by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 7, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate Ethics Committee Chairwoman Shawnna Bolick has referred an ethics complaint against Sen. Analise Ortiz to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review, citing allegations that involve federal law enforcement.
The complaint, filed on September 2nd, accuses Ortiz of interfering with federal immigration enforcement operations in the state. Bolick announced Wednesday that she will formally notify federal prosecutors, saying the allegations fall under their jurisdiction.
“I take this complaint very seriously. Doxing federal ICE agents is not only reckless, it endangers lives and undermines the rule of law,” Bolick said in a statement.
The referral comes as the Senate Ethics Committee has yet to meet in 2025. Bolick said the panel must first adopt its operating rules before it can consider the complaint. Once that step is complete, she added, the committee will review the case “strictly adhering to constitutional standards, as well as applicable state and local laws.”
Bolick distributed the complaint to committee members and Ortiz in a single email “to ensure full transparency,” she said. The issue also connects to Bolick’s legislative record. In 2021, she sponsored HB 2502, a bill signed into law that makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to electronically distribute someone else’s personal information without their consent, with intent to provoke harassment. At the time, it was the first state-level measure addressing the online misuse of personal data.
Until the U.S. Attorney’s Office completes its review, Bolick said, the Senate committee will hold off on further action.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 7, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A meeting on September 3rd brought together families, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, tribal leaders, and child welfare advocates to address systemic failures in the state’s child welfare system. Recent tragedies involving children in group homes have drawn attention to gaps in oversight, including inconsistent coordination with law enforcement when youth run away from facilities, breakdowns in communication with tribal governments, and limited transparency around licensing actions.
Now, following the stakeholder meeting convened by State Senator Carine Werner (R-LD4), the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) has committed to a series of reforms aimed at strengthening oversight and improving child protection. The announced set of immediate measures from DCS include:
- Clearer notification rules: Drafting changes to require group homes to alert DCS and law enforcement promptly when a child leaves placement.
- Stronger law enforcement partnerships: Sharing group home locations with local police to encourage proactive engagement with staff and residents.
- Critical information packets: Creating standardized “face sheets” for law enforcement to use when a child runs from a facility.
- Renewed tribal engagement: Re-establishing standing meetings with the San Carlos Apache Tribe and extending outreach to other tribal nations.
- Licensing transparency: Developing a process to share licensing actions with tribes that contract with DCS-approved facilities.
Senator Werner emphasized that while the commitments mark progress, long-term accountability remains essential.
“This is a step in the right direction, but it can’t be the last,” Werner said. “Arizona’s children deserve a system that responds quickly, communicates clearly, and puts their safety first. I will keep working with stakeholders and holding DCS accountable until we create a system that best serves families and kids throughout Arizona.”
Werner credited the families, law enforcement agencies, and tribal leaders who participated in the discussion, noting their input directly shaped the reforms. The changes come amid growing scrutiny of Arizona’s child welfare practices, with lawmakers and community advocates pushing for stronger safeguards to protect vulnerable children in state care.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 7, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Hadrian, a fast-growing advanced manufacturing company specializing in AI-powered production, recently announced it has raised $260 million in fresh capital and will significantly expand its operations in California and Arizona. The move comes as the U.S. defense sector seeks to bolster domestic industrial capacity amid heightened global competition.
The latest funding round, a Series C led by Founders Fund and Lux Capital with additional financing arranged by Morgan Stanley, will finance new facilities, expanded research and development capabilities, and dedicated production for naval defense. In total, Hadrian plans to add nearly five football fields’ worth of manufacturing space.
Company founder and CEO Chris Power said the investment reflects both urgency and opportunity. “America cannot afford to lose another generation of industrial capacity,” Power said. “China is making massive bets on industrial dominance. The United States needs to respond not just with policy, but with production. That’s what Hadrian is here to do.”
At the center of the announcement is Hadrian’s planned Factory 3 (F3) in Mesa. The 270,000-square-foot facility represents a $200 million investment and is expected to create 350 new jobs. The site will serve as both a large-scale production plant and a software hub, with operations slated to begin by January 2026.
Arizona officials welcomed the project as a boost to the state’s growing role in aerospace and defense. Governor Katie Hobbs called Arizona “at the heart of America’s national defense,” while Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman described the investment as proof of the city’s status as a national hub for advanced manufacturing.
“Hadrian’s presence marks a major step forward in strengthening America’s industrial base,” Freeman said.
Alongside the Mesa facility, Hadrian is preparing to establish a new 400,000-square-foot corporate and R&D headquarters to support what it described as the “rapid hiring of thousands” in the coming years.
Hadrian emphasizes speed as a key differentiator. Powered by its proprietary Opus software, the company says it can launch new factories in under six months, a pace far quicker than traditional manufacturing buildouts.
Economic development leaders in Arizona say the company’s decision reinforces the state’s attractiveness to high-tech industries. “Greater Phoenix is known internationally as a hub for innovation, and Hadrian is leveraging the region’s advantages for its transformative F3 in Mesa,” said Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.
Hadrian positions itself as a cornerstone of a broader effort to restore America’s manufacturing base, with a particular focus on defense production. Its model blends automation, AI, robotics, and machine learning with traditional process engineering.
By moving critical production onshore, the company argues it can help the U.S. counter reliance on foreign suppliers while creating new jobs. “We’re building the factories that will secure American leadership in advanced manufacturing,” Power said. Hadrian expects both the Mesa site and its new headquarters to be operational by early 2026.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) has filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Analise Ortiz (D-LD24), accusing her of endangering public safety by posting online alerts about federal immigration enforcement activity.
Hoffman announced the filing Wednesday, arguing that Ortiz’s actions undermined U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Arizona. He said her public posts alerted individuals targeted by federal agents, putting both officers and civilians at risk.
“By publicly posting alerts about federal law enforcement activity, she actively tipped off individuals being pursued by ICE, jeopardizing the safety of officers and law-abiding citizens,” Hoffman said in a statement.
According to the complaint, Ortiz used her official platform to share real-time information about enforcement operations and urged people to avoid them. The filing states that after being criticized, Ortiz defended her posts with what Hoffman characterized as “inflammatory language.”
The complaint is backed by Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), Majority Leader John Kavanagh (R-LD3), and other Republican lawmakers. It calls for Ortiz to face expulsion or, at minimum, disciplinary action by the chamber.
“Every law enforcement officer deserves to go home safe at the end of their shift. Every Arizona family deserves to know their elected leaders are protecting them, not siding with lawlessness,” Hoffman said. The Senate Ethics Committee will now review the complaint to determine whether to move forward with a formal investigation or disciplinary measures.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen is calling on Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to revise the state’s draft of the 2025 Elections Procedures Manual (EPM), warning that lawmakers may pursue legal action if disputed provisions remain in place.
The Elections Procedures Manual, which outlines how elections are conducted in all 15 Arizona counties, must comply with state law and receive approval from both the governor and attorney general before taking effect. Petersen contends the current draft includes measures that exceed the secretary of state’s legal authority.
“The Elections Procedures Manual cannot be used as a vehicle to rewrite Arizona law,” Petersen said in a statement released Monday. “If these provisions are not corrected before submission, litigation will follow.”
Among the concerns identified by Petersen and Republican legislators are provisions they say weaken election safeguards. These include extending the time for non-citizens to “cure” invalid registrations, bypassing voter ID requirements on registration forms, limiting ballot challenges, and reducing oversight on ballot chain-of-custody procedures.
Lawmakers also raised objections to proposed rules that they argue diminish political parties’ role in selecting poll workers, relax standards for petition circulators, and require election officers to adhere to policies they believe infringe on constitutional rights.
Petersen said the secretary of state has a “pattern” of resisting statutory requirements, adding that changes to election rules should be made through the legislative process rather than administrative directives.
“Our election laws are passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor — not invented by one officeholder,” Petersen said.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
