Category: The West

Over 1,000 Attend Turning Point Action Rally for Andy Biggs for Governor

Rachel Alexander
Rep. Andy Biggs

Although the 2026 election is 16 months out, Turning Point Action (TPA) held a rally on Saturday for Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), who is running for governor against incumbent Democrat Katie Hobbs. The event at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa featured multiple top officials in both Arizona and nationally, including Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL-19), as well as Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk.

State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) opened the rally criticizing the mainstream media, gesturing at the “fake news” in the back of the room. “The media will never tell you some things about Andy Biggs. They will never tell you that he has one of the biggest hearts and he is full of kindness and compassion and that he loves the people of this state more than anyone I have ever known.”

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Kari Lake’s Reforms of Voice of America Winding Its Way Through Conflicted Courts

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a stay granted on Wednesday requiring the Trump administration to continue paying grants to Voice of America (VOA) grantees. The cuts were led by Kari Lake, who was appointed as advisor to the acting CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA.

Lake posted on X after the ruling, “Judges are trying to take the authority away from the President to run executive branch agencies. This is a gross encroachment on the President’s Article II Powers. The American people voted loud and clear for President Trump and his agenda. We will appeal this ruling as high as possible.” The Trump administration is planning an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court.

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Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee Announces Primary Challenge to Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne

Rachel Alexander
Kimberly Yee

Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, who is term-limited, announced on Wednesday that she is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction, challenging incumbent Tom Horne in the Republican primary. Horne, long considered a moderate Republican, recently angered Republicans with his efforts gutting the state’s nationally renowned Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) program. 

Yee said in her announcement, 

For nearly 30 years, I’ve fought for Arizona families and children, delivering real results. As an education policy expert, I helped write the laws in the 1990s that made Arizona the nation’s leader in school choice. As a former Chair of the Senate Education Committee, I fought to protect children from woke ideology and the kind of big government overreach we’re seeing from the current State Superintendent. As Treasurer, I delivered billions in historic new funding for Arizona classrooms. And as a mom, I have fought tirelessly to protect parents’ rights to ensure every child is able to have the best educational opportunities, no matter what their zip code. Our state’s children and their families are too important to be left paying the price for petty political games and empty campaign promises. 

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Trump Administration Shuts Down Biden DOJ’s ‘Unjust’ Investigation of Phoenix Police Department, Throws Out Findings

Rachel Alexander
Phoenix Police

The Trump administration’s DOJ ended an investigation into the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) launched by a weaponized DOJ under Joe Biden, and reversed the findings of alleged constitutional violations. The press release issued last week announced that the DOJ was also closing investigations into seven other police departments, including the Minneapolis Police Department. The Trump administration similarly dismantled investigations into police departments during Donald Trump’s first term that were launched under the Obama administration.

Several key leaders asked the new Trump administration after taking office to rescind the report, including Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) and State Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa). 

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Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board Votes to Use Multiple Woke History Books

Rachel Alexander
SUSD meeting

Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Governing Board voted 3-2 Tuesday to adopt a woke history curriculum. The vote came after a faculty-composed SUSD Social Sciences Curriculum Adoption Committee recommended the books, despite fierce opposition from numerous members of the public. 

Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity posted on X after the committee recommendation, “A committee of SUSD teachers has recommended adoption of Savvas history lessons that include anti-police rhetoric (FYI -@ScottsdalePD) and teach kids that America is racist.” 

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Republican Attorneys General Hold Press Conference on Arizona’s Border with Mexico Praising Trump’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

Rachel Alexander
Republican Attorneys General

Eleven Republican attorneys general held a press conference on Arizona’s border with Mexico on Wednesday to discuss the status of illegal immigration since Donald Trump resumed the presidency. The group was very optimistic about the decreases in illegal immigration and related crimes such as fentanyl dealing.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach opened the remarks, noting that he co-sponsored Arizona’s SB 1070 in 2010 with the late State Senator Russell Pearce. He said the tough illegal immigration law “really put Arizona on the map as the state that was leading state level efforts to stop illegal immigration and assist the federal government in the intervening 15 years.”

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Judge Rules Against AZ AG Kris Mayes Again in Prosecution of Trump Electors, Finds She Violated Their Rights and Orders Grand Jury Redo

Rachel Alexander
Arizona A.G. Kris Mayes

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers ruled last week that prosecutors for Attorney General Kris Mayes left out key information when they presented their case against the alternate electoral slate for Trump and several others associated with the electors, which “denied a substantial procedural right as guaranteed by Arizona law.” Myers previously ruled in February that there were enough grounds in the defendants’ motions to likely dismiss the prosecutions due to violating the First Amendment.

The defendants have maintained that the prosecution was politically motivated. Former Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward, one of the defendants, posted her support for the decision on X. “She & her team are trying to get the judge to STAY the decision (ie: hold it indefinitely) … so they can go around the law they are required to follow (rule 12.9 of criminal procedure) and they have the GALL to claim that the defendants (us) are not being harmed by this. WE HAVE BEEN HARMED EVERY DAY SINCE THIS BEGAN.”

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Recorder Justin Heap Is Trying to Regain His Office from the Maricopa County Supervisors’ ‘Attempt to Undermine Election Integrity’

Rachel Alexander
Justin Heap

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap, an election integrity champion, has been unsuccessfully trying to regain control of his duties over early and mail-in voting, which the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) reduced before he assumed office this year. Heap tried to renegotiate the Shared Services Agreement (SSA) with the MCBOS without success this year, and finally submitted a final draft of the SSA to the MCBOS last week, hinting at legal action. He requested a response by Friday.

However, Grassroots activist Merissa Hamilton of EZAZ observed on X on Wednesday that the MCBOS, led by chair Thomas Galvin, a holdover from the last board, hasn’t scheduled any public review of Heap’s SSA yet. “@ThomasGalvin did not add @azjustinheap’s statutory compliant SSA to today’s BOS meeting agenda, even though it was discussed in their Monday Executive Session,” she said. “He also hasn’t scheduled a Special Meeting for the Board of Supervisors to discuss the SSA. After weeks of defamation and sabotage against the Recorder by most of the BOS, this is a funny way for Tom to show he’s negotiating in good faith.”

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Arizona Town Fails to Annually Review Contract with Town Attorney, Resulting in Alleged Unnecessary Overpayment

Rachel Alexander
Gayle Earle

New Fountain Hills Council Member Gayle Earle reviewed the town’s finances after assuming office this year, and discovered that the town may have unnecessarily overpaid $321,154 to their town counsel, Pierce Coleman PLLC by not doing their “due diligence.”

When she brought up her concerns, instead of addressing them, the firm canceled its contract. However, there was a vote in executive session to retain the firm for an additional 60 days.

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Senate President Warren Petersen Holds Campaign Kickoff for Attorney General with Rep. Andy Biggs, Law Enforcement

Rachel Alexander
Warren Petersen

State Senate President Warren Petersen held a packed campaign party Saturday, launching his bid to challenge Attorney General Kris Mayes in 2026. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), who is running for governor against Katie Hobbs, attended and spoke to hundreds of attendees, as did several sheriffs and Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller. 

Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes said it was “time to take back Arizona’s executive offices” from the Democrats. He said the current elected officials were “not there when you need them.” In contrast, he said Petersen has been there for sheriffs, sponsoring bills like the Arizona ICE Act to crack down on illegal immigration. Hobbs vetoed that bill. In contrast, he said Biggs has pledged to sign it on day one of becoming governor. 

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New Law in Arizona Requires 18+ ID or Age-Verification System to Access Online Pornographic Sites

Rachel Alexander
Young Man on Laptop

Arizona joined 21 other states last week to require an ID for Arizonans in order to view pornographic sites on the internet. HB 2112, sponsored by Representative Nick Kupper (R-Surprise) and signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs, requires Arizonans who access the online smut sites to prove they are at least 18 by providing a government-issued ID or using an age-verification system that relies on “transactional data.” The bill passed along party lines, with only one Democrat in the State Senate and two Democrats in the State House voting yes. 

“Arizona families have had enough,” said Kupper in a press release from the Arizona House of Representatives. “Hardcore pornography has been just one click away from kids for too long, and the companies behind it have looked the other way while cashing in. This law forces them to take responsibility and keeps minors off their platforms.”

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After Raucous Legislative Hearing Naming Family Court Judges, Hobbs Vetoes Family Court Reform Bill

Rachel Alexander
Mark Finchem

Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2256 on Monday, a bill that would have reformed family court. Sponsored by State Representative Rachel Keshel (R-Tucson) and amended by State Senator Mark Finchem (R-Prescott), the bill prohibits a court from ordering a party against their will to pay for and work with a therapist, known as “therapeutic intervention” (TI). Prior to her veto, Finchem, chair of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders, conducted a long hearing with Keshel addressing the problems with family court.

Hobbs issued a brief letter explaining her veto. “Today, I vetoed House Bill 2256,” she said. “In an attempt to address one specific situation, this proposal would result in unintended consequences that may result in more harm than good.” 

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State Democratic Party Chair Accuses Democratic Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego of Threatening and Intimidating Him, Cites Racism

Rachel Alexander
Robert E. Branscomb, II

The new chair of the Democratic Party, Robert E. Branscomb II, sent a scathing letter to the Arizona Democratic State Committee recently accusing Arizona’s two Democratic senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, of threatening and intimidating him over his selection of an executive director. Branscomb, who became the new party chair in January, chose Michael Ruff, the party’s previous political director, for the position, sparking opposition from the state’s top Democratic leaders.

Branscomb, who owns an insurance agency, accused Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) of ordering him around, telling him he should not make staff changes without consulting him. “He emphasized his role in raising funds for the party and implied that I should be grateful, even beholden, to him for the party’s financial resources,” Branscom said.

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Attorneys File Petition for Certiorari with the Supreme Court in Long Running Lawsuit to End Mandatory Nature of State Bars

Rachel Alexander
American Bar Association

Oregon attorneys represented by the Goldwater Institute filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court last week requesting consideration of their lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of mandatory bar associations for attorneys. Crowe v. Oregon State Bar originated after the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 in Janus v. AFSCME that public-sector unions cannot require non-members to pay fees to support union activities. Attorneys Daniel Crowe, Lawrence Peterson, and the Oregon Civil Liberties Attorneys filed the lawsuit in 2018, asserting violations of free speech and freedom of association.

The lawsuit has wound its way twice up the courts through appeals. The case arose after the bar published a statement in its magazine claiming that President Donald Trump promoted white nationalism. The plaintiffs argued that the statement was non-germane to the bar’s regulatory purpose, constituted compelled political speech, and infringed on their freedom of association by forcing them to be members of an organization engaging in ideological activities they disagreed with.

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Arizona Legislature Files Amicus Curiae Brief at Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Supporting Idaho’s Voter ID Law

Rachel Alexander
Vote Here sign

The Arizona Legislature, along with 19 other states, submitted an amicus curiae brief at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last week supporting Idaho’s voter ID law, which prohibits student ID cards as an acceptable form of identification for voting. A lower court judge appointed by former President Joe Biden, Amanda K. Brailsford, already ruled in favor of the law, stating that the plaintiffs in March for Our Lives Idaho v. McGrane, which included both March For Our Lives Idaho and the Idaho Alliance for Retired Americans, failed to show proof of discrimination against youth voters.

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Judges Signal They Will Likely Rule Against Government Media Employees, Funding of NGOs in Employees’ Lawsuit Against Kari Lake’s DOGEing of USAGM

Rachel Alexander
USAGM at work

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced on Friday in a press release that immigration related criminal charges against 287 defendants were brought within 10 days, April 26 through May 5. Part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, known as Operation Take Back America (OTBA), the charges were for entering the country illegally, reentering the country illegally, and human smuggling.

The office has been steadily bringing illegal immigration related charges against defendants since OTBA launched in March. Some of the previous weeks have surpassed the average weekly numbers during the Biden administration last year. Between April 12-18, the office brought 329 charges, far more than the weekly average under President Joe Biden last year of 250 charges per week.

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DOJ Charges 287 with Immigration Related Crimes in Arizona During 10 Days

Rachel Alexander
ICE arrest

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced on Friday in a press release that immigration related criminal charges against 287 defendants were brought within 10 days, April 26 through May 5. Part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, known as Operation Take Back America (OTBA), the charges were for entering the country illegally, reentering the country illegally, and human smuggling. 

The office has been steadily bringing illegal immigration related charges against defendants since OTBA launched in March. Some of the previous weeks have surpassed the average weekly numbers during the Biden administration last year. Between April 12-18, the office brought 329 charges, far more than the weekly average under President Joe Biden last year of 250 charges per week. 

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Commentary: It’s Time to Defund My Former Employer Planned Parenthood

Admin

For 17 years, I worked at Planned Parenthood and spent my days telling women that the abortion industry cares for them and that abortion is healthcare. I believed Planned Parenthood helped women and women needed abortion to succeed.

I grew up in Mexico City with a passion for helping women. When I came to the U.S., I knew I wanted to be a women’s doctor. When I heard that the local Planned Parenthood, an organization that ‘cared for women,’ was looking to hire someone who spoke Spanish, I thought I had found my dream job.

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Man Indicted with Felonies After Setting Cybertruck on Fire at Arizona Tesla Dealership in Act of ‘Domestic Terrorism’

Rachel Alexander
Tesla fire

A federal grand jury indicted Ian William Moses, 35, on Wednesday for allegedly setting a new Cybertruck on fire outside a Tesla dealership located in Mesa. Mesa Police arrested him on his bike shortly after he was seen on video a little before 2 a.m. placing fire logs around the vehicle, pouring gasoline on them, then igniting the logs. He was charged with five counts of Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce. 

“If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in the DOJ’s press release. “No negotiating.”

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Election Integrity Group Finds Laws Were Broken in Maricopa County’s 2020 Election, Including 200,000 Mismatched Signatures

Rachel Alexander
Counting Ballots

We the People AZ Alliance (WPAA) has been investigating voting irregularities in Maricopa County in recent elections, and issued a video earlier this month going over problems with the signature verification on ballot affidavits from the botched 2020 election. WPAA found that out of 1.9 million ballots, 10 percent or about 200,000 had “egregiously” mismatched signatures, and another 10 percent had poorly matched signatures that violated the state’s guidelines for acceptance.

https://x.com/AzPinkLady/status/1909699811378442642

Attorney Bryan Blehm, a member of WPAA who previously represented Kari Lake in her election challenges, said during the presentation that then-Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer didn’t do anything to stop signature reviewers from clicking “approved” on every signature verification screen as fast as a new screen came up. He noted that 20,000 ballots were accepted that came in after the election was over, which violated the law. 

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New Documentary Investigates Illegal Immigration on Arizona’s Border with Mexico

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Mexico Border

Veteran journalist and Trump campaign operative Steve Cortes released a documentary this month, Deport the Danger: Arizona’s Border Crisis Exposed.” He visited the state and interviewed journalists, elected officials, and relatives of the victims of the Biden administration’s open border policies, exposing how bad crime had become related to illegal immigration.

Cortes said during the documentary, “It is a true bipartisan failure with the open borders radicals, co-opting both the Dems and the Republicans, with the leftists seeking masses of new voters and the supposed conservatives bowing down in supplication to the business magnates who demand a constant flow of cheap labor to undercut American citizens in the job market. Of course, Joe Biden accelerated all of this madness to a record degree, and his radicalism was assisted by allies across the country, mayors and governors who prioritize an extreme agenda over the safety of U.S. citizens, corrupt governors like Katie Hobbs right here in Arizona.”

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State Employee Under Governor Katie Hobbs Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Smuggling Illegal Immigrants

Rachel Alexander
CBP arrest

An Arizona state employee working for the Department of Agriculture (AZDA) was arrested earlier this month for alleged human smuggling, resulting in his termination. Joshua Castro, who worked as a food inspector, was charged with both a felony and misdemeanor after he was caught appearing to transport illegal immigrants in his state uniform after they crossed the border from Mexico into Arizona. 

The Arizona Sun Times asked Border Czar Tom Homan for comment. White House Spokesman Kush Desai responded on his behalf, “The days of actively aiding and abetting illegal aliens invading our country are over. The Trump administration will never waver on putting Americans and America First with a no-nonsense approach to immigration enforcement. In this administration, anyone who commits crimes exposes themselves to criminal liability.”

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Maricopa County Supervisors Provide Draft Agreement to Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap Purporting to Give Some of His Office Back

Rachel Alexander
Justin Heap

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) held a special public meeting on Wednesday to discuss a Shared Services Agreement (SSA) drafted by the MCBOS to give Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap some of his job responsibilities back. The previous MCBOS, even though it was in lame duck status at the end of their term, executed an agreement with the previous recorder Stephen Richer in October that took away Heap’s IT department and other significant powers. 

Until 2019, the recorder’s office handled all election responsibilities, not just early and mail-in voting. After then-recorder Adrian Fontes mishandled the 2018 election, he agreed with the MCBOS to turn over Election Day administration to the MCBOS. The October SSA took away even more authority from the recorder, and the new board appears reluctant to return much of the authority.

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Arizona House Responds to Allegations That Governor Katie Hobbs ‘Bankrupted’ Disabled Children’s Program

Rachel Alexander
Katie Hobbs

State House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-Glendale) issued a response from House Republicans Thursday to allegations that Governor Katie Hobbs mismanaged $350 million of taxpayers’ money on a program for disabled children, causing it to run out of money.

The State House voted overwhelmingly, with bipartisan support, on Wednesday to address the troubled Developmental Disabilities (DD) program with HB 2945, which transfers funds to the “Parents as Paid Caregivers” (PPC) program before it goes bankrupt.

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ASU’s Cozy Relationship with Arizona’s Prominent Moderate Republicans and Democrats Includes Kyrsten Sinema

Rachel Alexander
Kyrsten Sinema

Several prominent Arizona Democrats and moderate Republicans who served in office have a cozy relationship with Arizona State University (ASU), often landing plum jobs with the woke university after leaving elected office. Some of them directed funding or other assistance to the university while serving in office, sparking concerns about a quid pro quo.

A prominent former Arizona official told The Arizona Sun Times that ASU rewards politicians who vote to give the school money with “cushy” positions after they leave office. The former official noted that conservative Republicans are not provided these opportunities. 

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Republicans Continue to Increase Voter Registration Edge in Arizona

Rachel Alexander
Voters

New figures released this month by the Arizona secretary of state reveal that Republicans increased their voter registration lead over Democrats to over 7 percent, 35.90 percent to 28.64 percent, with 1,602,308 voters to Democrats’ 1,278,195. About a year ago, Republicans held a 5.77 percent lead. Independents remain ahead of Democrats but behind Republicans with 30.68.

In Maricopa County, Republicans held their 7 percent lead over Democrats from a year ago, with 35.44 percent, 917,074 voters versus Democrats’ 28.59 percent, with 739,701 voters. The GOP’s edge statewide and in Maricopa County has been increasing steadily since 2021. 

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State Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne Adds Limits to Popular ESA Program, Kicks Homeschooling Mom Off Committee for Exposing It

Rachel Alexander
Tom Horne

State Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne is coming under fire for gutting some of the state’s nationally renowned Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs), considered one of the best ESA programs in the country since all students — including those in private schools, microschools, Christian schools, and homeschoolers — are eligible. After his ESA handbook committee drafted guidelines, his administration changed their draft to limit certain expenditures for students — restricting them from the full access provided to traditional public school students. State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) (pictured here) is trying to find a conservative to run against Horne in the primary in 2026 due to his dismantling of the popular program, which allows students to use funds for their K-12 education in nontraditional ways. Hoffman posted on X earlier this month, “Tom Horne is the greatest threat to school choice & the ESA program in Arizona. Tom Horne will lose to the Democrat in the 2026 general election. Arizona needs a strong, pro-school choice candidate for this very important office. I’m working on identifying that candidate now.” In a follow-up post, Hoffman noted that Horne “voted NO on AZ’s signature School Tuition Organization (STO) Tax Credit Program in 1997” as…

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Governor Katie Hobbs Continues Record for Vetoes, Rejects Arizona ICE Act, Bills on Election Integrity, and Bills Against Vaccine Mandates

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Katie Hobbs

Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a large portion of the bills sent to her this session by the Republican dominated Arizona Legislature. So far this year, she vetoed 52 and signed 70 into law. The bills she signed were mostly mundane, with bipartisan support. She signed the controversial Axon bill, which carved out a zoning exception for the Taser company to build high-density apartments in Scottsdale. Representative Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale) said several lawmakers told him the company promised to fund their reelection campaigns if they voted for the bill, which is a Class 4 felony for bribery if true.

Garret Lewis, host of The Afternoon Addiction on various radio stations in Arizona, posted after Hobbs signed the Axon bill, “@GovernorHobbs signed the Axon bill taking away Scottsdale residents (and sets a precedent for any other AZ city/town residents) ability to have a referendum on Axon building apartments. Katie is on record supporting voter suppression.” 

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Election Integrity Group Discovers Maricopa County Signature Verification in 2024 Occurred at ‘World Book Record’ Speed

Rachel Alexander

The election integrity organization We the People AZ Alliance (WPAA), which discovered in 2022 that Maricopa County ballot affidavit reviewers were verifying signatures at speeds of up to one signature per second, revealed in a new video this week that reviewers during the 2024 election also verified signatures at a similarly rapid pace.

The group alleged that AI was used, especially in the 2020 election, which the county had previously denied, despite it being mentioned in contracts.

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Lawsuit Forces All 15 Arizona Counties to Begin Removing Noncitizens from Voter Rolls

Rachel Alexander
Voter registration

All 15 of Arizona’s counties agreed to settle a lawsuit brought last September by America First Legal (AFL) against their recorders over failing to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. Maricopa County agreed to the settlement earlier this month, Yavapai and Mohave counties settled in November, and the remaining counties settled last Wednesday, sending requests to the Department of Homeland Security to assist them in verifying voters’ citizenship. In January, there were 50,000 federal-only voters on the state’s voter rolls, which are voters who are only allowed to vote in federal races due to failing to produce documented proof of citizenship (DPOC). 

“This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans,” AFL Senior Counsel James Rogers said in a statement on Monday. “This will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls. It will also potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed, which would allow them to vote in State and local elections. AFL congratulates each of Arizona’s 15 County Recorders for taking this bold and important step for election integrity in the State.”

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Bill Advances in Arizona Legislature Stopping Courts from Ordering Paid Therapy for Parents After Divorce

Rachel Alexander

A Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders met on Monday to discuss reforming the family court system. The committee focused on complaints about “therapeutic intervention” (TI), when courts order a therapist to deal with parents who have split up. HB 2256, sponsored by State Representative Rachel Keshel (R-Tucson) and amended in a striker bill by State Senator Mark Finchem (R-Prescott), would prohibit a court from ordering a party against their will to pay for and work with one of these individuals.

The hearing was part of a series of hearings looking into family court problems that will extend through the summer. The Arizona Legislature issued a press release about the hearing afterwards. “As a legislator and a mother, I can’t stay silent while Arizona families are being torn apart behind closed courtroom doors,” said Keshel. “What we heard in the committee was heartbreaking — but not surprising. Parents are being silenced, children are being traumatized, and the people responsible hide behind the bench or a therapy license. We have a duty to expose this abuse and fix a system that no longer serves the best interests of the child.”

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Rep. Joseph Chaplik Demands Lawmakers Come Forward Who Were Allegedly Promised Funding for Their Reelections in Exchange for Voting for Axon Bill

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Rep Joe Chaplik

State Representative Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale) created a stir on the floor of the State House Representatives on Thursday when he accused the Scottsdale Taser company Axon of bribing legislators with funding their reelection campaigns if they vote in favor of legislation benefiting the company. Although the City of Scottsdale has seen a large increase in high-density apartment housing due to the previous left-leaning Scottsdale City Council — which resulted in their ouster by angry voters last election — Axon got legislators to run a bill, SB 1543, that would change zoning laws so it could build 1,900 more high-density apartments by its worksite.

Chaplik said during a meeting of the Committee of the Whole discussing the bill, “I’ve been here five years, and I know long before that when we carve out special legislation for one one special interest to profit, that is wrong. When we let them come here and talk to every one of these members, which I will admit, three or four of them have come to me and said they were essentially offered campaign funds if they vote yes for their next election by the company, please step up and come forward if that’s happened to you. I’ve never seen something so scandalous in my five years down here.”

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Arizona Supreme Court Issues Opinion Affirming 2-Year Suspension of April Sponsel’s Law License for Prosecuting Antifa

Rachel Alexander
April Sponsel

The Arizona Supreme Court issued a full opinion last week explaining why the court upheld the suspension of former Maricopa County prosecutor April Sponsel’s law license for two years. The State Bar of Arizona’s disciplinary judge Margaret Downie issued the suspension in December 2023 due to Sponsel prosecuting violent Antifa rioters who were protesting the death of George Floyd, and the Arizona Supreme Court stated last September that the justices would be issuing an opinion agreeing with the suspension. 

A prominent former prosecutor told The Arizona Sun Times that this creates a very bad precedent, judges second guessing prosecutors. The opinion appeared to echo much of the Biden administration’s DOJ report about the Phoenix Police Department (PPD). That report, which focused extensively on PPD’s handling of Antifa riots, selectively left out key details exonerating the police and sided with the rioters’ versions of events, treating their statements as facts. 

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Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes Sue Trump Administration Over Election Integrity Executive Order

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Sec State Adrian Fontes, AG Kris Mayes

Attorney General Kris Mayes joined Secretary of State Adrian Fontes in a lawsuit filed with 19 other Democratic-run states against the Trump administration challenging his executive order on election integrity measures for allegedly intruding on state sovereignty. However, Democratic officials supported HR 1, a 2021 bill in Congress that would federalize elections, and President Joe Biden issued an executive order during his tenure directing federal agencies to find ways to facilitate voter registration and voter education. This is the 16th lawsuit Mayes has filed along with other Democrats against the new Trump administration.

Trump’s executive order will require individuals to show documented proof of citizenship (DPOC) in order to register to vote instead of merely attesting to it. Other changes include prohibiting QR codes, requiring ballots to be received by Election Day, and regularly cleaning noncitizens from voter rolls. Trump’s executive order directed the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to carry out many of his changes. 

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State Democratic Leaders Walk Out as Border Czar Tom Homan Addresses the Arizona Legislature Regarding Vast Improvements in Border Security

Rachel Alexander
Tom Homan

Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s Border Czar who previously served under the first Trump administration as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, addressed the Arizona Legislature Tuesday regarding border security efforts. House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-Glendale) said, “I consider it an honor to call him my friend,” and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) provided a warm welcome, “Just want to let you know that Arizona will do anything we can to support you in your efforts.” 

The Democratic legislators in the House of Representatives’ chamber stood up and walked out as Homan began, “The Biden administration created the most significant immigration crisis in the history of this nation.” In contrast, since Trump took office, “We’ve run the biggest deportation operation in the history of this nation.” He said the administration is prioritizing finding 300,000 children of illegal immigrants who have gone missing, many who were transitioned into forced labor or sex trafficking.

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Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Approves Settlement in Lawsuit over Non-Citizens Voting, Will Cooperate with Trump Administration

Rachel Alexander
Maricopa County Mark Stewart

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors agreed on Thursday to settle a lawsuit filed by America First Legal (AFL) against Maricopa County over failing to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls. The lawsuit, which was also filed against other counties, asked the court to order county recorders to comply. 

The settlement will have Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap work with the Department of Homeland Security to verify the citizenship status of federal-only voters, who were given that status since they failed to provide documented proof of citizenship (DPOC) when they registered to vote. The four Republican supervisors voted in favor of the settlement, while lone Democrat Steve Gallardo voted no.

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Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen Running for Attorney General Since Legislature is Already Acting as the ‘De Facto AG’

Rachel Alexander
Warren Petersen

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) announced recently that he is running for Attorney General, challenging incumbent Democrat Kris Mayes. So far, only one other Republican has filed a Statement of Interest, Rodney Glassman, a formerly active Democrat and aide to the late Representative Raul Grijalva who ran for office multiple times, losing at least four races. Petersen sat down with The Arizona Sun Times to explain why he decided to enter the race.

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Attorney General Kris Mayes Sues New Trump Administration Two More Times, over DOGE Cuts to the Federal Government

Rachel Alexander
Arizona AG Kris Mayes

Attorney General Kris Mayes joined other Democratic attorneys general filing two more lawsuits against the Trump administration on Friday. One of the lawsuits challenged the pausing of controversial grants issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The second contested the dismantling of three agencies that assist unions, promote minority-owned businesses, and give money to libraries for Drag Queen Story Hour for children. Mayes, who has developed a reputation for aggressively going after Republicans, has filed 13 previous lawsuits with other attorneys general against the Trump administration this year.

The 21 attorneys general argued in the lawsuits that the Trump administration was interfering with Congress’s authority. However, those agencies are under the executive branch, not Congress. 

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Representative Abe Hamadeh Proposes Bill to Halt Funding to States that Print Federal Ballots in Other Languages

Rachel Alexander
Rep. Abe Hamadeh

Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) recently introduced The VOTE Act — Voting Only Through English — in Congress, which would halt funding to states for federal elections that print ballots in additional languages besides English. Voters who don’t understand English can call official election hotlines for language assistance, so the multilingual ballots are not necessary.

Hamadeh said during an appearance on Just the News from Real America’s Voice, “It makes sense, why? Because in order to become a citizen, if you’re an immigrant, you want to become a citizen. We welcome that. But one of the basic requirements for becoming a United States citizen that’s been long standing was that you have to have proficiency and basic understanding of English.”

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Bill Raising Controversy That Would Bypass Zoning Laws and Voters to Increase High-Density Housing in Scottsdale

Rachel Alexander
Scottsdale, Arizona

A bill making its way through the Arizona Legislature would block Scottsdale voters from voting to stop construction of 1,895 new apartments and condos. SB 1543, a striker bill sponsored by State Representative Tony Rivero (R-Peoria), would allow the TASER and body camera manufacturer Axon to build apartments for employees by its headquarters in north Scottsdale on a sprawling 70-acre campus, even though the land is not zoned for the high-density housing. Axon founder Rick Smith threatened to move his company out of Arizona if he cannot build the development near Hayden Road and the Loop 101. 

State Representative Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale) issued a lengthy statement denouncing HB 1543 after it passed the House International Trade Committee 8-0 on Wednesday with two members absent. He said the bill was “a brazen attempt by one man to overturn the will of voters and retroactively force 1,900 unwanted apartments on the city of Scottsdale, using legislators to do his bidding under the guise of free markets and pro-business policy. SB1543 allows companies to build multifamily units on light industrial zoned land without city council’s or residents’ approval.” 

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New Conservative Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller Hosts Open House Supporting Trump, Featuring Rep. Biggs, Senate President Petersen

Rachel Alexander
Brad Miller

New Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller, largely considered the only conservative elected prosecutor in the state, held an open house Friday at his office for members of the community. In addition to Miller, several officials spoke including Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), who is running for governor, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), State Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa), and State Senator Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff). The event focused on “partner[ing] on public safety, enhancing victims’ rights, and supporting President Trump’s tough on crime border policies,” according to the announcement.

Miller said he wants to “help make Pinal County great again.” He said they are the only county chasing down human smuggling operations on the highways. Although the Trump administration’s border crackdown has greatly reduced illegal immigration, he said there are still about three high-speed chases each week in the county. He has implemented a policy to prosecute those caught.

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Arizona Left-Leaning Officials Who Supported H.R. 1 Denounce Trump’s Executive Order on Election Integrity as Attempt to ‘Federalize Elections’

Rachel Alexander
voting

President Donald Trump issued an executive order this week stating that his administration will take steps to ensure election integrity, sparking objections from Democrats, including some Arizona officials. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes objected to the order, claiming it would “federalize elections,” with others making similar claims.

However, Democrats supported H.R. 1, a radical bill introduced in Congress in 2021 that would federalize elections. Then-Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL-13), who served as a ranking member on the Committee on House Administration, said at the time that H.R. 1 would be “the largest expansion of the federal government’s role in our elections.” The Heritage Foundation published a lengthy analysis, summarizing, “H.R. 1 would federalize and micromanage the election process, imposing unnecessary, unwise, and unconstitutional mandates on the states.”

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Public Records Reveal Extent of Previous Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer’s Collusion with County Supervisors on Elections Power Grab

Rachel Alexander
Stephen Richer

Two grassroots organizations in Arizona that investigate election corruption examined recent public records from the Maricopa County Recorder and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) in an attempt to get to the bottom of a Shared Services Agreement (SSA) the previous recorder Stephen Richer made with the MCBOS in October turning over control of much of his office to them. The new recorder, conservative Justin Heap, demanded control of his office back, pointing out that the agreement was made at the last minute at the end of the year with lame-duck supervisors. However, one of two remaining supervisors on the board, Thomas Galvin, who is the chair, refuses to relinquish control. 

Merissa Hamilton, co-founder of EZAZ, asked the other four supervisors on X to challenge Galvin, “I urge @KateMcGeeAZ @DebbieLesko @MarkStewart_AZ @Steve_Gallardo to take back control of the Board and direct the County Manager to stop the chaos in election administration!”

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Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty Sue Kari Lake for Halting Their Funding, D.C. Court Holds Hearing

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) filed a lawsuit against Kari Lake in her capacity as advisor to the acting CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) last week.

The two independent media organizations, contracted by the government, alleged that she wrongly halted their grant funding as part of the Trump administration’s DOGE cuts. Royce Charles Lamberth, a senior judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, heard oral arguments on Monday.

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Arizona Lawmakers Debate Bills to Ban State’s Red Light Cameras

Rachel Alexander

Two bills are making their way through the Arizona Legislature to end the state’s use of speed and red light cameras.

SCR 1002, sponsored by State Senator Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff), is a Senate Concurrent Resolution, so if passed, it would bypass a likely veto by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs and be placed on the ballot for voters. It passed out of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee mainly down party lines after a hearing last week.

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Rep. Abe Hamadeh Asks Trump Administration to Rescind Biden’s ‘Political Weaponization’ Against Phoenix Police Department

Rachel Alexander
Rep. Abe Hamadeh, phoenix Police Officer

Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) asked the Trump administration last Wednesday to rescind its report criticizing the Phoenix Police Department (PPD), which came about as a result of violent protesters complaining about  their interactions with officers. He sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel requesting a halt to the “desperate witch hunt,” which could end up putting the PPD in a consent decree with the federal government under monitoring. The Trump administration said in January that it is pausing all civil rights investigations into law enforcement agencies.

Hamadeh said in the letter, “Despite the Biden DOJ’s baseless claims, our officers did everything right, voluntarily cooperating in good faith, opening their records, and participating in lengthy interviews. They were met with stonewalling, mischaracterized testimony, and a final report riddled with glaring inaccuracies. The Biden DOJ’s claim that Phoenix Police Department officers violated constitutional standards during unrest following one of President Trump’s rallies was absurd. That claim is especially ludicrous because the Ninth Circuit affirmed that the department’s actions were lawful. The Biden DOJ ignored this and many other court-backed facts, choosing instead to cherry-pick narratives that support their political agenda.” 

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State House Republican Leaders Looking Into Alleged Pay-to-Play Scheme by Governor Katie Hobbs, Under Investigation by Prosecutors

Rachel Alexander
Rep. Steve Montenegro

The State House Republican majority held a press conference on Tuesday to address concerns over what some are calling a pay-to-play scheme involving Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. Republican officials said Hobbs is under investigation by the county attorney and attorney general for significantly increasing the rate paid to just one group home provider for foster children, Sunshine Residential Homes, after the provider made a $100,000 donation to her inauguration festivities. Hobbs informed the state legislature that the Department of Child Safety Congregate Care Program (DCSCCP) was going bankrupt only 19 days before the agency will run out of money, next Tuesday.

State House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-Glendale) spoke first, calling it the “peak of irresponsibility.” “More bad news from Governor Katie Hobbs’ administration,” he said. “Just days ago, just days ago, we were informed by her by her budget office that the Department of Child Safety Congregate Care Program is bankrupt next week.”

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