by Matthew Holloway | Dec 4, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senator David Farnsworth is drawing attention to findings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The findings revealed that Arizona is home to five of the deadliest intersections in the western United States—all of which are in Maricopa County. The study, conducted over an 18-year period, found that across the western U.S. from 2004-2022 more than 35,000 people were killed in car accidents related to these intersections. This amounts to approximately 2,000 accident fatalities per year, according to data analyzed by Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers.
Within the study’s timeframe, the situation has distinctly worsened with fatal crashes related to these intersections doubling.
Farnsworth said, “Far too many of Arizona’s roadways are filled with potholes, bumps, cracks, loose gravel, or other unstable surfaces. Some may not have adequate lighting, others may not have appropriate signage or traffic signals.”
He added, “These treacherous conditions are contributing to a hazardous commute for drivers. We must make improvements to create a safer environment for drivers traveling through notoriously deadly intersections within our state. Whether that’s adding traffic lights, lanes, or improving road surfaces, it is paramount we don’t ignore our deteriorating transportation system. It remains critical that we take a deep dive into funding reforms in the coming months to secure the necessary resources to improve our roads, highways, and freeways. Arizonans’ lives and livelihoods depend on it.”
Two of the intersections are located along SR-347, the main route to Maricopa, AZ.
Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith also weighed in on the findings, saying, “The safety of our residents is our top priority, and many of our state highways require urgent upgrades. A prime example is SR 347, which links the City of Maricopa to the Greater Phoenix area. This critical route is in dire need of expansion and safety enhancements. I am grateful that Senator Farnsworth is dedicated to exploring innovative solutions to address this vital issue.”
According to the report, the five intersections in Maricopa County are Broadway Road and SR-85 (Oglesby Rd), 59th Ave and Indian School Rd, Hazen Rd and SR-85 (Oglesby Rd), Maricopa Rd and SR-347 (N John Wayne Pkwy), and Riggs Rd and SR-347 (N John Wayne Pkwy).
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 | Dec 3, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Democrat President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter, despite a very public vow not to, was met with condemnation from Arizona leaders in both parties. Two Arizona Republican congressmen and one congressman-elect were joined by a Democratic Representative in offering a stern rebuke of Biden’s blatant reversal and the clear preferential treatment given to his son.
In a statement released late on Sunday, Biden forwarded the claim that his son’s prosecution for violating federal gun laws and violations of the tax code were selective and that his son was “unfairly prosecuted” and “treated differently.”
He wrote:
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.
The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.
No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.
For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
Most controversially, the “Full and Unconditional Pardon” issued for the younger Biden is broad and sweeping. It covers “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.” Notably, this period covers time when President Biden was still Vice President under the Obama administration, as well as Hunter’s appointment and tenure on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma according to Reuters. This would handily cover events and serious allegations of corruption probed by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives in the past two years. It would also cover business dealings in China that have been heavily scrutinized as influence peddling and featured the cryptic mention in exposed emails of Hunter securing “10 held by H for the big guy,” as reported by the New York Post.
Appearing to refer to the implication of President Biden in the scandals, Republican Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) wrote in a post to X, “Proxy Pardon,” seeming to suggest Biden is de facto pardoning himself or his brother James Biden.
Congressman-elect Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) wrote, “Joe Biden is leaving his presidency even more disgraced. A two-tiered justice system has no place in America. No more lies. No more special treatment. It’s time to restore law and order.”
Replying to a post from journalist John Harwood, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) wrote, “’…Acting on principle and keeping his word’,” quoting Biden.
Replying to a previous post to X from the President which stated, “No one is above the law,” Crane wrote, “Unless your last name is Biden.”
Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) reposted the Associated Press coverage of the pardon and wrote, “I respect President Biden, but I think he got this one wrong. This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers,” adding a bipartisan character to the Congressional blowback from the pardon of Hunter Biden.
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 | Dec 2, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
With the certification of the 2024 Elections complete, the battle lines are being drawn in what could amount to a lengthy legal clash over abortion restrictions in the state.
As reported by the Associated Press, the next fight to break out will likely be to render the present abortion law, a 2022 ban on abortions after 15-weeks with the exception of saving a mother’s life, inoperative. Unless and until a court rules or the legislature passes a new statute to align with the newly minted amendment, the 15-week ban remains in effect. It is around this bulwark that pro-life parties are beginning to build a defensive case, or conversely one that attacks the constitutional amendment.
Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes told reporters, “The position of the state of Arizona will be that we agree that abortion is legal in our state.”
Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) told reporters with the AP that the group is working to anticipate any legal challenges to the current statutes and are preparing to legally “intervene where appropriate.”
Darrell Hill, policy director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona told the wire service, “All the laws that have currently been on the books are under question and are subject to possible challenges at some point.”
In a post to X, the Center for Arizona Policy commented, “Today, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs ‘celebrates’ the passage of Proposition 139 to amend the Arizona Constitution to enshrine a constitutional, fundamental right to an abortion. It is not a time to celebrate. It is a time to mourn the legal taking of unborn children’s lives and the resulting harm to their mothers.”
The advocacy group warned, “Within days, Arizona will see one or more lawsuits that will prove the real intent of Proposition 139: to overturn up to forty of Arizona’s common sense safety standards. Standards that not only protect the viability of unborn children but also the well-being and lives of their mothers. These laws were passed to protect women and their unborn children. Prior to the election, Prop 139 proponents scoffed when we pointed out that the amendment would not only legalize abortion until birth but would put all of Arizona’s common sense abortion safety standards in jeopardy.”
In addition to the 15-week ban, as many as 40 additional statutes require abortion restrictions. They range from requiring pregnant women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound performed at least 24 hours beforehand, to forbiddding abortions explicitly performed due to the existence of a genetic abnormality in an unborn child.
CAP added, “The proponents of this disastrous amendment are revealing what their real agenda has always been: to expand abortion – and their profits – at any cost, even the cost of Arizona women’s health and lives. Governor Hobbs celebrates. Those who value the sanctity of human life at all stages weep. Our commitment remains what it had always been: protect both the woman and her unborn child. We will fight tirelessly to defend these critical, lifesaving measures. We will do all we can to limit the anticipated breadth of Proposition 139.”
Challenges to Prop 139 may range from the vagueness of its standard of “fetal viability,” to how “a compelling state interest,” is defined, with one argument being that preventing murder is in the state’s direct and compelling state interest. Further, allegations that the proposition was only approved through disinformation propagated by Governor Hobbs may lead to legal challenges 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 | Dec 2, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A study published in the International Journal of Historical Archaeology, revealed a detailed discovery of what has been described as “the oldest firearm ever found within the continental USA, and perhaps the oldest cannon currently known on the continent.”
As reported by ancient-origins, the cannon, a bronze wall gun dated to the Coronado expedition of 1539–1542, was found in the Santa Cruz Valley of southern Arizona. The weapon is described as measuring 42 inches long and approximately .95 inches in bore diameter, weighing in at approximately forty pounds. The outlet described it as roughly the equivalent of a 5-gauge shotgun of the sort typically employed to breach the fortifications of the 16th Century.
The weapon was reportedly discovered on the floor of a heavily eroded adobe-and-rock-walled building, undisturbed for approximately 480 years. Though its date of manufacture is unclear, the context of its use can be effectively determined at 1541.
As independent journalist Mario Nawfal reported via X, “The relic was unearthed at San Geronimo III, a Spanish settlement established in 1541 during Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s quest for the mythical “Seven Cities of Gold.” This cannon symbolizes resistance, marking one of the earliest Native American victories. The Sobaipuri O’odham launched a surprise attack on the settlement, dismantling Spain’s foothold in the Southwest.”
In the study as cited by Newsweek, the authors, Deni J. Seymour and William P. Mapoles observed, “It is a design consistent with the mid-to-late 1400s and was practically obsolete by the time of the expedition. This cast bronze cannon is a pristine historical specimen and was found in situ, resting on the floor of a Coronado expedition Spanish structure,” the authors wrote in the study.
They added, “This gun is small enough that it would have been easily transportable, weighing about 40 pounds and is roughly 42 inches long. This was the perfect piece to carry on this expedition owing to its light weight, durable nature, and ease of use,” the authors said. “The expedition brought artillery pieces so that as they traveled to unknown lands they could breech the wooden or light adobe walls of cities encountered and so they could repel any enemy.”
The authors added, “The advantage of this type of firearm is that it is versatile, which was especially valuable for an expedition embarking on such a long land journey. For example, the powder charge could be varied from light to heavy depending on the intended target, which also determined the recoil. It could be fired in the fork of a tree, across the saddle of a mount, over a wall, or with a tripod which meant that it could be used just about anywhere.”
As noted by ancient-origins, the relevant historic records suggest that the cannon’s immaculate condition was left behind by retreating Spanish forces during an attack by the Sobaipuri O’odham on a Spanish settlement. This is supported by the fact that the cannon was found unloaded and showed no signs of being fired, surrounded by nearby clusters of lead shot and Sobaipuri arrowheads.
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 | Dec 1, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Attorney General Kris Mayes has said that the State of Arizona is prepared to act upon its first execution warrant after fellow Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs dismissed a retired federal magistrate she appointed to review the state’s execution process in 2023.
Former Magistrate David Duncan reportedly never finished his work before his dismissal according to the Arizona Daily Star. Despite his authorization to charge $175 per hour up to $100,000 to conduct a full review of Arizona’s fraught execution process, Duncan was notified in a letter obtained by Capitol Media Services that Hobbs no longer has confidence in him.
According to the Daily Star, Hobbs said in the letter that Duncan’s review has strayed beyond his mandate, which was explicitly to review the protocols and procedures used by the AZ Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) to judicially mete out death.
Gov. Hobbs observed in one report that Duncan suggested the ADCRR should weigh the implementation of the firing squad, explaining that it “does overcome the impediments to lethal injection from unavailability of material and skilled personnel.” Though firing squad is not currently available under Arizona law, it is far from unprecedented with Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah still offering the option as of 2024. Duncan’s inquest was terminated and he stands to be paid just $36,000.
Hobbs noted further that Ryan Thornell, whom she tapped for director of the corrections department, also completed his own review of the execution protocols and, per Capitol Media Services, made a series of recommendations including revised training standards and enhanced documentation.
Thornell told reporters that the greatest issues facing the department have been staff who’ve proven unable to place an intravenous line into the condemned to deliver the lethal injection, leading to “executions lasting longer than expected.” He further noted that some executions have depended on a procedure that was “extensive and intrusive.”
He reported that a medical team has been sourced, which includes a trained phlebotomist “providing a level of expertise to the team related to IV placement procedures.’’ He added that decision making in executions has been “inconsistent” and said, “I will not make decisions without the advice of the trained and qualified medical/IV team.”
Hobbs claimed, “With these changes in place, ADCRR is prepared to conduct an execution that complies with the legal requirements if an execution warrant is issued.”
Capitol Media Services reported via X that the first execution warrant should be sought by AG Mayes within two weeks.
That warrant will be sought to execute Aaron Gunches, a man who pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder and kidnapping of his girlfriend’s ex-husband Ted Price in 2002. In 2022, after nearly two decades on death row, Gunches waived his right to post-conviction appeal and motioned for his own execution, a motion he later withdrew in 2023 upon Hobbs taking office. The Arizona Supreme Court has refused to reconsider the motion, however, the warrant expired before it could be acted upon. Mayes must now seek a new death warrant.
“Given the review that has now been completed by the Department of Corrections, I feel confident that the state is prepared to conduct an execution,’’ the Attorney General told Capitol Media Services. “And so I will be issuing a request for an execution warrant to the Supreme Court in the next two weeks.’’ AG Mayes told reporters that there are some 111 inmates currently housed on death row in Arizona, awaiting execution and among them 25 have exhausted all possible appeals.
“There are 25 families out there who have an expectation that the killer of their loved ones will be executed,’’ Mayes told Capitol Media. She also added that the disparity between counties that can afford to implement the expensive procedures of the death penalty as opposed to those that cannot as easily is “something I think the Legislature needs to address.’’
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.
