Author: Rachel Alexander

Local Mainstream Media Holds Panel Discussion Addressing Why the Public Doesn’t Trust Them

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Talks event

The civic organization Arizona Talks put on a panel discussion Tuesday evening addressing the topic, “Can we restore public confidence in the media?” The participants were mostly local mainstream media, with the exception of KTAR talk show host Jim Sharpe, a libertarian. The Arizona Republic’s executive editor told people to get off social media, and the general manager for PBS said unlike people who believe in “conspiracy theories,” the media looks at facts before coming to a conclusion. 

The discussion was moderated by former state legislator Heather Carter, who was considered a liberal Republican while in the legislature and who has since re-registered as an independent. She said a recent poll from the Center for the Future of Arizona found that 85 percent believe that news media coverage of political parties and candidates running for office has created more division.

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Prominent Conservative Sues the State Bar of Arizona over ‘Politicized Star-Chamber-Like Weaponization’ Targeting Conservative Attorneys

Rachel Alexander
Lawyers

David Mast, a former government contractor, founder and former chair of Citizen Taxpayers of Utah, and president of AZ Voters Rights, filed a lawsuit against the State Bar of Arizona last week alleging it targets conservative attorneys. Mast said due to creating fear among attorneys, he is unable to find any to represent him in lawsuits related to conservative causes, violating his “constitutional rights to freedom of expression, association, and petition,” which is “viewpoint discrimination.”

He filed the lawsuit pro se, without an attorney, since he “is unable to find an attorney either within or without Arizona who is willing to file this suit due to likely retaliation by Defendants.” Kari Lake often jokes that eventually she will have to represent herself in her election lawsuits since she will be unable to find any attorneys left who dare to assist her. One of her key attorneys, Bryan Blehm, is currently suspended. 

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Signs of Controversy: Arizona Landscape Dotted Roadside Displays Featuring Gallego’s Crude Commentary

Rachel Alexander
Ruben Gallego

The Arizona landscape is becoming dotted with black and yellow signs featuring offensive statements made by Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03). Gallego, who has a history of making crude remarks to constituents and political opponents, is running for U.S. Senate against Republican Kari Lake.

On Sunday, Lake posted a photo on X of a sign by the side of the road that said, “Gallego forced COVID-19 shots,” quoting him saying, “Suck it up, deal with it.” Gallego posted the crude remark on X in response to a Marine who objected to being required to get the jab. He also said to the soldier in the apparently now-deleted post, “Shut the f*** up.” 

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Ruben Gallego Runs for Senate on Open Borders Record as Violent Crime Soars in Arizona

Rachel Alexander
Ruben Gallego

Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) is running against Republican Kari Lake for U.S. Senate in Arizona on a record of opposing border security measures. Even though the state is facing staggering increases in violent crime, breaking records, Gallego hasn’t appeared to flip-flop back on most of those positions. 

On his campaign website, Gallego declares, “our border communities are not the war zones that news stations often portray them as … Ruben has been on the forefront of sensible, comprehensive immigration reform in Congress … [and has] spoken out against extremist right-wing policies.” Gallego lists 13 issues his website, including LGBTQ+ and abortion, but nothing specifically about crime. 

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Behind the Bench: Insights into Arizona Judges Up for Retention

Rachel Alexander

Arizona voters will choose whether to retain 69 judges up for retention election this fall, the bulk from the Maricopa County Superior Court.

The Arizona Sun Times worked with a team of researchers and insiders to produce a report informing voters on the partisan leanings and contentious decisions from 48 of those judges. Voters angry with judges who found ways to dismiss election lawsuits challenging corruption in the 2020 and 2022 elections have vowed to boot those judges out of office. County officials begin mailing early ballots on October 9.

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John Eastman Appeals California Disbarment over His 2020 Election Legal Work, Calls the Prosecution Orwellian

Rachel Alexander

Donald Trump’s former attorney and constitutional legal scholar, John Eastman, filed an opening brief with the California State Bar Court last week appealing his disbarment for assisting Donald Trump with legal representation regarding the 2020 election illegalities. California Disciplinary Judge Yvette Roland formed her opinion by determining that Eastman’s legal opinions were wrong and that there was no election wrongdoing.

The brief said, “[T]his prosecution should never have taken place. It is, rather, a manifestation of George Orwell’s dystopic depiction of authoritarianism — statements by the Government, no matter how demonstrably false or suspect, must be accepted as truth.”

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Hobbs’ Donor Accused of Abusing Marijuana Dispensary ‘Social Equity’ System to Bully Competitors

Rachel Alexander
Moe Asani, D2 Dispensary

Mohit “Moe” Asnani, a wealthy marijuana entrepreneur who contributed to Governor Katie Hobbs and other Democrats, is coming under fire for allegedly abusing the controversial Social Equity Ownership Program that was set up to award marijuana dispensary licenses to business owners affected negatively by previous laws restricting marijuana. Asnani is accused of preying on these disadvantaged dispensary owners, convincing them to give up their special licenses to him. 

The Social Equity Ownership Program, which was established when Arizona voters passed Proposition 207 in 2020 legalizing recreational marijuana, granted 26 dispensary licenses to prospective owners who have had run-ins with the law related to marijuana, or are related to someone who has. 

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Texas Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on Texas Bar’s Lawfare Against Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Top Deputy over 2020 Election Lawsuit

Rachel Alexander
Texas A.G. Ken Paxton and Fist Asst A.G. Brent Webster

The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday appealing the State Bar of Texas’s discipline of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s top deputy for bringing the election lawsuit Texas v. Pennsylvania with Paxton over the election irregularities in four states in 2020, which was joined by 21 other states. The bar’s Commission for Lawyer Discipline filed lawsuits against Paxton and First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster in 2022 asking for sanctions over allegedly violating several broad, vague ethical rules increasingly used to target conservative attorneys. 

The bar claimed that Paxton and Webster violated the ethical rule against making “false statements of material fact or law to a tribunal” when they alleged there were unregistered voters and other types of illegal votes, and that tabulators from Dominion Voting Systems switched votes from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. They were also accused of violating an ethical rule that prohibits conduct “involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation” and a third rule that prohibits bringing frivolous claims.

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Conservative Florida Attorney Appeals License Suspension, Denounces Political Censorship over Calling His Opponent ‘Corrupt’ and ‘Swampy’

Rachel Alexander
Chris Crowley

Chris Crowley, a conservative attorney in Florida, filed an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court last month contesting 60-day suspension of his law license for exercising free speech during his political campaign for Office of the State Attorney in Florida’s 20th Judicial Circuit. His attorney said this is the first time an attorney has been disciplined for partisan political speech in Florida, and likely anywhere in the U.S.

Crowley, a decorated Gulf War veteran, said the Florida Bar should be subject to the state’s anti-SLAPP law, which prohibits the use of the courts to suppress free speech. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. 

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During Seminar for Journalists on Election Law, Progressive Knight Foundation Dismisses Anticipated Claims of Election Fraud

Rachel Alexander
Stop the Steal Rally

The progressive Knight Foundation conducted a seminar on September 5 to educate journalists about election law for the upcoming 2024 general election. Co-sponsored with the American Bar Association’s Task Force for American Democracy, the speakers consisted of election fraud deniers, including activists like David Becker of The Center for Election Innovation & Research.

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AZGOP Sues Governor Hobbs Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Executive Orders Setting up Ballot Drop Boxes, Voter Registration at Prisons

Rachel Alexander
Katie Hobbs with 'Mobile Voter Outreach' van, 2019

The Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) filed a lawsuit last month against Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs over her “unconstitutional” executive orders relaxing election laws. The Petition for Special Action challenged Hobbs placing voter registration forms at prisons and designating the prisons as ballot drop-off locations, which the AZGOP stated was taking “ultra vires” actions, meaning beyond her legal power and authority.

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J.D. Vance Deflects Numerous Gotcha Questions from Mainstream Media at Phoenix Rally

Rachel Alexander
JD Vance

Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate J.D. Vance spent more than half of his time at the rally in Phoenix at the Arizona Biltmore on Thursday answering questions from the media. Unlike Vice President Kamala Harris, who does not answer even off-the-cuff softball questions from sympathetic mainstream media reporters, Vance does not shy away from antagonistic reporters.

Balin Overstolz of KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station known for its attacks on MAGA candidates, which refused to run an ad in 2022 critical of then-Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, asked why the polls were so close between the Trump and Harris campaigns, “even with high frustration regarding the border?”

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JD Vance Focuses on Border Security at Thursday Rally in Phoenix, Says Democrats of ‘Want Illegal Aliens to Steal Everybody’s Vote’

Rachel Alexander

Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, JD Vance, concluded his visit to Phoenix Thursday with several stops, including a large rally at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. 

His speech focused mainly on border security and Vice President Kamala Harris’s poor record as border czar. Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda and former GOP gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson also spoke at the event.

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Kari Lake, Kelly Cooper Headline Ballot Chasing Rally with J.D. Vance and TPUSA’s Charlie Kirk in Mesa

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

Kari Lake and congressional candidate Kelly Cooper spoke at a Turning Point USA rally with J.D. Vance and TPUSA CEO Charlie Kirk at Generation Church in east Mesa on Wednesday. The theme throughout the evening was ballot chasing — knocking on doors and urging large numbers of low propensity voters to cast ballots. Senior Pastor Ryan Visconti said the church was so full there was an overflow room, estimating almost 2,000 in attendance.

Visconti said he received pushback about hosting the political event, with others questioning his judgment. He said he responded to the critics and said it was too imperative to stand up for what’s right. The crowd roared with applause. 

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Arizona Clean Elections Refuses to Let Green Party Candidate Participate in U.S. Senate Debate

Rachel Alexander
Eduardo Heredia Quintana Fernandez

The Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission (ACCEC) is refusing to allow Arizona Green Party (AZGP) candidate Eduardo Quintana to participate in the U.S. Senate debate scheduled for October 9 with Republican Kari Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego, even though Libertarian Party candidate Marc Victor was allowed to participate in the 2022 U.S. Senate debate with Republican Blake Masters and Democrat Mark Kelly. Since Libertarians tend to take away more support from Republicans than Democrats, and Green Party candidates take away support mainly from Democrats, the ACCEC is coming under fire for skewing the debate to favor Gallego. 

Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk pointed out the discrepancy in a thread on X. He cited a statement from Arizona Media Association, the broadcast partner for Arizona Clean Elections debates, which said that “candidates must receive at least 1% of the total ballots cast in all the primaries for their race to be included.” 

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Emergency Rule Change Temporarily Limits State Bar Complaints Against Attorneys in Arizona

Rachel Alexander
Arizona State Bar

The Arizona Supreme Court, which oversees the State Bar of Arizona (SBA), is considering proposed changes to the SBA, and approved one temporary emergency rule change Friday. The SBA, whose leadership is dominated by progressives, has come under intense criticism in recent years for targeting conservative attorneys, especially election attorneys. The court adopted R-24-0046 as an emergency rule in order to allow it to go into effect temporarily before the 2024 general election. It limits the ability of those who have no connection to a matter to file a complaint against an attorney.

The justices are reviewing 70 total rule change petitions, and will decide whether to adopt, adopt with amendment, reject, or continue a change. Changes resulting from this process will then be referred to a study committee for further consideration. The rule change process began in January, with proposals offered to the public for comment. The justices are expected to make their decisions on all 70 rule change petitions within the next few days. Most rules that are adopted will go into effect in January.

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Former Phoenix New Times Co-Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison Related to Prostitution, Sex Trafficking of Minors

Rachel Alexander
Michael Lacey

The former co-owner of the tabloid Phoenix New Times, Michael Lacey, was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday for laundering money from Backpage.com, a site he founded and ran that was accused of prostitution and sex trafficking of minors. His co-owner Jim Larkin killed himself a few days before the second trial was to begin in 2023 (the first trial ended in a mistrial). The New Times is known for regularly running articles attacking conservatives in politics that are strategically placed next to articles about pedophiles and murderers. 

Scott Spear and John “Jed” Brunst, former executives with Backpage, were sentenced to 10 years each for numerous crimes. “The defendants and their conspirators obtained more than $500 million from operating an online forum that facilitated the sexual exploitation of countless victims,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in a press release. “The defendants thought they could hide their illicit proceeds by laundering the funds through shell companies in foreign countries. But they were wrong.” 

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State Bar of Arizona Disciplinary Panel Dismisses Complaint Against Kari Lake’s Two Attorneys over Voting Machine Tabulator Lawsuit

Rachel Alexander
Margaret Downie

A disciplinary panel for the State Bar of Arizona (SBA) dismissed complaints filed against two of Kari Lake’s attorneys that were brought over their work representing Kari Lake in a 2022 lawsuit, Lake v. Hobbs, challenging the use of voting machine tabulators in elections. The panel of three, led by Presiding Disciplinary Judge Margaret Downie, found that the SBA did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that Kurt Olsen — who represented himself and isn’t a licensed member of the SBA — and Andrew Parker violated any ethics rules. The decision cited a recent opinion from the Arizona Supreme Court, Ariz. Republican Party v. Richer, which held that attorneys should not be sanctioned for bringing election lawsuits. 

U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, ordered sanctions of $122,200 against Olsen, Parker, and attorney Alan Dershowitz over a year ago for bringing the lawsuit. The sanctions were requested by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, who were represented by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. The Maricopa County Republican Committee censured Mitchell over the representation.

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Stephen Richer Ordered to Pay $25k to Merissa Hamilton for over 100,000 Documents He Required Her to Produce in Kari Lake Defamation Lawsuit

Rachel Alexander
Stephen Richer

A trial court judge ordered Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer earlier this month to pay grassroots activist Merissa Hamilton $25,345.50 for the costs of over 100,000 documents she produced in response to a subpoena from him.

Richer sued Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake for defamation last year over remarks she made accusing him of intentionally inserting 300,000 ballots into the 2022 election. As part of the lawsuit, he subpoenaed documents from Hamilton and others. The ballots in question lacked a chain of custody, which is a class 2 misdemeanor.

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Progressive Knight Foundation Training Journalists on How to Write About Likely 2024 Election Lawsuits

Rachel Alexander
Heather Gerkin, Bob Bauer, Ben Ginsberg

The progressive Knight Foundation (KF) is providing training to journalists ahead of the 2024 general election on election related legal issues. KF announced in July that the organization would fund election news coverage “primarily in swing states.” It will also provide journalists with “explainers and training …from The Associated Press.”

“One local news organization in each swing state will also receive a grant to serve as an ‘anchor,’ bolstering the distribution of election-related coverage with editorial partners in their state.” So far, most of KF’s grants in Arizona have gone to Arizona State University.

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Crowd Fills Glendale Stadium for Rally with Donald Trump and New Supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Rachel Alexander
Donald Trump Rally Arizona

Thousands showed up for a Donald Trump rally with Turning Point USA in Glendale west of Phoenix, with many lining up overnight to get good seats. Robert Kennedy Jr. joined Trump at the Desert Diamond Arena to show his support, having suspended his presidential campaign in Arizona and nine other battleground states just hours earlier. Kennedy said earlier at a press conference in downtown Phoenix that if he stayed in the race, it might allow Kamala Harris to win the presidential race since he would take votes away from Trump.

Several candidates running for office in Arizona spoke before Trump, including congressional candidates and Kari Lake, who is running for U.S. Senate. Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk said Americans are tired of sending $200 billion to Ukraine when the U.S.’s own borders aren’t secure. He said American citizens should be prioritized over foreigners. 

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Phoenix Police Department Releases Police Reports, Other Documentation to Refute DOJ’s Report That Its Officers Violated Rights

Rachel Alexander
Phoenix Police Department

The Phoenix Police Department (PPD) released redacted documents this week that show the DOJ left out relevant information to the incidents discussed in a June DOJ report critical of the agency.

Based on the descriptions, PPD was able to discern 120 of the 132 incidents. PPD said it provided roughly 179,000 documents and 22,000 body cam videos to the DOJ during its investigation. The types of incidents covered were the use of force, homelessness, discriminatory policing, protected speech, behavioral health youth, and contributing causes.

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Grassroots Groups Join GOP to Provide Election Integrity Training in Scottsdale, Tucson

Rachel Alexander
Protect the Vote

Several grassroots groups, including the Voter Reference Foundation run by Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda, put on election integrity training in Scottsdale and Tucson on Monday.  Organized by America First Policy Institute (AFPI), speakers from the Honest Elections Project, Heritage Action for America, Save Our States Action, and American Constitutional Rights Union Action taught attendees how to work at the polls, observe elections, and educated them on the Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) proposition on the ballot and efforts to require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Jordan Kittleson, policy director of AFPI, moderated the event, asking the experts questions and commenting on them.  Organized by America First Policy Institute (AFPI), speakers from the Honest Elections Project, Heritage Action for America, Save Our States Action, and American Constitutional Rights Union Action taught attendees how to work at the polls, observe elections, and educated them on the Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) proposition on the ballot and efforts to require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Jordan Kittleson, policy director of AFPI, moderated the event, asking the experts questions and commenting on them.

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Arizona Court of Appeals Hears Oral Arguments over Scottsdale’s ‘Bait and Switch’ Description of ‘New’ Prop. 490 Park Sales Tax as a Tax Decrease

Rachel Alexander
Attorney Scott Day Freeman

A three-judge panel on the Arizona Court of Appeals heard oral arguments last Tuesday in the Goldwater Institute’s (GI) legal challenge to a $1.2 billion sales tax the City of Scottsdale referred to the ballot this fall. GI said the City’s description of Proposition 490 made the tax for parks out to be a tax decrease, when it really was a new tax. GI was appealing a dismissal of its lawsuit by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Gordon, who was appointed to the bench by Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano.

In its executive summary about the lawsuit, GI stated, “The City of Scottsdale is attempting to trick Scottsdale residents into approving a tax increase by calling it a tax reduction.” GI cited Arizona law, Molera v. Hobbs, which prohibits bait and switch tactics with ballot measures. 

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America First Policy Institute, AZGOP Chair, Other Groups Offering Training in Arizona on Monday for Poll Watching and Election Integrity

Rachel Alexander
Poll Worker

Several grassroots organizations are organizing an educational seminar titled “Protect the Vote” in Arizona on Monday, with events in Scottsdale and Tucson. Organized by America First Policy Institute (AFPI), the seminar includes Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) Chair Gina Swoboda, who heads the Voter Reference Foundation, and speakers from the Honest Elections Project, Heritage Action for America, Save Our States Action, and American Constitutional Rights Union Action.

“The primary objective of these grassroots seminar events is to educate the public on the background and mechanics of the jungle primary and ranked choice voting system, including an in-depth discussion on the many examples of where it’s been implemented and proven unsuccessful,” AFPI Policy Director Jordan Kittleson told The Arizona Sun Times. “We will also be providing attendees with a comprehensive poll worker and poll watcher training presentation that will equip them with the readiness resources and tools needed to better ensure citizen engagement at polling locations in November.”

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Arizona Right to Life Files Opening Brief with Arizona Supreme Court Opposing Radical Nine-Month Abortion Proposition on the Ballot

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Abortion Supporters

Arizona Right to Life (AZRTL) appealed a trial court judge’s rejection of its lawsuit challenging the Right to Abortion Initiative, Prop. 139, which will appear on the ballot this fall.

AZRTL filed an opening brief with the Arizona Supreme Court on Monday, asking the court “to find the Ballot Measure legally insufficient for placement on the Arizona Ballot because the petition’s summary misrepresented and concealed the principal provisions of the Ballot Measure.” Prop. 139 will legalize abortion up until ninth months of pregnancy, including partial-birth abortion.

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Pinal County Supervisor Files Complaint with Arizona Attorney General Alleging Cheating in 2024 Primary Election, Cites ‘Hush Money’ Recording

Rachel Alexander
Kevin Cavanaugh

Pinal County Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office asking for an investigation into possible election fraud in Pinal County’s primary election. He examined the ballot counting and believes six of the local races were artificially manipulated, and he also heard from a friend that a county elections IT employee confessed to taking hush money regarding the cheating. 

Cavanaugh ran for Pinal County Sheriff, and became suspicious after he lost in the primary. Looking into things, he said in a 19-page report he issued about the problems, “A recording exists of a discussion about hush-money payments being made to an employee inside elections and we have turned that over to outside law enforcement.” Cavanaugh provided The Arizona Sun Times with a copy of the recording he made and said that the FBI is investigating.

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Colorado Jury Unanimously Finds Tina Peters Guilty on Seven of 10 Counts

Rachel Alexander
Tina Peters

The trial of former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters ended on Monday, with the jury unanimously finding her guilty of seven of the 10 counts she was charged with. Peters was prosecuted in relation to backing up an election server since she said she believed that a scheduled upgrade of the election software would override election files that were required to be saved for 22-25 months by federal and state law, and she was concerned there was election fraud in the 2020 and 2021 elections.

After deliberating for around three hours, the jury found Peters guilty on three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, official misconduct, violation of a duty, failure to comply with requirements from the Colorado Secretary of State (COSOS), and conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation. She was found not guilty on another count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, criminal impersonation, and identity theft.

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Former Trump DOJ Official Jeffrey Clark Appeals D.C. Disciplinary Panel’s Recommendation to Suspend His Law License for Two Years

Rachel Alexander
Jeffery Clark

Donald Trump’s former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark is appealing the recommendation of a disciplinary panel to suspend his law license for two years over his role assisting Trump in dealing with 2020 election irregularities. A three-member committee of the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility found on August 1 that he breached broad and vague attorneys ethics rules by drafting a letter that was never sent to Georgia officials advising them of their options for handling the 2020 election problems. 

In response, Clark filed a Petition for Review with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on August 7, requesting consideration of his interlocutory appeals. Interlocutory appeals are appeals conducted while other proceedings are still ongoing. 

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Kari Lake Holds Press Conference with Trump Campaign in Advance of Kamala Harris’s Visit to Arizona, Tangles with Mainstream Media

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

Kari Lake and the Trump campaign held a press conference on Thursday in anticipation of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s visit to the state on Friday. Lake, who is running for U.S. Senate and emceed the event, got into it with several members of the mainstream media who asked her questions, and criticized their lack of coverage of important events. Several officials joined Lake speaking, along with a Democratic couple who lost their teenage son to fentanyl.

https://x.com/KariLake/status/1821639199101194544

Lake addressed Harris’s event Friday evening at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, her vice presidential pick. “We know that Kamala Harris is coming to Arizona again tomorrow, and again, she won’t visit the border. The border czar won’t be visiting the border. Apparently the only wall that she supports is her VP pick by the name of Walz, I guess.” The attendees, who were mostly standing behind her holding campaign signs, laughed loudly.

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America First Legal Sues Maricopa County for Refusing to Remove Noncitizens and Illegal Immigrants from Their Voter Rolls Before the Election

Rachel Alexander

America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit on Monday against Maricopa County, including Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, for failing to remove noncitizens and illegal immigrants from their voter rolls. AFL sent letters to election officials in all 15 Arizona counties in July, demanding they fulfill their legal obligations within a week or AFL would sue them. 

The complaint says 35,273 registered voters in Arizona had failed to provide proof of citizenship and were registered as federal-only voters as of April 2024, a number that continues to increase, according to a report from Maricopa County. That report revealed that between April 1 and July 3, the numbers increased from 21,595 to 26,108, a jump of 21 percent. Additionally, the complaint cited a July 2024 survey of likely voters in Arizona and five other states, which found that over 1 percent said they are not U.S. citizens. AFL stated that recent races in Arizona have been decided by margins of less than 1 percent.

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In Mesa County, Colorado Clerk Trial, Prosecution’s Partisan Witness Sobs, Other Witnesses Backtrack

Rachel Alexander
Stephanie Wenholz testifies

The third fully live streamed day of the trial against former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters featured testimony from a partisan election employee who sobbed for about five minutes while speaking, as well as backtracking from other witnesses when cross-examined by Peters’ attorney. Peters is being prosecuted for her role in attempting to take a video of a software update on Dominion voting machines. She was concerned that overriding the election files with the upgrade would violate both state and federal law requiring retention of files for 22-25 months. 

Stephanie Wenholz, the elections manager for Mesa County, broke down in tears when asked about the day she found out that the Colorado Secretary of State’s (COSOS) office was investigating Mesa County over the incident. Although Wenholz admitted that Peters instructed employees not to speak with law enforcement, but to direct them to her and her attorneys instead, Wenholz said she contacted Detective James Cannon, the chief investigator for the Mesa County District Attorney. 

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Prosecution’s Key Witness in Trial Against Former Mesa County Clerk Repeatedly Claims He Doesn’t Remember Much

Rachel Alexander

The trial against former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters wrapped up its first week on Friday, featuring testimony by witnesses for the prosecution including IT professional Gerald Wood. Peters, who is charged with crimes related to making a copy of an election database since she was concerned that not keeping the files for two years would violate the law, hired Wood to help her with technical issues, but Wood repeatedly stated he couldn’t remember much when her attorney cross-examined him. 

Wood, who ended up not performing any work for Peters, spent much of his time on the witness stand distancing himself from the appearance that he was involved with Peters bringing in an outside IT expert to observe an upgrade of the Dominion voting machine software, since prosecutors alleged that a leak of computer bios passwords took place after IT expert Conan Hayes allegedly used Wood’s key card to enter the area where the upgrade was performed.

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First Two Prosecution Witnesses in Trial of Former Colorado Elections Clerk Referred Disparagingly to Conservative News Site

Rachel Alexander

The trial against former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters over her efforts combating election fraud began this past week where two witnesses for the prosecution testified all day made disparaging remarks about The Gateway Pundit, a conservative news site.

The prosecution’s first witness, James Cannon, who identified himself as the chief investigator for the Mesa County District Attorney, said The Pundit was “a conspiracy site.” The prosecution’s second witness, Jesse Romero, who described himself as the voting systems manager for the Colorado Secretary of State’s (COSOS) Elections Division, said the news site posted an article with a “bombastic title.”

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JD Vance Calls Kamala Harris a ‘Phony’ at Packed Rally in Glendale

Rachel Alexander
JD Vance in Glendale, Arizona

Two weeks after being selected by Donald Trump as his vice presidential running mate, Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) held a rally attended by thousands in Glendale. Thousands more were turned away from entering the auditorium at Arizona Christian University after waiting hours in line. Kari Lake spoke to wild cheering and standing ovations, and other speakers included Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert,) Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise), Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13), and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. 

Vance began his speech, “Just over a month ago, President Trump wiped the floor with Joe Biden on the debate stage. A massive drop of the President’s mental incapacity and he saved America four more years ago.” 

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First Ballot Tallies in Arizona’s GOP Primary Election, Which Skew Moderate, Show Kari Lake, Abe Hamadeh in the Lead

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

The results of Arizona’s 2024 Republican primary election began trickling in at 8 p.m. election night, with Kari Lake well in the lead for U.S. Senate against Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, and Abe Hamadeh easily leading in the race for Congress in CD8. Out of about 309,000 ballots, Lake received 53.3 percent and Lamb 40.6 percent. Hamadeh garnered 29.7 percent, with the next closest candidate, Blake Masters, at 23 percent. 

The first round of results favored more moderate candidates in the Republican primary, since county recorders’ offices count early ballots first. The grassroots conservative base votes heavily on Election Day due to concerns about election fraud. 

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Lawsuit Filed Against ‘Arrogant’ ‘Make Elections (Un)Fair Act’ That ‘Radically Alters Arizona’s Constitutional Structure’

Rachel Alexander
People Voting

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AFEC) filed a lawsuit against the Make Elections Fair Act (MEFA) on Friday. The complaint alleged that the initiative violates the Arizona Constitution by illegally combining multiple constitutional amendments in one ballot initiative. It said the “Make Elections (Unfair) Act” will “radically alter Arizona’s constitutional structure in multiple ways.”

“In their rush to undermine the will of Arizona voters for future elections, the special interests that drafted this measure ignored our laws and our Constitution,” said Scot Mussi, president of AFEC in a statement. “This egregious disregard for law and order exudes arrogance from these parties and should disqualify their measure from the November ballot.”

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Former Pro-Life Champion Legislator Nancy Barto Reveals Details of Arizona’s Radical 9-Month Abortion Proposition on the Ballot

Rachel Alexander
Nancy Barto

Former Arizona legislator Nancy Barto, who was defeated for reelection in 2022 due to progressives targeting her over championing pro-life legislation, spoke to a church in Casa Grande Thursday evening about Proposition 139. Barto told the group of 158 at Cowboy Church of Pinal County about the negative ramifications of Prop. 139, the Right to Abortion Initiative, which is almost certain to be on the ballot this fall. 

The proposition legalizes abortion up to nine months, including partial-birth abortions, removes requirements that doctors be involved, eliminates parental consent, and removes penalties for those who assist with obtaining abortions. Arizona’s current abortion law prohibits abortions after 15 weeks.

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Progressive Group May Be Illegally Releasing the Results of How Many Republicans v. Democrats Have Already Early Voted in Arizona

Rachel Alexander

A progressive organization called Uplift Campaigns is posting daily updated information on how many Republicans versus Democrats have turned in early ballots all around Arizona. However, A.R.S. 16-551(C) makes it a felony to release any results from early voting before Election Day.

That statute provides in part, “Partial or complete tallies of the early election board shall not be released or divulged before all precincts have reported or one hour after the closing of the polls on election day, whichever occurs first. Any person who unlawfully releases information regarding vote tallies or who possesses a tally sheet or summary without authorization from the recorder or officer in charge of elections is guilty of a class 6 felony.”

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America First Legal Files Amicus Curiae Brief Opposing Recommendation to Discipline Jeffrey Clark Based on New SCOTUS Immunity Ruling

Rachel Alexander

America First Legal (AFL) filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of Donald Trump’s former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark this month, objecting to a recommendation from the three-person panel of the D.C. Board of Professional Responsibility to discipline him over his concerns about illegalities in the 2020 election. The brief points to the Supreme Court’s new ruling in Trump v. United States, which held that presidents have broad immunity for their official acts. The D.C. Bar filed charges against Clark for drafting a letter that was never sent to Georgia officials advising them of their options in dealing with the irregularities.

Authored by Gene Hamilton, AFL’s executive director and chief counsel, the brief summarized, “This proceeding should be discontinued because of its threat to our constitutional system’s separation of powers. … This proceeding appears to target Mr. Clark inappropriately for his political beliefs, partisan affiliation, and connection to former President Donald Trump. Such abuse of Bar oversight chills zealous advocacy in politically sensitive matters and should never be permitted.” 

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Trial of Former Colorado County Clerk Tina Peters for Exposing Election Discrepancies with Voting Machines Starts Next Week

Rachel Alexander
Tina Peters

The trial against a former Colorado elections clerk over her efforts combating election fraud is set to begin on Monday.

Tina Peters, who served as Mesa County Clerk and Recorder from January 2019 to January 2023, is being prosecuted by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office on seven charges, including felonies, related to alleged election tampering, official misconduct, and attempting to influence public servants in 2021. She is accused of allowing an unauthorized third party to make copies of voting machine hard drives, which led to “confidential digital images” of Dominion Voting Systems property and passwords to be “published on the internet,” prosecutors asserted.

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‘Democratic Superlawyer’ Marc Elias Files Complaint Against Kari Lake’s Attorney, Discusses Targeting Conservative Election Attorneys

Rachel Alexander
Marc Elias

Marc Elias, the controversial election fraud denying progressive election attorney who intervenes in election lawsuits and files bar complaints against conservative election attorneys, filed complaints with attorney regulation in Maryland and Washington D.C. earlier this month against Kari Lake’s attorney Kurt Olsen. Elias, who has been nicknamed a “Democratic superlawyer,” also released a video discussing successes in targeting conservative election attorneys.

Elias’s Democracy Docket stated in a press release on July 12 that Olsen “spread election lies while representing Election Deniers, including Kari Lake, in frivolous election lawsuits.” Gillian Feiner, Senior Counsel at the States United Democracy Center, said in the press release, “Kurt Olsen has abused his law license to spread lies about our elections in the courtroom time and time again, and his pattern of unethical conduct shows he’s not going to stop.”

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Report Finds Numerous Laws Violated in Pima County’s 2020 and 2022 Elections: ‘Malfeasance, incompetence, and Possible Criminal Activity’

Rachel Alexander

A new report investigating Pima County’s 2020 and 2022 elections found multiple ways the Tucson-based county is likely violating the law, allowing opportunities for election tampering. The illegalities were described as “malfeasance, incompetence and possible criminal activity.”

The report came out about the same time as another report which found that over 18,000 ballots lacked chain of custody records in the county’s 2022 election. Coincidentally in the same election cycle, Katie Hobbs edged out Kari Lake for the Governor’s office by just 17,117 votes.

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Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Allows Arizona’s New Law Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote in State and Local Elections to Remain in Place

Rachel Alexander
early voting

A Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel of three justices issued an order on Thursday allowing part of Arizona’s new law that requires proof of citizenship in order to vote in state and local elections to remain in effect during appeals litigation. However, the panel upheld the trial court’s decision blocking some of the law. Consequently, those who request an application to vote only in federal elections will not be required to show proof of citizenship. This could have a substantial effect on the presidential race and highly contentious races like Kari Lake’s U.S. Senate race.

State Senate President Warren Petersen and the Senate Republicans, who were intervenors in the case, issued a statement on X. “This is a victory for election integrity in Arizona,” Petersen said. “Only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in our elections. It sounds like common sense, but the radical left elected officials in our state continue to reject this notion, disrespecting the voices of our lawful Arizona voters. We are grateful the court is upholding this provision in our law, and it’s time for Congress to take action to ensure only lawful U.S. citizens are voting in federal races.” 

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Kari Lake Appeals to Arizona Supreme Court over Denial of Her Lawsuit That Provided New Evidence from Tabulator Log Files

Rachel Alexander

Kari Lake filed an opening brief with the Arizona Supreme Court last week, appealing the Arizona Court of Appeals’ denial of her second election lawsuit, a Rule 60(b) challenge containing new evidence. A significant part of it emphasized that over 275,000 signatures were not verified on early ballot envelope affidavits. Rule 60(b) of the Rules of Civil Procedure allows a court to “relieve a party or its legal representative from a final judgment, order, or proceeding” based on certain factors, such as new evidence or wrongdoing.

Lake’s opening brief, drafted by attorneys Jennifer Wright and Tim LaSota, emphasized “new information showing that, contrary to Maricopa’s claims of an ‘Election Day hiccup,’ nearly two-thirds of Maricopa’s 446 vote center tabulators failed on a massive scale — averaging over 7,000 ballot rejections every thirty minutes shortly after polls opened to polls closing.”

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Pima County Election Records Show Chain-of-Custody Problems for over 18,000 Absentee Ballots in 2022 Election: Study

Rachel Alexander

A new report obtained by The Arizona Sun Times found that more than 18,000 absentee ballots counted in the 2022 election in Pima County alone had severely lacking or no chain-of-custody paperwork, meaning there is an inadequate record of the whereabouts or origins of the Tucson-area ballots.

Coincidentally in the same election cycle, Katie Hobbs edged out Kari Lake for the Governor’s office by just 17,117 votes.

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Military Pharmacies Tell Arizona Active Duty Soldiers, Veterans, and Their Families There Is No Money for Prescriptions

Rachel Alexander

Active duty soldiers, veterans, and their families in southern Arizona are being told by pharmacies located on federal military bases that their prescriptions cannot be renewed due to lack of funding. The Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center pharmacy located at Ft. Huachuca, known as an installation pharmacy, is currently undergoing one of these shortages, telling customers there will be no funds available until July 17. The pharmacy is directing customers to commercial pharmacies where they must pay out of pocket for their medications.

Army veteran Jack Dona, who is part of CONELRAD, a think tank looking into election fraud, told The Arizona Sun Times he discovered the problem when attempting to refill prescriptions over a week ago there. He was forced to refill them out of pocket at a nearby Walgreens instead. 

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New York Judges Disbar Rudy Giuliani for ‘False Statements’ About Election Fraud, But Don’t Consider the Evidence

Rachel Alexander

A panel of five New York appeals court judges this week unanimously disbarred former President Donald Trump’s former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, over statements he made about election illegalities in the 2020 presidential election.

The opinion from the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, First Judicial Department relied on ethics rules used to target conservative attorneys: “engag[ing] in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation,” “engag[ing] in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice,” and “engag[ing] in any other conduct that adversely reflects on the lawyer’s fitness as a lawyer.”

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