{"id":187,"date":"2018-02-27T10:30:19","date_gmt":"2018-02-27T15:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=187"},"modified":"2018-03-01T14:37:29","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T19:37:29","slug":"kwok-dont-regret-voting-for-steve-montenegro-or-debbie-lesko-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=187","title":{"rendered":"Kwok: Don&#8217;t regret voting for Steve Montenegro or Debbie Lesko (yet)"},"content":{"rendered":"<section id=\"module-position-QrhWws3s0R4\" class=\"storytopbar-bucket story-headline-module story-story-headline-module\">\n<h1 class=\"asset-headline speakable-headline\"><\/h1>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"module-position-QrhWws2Mzm4\" class=\"storytopbar-bucket priority-asset-module story-priority-asset-module\"><\/section>\n<section id=\"module-position-QrhWws4z2Io\" class=\"storytopbar-bucket story-byline-module story-story-byline-module\">\n<div class=\"asset-metabar\"><span class=\"asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/staff\/9799\/abe-kwok\/\" rel=\"author\">Abe Kwok<\/a>, opinion columnist<\/span><span class=\"asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline\">Published 6:23 a.m. MT Feb. 27, 2018 |\u00a0<span class=\"asset-metabar-time-updated\">Updated 6:13 a.m. MT Feb. 28, 2018<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"module-position-QrhWws4J21E\" class=\"storytopbar-bucket piano-module story-piano-module\"><\/section>\n<section id=\"module-position-QrhWws4IPEw\" class=\"storytopbar-bucket bounce-exchange-module story-bounce-exchange-module\"><\/section>\n<section id=\"module-position-QrhWws4sSkU\" class=\"storytopbar-bucket google-survey-module story-google-survey-module\"><\/section>\n<div class=\"asset-double-wide double-wide p402_premium\" role=\"main\">\n<div id=\"module-position-QrhWxa9Z40Q\" class=\"story-asset video-asset\">\n<div class=\"ui-video-wrapper \">\n<div class=\"js-ui-video-init ui-pluto-video js-video-aps js-uw-iframe-video uw-iframe-video story-video inline-story-video priority smallarticleattophtml5\" data-video-id=\"109792076\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"uw-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/uw-media.azcentral.com\/video\/embed\/109792076?sitelabel=reimagine&amp;continuousplay=true&amp;placement=uw-smallarticleattophtml5&amp;pagetype=story\" name=\"109792076\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"ui-video-controls story-video inline-story-video priority\">\n<p class=\"video-desc\">Five Republican candidates in the race for the 8th Congressional District seat give their thoughts on personal behavior, bipartisan efforts and congressional groups during the azcentral debate Jan. 24, 2018.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">azcentral<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"module-position-QrhWxa9EUSc\" class=\"story-asset story-leadin-asset\">\n<h2 class=\"lead-in\">Abe Kwok: Did bad news about CD8 frontrunners Steve Montenegro and Debbie Lesko break too late for voters to make an informed decision? Yes. But it&#8217;s more complicated than that.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"module-position-QrhWxa9k_lY\" class=\"story-asset story-metadata-asset\">\n<div class=\"article-metadata-wrap\">\n<section id=\"module-position-QrhWxZ1KNeE\" class=\"storymetadata-bucket expandable-photo-module story-expandable-photo-module\">\n<aside class=\"single-photo expandable-collapsed\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"expand-img-horiz\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/ad825b7e0f66f6aac39834515362624152dbc0e5\/c%3D209-0-3471-2453%26r%3Dx404%26c%3D534x401\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/24\/Phoenix\/Phoenix\/636524249768924022-DW1-2133.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"CD8 debate\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2018\/01\/24\/Phoenix\/Phoenix\/636524249768924022-DW1-2133.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/4044b1e7645488621f157de466cf1a990870caa2\/r=500x333\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/24\/Phoenix\/Phoenix\/636524249768924022-DW1-2133.jpg\" \/><\/div>\n<p class=\"image-credit-wrap\"><span class=\"js-caption-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">(Photo: David Wallace\/The Republic)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"module-position-QrhWxa9ppM4\" class=\"story-asset inline-share-tools-asset\">\n<div class=\"inline-share-tools asset-inline-share-tools asset-inline-share-tools-top\"><span class=\"inline-share-btn inline-share-btn-facebook\" data-share-method=\"facebook\" data-uotrack=\"InlineShareFacebookBtn\"><span class=\"inline-share-btn-label inline-share-btn-label-facebook\">CONNECT<\/span><\/span><a class=\"inline-share-btn inline-share-btn-twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=http%3A\/\/azc.cc\/2oraAmP&amp;text=Kwok%3A%20Don%27t%20regret%20voting%20for%20Steve%20Montenegro%20or%20Debbie%20Lesko%20%28yet%29&amp;via=azcentral\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-share-method=\"twitter\" data-uotrack=\"InlineShareTwitterLink\" data-popup-width=\"550\" data-popup-height=\"450\" data-popup=\"\"><span class=\"inline-share-btn-label inline-share-btn-label-twitter\">TWEET<\/span><\/a><a class=\"inline-share-btn inline-share-btn-linkedin\" href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=http%3A\/\/azc.cc\/2oraAmP&amp;mini=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-share-method=\"linkedin\" data-popup-width=\"600\" data-popup-height=\"455\" data-uotrack=\"UtilityBarFlyoutLinkedInLink\" data-popup=\"\"><span class=\"inline-share-btn-label inline-share-btn-label-linkedin\">LINKEDIN<\/span><\/a><span class=\"inline-share-btn inline-share-btn-comments\" data-share-method=\"comments\" data-uotrack=\"InlineShareCommentsBtn\"><span class=\"inline-share-count inline-share-count-comments\">\u00a01<\/span><span class=\"inline-share-btn-label inline-share-btn-label-comments\">COMMENT<\/span><\/span><span class=\"inline-share-btn inline-share-btn-email\" data-share-method=\"email\" data-uotrack=\"InlineShareEmailBtn\"><span class=\"inline-share-btn-label inline-share-btn-label-email\">EMAIL<\/span><\/span><span class=\"inline-share-btn inline-share-btn-more\" data-share-method=\"facebook\" data-uotrack=\"InlineShareMoreBtn\"><span class=\"inline-share-btn-label inline-share-btn-label-more\">MORE<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">A central question being asked this past week in the CD 8 Republican primary is whether bad news about two leading candidates\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/opinion\/op-ed\/laurieroberts\/2018\/02\/21\/steve-montenegro-and-debbie-lesko-best-arizonas-cd-8-can-offer\/359361002\/\">broke too late for voters<\/a>\u00a0to make an informed decision.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">The short answer is\u00a0yes, conceivably \u2014 given that a lion\u2019s share of the nearly 100,000 early ballots taken out\u00a0had already been\u00a0mailed back in\u00a0before the news broke.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But that answer is based on\u00a0two suppositions: That the controversies around Debbie Lesko and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/arizona\/2018\/02\/26\/what-if-steve-montenegro-wins-republican-primary\/371895002\/\">Steve Montenegro<\/a>\u00a0carry weight, and that the weight would swing enough support away to deny them victory. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2018\/02\/28\/arizona-gop-primary-election-results-congressional-district-8\/373251002\/\">Lesko won<\/a>\u00a0comfortably Tuesday night.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That\u2019s where things become a lot more nuanced and uncertain.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\">Steve Montenegro&#8217;s icky texting relationship<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The bigger,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2018\/02\/21\/steve-montenegro-congress-campaign-roiled-flirty-text\/357581002\/\">racier controversy is that of Montenegro<\/a>, a married father who was found to have carried on a months-long, consensual,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/arizona\/2018\/02\/23\/steve-montenegro-texts-full-transcript-arizona-senate-staffer-stephanie-holford\/366067002\/\">sexually charged texting<\/a>\u00a0relationship with a junior staffer while the two worked at the Legislature.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Much has been made that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/arizona\/2018\/02\/22\/watch-live-attorney-says-he-release-staffers-text-messages-steve-montenegro\/365333002\/\">Montenegro\u2019s behavior<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the staffer\u2019s attorney characterized it as \u201cgrooming\u201d his client for a sexual relationship \u2014 is morally reprehensible and hypocritical given that he\u2019s a minister who preaches Christian family values.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-62\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-az-phoenix-C1531-native-article_link-news-opinion-64\" class=\"ad-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CMX0r7X2yNkCFZJANwod-OENHg\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/az-phoenix-C1531\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/az-phoenix-C1531\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/az-phoenix-C1531\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" width=\"3\" height=\"3\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-integralas-id-54fb0970-998b-08b2-1c5a-b91b597c0a67=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Much, too, has been made in the comparison of Montenegro to\u00a0the congressman he\u2019s seeking to replace, Trent Franks, who resigned his seat following reports that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/arizona\/2017\/12\/08\/rep-trent-franks-says-he-resign-immediately-citing-wifes-illness\/935759001\/\">he propositioned female staffers<\/a>\u00a0about becoming a surrogate mother for his children.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\">Is infidelity an automatic disqualifier anymore?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Those who believe Montenegro cheated early voters assume that his trespass disqualifies\u00a0him for office\u00a0and\u00a0that those early voters would have rejected him if they had only known before casting the ballot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But infidelity, or an affair of the heart,\u00a0is not the same as sexual harassment or assault. And in the era of Donald Trump, a candidate\u2019s character or fitness for office is not necessarily the be-all and end-all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The fuss involving former Arizona lawmaker Debbie Lesko registers less heat, if not smoke.<\/p>\n<div class=\"partner-outstream\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\">Lesko controversy: Lots of smoke, little fire<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Her state Senate campaign steered $50,000 to a federal political action committee, Conservative Leadership for Arizona, that has supported her. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2018\/02\/21\/debbie-lesko-accused-moving-50-k-campaign-pac-backs-lesko\/361429002\/\">controversy centers on how the contribution was disclosed<\/a>\u00a0by the super PAC; it was initially filed under the catch-all category of \u201cother federal receipts\u201d \u2014 such as dividends and interest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Days later, presumably after inquiring minds wanted\u00a0to know, Conservative Leadership for Arizona reclassified the source of the $50,000 to &#8220;other political committees,&#8221; which required disclosure of who the committee is.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">GOP primary rivals Phil Lovas and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/arizona\/2018\/02\/23\/steve-montenegro-ignores-text-scandal-accuses-debbie-lesko-funding-scheme\/369032002\/\">Montenegro seized<\/a>\u00a0on the amended filing as proof of an illegal money-laundering scheme. A complaint has been filed with the Federal Elections Commission and the state attorney general\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\">Campaign-finance rules murky, hard to grasp<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The challenges with the allegations are several-fold, not the least being that the rules governing super PACs are squishy. Proving\u00a0that Lesko improperly\u00a0coordinated or communicated with Conservative Leadership for Arizona is a high hurdle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Plus, the FEC has neither provided clarity\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2012\/01\/13\/7866\/rules-against-coordination-between-super-pacs-candidates-tough-enforce\">nor aggressively acted i<\/a>n instances of\u00a0potential violations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">If the professionals have difficulty discerning the rules, good luck for the public making sense of alleged offenses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">All of which is not to say the controversies are immaterial. Or that they couldn\u2019t sway the election.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\">Don&#8217;t like the CD 8 result? Stick around<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p-text\">If anything, it should embolden those who believe that the aforementioned issues matter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">This is a special election, after all, to complete the remainder of Franks\u2019 term.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The winner, presuming the heavily conservative district stays the course and elects the Republican nominee in the April 24 general election, will have to do it all again four months later in the regularly scheduled primaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">And incumbency be damned.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/arizona\/2018\/02\/27\/west-valley-8th-congressional-district-primary-election\/374436002\/\">CD 8 is an older, conservative<\/a>, astute electorate. If the GOP contingent in that district feels it\u00a0wasn\u2019t afforded the opportunity to get it right the first go-around, it\u00a0won\u2019t hesitate to make a correction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><em>Reach Kwok at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:akwok@azcentral.com\">akwok@azcentral.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Abe Kwok, opinion columnistPublished 6:23 a.m. MT Feb. 27, 2018 |\u00a0Updated 6:13 a.m. MT Feb. 28, 2018 Five Republican candidates in the race for the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-politics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-23-25.jpg?fit=532%2C398&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8VBh7-31","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1196,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=1196","url_meta":{"origin":187,"position":0},"title":"In His Own Words, Trump on the Coronavirus and Masks","author":"Donnie","date":"October 2, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"During the pandemic, the president has expressed confidence that the virus would quickly go away and skepticism over the effectiveness of face coverings. By\u00a0Daniel Victor,\u00a0Lew Serviss\u00a0and\u00a0Azi Paybarah Oct. 2, 2020 Updated\u00a09:12 a.m. ET President Trump\u00a0\u2014 who insisted when the\u00a0coronavirus\u00a0first emerged that it would not be a threat in the United\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=21"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2020-10-02_09-49-55.png?fit=1146%2C700&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2020-10-02_09-49-55.png?fit=1146%2C700&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2020-10-02_09-49-55.png?fit=1146%2C700&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2020-10-02_09-49-55.png?fit=1146%2C700&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2020-10-02_09-49-55.png?fit=1146%2C700&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=148","url_meta":{"origin":187,"position":1},"title":"The Latest: NRA Lobbyist Takes Issue With Florida Gun Plans","author":"Donnie","date":"February 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By\u00a0THE ASSOCIATED PRESS\u00a0FEB. 23, 2018, 7:43 P.M. E.S.T. \u00a0 Mourners attend the funeral service for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School assistant football coach, Aaron Feis. at the Church by the Glades in Coral Springs, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 22. 2018. Football players wearing Stoneman Douglas jerseys carried Feis' casket into the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Weapons&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Weapons","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=19"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_13-45-35.jpg?fit=778%2C438&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_13-45-35.jpg?fit=778%2C438&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_13-45-35.jpg?fit=778%2C438&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_13-45-35.jpg?fit=778%2C438&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":94,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=94","url_meta":{"origin":187,"position":2},"title":"Trump Lies","author":"Donnie","date":"December 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many Americans have become accustomed to President Trump\u2019s lies. But as regular as they have become, the country should not allow itself to become numb to them. So we have catalogued nearly every outright lie he has told publicly since taking the oath of office.\u00a0Updated: The president is still lying,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Presidential Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Presidential Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-15-02.jpg?fit=597%2C397&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-15-02.jpg?fit=597%2C397&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-15-02.jpg?fit=597%2C397&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":206,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=206","url_meta":{"origin":187,"position":3},"title":"Trump Attacks Sessions Over Handling of Surveillance Abuse Allegations","author":"Donnie","date":"February 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By\u00a0EILEEN SULLIVANFEB. 28, 2018\u00a0 Photo Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the White House this month.\u00a0CreditTom Brenner\/The New York Times WASHINGTON \u2014 President Trump criticized his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, on Wednesday and called him \u201cDISGRACEFUL\u201d after Mr. Sessions indicated that the Justice Department\u2019s watchdog would look into accusations of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Presidential Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Presidential Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-08-41.jpg?fit=765%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-08-41.jpg?fit=765%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-08-41.jpg?fit=765%2C512&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_12-08-41.jpg?fit=765%2C512&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":646,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=646","url_meta":{"origin":187,"position":4},"title":"Sacramento County deputies accused of stealing from dementia patient, sending her to the Philippines","author":"Donnie","date":"March 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By\u00a0ASSOCIATED PRESS MAR 17, 2018 Two California sheriff's deputies are being investigated on allegations of stealing money from a 75-year-old woman with dementia, listing her home for sale and putting her on a plane to the Philippines without telling her relatives there she was on her way. Neighbors and friends\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Law Enforcement&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Law Enforcement","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=20"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":168,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=168","url_meta":{"origin":187,"position":5},"title":"A CPAC official said Michael Steele was hired to lead the RNC because he\u2019s black","author":"Donnie","date":"February 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Tess Cagle\u2014 Feb 24 Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele had a few words on Friday for\u00a0Conservative Political Action Conference\u00a0communications director Ian Walters,\u00a0who said that the RNC only picked Steele to lead the party because \u201che was a black guy.\u201d \u201cI wanted to talk to [CPAC chair] Matt Schlapp\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=11"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-39-12.jpg?fit=678%2C604&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-39-12.jpg?fit=678%2C604&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-39-12.jpg?fit=678%2C604&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=187"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187\/revisions\/188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}