff to discuss this Thursdays Yavapai County Board of Supervisors vote to become a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County. Drake discusses the situation in Virginia that has many 2nd Amendment proponents worried, the future of the 2nd Amendment in AZ and what the AZCDL does to protect your Constitutional Rights!