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“David Schweikert’s extreme views on abortion and agenda to cut Social Security and Medicare are grossly out of step with his district. Voters have a much better option in Amish Shah, a state legislator who has already built a reputation of fighting for Arizona families. He will fight to protect abortion rights and finally give Arizona’s First Congressional District the representation in Congress that they deserve,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene.
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To: Interested Parties
From: Lauryn Fanguen
Date: August 1, 2024
Subject: The Case Against David Schweikert
David Schweikert is a corrupt, anti-abortion extremist with a dangerous agenda that hurts Arizona families. It’s no surprise that The Arizona Republic says Schweikert is on “borrowed time” in this election: he is too far-right for this moderate district. Schweikert’s cruel policies know no bounds. When he’s not working overtime to rip women in Arizona of their reproductive rights and freedoms, he’s trying to cut Social Security and Medicare for seniors, making life-saving medication unaffordable for people with diabetes, and voting against benefits for veterans. Not only does Schweikert consistently vote against Arizonans’ best interests, he is regularly caught red-handed misleading voters about his disastrous record. Schweikert isn’t looking out for every day Arizonans – he’s prioritizing himself and has shown he is willing to break the rules to get ahead.
Amish Shah is an emergency room physician who will fight tooth and nail to lower the cost of health care and stand up to Big Pharma for price gouging life-saving drugs like insulin. He knows the value of hard work, and paid his own way through medical school. A current State Representative in Maricopa County, Amish has a track record of being an independent voice who puts Arizona families before party politics.
David Schweikert’s record of failing Arizonans at every turn versus Amish Shah’s proven record of fighting for hardworking families make this toss-up district a key target to flip for House Democrats.
Schweikert is an Anti-Abortion Zealot
David Schweikert has an undeniable and cruel anti-abortion record. He’s a six-time co-sponsor of the Life at Conception Act, which bans abortion nationwide without exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the woman. When asked about how this dangerous bill would also ban IVF nationwide, Schweikert carelessly said “I don’t know.” Another ignorant politician trying to make decisions about women’s bodies, Schweikert is too dangerous to keep representing Arizona women and families.
Schweikert also voted to include an amendment in the NDAA that would restrict active duty service members’ ability to seek and access essential reproductive care, and against the Right to Contraception Act, which would safeguard the right to birth control nationwide. He even proudly bragged to the Wall Street Journal that he would “continue to vote anti-abortion in Congress.” Schweikert clearly does not believe that women should have the right to make their own medical decisions, which is why he was “pleased” when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, paving the way for the Arizona Supreme Court to temporarily reinstate an archaic 1864 abortion ban in Arizona.
Amish Shah has a track record of fighting to protect abortion rights, which is why the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology awarded him the 2022 Legislator of the Year / Womens’ Health Champion Award. As a physician, he understands that health care decisions should be left to a woman and her doctor – not a politician. In Congress, he’ll fight to make sure that’s the case.
Schweikert is Eagerly Leaving Arizonans Behind
Name a group in Arizona’s First Congressional District that’s not the ultra-rich, and chances are that David Schweikert is actively working against their best interests. Despite representing a district in which roughly 21% are seniors, Schweikert has openly called for cutting Social Security and is a member of the Republican Study Committee that wants to raise the retirement age. He’s ignoring public outcry directly from seniors in his district who would be impacted by his dangerous agenda. If his attacks on Social Security weren’t enough, Schweikert’s also going after Medicare, saying that “Medicare is actually a three times bigger problem than Social Security.” He boldly claimed that not cutting Social Security and Medicare would lead to the “end of your Republic.”
Despite representing more than 38,000 veterans, Schweikert voted twice against the Honoring our PACT Act, legislation that provides health care benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their service. Yet when the bill passed and veterans were eligible to sign up for the benefits, Schweikert, in a striking bout of hypocrisy, touted the very benefits he voted to block. Schweikert boldly said, “You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity” while neglecting to add that he tried to stop it, twice.
David Schweikert also voted against capping the price of insulin, despite his weird, self-described “fixation” with how diabetes is affecting the country. When trying to explain his indefensible vote, Schweikert inaccurately claimed that there is a cure for Type 1 diabetes, which local media then fact checked him on. It’s clear that Schweikert’s efforts to mislead voters are just a poor attempt to cover up the fact he has constantly stood in the way of strengthening Arizonans’ care.
Schweikert is Looking Out for Himself and His MAGA Friends
David Schweikert is working overtime to implement his dangerous agenda that hurts Arizonans, but still manages to have the time to break campaign finance rules and run a shady, unethical operation. A bipartisan House Ethics Committee unanimously found that Schweikert committed 11 ethics violations for “campaign finance violations and errors in reporting by his campaign committees; the misuse of his congressional allowance; pressuring official staff members to perform campaign work,” and additional penalties for lying to the committee. According to the reports, Schweikert pressured his congressional staff, who are paid by American taxpayers, to babysit his children. His staff was also caught using taxpayer funds for recreational activities such as attending the SuperBowl. Schweikert was then fined $125,000 by the Federal Election Commission for misusing donations and failing to adequately report other transactions.
Schweikert has a long-standing pattern of putting himself first. During the 2009 financial crisis, Schweikert’s real estate company bought up hundreds of foreclosed properties in the Valley, served eviction notices to residents, and then sold the houses for a profit.
When he’s not looking out for himself, Schweikert is scheming and lying in the name of MAGA extremism. He voted against certifying Pennsylvania’s electoral votes after the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
Amish Shah has a track record of rejecting partisan extremism. As a state legislator, Shah consistently works to ensure his bills have bipartisan support, such as a bill to improve health outcomes for new moms. As Shah said, “When bills have that bipartisan support, they move through the system a lot better. I just want [my bills] to move because I want to solve problems, and so I try to get bipartisan bills together so that I can get them to the finish line.” Arizonans can trust that Shah will avoid partisan politics and continue his bipartisan and common sense approach in Congress.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
ARIZONA REPUBLIC: Republican Rep. David Schweikert can’t hide his IVF, anti-abortion extremism [Arizona Republic, 3/05/24]
“Schweikert is an anti-abortion zealot who is trying to pretend that he’s not. But, there are receipts.”
CNN: Republican candidates downplay past anti-abortion stances ahead of 2024 election [CNN, 04/12/2024]
ARIZONA REPUBLIC: David Schweikert gets political donation by plugging weight-loss drugs to help shrink debt [Arizona Republic, 12/18/23]
COPPER COURIER: Schweikert tries to slash popular roads, housing programs ahead of holidays [Copper Courier, 11/22/23]
HUFFPOST: Arizona Republican With A Diabetes ‘Fixation’ Voted Against Out-Of-Pocket Caps On Insulin [HuffPost, 8/10/23]
BUSINESS INSIDER: GOP congressman who voted twice against veterans health bill is now urging his constituents to enroll in its benefits [Business Insider, 08/09/23]
ARIZONA REPUBLIC: Rep. David Schweikert on Medicare, taxes, Social Security: ‘The solution is a revolution’ [Arizona Republic, 02/26/23]
DAILY BEAST: GOP Congressman Fined $125,000 For Financial Violations [Daily Beast, 02/11/22]
NEW YORK TIMES: House Panel Finds Arizona Congressman Violated 11 Ethics Rules [New York Times, 07/30/20]
PATH TO VICTORY
Donald Trump lost Arizona’s First Congressional District in 2020. Amish Shah has already been elected as a state legislator to represent key parts of Maricopa County, which overlaps with this district. Schweikert barely squeaked by in 2022, despite the expected red wave, winning by fewer than 3,200 votes. Abortion will be on the ballot in Arizona with abortion advocates collecting more than double the required amount of voter petition signatures. Arizonans already saw how easily a state abortion ban could be enacted after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to reinstate a 1864 abortion ban. Voters are motivated to turn out to protect their abortion rights.
David Schweikert’s days in Congress are numbered. Arizonans don’t want cuts to Social Security and Medicare or extremist politicians like Schweikert telling women what to do with their own bodies. Amish Shah is the trusted, solutions-oriented leader that Arizonans deserve. Shah will work to protect abortion rights and fight for a fair economy for all. |
