Maricopa County may have to add its new branding to its growing list of controversies.
Critics of the county’s new brand remark that the letter “I” in Maricopa looks like a bright orange middle finger. It appears the design was intended to be a minimalist cactus.
Among the online critics was former State Senate President Karen Fann.
“Honestly, it looks like they are giving us the finger… again,” stated Fann.
even once you realize the symbol is meant to be a cactus, it doesn't read as an i – mar🌵copa in the less stylized form. my brain goes 'martcopa??' 'marycopa?'
The county unveiled the rebranding on Wednesday. In a press release, the county shared that the rebranding took over three years to produce, beginning several years before the pandemic. The rebranding will be uniform across all county departments and several elected offices. The county shared that it would also issue rebranding updates to other, unspecified areas throughout the year.
The county worked with the advertising and marketing agency HAPI to produce the branding.
The agency worked previously with Scottsdale Parks & Rec to create summer lifeguard help-wanted ad campaigns, and the city of Phoenix for general city advertising.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman justified rebranding due to reported resident confusion over distinguishing the county from other cities and towns due to similar, vague branding.
“What we found over a few years of research is that residents often confuse us with other governments or can’t distinguish between what the County provides and what their city or town handles,” said Hickman. “Some of this is the result of how we have presented ourselves over the years: as distinct departments instead of one unified County. That changes today.”
County Manager Joy Rich predicted that the new branding would improve employee recruitment and retention.
“A cohesive countywide identity means more people who need assistance will know where they can find it,” said Rich. “It will also help us recruit and retain the best workforce, which translates into better service for residents.”
The county also released a video to announce their rebranding. The narrator likened Arizonans and the county’s culture to the desert lands and, specifically, cacti.
“Our roots go deep and no matter what, we stand tall. Solving problems, removing barriers, growing a better future: we are Maricopa County, Arizona,” said the video.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Attorney General Kris Mayes’ newly appointed right-hand man previously advocated for assault against the former attorney general.
Earlier this week, Mayes appointed lawyer Dan Barr to become her chief deputy attorney general. This comes a little under a year after Barr called former Attorney General Mark Brnovich a bully, indicating that physical force was the only means of handling him effectively.
“The only way to deal with cowardly bullies is to punch them in the nose,” wrote Barr. “That’s what @SecretaryHobbs is doing to @GeneralBrnovich.”
Barr issued the tweet in response to Governor Hobbs, then the secretary of state, suing Brnovich for threatening her with criminal action over her administration of the 2020 election.
He's right about one thing – the only way to stop a bully is to confront the bully head on (but not resort to violence as suggested by the "incoming" Chief Deputy, that would be assault & battery). pic.twitter.com/7HZ5f6pb89
The only way to deal with cowardly bullies is to punch them in the nose. That's what @SecretaryHobbs is doing to @GeneralBrnovich here. https://t.co/3MNZoiEe9F
Barr hails from Perkins Coie — the law firm formerly led by prominent Democratic Party and Russiagate attorney Marc Elias. He was representing Mayes in the case filed by her GOP opponent, Abraham Hamadeh, challenging this recent election. Barr filed a notice of withdrawal in the case on Monday.
Barr also represented Mayes in Hamadeh’s first lawsuit over the election results preceding the statewide canvass. Maricopa County Superior Court dismissed the case without prejudice for filing prematurely.
Barr told Arizona’s Law that he begins his role on Jan. 17. Jen Wright, former assistant attorney general and head of Brnovich’s Election Integrity Unit (EIU), questioned this timeline. She noted that he has an active email with the attorney general’s office.
If Barr hasn’t started conducting business on behalf of the AG, why would he have an AG email address? 🧐
Wright is contemplating a defamation lawsuit against Mayes after an unnamed source within the attorney general’s office falsely claimed to the Arizona Republic that Mayes fired Wright.
AZ Free News reached out to Barr about challenges to the timeline of his employment. We also asked if he had been or is currently working on any litigation with the attorney general’s office. He didn’t respond by press time.
Barr expressed confidence in Mayes’ ability to stop Saudi Arabia from using Arizona’s rural groundwater resources. Saudi Arabian companies rely on unlimited access to this water source for their commercial farms; unlike urban areas, groundwater in rural areas doesn’t have restrictions.
Barr is also supportive of Mayes’ approach to legalizing abortion. He expressed the belief that the “right to privacy” purportedly in the Constitution superseded the state’s interest in preserving unborn life. Prior to becoming a Supreme Court (SCOTUS) Justice, Louis Brandeis invented the “right to privacy” in the 1890s, later using it in key SCOTUS opinions. This language informed the landmark decision Griswold v. Connecticut — the precursor to Roe v. Wade, effectively creating a right to abortion and abolishing state bans on abortions.
“Mayes believes that Arizona's constitutional right to privacy supersedes Arizona's two restrictive abortion laws while Hamadeh believes that the pre-state law that bans most abortions and prosecutes doctors is Arizona's current law.” https://t.co/22LGqmrRyR
A proposition intended to provide transparency to certain, alleged dark money networks may result in more danger for certain nonprofits.
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AFEC) says it’s faced threats of violence and endured vandalism last year, and expressed concern that Prop 211, the Voters’ Right to Know Act, would exacerbate these issues.
AFEC President Scot Mussi told AZ Free News that some of the threats of intimidation were so severe that they filed police reports. Mussi said that the forced disclosure of the names, addresses, occupations, and identities of employers for any donors who gave over $5,000 to them would be subject to the same evils they face.
“Our supporters should be able to exercise their speech rights without fear of harassment or intimidation,” said Mussi.
Mussi predicted that Prop 211 would result in donors enduring retaliation and harassment. He pointed out that the proposition lacked substantive protections, except a provision protecting individuals from a “threat of physical harm.” However, Mussi was skeptical that the provision had any teeth for most organizations, save for the wealthy and powerful.
Our staff have received numerous phone calls/voicemails threatening violence. One staff member's car was even vandalized. Prop 211 only encourages this behavior – targeting, harassing & doxing conservatives who won’t submit to the Left’s agenda. https://t.co/dM0Z2xOV5Q
Any group or entity that spends over $50,000 on campaign media spending in a statewide race or $25,000 in any other race must adhere to those disclosure requirements. The top three donors for that cycle must also be disclosed, even if their funds weren’t used for campaign media spending.
Campaign media spending includes any public communications promoting, supporting, attacking, or opposing a candidate within six months of an election; referring to a candidate 90 days before a primary election; or even researching, designing, or producing content in preparation for public communication about a candidate. This expansive definition would include blog posts, articles, press releases, or social media posts.
Mussi told AZ Free News that the forced disclosure was tantamount to doxxing. He said the disclosures are a “well-known tactic” to silence dissent, referencing the ousting of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich after he donated to fund a California initiative declaring that marriage belongs between a man and a woman.
As a result of these concerns, AFEC filed a lawsuit to overturn Prop 211 last month. The nonprofit insists that First Amendment free speech protections also afford the right to not be forced to speak.
Joining AFEC is the Center For Arizona Policy (CAP), a conservative nonprofit, represented by the Goldwater Institute. The named defendants include Governor Katie Hobbs in her former capacity as secretary of state, as well as the Arizona Clean Elections Commission.
In a press release, Goldwater Institute (GI) Senior Attorney Scott Day Freeman stated that Prop 211 would force donors to choose between supporting causes and organizations they believed in or having their donations and private information publicized on a government list.
“The result will be less free speech, more harassment, and an uglier political discourse,” stated Day Freeman.
As AZ Free News reported, Prop 211 provides neat carveouts for primary sources of leftist dark money: corporate media, Big Tech, labor unions, and “nonpartisan” PACs, for example.
The main financier of the measure, David Tedesco, is the founder and CEO of the Phoenix-based venture capitalist firm, Outlier. The leader of the effort was Terry Goddard, the state’s former Democratic attorney general. Both men toldThe Washington Post that they disagreed with characterizations of Prop 211 by AFEC, CAP, and GI.
Tedesco also pushed back against the Wall Street Journal editorial board opinion opposing the proposition.
“Transparency and sunshine are happy words, but in reality disclosure laws have become a weapon used by the left to intimidate conservatives from engaging in politics. Groups trawl records for names and then organize social-media campaigns to harass and discourage donors,” wrote the board. “Americans looking to participate in campaigns can, and often do, see their names dragged through the mud. Many donors decline to engage, and political speech is chilled before it even happens.”
Tedesco rebutted that Prop 211 doesn’t present a free speech threat because it was backed financially by registered independents and Republicans. He said that voters had a right to know any financial sources behind free speech.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Maricopa County is investigating the mass failures of Election Day ballot-on-demand (BOD) printers resulting in issues for over 17,000 voters.
In a press release last Friday, the county shared a joint statement from Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates and Vice Chairman Clint Hickman. The duo shared that former Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor would lead the investigation. The duo also appeared to mistakenly state that the BOD printers “read” the ballots.
“This Board of Supervisors has always been committed to continuous improvement. When things don’t work, we find out why,” stated the pair. “[We will] find out why printers that read ballots well in the August Primary had trouble reading some ballots while using the same settings in the November General. Our voters deserve nothing less.”
NEW: Former AZ Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor will lead independent investigation into Election Day printer issues. We look forward to her findings. Statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mOhkWideou
McGregor is tasked with hiring a team of outside experts to investigate why there were mass printer failures. McGregor previously investigated allegations of unethical conduct within Arizona State University’s economics department concerning, specifically a quid pro quo agreement between the university and an education and technology company. McGregor’s investigation quickly proved the allegations to be false.
McGregor also investigated Arizona Department of Corrections safety issues pertaining to malfunctioning cell doors and locks. The report resulted in improvements to the malfunctioning security measures.
GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who is challenging the midterm election results in an ongoing lawsuit, questioned why Gates and Hickman stated that the BOD printers “read” ballots.
🤦♂️ Maybe @maricopacounty can examine why they think printers read ballots?
"I mean, how seriously can you take a press release that says they are going to investigate why printers had trouble reading ballots? Printers don’t read ballots, they print them!” https://t.co/AQnXyS9JKOpic.twitter.com/ZEbGZBJIWk
During the county’s canvass of the election results, several poll workers testified that they witnessed election machine issues prior to Election Day. The county also disclosed that only certain BOD printers experienced failures during their preliminary investigative efforts: “Oki” model printers retrofitted to be BOD printers. According to the county at the time, 71 of 211 sites were impacted.
. @MaricopaVote : the faulty printer setting causing widespread tabulator issues occurred in one of two types of printers: the one retrofitted to be a ballot-on-demand printer, "Oki." County expressed confusion with its failure since stress testing went well. 71 sites impacted. pic.twitter.com/jZEmQiZXQn
The timing of the county’s investigation aligns with its other actions to address voter concerns. A few hours before the state certified the election results, the county issued a survey asking voters how they felt about the midterm election.
The county also delayed its compliance with the Arizona Senate’s subpoena for election records for over a month. The legislator leading the charge to obtain the records, former State Sen. Kelly Townsend, did receive the records earlier this month.
Townsend hasn’t published the records on a public forum yet. She stated that she couldn’t post the documents on the State Senate website.
People are asking me about the subpoena. Maricopa county has provided the documents and they are currently being scanned. However, I am not allowed to post them on the Senate website so I’m not sure of the legality of posting on another site. This is what is taking so long.
Governor Katie Hobbs announced the creation of an Elections Task Force over the weekend. The task force must issue a report by Nov. 1 with recommendations to improve Arizona’s election laws, after which point it will be terminated.
In her press release, Hobbs took aim at Ducey. She indicated that him not launching a similar initiative showed a lack of leadership.
The order is one of the latest issued by Hobbs under her “First 100 Days Initiative.”
I've also announced an executive order on election security as part of my First 100 Days Initiative. I've seen first hand how keeping our elections secure is paramount to protecting Democracy. #Hobbs100pic.twitter.com/V43QUGwN0X
Hobbs also reinstated the Arizona Commission on Homelessness and Housing, which Ducey abolished in 2020, and banned gender identity discrimination from state employment.
Attorney General Kris Mayes may face a defamation lawsuit after a member of her administration falsely claimed that she fired former Assistant Attorney General Jen Wright.
Wright, also formerly the head of the Election Integrity Unit (EIU), resigned days before Mayes took office. However, the Arizona Republic reported last week that Mayes fired Wright, relying on exclusive information provided by an unnamed source.
Hey @azcentral! This article is defamation. 1) I resigned before Mayes took office (confirm on @LinkedIn & AGO HR) 2) @robertanglen made no attempts to contact me (contact info on Linked In) 3) I headed the CIVIL side of EIU & never participated in ANY criminal investigations. pic.twitter.com/9B2Thal075
“In one of her first official acts, newly elected Attorney General Kris Mayes told Wright to resign or be fired, her office confirmed Wednesday,” stated the article.
EXCLUSIVE: Controversial Election Integrity Unit leader ousted from Arizona AG's office. Jennifer Wright supported far right candidates and used her office to investigate their losses. Story @azcentralhttps://t.co/yRDWeJU5eo
Wright questioned who in the Mayes administration fed the false claim to the Arizona Republic. Wright shared documented proof from human resources confirming her resignation was effective Dec. 30, along with a Dec. 31 resignation letter submitted to Michael Catlett, deputy solicitor general and chief counsel of special litigation.
Who in @krismayes administration is spreading lies? Will he be willing to lie under oath – either when deposed or on the stand?
There was no ultimatum. I was gone before Mayes arrived, as reported by @yvonnewingett.
Wright also questioned why the reporter, Robert Anglen, hadn’t reached out to her for comment. Anglen admitted privately to Wright in an email that he failed to reach out for comment after claiming to have “just” discovered that she blocked him on Twitter, and that he hadn’t thought to reach out via LinkedIn.
Funny, @robertanglen admitted to me via email he never reached out for comment. He claimed he "just" discovered he was blocked (which he reported on in Nov '22). Then he said he didn't think to try Linked In.
However, Anglen claimed publicly on social media that he had reached out to Wright via LinkedIn for comment; additionally, he reported last November that Wright blocked him.
Assistant Attorney General @JenWEsq blocked me following investigation that found she trolled election officials and tweeted support of MAGA candidates before launching a probe of @MaricopaVote and questioning results. pic.twitter.com/9EszIIwWsz
Anglen also claimed that the source inside Mayes’ office had confirmed that Wright was fired twice.
Thank you for unblocking me. The AG’s office just confirmed your ouster a second time after I relayed your post. I am available to discuss. Whatever you think of me is immaterial. My job is to report accurately. You have my email/ phone.
The Arizona Daily Independent (ADI) confirmed that Wright issued a notice and demand for correction per state statute. If Wright filed a lawsuit seeking damages for the libel, she may be awarded special damages only — unless she can confirm that the article was made with actual malice.
As of this report, the claim that Mayes fired Wright remains in the article.
In a memo obtained by the ADI, Wright informed Anglen and Greg Burton, executive editor of the Arizona Republic, that they needed to correct the article.
“As an attorney, my reputation is a significant part of my ability to get clients,” stated Wright. “The longer you keep up this defamatory article, the more damages I am incurring.”
Former Attorney General Mark Brnovich appointed Wright to lead the EIU when he created it in 2019. Prior to her resignation, Wright investigated hundreds of complaints pertaining to Maricopa County’s administration of the 2022 midterm election.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
