Category: The West

Gov. Hobbs’ Closed Door Task Force Recommends 20 Changes to Arizona Elections

Tom Pappert

The Elections Task Force (ETF) created via executive order by Governor Katie Hobbs has recommended 20 changes to Arizona elections, including moves to prevent ballot drop boxes from being observed by citizen groups and restore the voting rights of felons.

Hobbs’ ETF agreed to advance 20 of 22 total proposals it generated to consider during a Thursday meeting that was closed to the public, including members of the media. It was the second full meeting of the group, which Hobbs chairs, since she created it via executive order in January.

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Arizona Representative’s Tax Bill Would Increase Contractor Filing Threshold

The Center Square

Arizona Rep. David Schweikert is looking to shake up federal tax policy for small business owners.

The Phoenix area lawmaker introduced a bill in June looking to increase the amount required for a business to pay before a 1099 form needs to be filled out from $600 to $5,000. Companies will typically issue a 1099 tax form to contractors who make over $600 so they can pay self-employment, or other small business tax, on their earnings.

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Arizona State University Professors Sent ‘Harassing Emails’ Asking to Join TPUSA Professor Watchlist

Tom Pappert

Arizona State University (ASU) professors who signed a letter labeling conservatives Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk “purveyors of hate” and seeking to cancel their February 2023 appearance at the university’s now-defunct T.W. Lewis Center seemed to relish in their actions, sending emails to the center’s former executive director asking to be publicly named for their participation.

Former T.W. Lewis Center executive director Ann Atkinson provided emails to The Arizona Sun Times sent by two ASU professors who teach at Barrett, the university’s honors College where the center was housed, including two from a professor seeking to join the Professor Watchlist maintained by Turning Point USA (TPUSA).

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Casa Grande Union High School Governing Board Adopts ‘Woke’ History Curriculum

Rachel Alexander

The Casa Grande Union High School Governing Board (CGUHSGB) voted 4-1 on July 11 to adopt the history curriculum for a year from Savvas Learning Company LLC, a company known for producing “woke” educational materials. The board justified the decision since the existing curriculum was outdated, having not been updated within the past 15 years. Also, the board pointed out that some teachers had already begun incorporating the Savvas textbooks.

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Andrew Jackson Announces Candidacy for Arizona House of Representatives

Hannah Poling

Arizona Republican longtime Gilbert resident Andrew Jackson told The Arizona Sun Times that he officially announced his candidacy for a run for the Arizona House of Representatives to represent Legislative District 14 (LD) in 2024.

“Yes, it is now official. I’m running. I’m a candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives (representing Gilbert) in 2024,” Jackson told The Sun Times.

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State Freedom Caucus Calls on Arizona Library Association to Leave the American Library Association

Hannah Poling

The Arizona Freedom Caucus called on the Arizona Library Association to cut ties with the “woke, extremist” American Library Association (ALA).

The American Library Association is the world’s oldest and largest library association. The association states its strategic advocacy directions include literacy, diversity, and equity of access, information policy and intellectual freedom, and professional and leadership development.

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‘I Was Overwhelmed’: T.W. Lewis Founder Cites ‘Hostile’ ASU Professors After Pulling Funding

Tom Pappert

Tom Lewis, the founder and primary funder of the now-defunct T.W. Lewis Center at Arizona State University (ASU), revealed that he pulled his annual contribution of $400,000 due to the open hostility showed to conservative speakers by the majority of the institution’s faculty.

Lewis made the remarks during an appearance on The Mike Broomhead Show, describing “a steady beat down of realization” in which he determined universities “want your donations, but they don’t want your input, and they certainly don’t want your influence in the classroom or even selecting speakers.”

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Republicans Working with Hobbs to Extend Prop. 400 Public Transportation Sales Tax

Rachel Alexander

Every few years, the Arizona Legislature works out legislation to extend the Prop. 400 public transportation tax. The half-cent tax, which started in 1985 to pay for roads but now also includes public transit and light rail in Maricopa County, faces strong opposition every time it comes up for renewal. Although the legislature mostly ended its 2023 session on June 30 after finalizing the budget, it is reconvening briefly next week to consider the extension.

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Verity Vote Issues Report on Numerous Chain-of-Custody Problems by Maricopa County During 2022 Election

Rachel Alexander

Maricopa County failed to maintain chain-of-custody records for hundreds of thousands of early ballots dropped off at third-party contractor Runbeck Election Services, and a new report is out analyzing the extent of the illegal behavior, which is a class 2 misdemeanor. Election integrity organization Verity Vote issued its analysis last week.

The report observed that then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs admonished Cochise County prior to the 2022 election about deviating from the state’s Election Procedures Manual. Yet “just one month later, Hobbs chose to disregard Maricopa County’s admitted deviations from the EPM and violations of law as she oversaw and certified her own election.” Verity Vote asserted that documents “long withheld” were finally produced revealing the lack of chain of custody, and “Maricopa officials misled the court about the process and the records.”

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Maricopa County Republican Committee Chairman Encourages Arizonans to Support Blockbuster Film ‘Sound of Freedom’

Hannah Poling

Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) Chairman Craig Berland encouraged MCRC Precinct Committeemen and Arizonans to support the blockbuster film “Sound of Freedom.”

The Christian streaming service known for producing the “The Chosen” and “Tuttle Twins” series, Angel Studios, produced the film Sound of Freedom. Angel Studios released the film in theaters on July 4th. The movie tells the true story of a former government agent Tim Ballard, who established the nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad, and his suspenseful mission to rescue sex-trafficked children in Colombia.

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Arizona Gov. Hobbs Calls ESAs ‘Unsustainable’ over $320 Million Shortfall Despite May Warning

Tom Pappert

Governor Katie Hobbs launched new criticisms against the Empowerment Savings Accounts (ESA) program, the school choice initiative allowing all Arizona families to direct education spending to charter or private schools, calling ESAs “unsustainable” and “unaccountable” after reporting the program is estimated to cause a shortfall in the Arizona General Fund.

Total costs for the program are estimated to be $943 million, according to the governor. This will leave the General Fund with a potential shortfall of $319.8 million. Revenues for the General Fund are estimated to be $17.9 billion.

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ASU Theology Professor Warns University Uses ‘DEI Questions’ to ‘Screen’ Professors in Hiring Process

Tom Pappert

Arizona State University (ASU) theology professor Dr. Owen Anderson claimed the university now uses Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) questions to “screen” and exclude job applicants during the hiring process. Dr. Anderson revealed this information to The Arizona Sun Times when reached to discuss a recent hearing in the Arizona Legislature that examined freedom of expression at the taxpayer-funded institution.

Anderson, who is also a pastor at the Historic Christian Church of Phoenix, told The Sun Times ASU uses “DEI questions in hiring to screen candidates,” which Anderson said “means only candidates that agree with their left wing agenda are hired.”

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Arizona Department of Education Cries Foul over Attorney General Mayes’ ESA Warning

Tom Pappert

The head of the Arizona Department of Education pushed back on a press release issued by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who warned that students participating in the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, Arizona’s growing school choice initiative, lose some rights and face unscrupulous vendors or scams after leaving the public school system.

A press release issued by Mayes’ office warned Arizonans that students entering the ESA program “give up rights,” especially from bills aimed at protecting children with disabilities and to access to their children’s educational records. Mayes lamented, “Families should not be denied admission or kicked out of private schools because of a child’s disabilities” and said she wants “families to know that if vendors or private schools” are abusing the program, “the Attorney General’s Office will investigate to the fullest extent of our authority.”

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Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs Second Least Popular Governor in America, Poll Says

Hannah Poling

Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs came in as the second least popular governor in America, according to a new Morning Consult poll.

The poll detailed that among samples of registered voters in each state surveyed, Hobbs had the second-lowest favorable rating in the country at a mere 40 percent, barely avoiding last place by beating out Democratic Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, who garnered a 39 percent favorable rating.

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DOJ, Attorney General Kris Mayes Investigating Arizona’s Alternate Slate of Presidential Electors from 2020

Rachel Alexander

Politically motivated prosecutors have begun charging the slates of alternate electors from the 2020 presidential election with crimes, and are now investigating Arizona’s alternate electors. Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes campaigned on a platform promising to investigate the alternate 22 Republican electors. No one has been ever charged with a crime for participating in an alternate electoral slate until now, even though there have been alternate electoral slates presented throughout history. 

Mayes said during an interview in February, “There has to be a deterrent to this happening again. We can’t have this occurring again in Arizona — or in the country.”

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Republican Lawmakers Call on Arizona AG Mayes and Gov. Hobbs to Address Public Safety Threat After Accused Murder Released

Hannah Poling

Two Arizona Republican Senators are calling on Attorney General Kris Mayes and Governor Katie Hobbs to protect the citizens of Arizona by immediately rescinding the release of a “seriously mentally-ill patient” who was housed at the Arizona State Hospital after being found incompetent to stand trial in the murder of his own mother and seven-year-old niece.

Last week, Arizona State Hospital released Rodney Aviles after they held him at their facility for over twenty years. However, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell wrote to Mayes back in February of this year to express her grave worries about community safety and her conviction that Aviles continues to pose a threat to his family and the larger community.

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Andrew Jackson Will ‘Soon’ Announce His Candidacy for Arizona House of Representatives

Hannah Poling

Arizona Republican longtime Gilbert resident Andrew Jackson told The Arizona Sun Times that he plans to make an announcement for a run for the Arizona House of Representatives to represent Legislative District 14 (LD) in 2024 “soon.”

“I am very close to running. There is just a process in our district of making sure I talk to everyone and prepare myself. I just want to make sure it’s the right decision. I want to give it time and not make a quick decision. If I’m going to represent Gilbert (Legislative District 14) I want to make sure that I will put in the effort. I expect to finalize my decision in two to three weeks,” Jackson told The Sun Times.

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State Senator Justine Wadsack Warns Governor Hobbs ‘Unwilling’ to Address Homeless as ‘The Zone’ Persists

Tom Pappert

State Senator Justine Wadsack (R-Tucson) blamed Arizona Democrats, namely Governor Katie Hobbs, for the continuing Arizona homeless crisis, even as Phoenix’s “The Zone” continues to persist months after court ordered the city to clear the camp.

In a statement to The Arizona Sun Times, Wadsack warned Democrats are “unwilling to work across the aisle” to address the homeless crisis. “I have personally witnessed the human tragedies that occur in ‘The Zone,’ every day when I’m leaving the Capitol. We have the same issues in Southern Arizona.” Wadsack added, “I’ve personally spoken to those affected by homelessness and creating real solutions that start immediately will be a top priority for me in 2024.”

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Obama-Appointed Judge Blocks Arizona’s New Transgender Law Prohibiting Males from Playing in Girls’ Sports

Rachel Alexander
Girl up to bat, swinging her bat at a softball game.

A judge has blocked Arizona’s new law prohibiting transgenders from participating in girls’ sports from going into effect. U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Zipps, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, issued the injunction on July 20 after a lawsuit was filed by two anonymous transgender athletes. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said he will appeal the ruling.

Arizona Women of Action issued a response afterwards to the ruling. “Title IX was enacted to protect girls,” the group said in a statement. “To give them equal rights to fair competition, safety, and future opportunities. Arizona’s Save Women’s Sports Act was enacted to solidify the intent of Title IX — to protect biological girls. Sadly, the judge ruled NOT to protect girls OR Arizona / US law.” 

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New Republican Voter Registrations Continue to Outpace Democrats by over Three Times as Much in Maricopa County

Rachel Alexander

Recent voter registration numbers from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office show an increasing number of voters in Maricopa County registering as Republican rather than Democrat. Between last fall’s election and April, Republican voter registration in the county increased by 9,905 to 851,047. Democratic voter registration increased by only 2,791, less than a third as much. Republicans maintained their registration advantage at 34.39 percent, while Democrats dipped below 30 percent to 29.69 percent.

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Arizona State Senator Justine Wadsack Outlines Her Priorities for Next Session

Hannah Poling

Arizona State Senator Justine Wadsack (R-Tuscon) is preparing for the next legislative session by outlining her priorities and beginning to craft legislation for introduction in the State Senate.

Arizona’s regular legislative sessions begin on the second Monday in January and typically conclude after 100 days. However, the House and Senate can mutually vote to extend the regular session beyond 100 days. This happens regularly. It will run as long as lawmakers need it to.

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Arizona Legislative District 17’s Freedom Team Endorses Donald Trump for President

Hannah Poling

The Arizona Freedom Team of Legislative District 17 has announced their official endorsement of former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump in his run for United States President in 2024.

On Thursday, State Senator Justine Wadsack (R-Tucson) and State Representatives Cory McGarr (R-Tucson) and Rachel Jones (R-Tucson) released a joint statement officially giving their full and total endorsement for United States President to Trump.

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Former Arizona State Representative Shawnna Bolick to Fill Vacant Senate Seat

Hannah Poling
Shawnna Bolick

On Wednesday the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected former Arizona House of Representative member Republican Shawnna Bolick to fill a seat in the State Senate for Legislative District 2 which represents areas of north Phoenix.

This follows former Republican Senator Steve Kaiser resigning last month to run a nonprofit policy group that he founded to support the Republican majority at the Arizona Legislature.

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Phoenix Asks Judge for More Time to Clear ‘The Zone’ as Most Residents Remain

Tom Pappert

City officials asked a Maricopa County judge for more time to finish clearing “The Zone,” and revealed that its plan to clear the homeless camp will conclude in another 9 months, even as the majority of the camp’s residents remain.

Phoenix officials were in court again this week as attorneys representing local business owners and residents claimed the city was taking too long to clear the homeless encampment, which has reportedly decreased in population by about 300 residents since the city was ordered to clear it in March. About 1,000 people were reported to reside in “The Zone” at its peak, and so far about 300 people have been relocated.

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Obama-Appointed Judge Awards $122,200 in Sanctions Against Kari Lake’s Attorneys for Lawsuit over Voting Machine Tabulators

Rachel Alexander

U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, awarded sanctions in December against Kari Lake’s and Mark Finchem’s attorneys over their lawsuit against electronic voting machine tabulators in December. In his July 14 order, he emphasized that the sanctions are to be used “only in the most egregious situations” and as a “deterrent” to others who might be considering similar lawsuits.
Lake addressed the sanctions during an interview Wednesday on The Colonel of Truth. “I sued to get rid of the machines in Arizona about a year before the election,” she said. “No, actually, I’m sorry. About six months. An Obama judge threw the case out, tried to sanction our attorneys. We took it to the 9th Circuit. They’re sanctioning our attorneys. I tried to prevent the disaster of voting machines with this lawsuit BEFORE the election. We get to the election, the machines break down & they’re saying ‘you shouldn’t have bought it.’”

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Arizona Lawmakers Hold First Committee Hearing Investigating Free Speech at State Public Universities

Hannah Poling

Republican lawmakers led the first legislative committee hearing on Tuesday to investigate the freedom of speech in Arizona’s public universities and to look into the events surrounding a program titled “Health, Wealth and Happiness,” presented by Arizona State University (ASU)‘s T.W. Lewis Center.

The formation of the committee follows officials at ASU allegedly firing university administrator and director of the T.W. Lewis Center, Ann Atkinson, for bringing conservative speakers Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk onto campus earlier this year for the “Health, Wealth and Happiness” program which focused on professional development and networking.

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Arizona Attorney General Strikes Down Superintendent Horne’s Dual Language Ban

The Center Square

Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Monday that the Arizona Department of Education cannot stop funding schools because of their choice to teach English language learners with dual language programs.

“Only those school districts and charter schools found by the Board to be noncompliant are barred from receiving monies from the English language learner fund,” Mayes wrote in her opinion.

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Pima County Republicans Join Parents Protesting Tucson Drag Queen Story Hour

Tom Pappert

Members of the Pima County Republican Party joined a local church’s protest against a drag queen story hour held at a Tucson book store, receiving public support from an Arizona state senator who passed a bill to restrict children’s access to adult entertainment venues only to have it vetoed by Governor Katie Hobbs.

Tucson parents and members of The Bridge Church were joined by members of the Pima County Republican Party on Sunday to protest a drag queen story hour held at Bookmans, who called the event one of its “most popular childhood literacy events” in its promotional materials. This drag queen story hour appears to have been postponed since March, when the store blamed a “harassment campaign” that was “spearheaded by The Bridge Church” and controversial conservative men’s group the Proud Boys for sparking security concerns.

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State Senator Wadsack Says Arizona Families Tax Rebate Coming This Fall

Hannah Poling

Arizona State Senator Justine Wadsack (R-Tucson) is encouraging families that the “Arizona Families Tax Rebate,” a part of the $17.8 billion state budget approved by Governor Katie Hobbs on May 15th, is expected to be sent out sometime this fall.

The Arizona Families Tax Rebate, championed by Arizona Senate Republicans and the Arizona Freedom Caucus will allow Arizona families to receive up to $750 in rebates based on 2021 tax returns.

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Judge Denies Abe Hamadeh’s Request for a New Trial, Says Only ‘Six Votes’ Would Have Been Different

Rachel Alexander

Mohave County Superior Court Judge Lee F. Jantzen denied Abe Hamadeh’s request for a new trial in his election contest over the attorney general’s race on Friday, issuing his opinion with the reasoning on Monday. He said “the evidence showed that only about six votes difference would have been found after reviewing the numerous undercounted ballots.”

Hamadeh issued a statement shortly afterwards, “The court’s ruling is an invitation to an appeal, and we will do just that.” He added in a tweet, “I have every confidence that the (Arizona) Supreme Court is not going to let this precedent stand. It would be a terrible precedent in terms of the legal community to have the government be able to withhold evidence & get away with it.”

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DEI Disaster: Wells Fargo Employees Say Bank Targeted Hispanics with Predatory Lending Practices

ADN America

Wells Fargo, one of the largest banks in the United States is facing a lawsuit from its Hispanic employees that accuses the centuries old bank of engaging in predatory lending practices against customers of the same ethnic origin.

The lawsuit, filed June 30 in a Texas federal court, accuses Wells Fargo of pressuring Hispanic employees in San Antonio to redirect Latino customers away from home equity lines of credit to more expensive but profitable refinancing options without furnishing the usual disclosures, according to a complaint filed in court.

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Arizona U.S. Senator Mark Kelly ‘Concerned’ by No Labels After Party Holds Event With Joe Manchin

Tom Pappert

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) confirmed he is “concerned” about the No Labels Party (NLP) of Arizona after the group announced an event with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) when asked whether the nascent party could cost President Joe Biden the 2024 election.

Kelly made the remarks during an appearance on “State of the Nation” with Jake Tapper, who reminded viewers that Biden won Arizona by “less than half of a percentage point” and asked the former astronaut if he thinks “Manchin and No Labels could potentially cost Joe Biden his reelection?”

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Candidate for Maricopa County Recorder Steven Hines Identifies Areas of Improvement for Early Voting

Hannah Poling

Arizona Republican businessman and candidate for Maricopa County Recorder in 2024, Steven Hines, has started identifying and listing specific ideas on how to improve the early voting process in Maricopa County.

Hines announced his candidacy for the position last week stating that if voters choose him as Maricopa County Recorder for 2024 he would “vastly improve” voting accuracy, security, and traceability.

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Arizona State University Faces Crisis as Donor Pulls Money, Lawmakers Probe Free Speech Concerns

Just the News

Arizona State University is facing a crisis as state lawmakers launch an investigation and at least one donor pulls his money over allegations the school is not supporting free speech. 

Ann Atkinson, executive director of the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at ASU’s Barrett Honors College, lost her job last month in what she called a politically motivated move for organizing an event earlier this year titled “Health, Wealth and Happiness,” with conservative commentators Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk.

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Arizona Lawmakers Launch Committee to Investigate Free Speech at Public Universities

Hannah Poling

Arizona Republican lawmakers have launched a new committee to investigate the freedom of speech in Arizona’s public universities and to look into the events surrounding a program titled “Health, Wealth and Happiness,” presented by Arizona State University’s T.W. Lewis Center.

This follows officials at Arizona State University allegedly firing University administrator and Director of the T.W. Lewis Center, Ann Atkinson, for bringing conservative speakers Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk onto campus earlier this year for the “Health, Wealth and Happiness” program which focused on professional development and networking.

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Arizona Democrats Attempt to Have No Labels Party Disclose Donors or Lose Ballot Access

Tom Pappert
Woman voting at booth

The Arizona Democratic Party (AZDP) filed a complaint against the No Labels Party (NLP) last week, seeking to force Arizona’s newest third party to disclose its list of donors or lose its status within the state amid potential Democratic concerns that NLP’s presence on the ballot could help former President Donald Trump win Arizona in 2024.

AZDP’s complaint specifically demands Secretary of State Adrian Fontes suspend NLP until the party discloses its donors. NLP told The Arizona Sun Times that the development amounts to “voter suppression.”

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Arizona Reps Pitch Bill to Stop Biden Drilling Ban That ‘Ignored Navajo Nation’

Tom Pappert

Arizona U.S. Representatives Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04) introduced a bill recently that would nullify the Biden administration’s block on oil and gas drilling on federal land surrounding New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon National Historical Park near the Navajo Nation. 

Crane and Gosar introduced the bill in response to a new, 20-year ban the Biden administration placed on oil and grass drilling for what PBS reports is “hundreds of square miles” in the area immediately surrounding the Chaco Canyon National Historical Park.

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Grass Lawns Banned from New Scottsdale Homes

The Center Square

Grass lawns will become a thing of the past for new homes in Scottsdale starting Aug. 15, as the city council unanimously passed an ordinance banning them as a method of saving water.

“The City Council’s decision further establishes Scottsdale’s commitment to sustainable water management,” Brian Biesemeyer, Scottsdale’s Water’s executive director, said in a news release Tuesday. 

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Judge Denies Abe Hamadeh’s Request for a New Trial Despite 280-vote Difference

Rachel Alexander

Almost two months after hearing oral arguments to determine whether Abe Hamadeh should be awarded a new trial in his election contest, Mohave County Superior Court Judge Lee F. Jantzen denied the request on Friday. Hamadeh’s legal team had requested the retrial based on discovering evidence that was withheld from them during the first trial; “undervotes” discovered in Pinal County that were erroneously not counted. The new votes shrunk Kris Mayes’ lead to only 280 votes. It is the closest statewide race in Arizona history. 

Jantzen said in the short ruling that he will be issuing his full reasoning behind the decision on Monday by noon, stating that it was a “close call in a close contest.” Hamadeh responded in a statement, “[W]e believe the situation is very simple: the contest was not as close as it stands now. If all legal votes are counted, I win this race for attorney general.”

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Arizona Business Leaders Warn of ‘Unattainable’ Federal Air Quality Proposals

The Center Square

The state Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Air Quality and Energy held a hearing Thursday to discuss how federal air quality policy could impact Maricopa County, as the Environmental Protection Agency is considering raising compliance standards.

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Division Director Daniel Czecholinski went over the state implementation plan backed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

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Report Finds 8,241-Vote Discrepancy in Arizona’s 2022 Election Between Number of Individuals Who Voted and Ballots Counted

Rachel Alexander

A report from the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) found that there may be an 8,241-vote discrepancy between those who cast votes in Maricopa County’s 2022 election and the number of ballots that were counted. This is “about 29.4 times” the difference between the contested attorney general’s race, the report stated, which Democrat Kris Mayes won by 280 votes.

On Friday, Mohave County Judge Lee F. Jantzen denied Abe Hamadeh’s request for a new hearing in his election challenge.

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Major Benefactor Pulls $400,000 Annual Donation from Arizona State University, Cites ‘Left-Wing Hostility and Activism’

Admin

A major benefactor is pulling funding from Arizona State University amid the firing of an ASU staff member who hosted an event featuring conservatives Charlie Kirk and Dennis Prager.

Tom Lewis of the T.W. Lewis Foundation previously helped fund ASU’s T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development, which is housed in Barrett, The Honors College, at ASU.

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Maricopa County Stonewalls Numerous Public Records Requests Submitted by Election Integrity Researcher

Rachel Alexander

Melissa White, who has been investigating election anomalies in the Maricopa County 2022 election with a team of researchers, submitted around 35 public records requests to Maricopa County since the election asking for documents, but has received very little back. Many of the responses from the county said there were “no responsive records.” She has encountered similar stonewalling from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office (AZSOS). 

Frustrated, White finally began working with the Arizona Ombudsman (AO) to assist her with the requests. She told the AO, “There is a reason people are bringing lawsuits against them and it is unacceptable to withhold public records from we the people. I have repeatedly had to show them their own employees’ public media statements claiming they had records yet when I submitted a PRR they told me no responsive records exist and when questioned they claim they do not have to answer questions.” 

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Arizona State Representatives Declare Frustration Towards Democrats Lack of Support Requiring Students to Say the Pledge of Allegiance

Hannah Poling

Arizona state representatives are declaring frustration towards Arizona Democrats’ lack of support in requiring publicly funded schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Earlier this year, State Representative Barbara Parker (R-Mesa) introduced House Bill (HB) 2523, which attempted to require that the state’s public primary and secondary schools “set aside a specific time each day for students who wish to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag,” adding that “each student shall recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States at this time.” The bill allowed students to refuse only when they are over 18 or have parental permission to refuse to recite the pledge.

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