by Matthew Holloway | Nov 11, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona GOP leaders are in court defending three abortion restrictions they say protect women and deter coercion after Attorney General Kris Mayes declined to defend the state laws. The Plaintiffs, supported by the Center for Reproductive Rights, argue that the statutes defy the 2024 constitutional amendment legalizing abortion up to fetal viability.
The lawsuit, Isaacson v. Arizona, was filed in May 2025 by Phoenix obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Paul Isaacson, a Proposition 139 supporter. Isaacson was joined by Dr. William Richardson and the Arizona Medical Association in the lawsuit, which challenges:
- A “reason ban” barring abortions based solely on fetal abnormalities (non-lethal or otherwise), gender, or race.
- A “two-visit requirement” requiring a second clinic visit and 24-hour delay after viewing an ultrasound.
- A telehealth ban prohibiting diagnosis, prescription, or mailing of abortion medication via phone or video.
Isaacson dropped a related federal case in April 2025 to advance this state challenge and was joined by the Arizona Medical Association and two other OB-GYNs.
Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro intervened to defend the laws, represented by attorney Emily Gould of Holtzman Vogel, after AG Kris Mayes declined to defend them, according to KJZZ. In June 2023, Governor Hobbs signed an executive order centralizing abortion-related prosecutions in the Attorney General’s office, a move Mayes said underscores their shared commitment to “fight … to protect the rights of Arizonans to make their own private medical decisions without interference.”
The case is before Judge Greg Como in Maricopa County Superior Court, who denied a motion for dismissal from Petersen and Montenegro, and ordered a three-day evidentiary hearing to explore the laws’ impact on abortion in Arizona.
Defendants’ witness, Phoenix OB-GYN Dr. Steven Nelson—who manages miscarriage care but has not performed abortions—backed the telehealth ban, stressing in-person exams detect coercion via nonverbal cues like facial expressions in trafficking scenarios. Gould, representing Petersen and Montenegro, cited American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists data and argued that at least 10% of abortion patients later report coercion. Nelson urged limiting telehealth to emergencies, as it “prohibits all of this,” and said he would provide such services only in the most dire cases.
Plaintiffs’ Wednesday witnesses—including Isaacson and experts from the Center for Reproductive Rights and ACLU—argued the laws burden low-income and rural patients with over two-hour drives and confidentiality risks in abusive settings. They argued that pre-abortion ultrasounds are unnecessary for early dating with reliable menstrual tracking. Experts clashed on the 24-hour delay’s health value, with one testifying that it undermines women’s autonomy and timely care.
Isaacson claimed the restrictions “create unnecessary barriers to essential reproductive health care,” echoing concerns from the Arizona Medical Association about access for vulnerable groups.
On ultrasounds, Nelson countered these arguments and described them as “essential to dating” pregnancies, estimating 60% of patients misjudge gestational age due to implantation bleeding. He noted ultrasounds pinpoint asymptomatic ectopic pregnancies, often undetected until seven weeks, requiring specific interventions. Nelson suggested local physicians could handle initial visits to ease rural travel burdens.
On day two of the hearing on Thursday, Judge Como indicated he may treat the record as sufficient for a permanent injunction, with closing arguments pending, according to Courthouse News. The hearing was set to continue on Friday, but as of Monday, no additional information was publicly available regarding the case.
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 Matthew Holloway | Nov 10, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
A Change.org petition calling for the removal of a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) “Club America” chapter at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale lists 429 verified signatures on its page as of November 7, 2025. The petition—titled “Stop Political Hate Clubs in Arizona Schools”—urges Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Governing Board members Carine Werner, Amy Carney, and Maricopa County Superintendent Shelli Boggs to dissolve the club, alleging it promotes “hate, division, or discrimination under the guise of ‘religious’ or ‘political’ values.”
The petition claims that TPUSA “has a documented history of targeting marginalized groups and spreading harmful rhetoric” and argues its presence “sends the message that intolerance is acceptable.” It adds, “While every student has the right to their own political beliefs, no club should be allowed to promote hate, division, or discrimination under the guise of ‘religious’ or ‘political’ values.” Funds raised through Change.org will support “awareness efforts, educational events, and promotional materials.”
Public comments on the petition echo those themes. Saguaro alumnus Seth wrote, “As a Saguaro alum, I am appalled that such a club would be allowed to exist… The very intention of Club America is to sew [sic] discord and position one side as morally right and the other as morally wrong.” Naleah of Peoria said, “This club is not freedom of speech; it is built on the premise and beliefs of a racist and sexist….” Ines of Scottsdale added, “Saguaro should be a community that nurtures its students into well-informed adults. Having a political group that is there to influence high school kids instead of properly educating them… is harming the fundamentals of education.”
TPUSA rebranded its high-school program as “Club America” in July 2025, but the petition refers to the Saguaro organization as a “Turning Point USA chapter.” The filing claims Saguaro recently approved the club under SUSD’s policy allowing student-led groups with staff sponsors, elected officers, and signed agreements. The district has not publicly confirmed the approval.
Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity, a parental-rights advocacy group, publicized the petition on X on Nov. 7, urging followers to email the SUSD board at GovBRD@SUSD.org to “uphold students’ rights to start a Turning Point club.” In the post, the group described the petition as “an effort to silence students at Saguaro High School who wish to launch a @TPUSA club,” quoting the petition’s claim that TPUSA clubs promote “discrimination under the guise of ‘religious’ … values.”
The advocacy group also alleged that Saguaro Principal Lisa Hirsch “previously allowed an antisemitic presentation to occur at Desert Mountain High School” when she was principal there—an allegation referencing a 2023 incident that drew statewide scrutiny. District communications at the time condemned hate speech and denied institutional antisemitism.
The event, also flagged by Scottsdale Unites for Education Integrity, involved a UNICEF club at Desert Mountain High School (DMHS) telling students that Israel has been illegally occupying, taking, and settling on land belonging to Palestinians; that Israel had engaged in ethnic cleansing and apartheid by forcibly displacing and discriminating against Palestinians; and that Israel unjustly tortured and imprisoned Palestinians, including 80 percent of Palestinian children.
TPUSA, founded in 2012, has faced similar opposition in other Arizona districts. In October 2025, Snowflake High School denied a TPUSA club request citing a moratorium on new clubs dating to 2009, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
SUSD did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A message sent through Change.org to petition starter Isabella Finley received no reply by press time.
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 Matthew Holloway | Nov 9, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Andy Biggs continues to hold a dominant polling position in Arizona’s 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary, maintaining the same lead he’s had since September when he also polled ahead of Karrin Taylor Robson by 24 points.
The latest poll, conducted October 26–28 among 397 likely GOP primary voters, shows Biggs at 43 percent with Karrin Taylor Robson at 19 percent and David Schweikert at 2 percent. Another 35 percent remain undecided. The mixed-mode survey, which carries a ±4.9 percent margin of error, was conducted by the Phoenix-based research firm GrayHouse Research & Analysis.
Biggs, a five-term congressman representing Arizona’s 5th District and former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, has led every early-cycle measure of the prospective Republican field. His advantage reflects both high name recognition and continued grassroots strength among conservative voters focused on border security, spending restraint, and state sovereignty.
The poll underscores a steady pattern: Biggs’ lead hasn’t wavered despite increased visibility from Robson, who finished second in the 2022 gubernatorial primary, or speculation that Schweikert could consolidate the party’s establishment wing. With one-third of the electorate still uncommitted, the numbers suggest Biggs enters 2026 as the de facto frontrunner. As reported by AZ Free News, Biggs polled at 55% against Robson’s 31%, with 14% of voters undecided in a September poll from Pulse Decision Science. He also polled at 48.6% against Robson’s 26% in a June poll by NextGen Polling, barely edging out “Other” and “Undecided” with a combined 25.5%.
Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer shared the results in a post to X, remarking “Latest Arizona Poll out on @politico’s website shows @andybiggs4az up 24 points on Karrin Robson. This is consistent with every poll to date. Republicans need to get behind Biggs for Governor and prepare the resources now to win next year.”
In a similar sentiment, Richard Baris of Big Data Poll, Chairman of the National Association of Independent Pollsters and host of ‘Inside the Numbers’ commented, “Yep, Biggs has a significant lead. It’s not particularly close. Would be a waste of money to even challenge him. But nobody ever accused GOP donors of being smart, so…”
GrayHouse’s data, drawn from its statewide voter panel and Arizona voter file, also provided a detailed look at the primary electorate.
In the attorney general primary, Senate President Warren Petersen started at 16% and former Tucson City Council member Rodney Glassman at 8%, with 76% undecided. After biographical information, Petersen rose to 48% and Glassman to 15%, with 37% undecided.
The poll also measured voter sentiment on state direction: 52% said Arizona is on the wrong track, 25% on the right track, and 22% did not know. For re-electing Gov. Katie Hobbs, 43% supported it, 48% preferred someone new, and 9% were undecided. Including Independents and Democrats, the poll surveyed 744 registered voters with a margin of error +/- 3.6%.
Arizona’s top issues ranked were affordability and cost of living at 29%, threats to democracy at 17%, and border security and immigration at 16%, followed by jobs and the economy at 9%, education and healthcare both at 7%, with crime/public safety and water both at 6%. Climate change and the environment came in at 3%, and abortion barely registered at 1%.
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 Matthew Holloway | Nov 9, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Scottsdale City Council voted Monday to authorize Interim City Attorney Luis Santaella to ready counterclaims and other filings in its escalating court fight with Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAAZE), the residents’ group challenging the state’s controversial “Axon Bill,” SB1543.
The authorization was granted in the event that the court upheld its original November 7th filing deadline in the case. However, the court subsequently granted an extension motion, according to Holly Peralta, Public Affairs Supervisor for the City of Scottsdale. Under the extended deadline of November 21st, the city council “will consider whether to bring forth such claims at its next regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 17.”
Former Scottsdale City Councilmember Bob Littlefield posted about the meeting on Monday morning, writing in part, “One of the items on tonight’s City Council agenda is the issue of whether or not the City will join my TAAAZE lawsuit against the ‘Axon Bill’ which cancels the right of referendum for Scottsdale citizens.”
Littlefield was critical of Mayor Lisa Borowsky, alleging that while supporting the suit, she has chosen not to take action.
He wrote, “This same question has been on the City Council agenda several times over the last few months, and the outcome has always been the same; Councilmembers Littlefield, Graham and Dubaskas have supported the idea while Councilmembers Whitehead, Kwasman and McAllen oppose it. That always leaves Mayor Borowsky as the swing vote. Lisa has repeatedly expressed support for the city joining the TAAAZE lawsuit against the Axon bill, yet every time it comes to a vote, she either votes against it or delays the vote, so no action is taken!”
Littlefield told AZFamily on Monday, “She wants to appear resident-friendly by saying she supports the lawsuit, but when it comes to push and shove, she votes in Axon’s interest by saying no.”
Borowsky responded, telling the outlet that she would prefer Axon keep its headquarters in Scottsdale. “Unlike former City Councilman Bob Littlefield, I want Axon to stay in Scottsdale,” she said. “Had Mr. Littlefield and his supporters not delayed the election until November 2026, Axon would not have gone to the Arizona Legislature, and we would not be in the legal predicament we are in today.”
She added, “Mr. Littlefield’s referendum was funded by an out-of-state labor union, which paid for 25,000 of the 27,000 signatures gathered. The 1,900 apartments at the Axon campus were hastily approved by the Lame Duck City Council on their way out the door. Let me be clear, I don’t support 1,900 apartments on that site. It is an outrage the Arizona Legislature passed a law to circumvent our control over zoning.”
As previously reported by AZ Free News, the Mayor held a town hall meeting in an open Q&A format to address citizens’ concerns in the ongoing controversy surrounding Axon’s headquarters expansion. During the town hall, the Mayor similarly called out former Councilmember Littlefield, saying, “I would have preferred to have this election much earlier, like May 2025 … the reason I pushed so hard to have an earlier election is because I believe the people should speak on this.”
Littlefield was unmoved, however, and told the Daily Independent, “For months, she’s told residents she backs our effort, but when it matters most, she blocks it. Her go to excuse? ‘Questions about the bill.’”
“Lisa, the bill passed six months ago,” he continued. “You’re a lawyer. You’ve had ample time to read it and get answers.”
Governor Katie Hobbs signed SB 1543 into law in April, severely curtailing municipalities’ ability to refer zoning matters to a public ballot. The law retroactively nullified the TAAAZE referendum and earned a sharp rebuke from Borowsky and the council, who told the Governor the law “undermines the principles of local control that are foundational to Scottsdale’s governance” and “sets a dangerous precedent.”
As of this report, the council is expected to vote on whether to take legal action in the case during its Monday, November 17th meeting.
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 Matthew Holloway | Nov 8, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Policy experts are pushing back on Democratic attack ads against Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) and other Republicans, saying the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s (OBBB) Medicaid reforms target fraud and waste—not vulnerable populations.
The ads, funded by the dark-money group Unrig Our Economy, are linked to the George Soros-backed Sixteen Thirty Fund via Arabella Advisors, according to Influence Watch. They feature individuals with disabilities like cerebral palsy, autism, and Down syndrome, accusing legislators, including Ciscomani, of supporting “cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.” The ads target GOP Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ), in addition to Ciscomani, and insinuate that the subjects would lose benefits under the Trump-backed OBBB.
A report from the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), titled “The Truth Behind the Medicaid Cuts Myth,” counters that Medicaid spending is projected to grow by nearly $189 billion over the next decade, an increase of more than 30% of the current allocation, without reducing benefits for low-income children, individuals with disabilities, or working recipients.
“The reforms in the OBBB do not target low-income children, individuals with a disability, or those who can work and choose to do so,” EPIC stated in the report.
“As usual, all the Democrats have is lies. Representative Juan Ciscomani voted to protect care for Arizona’s most vulnerable, and no amount of spin can change the facts,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Spokesperson Ben Petersen said in a statement.
The OBBB introduces work requirements for able-bodied adults, enhanced eligibility verification to cut improper payments (which surged to 21.7% in FY 2020 post-COVID, per CMS data but have since declined to 5.09% in FY 2024), and exemptions for parents of children under 14, disabled veterans, the blind or physically disabled, those with mental or developmental issues, clinically addicted individuals, and those with severe medical conditions.
EPIC and other analysts point to state 1115 demonstrations that have included work and employment elements; evaluations of such waivers show mixed employment impacts and mixed effects on utilization, varying by state and program design.
In Arizona, Ciscomani’s district faces heightened scrutiny amid a state budget shortfall. Arizona budget analysts and JLBC staff warn of material budget pressure heading into FY2026–27; JLBC’s state-impact memos estimate a $363 million reduction in Arizona total-fund Medicaid spending stemming from federal reconciliation provisions, according to the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
EPIC is advocating “smart waivers” to prioritize the disabled and families. For Arizona’s fiscal details, see JLBC’s full report.
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.
