by Matthew Holloway | Mar 6, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ8) issued a statement following the announcement by President Donald Trump of a pivotal deal with TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) to bring $100 billion in investment for chip manufacturing plants in the U.S. over the next four years.
“Earlier this month, my team met with representatives of TSMC to discuss their plans for future jobs in Arizona, which should focus on tapping into our veteran workforce,” Hamadeh said in the statement. “They are clearly committed to President Trump’s American First Manufacturing agenda, bringing high-paying employment opportunities to CD8 allowing US leaders to increase the quality of life for our residents.”
TSMC established itself during the Biden Administration through the controversial 2020 CHIPS Act. It was at the center of a lawsuit in November due to its hiring practices allegedly favoring Taiwanese nationals as previously reported by AZ Free News. Their current Arizona facility is located within Hamadeh’s congressional district.
In December, the development of TSMC’s Phoenix facility was placed at risk by an unfavorable nonattainment status of ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the EPA under Biden, leading then-Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, Hamadeh’s predecessor to intervene.
In December 2022, TSMC announced a commitment to build a second fabrication facility (fab) in addition to its North Phoenix facility, increasing its total investment to $40 billion.
As detailed by President Trump in a press conference on Monday, the new investment is set to bring Arizona’s total number of TSMC facilities to five, with thousands of new jobs.
President Trump told reporters, “This $100 billion in new investment will go into building five cutting-edge fabrication facilities in the great state that we just discussed, Arizona, and will create thousands of jobs — many thousands of jobs, and they’re high-paying jobs. In total, today’s announcement brings Taiwan Semiconductor investments to about $165 billion — they’ve started already — among the largest new foreign direct investments in the United States.”
The President added, “Taiwan pretty much has a monopoly on that market. And I think ‘pretty much’ is not a term that’s even appropriate. They do have a monopoly. And this is a tremendous move by the most powerful company in the world. It’s a matter of economic security. It’s also a matter of national security for us.”
TSMC expansion is expected to create approximately 80,000 jobs over the next 5 years.
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 | Mar 6, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is urging caution from the public in the use of Crypto ATMs with a warning that they are being utilized to facilitate cryptocurrency scams in a bigger way “than ever before.” Reporting from the FBI has indicated losses to consumers in Arizona of over $325 million.
According to a press release by the ACC Securities Division, national data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has shown American consumers reporting losses in excess of $110 million through scams linked to cryptocurrency ATMs documented in 2023, a drastic escalation at ten-times the 2020 figure.
As explained by the ACC, Crypto ATMs, kiosks that allow users to purchase cryptocurrencies using a credit or debit card, have become more ubiquitous and are visually similar to traditional ATMs. They are often located at gas stations, convenience stores, malls, and other places where an ATM would typically be present. However, unlike a typical ATM, these kiosks convert dollars to cryptocurrency held in an electronic wallet… for a fee.
Portal scamming, an already common issue at ATMs, fuel pumps, and cash registers poses an added danger with the advent of Crypto ATMs as the ACC explains:
“The scams typically start through online chats, social media, emails, texts, pop-up messages and phone calls from strangers. The lies told by scammers vary, but they create some urgent justification for consumers to take cash out of their bank accounts and put it into a crypto ATM.
“Often, the scammers fabricate an investment that promises great returns with limited risk. When consumers put their money into the crypto ATM, the ATM converts the money to cryptocurrency. The consumer types in the scammer’s electronic wallet address, or the consumer is given a QR code to scan which points to the scammer’s electronic wallet address. The ATM then transfers the crypto to the scammer’s electronic wallet. Once in their control the scammers quickly move the crypto making it very difficult to trace and recover.”
The commission offered a series of proactive recommendations to consumers to avoid becoming a victim to scam artists employing these tactics:
- Never click on links or respond directly to unexpected calls, messages, or computer pop-ups. If you think it could be legitimate, contact the company or agency, but look up their number or website yourself. Don’t use the phone number the caller or message gave you.
- Slow down. Scammers want to rush you, so stop and check it out. Before you do anything else, talk with someone you trust.
- Never withdraw cash in response to an unexpected call or message. Only scammers will tell you to do that.
- Don’t believe anyone who says you need to use a crypto ATM to protect your money or to fix a problem or to get in a great investment. Real businesses and government agencies will never do that—and anyone who asks is a scammer.
One victim identified as Tamara Glerum by AZFamily, reportedly lost $28,000 to a scammer, with the FBI stating that Arizonans overall lost about $325 million in reported Crypto ATM fraud.
As reported by ABC15, a Peoria woman reportedly lost $17,000 to such as scam, and AZ State Rep. David Marshall has introduced House Bill 2387 to crack down on Crypto ATM fraud by imposing a $1,000 daily transaction limit on the devices, requiring state operator licensing and refund policy options as well.
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 | Mar 4, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona List, a pro-abortion lobbying group, hosted its 21st Annual Celebration on Saturday under the headline: “How we regroup and come back stronger.” The event featured Viridiana Hernandez, Executive Director of ‘Poder in Action,‘ who in 2020 called for “a world without police.” She was honored as a “trailblazer” alongside former Arizona Senator and current President/CEO of the Regional Center for Border Health Amanda Aguirre, and Anakarina Rodriguez of Mi Familia Vota.
The event was also attended by seven Democrat state legislators: Heley Creighton (LD7), J’aime Moraine (LD30), Marcia Smith (LD1), Nancy Hartl (LD7), Helen Hunter (LD10), Kim Moschetti (LD14) and Cochise County Supervisor Theresa Walsh. As reported by the AZ Mirror in June 2020, Hernandez spoke at a demonstration hosted by Black Mother’s Forum outside the Phoenix City Council demanding the defunding of the Phoenix Police Department. “Today we are here to dream of a world without police,” she told the protesters. “Reform is not enough… It is not possible. We ultimately need to abolish the system that exists and together create a new world.”
CNN Commentator and former Hillary Clinton adviser Karen Finney was a featured speaker at the event as well. Finney, suggested in a post to X on Friday that President Donald Trump “might be a danger to the U.S.,” and that Republicans are “letting Putin play Trump like a fiddle.”
Finney also referred to Vice President JD Vance as “completely irrelevant,” and described Trump’s disagreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that day as “despicable but predictable.” She also accused the President of doing Putin’s bidding saying, “Without lifting a finger he’s got Trump fighting his battle and looking like an ass.”
In posts to Facebook, the pro-abortion group shared posts from Pima County Supervisor Adelita S. Grijalva who wrote, “No better way to kick off Women’s History Month than with the 21st Annual Arizona List Celebration, honoring elected women and women in leadership throughout the state of Arizona who are working to make a difference in their communities!”
Elma Alvarez a Tucson Democrat nominee to fill the vacant LD20 State House seat of Andrés Cano wrote, “It was truly uplifting to celebrate incredible women at the annual Arizona List celebration. Two extraordinary women I’m privileged to know, Anakarina Rodriguez and Claire Knipe, were honored. The Arizona List is a remarkable organization that empowers pro-choice women to achieve public office.“
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 | Mar 3, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A legal resident of the U.S. was brought to the San Luis Port of Entry from Mexico by her neighbor after she suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were able to render lifesaving first aid.
According to CBP, officers encountered the woman who was brought to the point of entry by her neighbor. The woman’s neighbor had spotted her unresponsive in her front yard with a swarm of wasps nearby. She appeared to be suffering a massive allergic reaction from being stung.
The officers began to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the woman immediately upon assessing that she was unresponsive with blued skin and was not breathing. CBP Emergency Medical Technicians rapidly responded to the scene and began to provide additional care.
The Border Patrol EMTs provided lifesaving care to the woman until they were relieved by a San Luis Fire Department ambulance who transported the woman to an area hospital.
Chris Leon, Area Port Director for San Luis, said in a statement, “This lifesaving action by our officers and EMTs shows how CBP protects and serves our communities in a variety of ways.”
“I am extremely proud of our CBP personnel who quickly jumped into action to help and save this woman in need.” Just one day before CBP officers in Naco, AZ, uncovered an attempt to smuggle approximately 159 lbs. of meth hidden in a truck bed during a secondary inspection.
The following day, CBP Airborne and Maritime Operations & BORSTAR operators aided the Pima County Sheriff’s Office in rescuing an injured hunter near Arivaca, AZ, with Jose Muriente, AMO Deputy Director, Tucson Air Branch commenting: “This rescue is a testament to our unmatched aviation precision capabilities. I am incredibly proud of the professionalism our UH-60 crew and BORSTAR team showed today, to save the life of this hunter.”
According to CBP statistics, the Yuma Sector of the border, where San Luis is located, has seen a 72.2% reduction in illegal immigrant encounters since fiscal 2024 with a 33.9% reduction in Unaccompanied Children, a 60.4% reduction in individuals traveling as a family unit, and a 70.2% decrease in single adults.
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 | Mar 2, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Wednesday to allocate up to $480k to perform an election audit in cooperation with the Maricopa County Elections Department and the County Recorder’s Office.
According to Maricopa County, the board has approved funding for two distinct independent reviews to be conducted on the technology employed by election officials as well as a comprehensive review of election processes. VoteBeat reporter Jen Fifield revealed in a post to X that the cost breakdown will be $80k for the technology review and $400k to review election processes to be conducted by outside firms through the normal Request for Proposal Process.
The Board of Supervisors’ website for the review detailed that the technology review will “make sure election equipment was not tampered with during the 2024 election cycle and cannot connect to the internet. The last in-depth review of our tabulation equipment was completed in 2021, and the County has replaced and upgraded many components of our tabulation equipment.”
Regarding the process review, investigators will “include extensive research about key aspects of the election process, especially those that seem to prompt confusion or concern, including: Physical Security, Chain of custody, Tabulation.”
The board noted that “The process will be overseen by the Maricopa County Internal Audit Department and will be free of Board and staff influence.”
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Thomas Galvin said in a statement, “In my Chairman’s speech, I promised an independent review of Maricopa County election processes and procedures. That work starts today with Board approval of funding to our Internal Audit Department for a comprehensive review on key aspects of election administration in Maricopa County. We want to continue expanding transparency with the public and make adjustments where they are necessary. We welcome the opportunity to improve! I believe this comprehensive review, coupled with action from the state legislature to reform outdated laws, will give voters more confidence and ultimately strengthen American democracy.”
He posted to X, “The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to hire an independent 3rd party to review our elections procedures & identify areas to improve. I’m proud to work with colleagues who are committed to operational excellence”
In a press release, Vice Chair Kate Brophy McGee, District 3, said, ““We are united in our belief that Maricopa County administers free and fair elections. However, I believe this comprehensive review will give voters more confidence and ultimately strengthen American democracy.”
Emphasizing the need for an audit by outside firms, Supervisor Mark Stewart, District 1, said in a statement, “Maricopa County deserves best-in-class elections. Today, a united Board took action to invest in a comprehensive, independent review of election processes and procedures because we recognize the value of outside expertise.”
“I hear it every day from friends and neighbors—they want a government that operates in plain view, that’s accountable to the people, and that jumps at the opportunity to get better. That’s what this comprehensive review is about, and I’m excited that we are moving forward with it on behalf of voters.”
According to the release, the board will release the findings generated by the auditors hired “in a public setting, without edits, revisions or changes,” with the board stating, “The auditors’ work will be theirs and theirs alone.”
In later posts to X, responding to reports from AZCentral, Galvin openly criticized the 2022 Election Audit conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, commissioned by the Arizona Senate. He said, “I’m very proud of the fact that we’re going to allow a third party to come in and show us where we can do better. But when we emerge out of that, you’re going to see a stronger, more robust board … advocate for much needed election reforms at the state level.”
“I actually think the timing is perfect. …we’re not defensive and that we’re open to new ideas,” he added. “This is how you do it — not the way the Cyber Ninjas audit was done. So, frankly, I want to show that this is the right way to do it.”
Following the unanimous vote, the meeting of the Board of Supervisors ended abruptly after four of the 19 registered public commenters spoke. Galvin cited “too much yelling” for the reason of the abrupt ending. The discord centered around the ongoing disagreement between Galvin and Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap regarding an agreement between former Recorder Stephen Richer and the outgoing Board of Supervisors, which set the election areas of responsibility for each office.
Merissa Hamilton of Strong Communities Action/EZAZ.org stated that Supervisors Stewart and Lesko remained to engage with the public following adjournment.
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.
