Guests - Mark Dannels, Joel Strabala, Laurie Moore, Steven Mundt
Wildcats Head to Final Four as Tucson Tackles Border Security, Local Elections, and National Crises
Kathleen Winn kicks off the show celebrating the Arizona Wildcats' decisive win and their upcoming matchup against Michigan in the Final Four. She has been a fan for nearly fifty years and expresses pride in the team's performance, noting the excitement of the tournament and the tough competition ahead. Michigan beat Alabama, while UConn edged Duke 73-72 and Illinois advanced, setting up high-stakes games in Indianapolis.
Sheriff Mark Dannels on a Manageable Border, the Arizona Sheriffs Association, and Concerns Over Pima County Leadership
Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County returns to discuss his reappointment to President Trump's Homeland Security Advisory Council, where he is the only current sheriff serving and the first ever nominated in that role. He notes that under Biden, twenty-eight of thirty-two members were relieved—the first such action since 9/11—and Trump brought him back. Dannels describes the current border as a “traditional” or “manageable” one, far better than the chaos of the previous administration. “It’s the best it’s been in a long time,” he says, acknowledging that cartels will always push drugs and traffic people but that government now has control.
He explains the Arizona Sheriffs Association (ASA), which represents thirteen of fifteen counties. Santa Cruz’s sheriff was unanimously voted out by membership, and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos opted out by letter in 2021, instructing the association not to correspond with him. Dannels stresses that sheriffs stand for public safety, national security, and community quality of life regardless of party. “Arizona sheriffs do not stand by what’s letters behind their name—they stand for public safety, national security, and humanitarian within our communities.”
Dannels voices deep concern over the Nancy Guthrie case and Nanos’s handling of it. He reveals that no other sheriff was contacted by Nanos for assistance, despite it being a statewide and national matter. “When you isolate yourself on an island and you’re not out there working with fellow sheriffs in the state… that did not happen.” The association plans to issue a letter distancing itself from Nanos, emphasizing that its thirteen members work together while he chose not to participate. Dannels adds that a vote of no confidence from one’s own deputies—such as the 241-0 tally in Pima—signals it is “time to go.” He conducts internal surveys every three years in Cochise County to ensure he retains the trust of his ninety to one hundred deputies. “If I lose that, it’s time to go.”
Joel Strabala on Precinct Committeemen Write-In Deadline and Grassroots Election Engagement
Joel Strabala, LD17 chairman, updates listeners on the April 6 write-in deadline for precinct committeemen. He provides the exact form—State of Arizona Write-In Candidate Nomination Paper, citing ARS 16-311 and 16-312—and directs people to www.pima.gov/678/candidates to download it. The one-page form requires name, address, legislative district, precinct, and signature; it must reach the elections department at Valencia and Country Club by 5 p.m. on April 6. Strabala explains that if slots remain unfilled, write-ins are automatically elected in the primary. “If there are ten slots allotted and only eight people filed, well guess what—you’re automatically elected.”
He notes LD17 has 593 slots and 137 signatures already filed, leaving room for more. Strabala encourages Republicans, independents, and anyone wanting to engage to become precinct committeemen, as they determine state-level representation and policy influence. He highlights the recall petition drive as a positive side effect, drawing new and returning volunteers to headquarters. “We’re getting people that used to be involved that have decided this election in Arizona is too critical—there’s kind of been a wake-up call in Pima County.”
Laurie Moore on Recall Petition Momentum and Critique of “No Kings” Rallies
Laurie Moore reports strong grassroots progress on the Sheriff Nanos recall petitions. She uses her front porch as a northwest hub and carries clipboards everywhere—grocery stores, restaurants, Sammy’s, and the Gaslight Theater. “I got six pages of signatures—sixty people in two hours.” Moore approaches churches, noting this is a community issue affecting everyone regardless of politics. She plans ten clipboards and pens at services so congregants can sign without leaving.
Moore dismisses the weekend’s “No Kings” rallies as astroturf, citing three billion dollars spent by five hundred NGOs. “I don’t even know if I believe those numbers… they’re protecting us from pretend kings.” She contrasts the small turnout she witnessed with the genuine energy at Trump-supporting events and sports bars. Moore urges continued petitioning at the upcoming fair and sports gatherings, emphasizing that the recall transcends party lines. “This is not a political thing—this is a community thing because the sheriff is sheriff for everybody.”
Retired Brigadier General Steven Mundt on Birthright Citizenship, the Strait of Hormuz Crisis, and Congressional Dysfunction Over TSA and ICE Funding
Retired Brigadier General Steven Mundt joins from Virginia to discuss the Supreme Court case on birthright citizenship. He argues the policy, added after the founding era, has been abused through “birthing centers” and chain migration. “People are literally just coming to the United States… they give birth to their children—they’re now U.S. citizens.” Mundt insists citizenship should not apply to those whose parents are neither citizens nor legal residents. “If you come here and you’re not a citizen or a legal resident of the United States, that should not apply to you.”
On military matters, Mundt details U.S. Marine and 82nd Airborne deployments to the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea. The mission focuses on clearing banks and islands to reopen shipping lanes without invading Iran. Houthis, acting on Iranian orders, attack vessels; Iran publicly threatens to “grind up” any captured Americans. Mundt notes Russian targeting data enabled recent Iranian strikes and warns of briefcase-sized nuclear devices. He praises Apaches from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, Egypt, and Israel now eliminating Houthi drones and fast boats.
Mundt criticizes Congress for the TSA funding impasse, calling it a “slippery slope” and “fracture” in homeland security. He applauds President Trump’s move placing ICE agents in airports to shorten lines while TSA staff called in sick. “Shame on Congress… we got to support the rule of law in this country.” He quotes Theodore Roosevelt: “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Mundt stresses that leadership requires decisive action even when imperfect. “You’ve got to make a decision… to make no decision and just allow things to happen to you—it’s the worst form of cowardice.”
The conversation closes with mutual respect for law enforcement and a renewed call for citizens to engage at every level—precinct, petition, and policy—to restore trust and security.