by Matthew Holloway | Jul 2, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A special guest blogger for Jessica Reed Kraus’ House In Habit, writing under the pseudonym “Osiris for HIH,” has named Arizona Republican Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ8) as runner-up in the “10 Sexiest Men in the 119th Congress.”
“Osiris for HIH,” a gay man “with DC connections” according to Kraus, prefaced the Buzzfeed-esque list article claiming, “some authority on the subject.” He noted that “us gays have a well-documented weakness for men in suits,” before announcing number one on his list: Republican Congressman Brandon Gill of Texa,s citing his “ranch-boy charm and Dartmouth cred.”
But immediately following the Congressional Freshmen Class President, readers find Rep. Hamadeh whom the writer described as “the bachelor to beat.”
He writes, “Rep. Abe Hamadeh, 33, struts into Congress as the bachelor to beat—ex-Army captain, former prosecutor, and Trump’s golden boy in Arizona’s 8th. With a chiseled jaw and a relentless obsession with election integrity, this Scottsdale stud has grit and MAGA swagger. Single and ready to mingle, he’s too busy suing the system and flexing his America-First cred to notice the D.C. dating pool drooling. Good luck, ladies—he’s married to the fight.”
In addition to Hamadeh, the blogger gives the approving nod to Congressmen, Max Miller (R-OH), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Greg Steube (R-FL), and Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA). Among the Senate, he pointed out Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). The article also tosses Honorable Mentions to Reps. Aaron Bean (R-FL) and Pat Fallon (R-TX).
Katy Grimes, Editor of the California Globe, commented on the article in a post to X writing, “Absolutely hilarious! The ‘Vanity Fair’ for politics… 10 Sexiest Men in the 119th Congress: ‘Get ready to swoon— or cringe— because I’ve scoured the halls of the 119th Congress for the sexiest men who know how to take care of your constituent concerns.’ Also includes ‘dishonorable mentions’.”
The two “dishonorable mentions,” described as “guys who *should* be hot bachelors on paper (looks, charisma, power suits) but tanked their appeal with cringe-worthy actions that give us the ultimate ick,” were Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw and former anti-Trump Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Tamra Farah | Jul 1, 2025 | Opinion
By Tamra Farah |
Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, launched in 2011, empowers families to tailor their children’s education with state funds. The 2025-2026 school year covers private school tuition, tutoring, and therapies, averaging $7,000 – $8,000 per student.
While the program serves over 93,000 students, that number is only a fraction of its possible reach. Bureaucratic inefficiencies and government red tape currently hinder broader access and limit the benefits of ESAs. The approval of the 2025-26 ESA Parent Handbook could have fixed this, but as critics pointed out, the handbook’s restrictive guidelines and manual review processes create more bureaucratic obstacles.
Now, it’s time to examine some of the key aspects of the ESA Program. We need real change, including adopting best practices from other states to streamline operations, better serve families, and extend this opportunity to more Arizona children.
ESA Application Process
The ESA program provides eligibility to any Arizona child from kindergarten through 12th grade, including preschoolers with disabilities, as outlined in the 2025-26 ESA Parent Handbook and A.R.S. §15-240. Families apply via the Arizona Department of Education’s (ADE) online portal, submitting proof of residency and, for students with disabilities, an IEP or 504 Plan.
Approvals are typically granted within 30 days. Approved families sign a contract to use funds for educational expenses and to forgo public school enrollment. Quarterly tuition deposits are managed through ClassWallet, requiring allocation to core subjects like reading and math, with receipt submission to ensure compliance. Non-compliance risks account suspension, balancing flexibility with accountability.
ClassWallet and Financial Management
ClassWallet simplifies ESA fund management through the ESA Applicant Portal, allowing parents to monitor balances and make transactions. It offers four spending options: the Marketplace, with pre-approved items like textbooks; Pay Vendor, for payments to providers such as private schools; the Debit Card, which requires receipt validation for purchases like school supplies; and Reimbursement, for out-of-pocket costs after review.
Marketplace purchases are automatically deducted, like a math workbook, are automatically deducted, streamlining routine expenses. However, non-Marketplace transactions require manual review as mandated by the 2025-26 handbook, which causes inefficiencies and frustrates parents.
Manual Review Staffing Strain
The 2025-26 handbook requires a manual review for non-Marketplace items, a detailed and staff-intensive process. Items like custom curricula, tutoring from unregistered providers, computer hardware, therapies for students with disabilities, debit card purchases, public school fees, and expensive items such as a $500 musical instrument must be verified for educational relevance. This includes providing specific documentation for IEP students and detailed invoices.
With more than 93,000 students, that could mean up to 186,000 reviews annually taking 46,608 staff hours. That would require at least 23 full-time ADE employees, thereby straining resources. These reviews, mandated by A.R.S. §15-2403(B), caused delays for 77% of parents, according to a 2024 Heritage Foundation report, which fuels perceptions of bureaucratic inefficiency.
The 2025-26 Handbook Controversy
The latest handbook’s approval by the Arizona State Board of Education (SBE) with an 8-1 vote sparked controversy over its compliance with state law. Critics, including parent Angela Faber, argued that its restrictive approval process, requiring additional documentation for disability-related expenses, violates A.R.S. §15-2402(B)(4), which permits funds for therapies and assistive technology.
Republican lawmakers criticized “overly restrictive cost guidelines,” such as a removed $16,000 cap on items like cellos, claiming the handbook defied a legislative warning. Still, no formal directive is documented, making the accusation speculative. The ADE asserts compliance with A.A.C. R7-2-1503 and A.R.S. §15-231(B), with a 30-day appeal period for denied expenses to ensure recourse. Despite revisions, late draft postings limited public review and increased debate. A 2023 report showed 96% of ESA funds supported academic goals, highlighting the program’s potential when managed effectively.
Lessons from Other States
Expanding ClassWallet’s Marketplace to include more pre-approved items could decrease manual reviews by 20–30% to improve the handbook’s inefficiencies. Implementing a machine-learning system for routine approvals, modeled on Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship or Tennessee’s Individualized Education Account, would simplify processing. Reinstating debit cards with Merchant Category Code restrictions and adopting risk-based audits could reduce review volume by 40%. Better parental education through tutorials could lower errors, easing administrative burdens.
Potential Leadership Change: Horne vs. Yee
Amid the handbook concerns, Superintendent Tom Horne may face Treasurer Kimberly Yee in the Republican primary for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. During his tenure, Horne has advanced educational initiatives by eliminating the Kindergarten Entry Assessment to reduce teacher workload and expanded school safety with 565 new officers. As Arizona State Treasurer, Kimberly Yee has championed government transparency by pushing for easily accessible online budgets, with the Arizona Treasury website providing clear information on taxpayer spending, enhancing public accountability. Yee has also prioritized financial literacy for high school courses and a Financial Literacy Fund to educate students, seniors, and vulnerable populations. Voters are urged to select the leader in 2026 who is most qualified and prepared to improve upon the administratively challenged ESA program. Check out my previous column for more information about the Horne and Yee matchup.
Conclusion: Strengthening a National Model
The ESA program’s flexibility for over 93,000 students makes it a national leader, but the 2025-26 handbook’s manual reviews and controversial approval process show administrative challenges. Arizona can improve operations while keeping accountability by increasing transparency and adopting automation, learning from Florida and Tennessee.
For more details, visit https://www.azed.gov/esa or call (602) 364-1969. Be aware of potential staff availability constraints.
Tamra Farah leads AmericanStrategies.org. She brings twenty years of experience in public policy and politics as a journalist, focusing on protecting individual liberty and advocating for limited government. She has worked with ten local, state, and federal candidates and organizations, such as Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks, Moms for America, and Arizona Women of Action. Farah has regularly appeared on conservative radio, television, and print media.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 1, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Carlos Munoz-Perez, an illegal alien, Mexican national, and pedophile sex-offender with prior convictions for illegal entry and unlawful sexual activity with a minor was apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents near the San Pedro River.
In a statement released to several social media platforms by Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Sean McGoffin, the agency stated that Munoz-Perez was arrested on Saturday, June 22nd, and a records check of the suspect revealed his disturbing history.
“Agents conducted records checks on the subject and learned he had prior convictions for illegal entry and unlawful sexual activity with a minor,” McGoffin wrote. The Chief revealed, “He was sentenced to 12 years for Sexual Exploitation/Child-Prod Performance in 2011.”
According to the Tucson Sector of CBP, Munoz-Perez is facing charges for his illegal re-entry as a previously removed convicted felon. McGoffin wrote, “Thanks to the vigilance and determination of agents, this predator will not reach our communities and will not victimize more of our children.”
The Border Patrol is collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in its ongoing investigation and additional charges may be filed against him as applicable.
In a series of similar posts to X, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday, “While rioters and bad-faith politicians attempt to stop immigration enforcement in Los Angeles — @ICEgov continues to arrest criminal illegal aliens. Under @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem, law enforcement is committed to making America SAFE again.”
DHS shared information about twenty captured illegal alien criminals from the Los Angeles area described as the “Worst of the worst—LA Edition.” Seven of the criminals were sex offenders, five of them committed sex crimes against minors.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jul 1, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A new Arizona law aims to bolster protections against foreign government interference and intimidation, marking a first-of-its-kind effort in the state to address what lawmakers describe as growing threats from hostile foreign actors.
House Bill 2374, sponsored by State Representative Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), was signed into law this week following bipartisan support. The legislation targets “transnational repression” — a term used to describe efforts by foreign governments to harass, surveil, or silence individuals on U.S. soil, often for expressing views critical of those regimes.
“This law draws a hard line: Arizona will not be a playground for foreign operatives,” Nguyen said in a statement. “Whether it’s the Chinese Communist Party or any other hostile regime, their tactics of intimidation and coercion have no place here.”
The new statute increases criminal penalties for harassment-related offenses when carried out by individuals acting on behalf of foreign powers or terrorist organizations. Crimes such as stalking, assault, and harassment receive enhanced felony designations if committed as part of an effort to silence political dissidents, religious minorities, or other individuals engaging in constitutionally protected activities.
Additionally, the law establishes a new Class 2 felony offense for any unauthorized foreign law enforcement activity conducted in the state. That includes attempts to surveil or detain individuals without express authorization from state or federal authorities.
To help detect and prevent such operations, the legislation directs the Arizona Department of Public Safety to develop a Transnational Repression Recognition and Response Training Program. The program will train local law enforcement across Arizona to identify and respond to covert foreign interference efforts.
Nguyen, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee and fled communist Vietnam as a child, described the measure as both personal and necessary.
“My family fled government repression,” he said. “I won’t stand by while foreign agents threaten people in Arizona for exercising their constitutional rights.”
The bill is part of the Republican Majority Plan in the Arizona House, which emphasizes border security, individual liberties, and public safety.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jun 30, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Prescott City Council has voted down a proposed General Plan on Tuesday, rejecting what critics said contained “woke policies.” If the proposal had been approved, it would have made its way to the ballot for the next election.
The proposed General Plan included policies such as Vision Zero, road diets, and pricey, unreliable energy. These were just a small part of the “woke proposal,” according to critics, that seemed to change the dynamic of the city, rather than shape the future in a way that reflects the community’s vision and priorities.
Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic deaths and injuries, which may seem noble on the surface, but is designed to ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuel vehicles.
Road diets have a similar goal, reducing vehicle lanes to add bike lanes or wider sidewalks.
Prescott Mayor Phil Goode, along with two city council members, opposed the original proposal, citing its misalignment with the city’s conservative values and practical needs. Mayor Goode spoke strongly against this proposal, which he believed reflected policies that could transform the small, historic town into Los Angeles or San Francisco.
In the final vote, the original plan failed to obtain the five-vote supermajority needed to be referred to the ballot. A revised version, which made minor adjustments but retained many of the original policies, was also brought forward but failed again, this time with a 4-3 vote.
Prescott City Council is running out of time to agree on a General Plan that best describes the community’s needs for future development. If they do not vote and decide soon, they may likely miss the ballot for this fall’s general election.
Associate of Government Affairs for Arizona Free Enterprise Club, Mylie Biggs appaluded the move, saying, “This is a major win for the people of Prescott and the members of the Council that stood firm. Every other city in Arizona should be cautious of the language in their own General Plans and follow Prescott’s lead in rejecting wokeness in their cities.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
