by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 29, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) announced that the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has entered a final judgment against Safeguard Metals LLC and its owner, Jeffrey Ikahn, for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that preyed on elderly and retirement-aged investors across the country.
The ruling orders approximately $25.6 million in restitution to victims and an equal civil monetary penalty, totaling more than $51 million in sanctions. The decision follows a coordinated enforcement effort between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission(CFTC) and 30 state regulators, including Arizona.
According to court findings, Safeguard Metals and Ikahn operated a deceptive precious metals investment scheme between October 2017 and July 2021, soliciting roughly $68 million—primarily from retirement accounts—belonging to at least 450 individuals. The company promised secure investments in silver and other metals but instead misled investors with false information and inflated pricing on the metals sold.
Investigators found that the firm concealed material facts, manipulated sales tactics, and grossly overcharged customers for products that were worth far less than claimed. Much of the money lost came from seniors’ life savings and retirement accounts.
“The court’s final judgment in this matter provides meaningful restitution to investors harmed by this fraudulent action and it reinforces that the Arizona Corporation Commission will take decisive action to protect investors, especially those in vulnerable communities,” said ACC Chair Kevin Thompson. “I want to thank the CFTC and the state regulators for their dedication and hard work.”
Thompson added that the case serves as a reminder of the essential role state regulators play in detecting and halting investment fraud. “This outcome is an important reminder that state securities regulators play a critical role in fighting investment fraud in all forms,” he said.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also pursued a parallel enforcement action in 2022 against Safeguard Metals and Ikahn. Earlier this year, the court ordered the defendants to pay $25.6 million in disgorgement and an equal civil penalty, mirroring the CFTC and state regulators’ ruling. Any funds paid under one judgment will be credited toward the other to prevent duplication.
The sweeping case reflects cooperation among financial regulators from 30 states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas, as well as the CFTC’s national enforcement network.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 28, 2025 | Education, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is welcoming discussions between the University of Arizona (UA), Arizona State University (ASU), and the Trump administration on a new Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, a federal initiative promoting merit-based standards and accountability in universities.
Horne, who also serves on the Arizona Board of Regents, said the compact reflects his long-held belief that education policy should prioritize individual achievement over racial or identity-based criteria.
“Since I took on the Tucson Unified district in 2008 to end the racially divisive ‘Ethnic Studies’ program, I have been fighting against racial entitlements,” Horne said in a statement. “People should be judged on their character and merit, not the color of their skin. The Trump administration’s federal compact for universities shares that same goal, and I am pleased that universities, including the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, are in discussions with the President on enshrining those principles in their schools.”
Horne also disputed recent reports suggesting that the University of Arizona had declined to participate in the compact, pointing instead to a recent letter from UA President Suresh Garimella to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon. In the letter, Garimella expressed alignment with the administration’s goals of strengthening higher education through merit, excellence, and accountability.
“We share your vision of continuing to strengthen our higher education system for the betterment of the country — a vision rooted in a merit-based pursuit of excellence that directly or indirectly benefits all Americans,” Garimella wrote. He added that the university finds “much common ground with the ideas your administration is advancing” and welcomes collaboration with other institutions, higher education associations, and Congress “to advance and implement our principles in alignment with the national interest.”
Garimella’s Statement of Principles, included with the letter, outlines commitments to nondiscrimination, academic freedom, fiscal responsibility, and research integrity. It reaffirms that admissions and hiring decisions at UA will continue to be merit-based, and that diversity statements will not be used in employment processes. The document also emphasizes free speech protections, pledging to uphold the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression and to publish results from campus surveys on viewpoint diversity.
Under Garimella’s leadership, UA reports a 22% reduction in administrative spending, a tuition freeze for in-state students, and an expanded focus on aligning research priorities with national and economic security needs — reforms he described as consistent with the compact’s goals.
Horne said those steps demonstrate “a serious commitment to the kind of merit-driven, excellence-focused education system that Arizona taxpayers deserve.”
Both UA and ASU are expected to continue discussions with federal officials about implementing the compact in ways that preserve institutional autonomy while aligning with national standards for merit and accountability.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 26, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage over Democrats in Arizona to 333,255 registered voters, according to the latest October 2025 report released by the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
The newest data shows Republicans now total 1,603,141 registered voters (35.63%), compared to 1,269,886 Democrats (28.23%). Another 1,625,968 voters are registered as “Other,” which includes independents and minor parties such as Libertarians (32,026), No Labels (42,277), and Greens (5,212). Arizona’s overall active voter registration stands at 4,498,995.
Since July, Republicans have added 5,436 new voters, while Democrats lost 421, according to changes noted in the official quarterly report. Historical data compiled by the Secretary of State’s office shows this partisan gap widening steadily in recent years. Republicans led by 295,000 voters in 2024, 166,000 in 2022, and 130,000 in 2020. As of October 2025, that lead now surpasses 333,000 — the largest margin in nearly a decade.
County-level data reveals that Maricopa County, Arizona’s largest, remains a focal point of both parties’ registration efforts. The October report lists 940,727 registered Republicans, compared to 744,804 Democrats, giving the GOP a nearly 196,000-voter advantage in the county. In traditionally conservative counties like Yavapai, Mohave, and Pinal, Republicans maintain commanding leads, while Pima County continues to serve as the Democratic stronghold with 247,221 Democrats to 191,977 Republicans.
The data also shows continued growth in unaffiliated voters, reflecting Arizona’s independent streak. The “Other” category now represents more than one-third of all registered voters (34.37%), and its steady rise across counties — particularly in Maricopa, Pima, and Yuma — highlights how nonpartisan voters could decide close statewide races.
The voter registration update comes less than a year before the 2026 gubernatorial election, in which Republicans aim to unseat Governor Katie Hobbs (D). Political analysts note that while registration advantages can shape turnout dynamics, Arizona’s large share of unaffiliated voters keeps the state in competitive territory.
The report also tracks 409,091 inactive voters, those whose registration may need updating due to address or status changes. Among inactive registrations, Republicans slightly outnumber Democrats — 110,196 to 106,623 — though both parties show similar proportional shares. The next update from the Arizona Secretary of State is expected in early 2026. With voter registration surpassing 4.49 million and growing each quarter, Arizona remains one of the most closely watched swing states in the nation heading into the 2026 election season.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 25, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Public Service (APS) is seeking to raise electricity rates by 14% starting in 2026 — a move the Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AZFEC) argues would unfairly burden Arizona families while subsidizing costly “green energy” initiatives and the early closure of a key coal plant.
According to filings with the Arizona Corporation Commission, APS attributes the proposed rate increase largely to battery storage projects and the early retirement of the Cholla Power Plant. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club filed an official response criticizing APS for attempting to block the organization’s intervention in the case, while allowing environmental groups such as the Sierra Club to participate. “APS has no issue letting radical groups like the Sierra Club into their hearings, but they’re trying to block the one organization fighting for Arizona families,” said AZFEC President Scot Mussi.
Mussi contends APS’s “carbon free” and “carbon neutral” commitments over the past five years have shaped their energy plans — including their Integrated Resource Plans and large-scale renewable energy projects — resulting in higher costs for consumers. “For years, their voluntary commitments have very likely increased costs for Arizona ratepayers,” the organization said in its filing.
Two days after filing its response, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club announced it had been officially granted intervention in the APS case. This designation allows AZFEC to participate directly in proceedings, making it the only organization representing ratepayers who oppose the rate hike.
In the ruling, the Administrative Law Judge overseeing the case described the Club as “the lone proponent” of an energy approach emphasizing reliability, affordability, and independence — priorities the group says align with President Trump’s “American Energy Dominance” agenda.
“While others are lobbying to shut down Arizona’s coal plants and pour billions into unreliable Green New Scam projects, we’re standing up for the ratepayers who will be left to foot the bill,” Mussi said. “We’re proud to be the only organization in this case fighting to keep Arizona’s energy secure, affordable, and free from political interference.”
The Club’s participation ensures that Arizona ratepayers have a voice during the proceedings, according to Mussi and AZFEC Deputy Policy Director Greg Blackie. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about protecting Arizona families and ensuring that our state doesn’t fall victim to the same radical energy policies destroying affordability across the country,” said Blackie. “We intend to shine a light on the real costs, the real numbers, and the real consequences of this so-called green transition.”
The case before the Arizona Corporation Commission will determine whether APS can move forward with its proposed rate hike. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club says it plans to continue pressing for “transparency, accountability, and energy freedom,” ensuring that “ratepayers are not forced to fund reckless green energy policies.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 22, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona House Republicans have taken legal action to defend a decades-old state law governing birth-certificate amendments after Attorney General Kris Mayes failed to confirm whether her office would appeal a recent federal ruling striking the statute down.
Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro announced Monday that the Arizona House Republican Caucus, alongside Senate President Warren Petersen, filed a motion in U.S. District Court seeking to intervene as defendants for the purpose of appealing the decision and requesting a stay pending appeal.
The move follows U.S. District Judge James Soto’s September 30 ruling, which permanently enjoined enforcement of A.R.S. § 36-337, the provision requiring proof of a “sex change operation” before the state can amend the sex marker on a birth certificate. The injunction orders the Arizona Department of Health Services to revise its regulations within 120 days and to allow amendments based on a doctor’s attestation of a “sex change.”
“Arizona’s laws are not optional,” Montenegro said in a statement. “When a federal court rewrites a statute, the Legislature has a duty to defend it. If the Attorney General won’t defend Arizona’s laws, we will. The ruling now opens the door for anyone to change the sex marker on a birth certificate with just a doctor’s note, erasing decades of statute and undermining the integrity of vital records.”
According to the motion, Republican leaders made repeated inquiries to the Attorney General’s Office beginning October 1 about whether the state would appeal. After more than two weeks without a definitive answer, House and Senate leaders moved to intervene to ensure that the state’s position would be represented before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The legislative leaders argue that Arizona law gives them authority to defend state statutes when their constitutionality is challenged and that the Attorney General’s inaction effectively leaves the law undefended. Their filing asserts that the federal court’s ruling misapplies equal protection principles and conflicts with recent Supreme Court guidance in United States v. Skrmetti—a 2025 case addressing gender-related classifications under the Constitution.
The lawmakers also requested an immediate stay of the injunction, warning that allowing it to take effect could cause “irreparable harm” to the state by forcing the issuance of amended birth certificates that could later be invalidated if the appeal succeeds.
This legal dispute comes months after Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2438, a bill sponsored by Rep. Rachel Keshel (R-LD17) that would have barred any changes to the sex marker on birth certificates, reinforcing the same policy now at issue in court.
If granted, the intervention would allow the Arizona Legislature’s top Republicans to pursue an appeal directly to the Ninth Circuit in defense of the statute—marking a rare instance of state lawmakers stepping into a role traditionally held by the Attorney General.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
