by Matthew Holloway | Sep 21, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On Tuesday, the Cochise County Supervisors voted to ask U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the certifications and laboratory accreditation of the county’s voting systems ahead of the 2022 election.
In a letter from Cochise County Board Chairman Frank Antenori, the board requested that “information from the United States Department of Justice concerning the accreditation of the voting system test laboratories (VSTLs), the certification of ES&S electronic voting systems, and the use of engineering change orders during the 2022 Arizona general election.” He added that “these matters present material statutory and constitutional questions that relate directly to the integrity of the electoral process in Arizona.”
Antenori also observed that the Board has “a constitutional and statutory obligation to ensure compliance with election law,” citing Article 7, Section 7 of the Arizona Constitution that governs the tabulation of “legal votes.”
He explained that the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) “has invoked 52 USC § 20971(c)(2) to argue that accreditation remains valid indefinitely absent formal revocation. Respectfully, the plain text of the statute requires renewal on a biennial basis.”
The Chairman went on to point out that the accreditation had lapsed in March 2020 and stated, “The EAC’s interpretation appears inconsistent with both the statutory language and congressional intent.”
In particular, Antenori observed that A.R.S. 16-442 (B) requires the following: “Machines or devices used at any election for federal, state or county offices may only be certified for use in this state and may only be used in this state if they comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and if those machines or devices have been tested and approved by a laboratory that is accredited pursuant to the Help America Vote Act of 2002.”
The accreditation question led two Republican supervisors to delay the county’s election certification in 2022 until they were ordered to do so by a judge. A state grand jury later indicted the two supervisors on charges brought by Arizona’s Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes. Supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd, both Republicans, faced charges of conspiracy and interference with an elections officer. Judd pleaded guilty while Crosby awaits trial.
As reported by VoteBeat’s Jen Fifield, the letter to AG Bondi was proposed by Crosby after he was reelected last year. The executive session in which the letter was discussed was closed to the public; however, Fifield reported that Crosby attached a 30-page document to the meeting minutes, providing the board with additional details and even a piece of grand jury testimony from his case.
On Monday, Fifield reported that a judge rejected Crosby’s request to delay his case, and his trial date will still be set on Sept. 22.
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 | Sep 20, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona AG Kris Mayes’ Communications Director Richie Taylor deleted his X, Bluesky, and LinkedIn accounts after screenshots of his alleged posts surfaced on “groypers” and “violence on the right.”
Corey A. DeAngelis, a Senior Advisor with Americans For Fair Treatment, shared a screenshot allegedly taken from Taylor’s X account, which read, “Lots of people learning about groyper’s tonight because of violence on the right in this country.”
The post appeared to advance the unsubstantiated theory that Charlie Kirk’s assassin, Tyler Robinson, is a member of online commentator Nick Fuentes’ fan base, known as “groypers,” who have rhetorically feuded with Kirk and Turning Point USA over the years.
As reported by the Associated Press, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray revealed Tuesday that evidence, including a text confession and a note, shows the suspect targeted Charlie Kirk, stating, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” and “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
The comments would seem to preclude the assassin from views that could be “on the right,” as Taylor’s alleged post suggested. Gray declined to address whether Kirk was targeted due to his views on transgenderism on Tuesday, telling reporters, “That is for a jury to decide.”
Last month, Taylor came under public scrutiny for “vicious ad hominem attacks” against Jenny Clark, founder of Love Your School, a nonprofit that advocates for parental rights, school choice, and resources for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) and special education students.
Following the incident, Clark posted an update saying, “Update: the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes, @richietaylor – has deleted posts against me which were extremely aggressive, untrue, unprovoked and vicious ad hominem attacks. I make policy arguments supported by available facts, they prefer to personally attack people.”
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 | Sep 19, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen will propose legislation in the upcoming legislative session to rename State Route 202 the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Loop 202” in honor of the slain Turning Point USA co-founder.
The new legislative session, beginning on January 12, 2026, will open with Petersen’s legislation being introduced to rename the Loop 202 freeway that encircles the southern and eastern areas of the Valley, where Turning Point USA’s Phoenix headquarters is located.
“Wednesday, September 10, 2025, will forever be noted in history as a dark day where evil in its truest form was on full display,” Senate President Petersen said in a Tuesday press release. “Charlie Kirk was assassinated in cold blood by a cowardly terrorist and was targeted for his influence. But we must press forward. While Charlie Kirk cannot be replaced, this effort can make sure his legacy lives on.”
“We all have a role to play in carrying on Charlie’s legacy,” said Petersen. “Through God’s grace, by renaming this highway, we can ensure that his name, his mission, and his witness to the gospel will endure for generations to come. Even in the midst of sorrow, God’s Word reminds us that hope endures. Renaming this highway is a small step toward honoring Charlie’s immense contribution, but it is also a call for each of us to press on in faith, to live courageously for Jesus, and to stand firm in the principles Charlie so boldly championed.”
Speaking with KTAR host Mike Broomhead on Wednesday, Petersen addressed the possibility of political pushback to the legislation. Broomhead asked, “Do you believe that there will be immense support for this? I anticipate that there’s going to be some push back Mr. President. There are going to be some people that say that this is controversial. But do you think it will pass? And where will it be?”
Petersen replied, “Yeah. Of course, it’ll take, it’ll have to go through the legislature; it’ll need to be signed. I think it can be, and it should be. I mean, we have a portion of the freeway named the Ed Pastor freeway, and I don’t agree with Mr. Pastor politically, but I respect what he did for his constituents and some of the positive things he did for Arizona.
“And so, I mean, there’s no doubt Charlie Kirk, you know, he has all these admirable things that he has done and he pushed for and fought on values. And so, it should be improved. I think it will definitely pass the legislature. And I think we have a really great chance the Governor will sign it. Now, of course, all this will happen next year, as it won’t be able to happen until we’ve started the session. But there’s a lot things in the legislature that, you know, even if they don’t pass the first year, they do pass eventually. And I feel like this is something that needs to be done.”
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 | Sep 19, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Last week, Congressman Abe Hamadeh joined his fellow Republicans in passing the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a bipartisan vote of 231-196 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The landmark legislation delivers critical support for Arizona’s military communities, service members, and defense industry. Hamadeh’s vote reflects his commitment to strengthening national security and prioritizing the needs of his constituents in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.
“I am proud of the work we have done on the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act to support military families through a pay raise, restore America’s fighting forces, and secure our border,” said Congressman Hamadeh. “This legislation will get our service members what they need, when they need it, while supporting America’s manufacturers and workers.”
In a post to X, Hamadeh’s office wrote, “Congressman Hamadeh understands that Border Security is National Security, which is why he supports the FY26 NDAA to secure America’s borders. This means it fully funds the deployment of troops to the border and authorizes nearly $1 billion to combat drug traffickers.”
The FY26 NDAA, shaped through bipartisan collaboration, streamlines military procurement processes, delivering over $20 billion in savings while ensuring critical investments in Arizona’s military installations and defense innovation. Congressman Hamadeh’s leadership secured several key provisions that directly benefit Arizona’s service members, military bases, and defense industry.
Hamadeh’s office emphasized the key wins for Arizona in the FY26 NDAA. They highlighted two provisions impacting Luke Air Force Base in particular. The first is a provision requiring the Secretary of the Air Force to produce a detailed report on the operational impacts, workforce demands, and costs before any downgrade of leadership at major bases like Luke Air Force Base. This will ensure the base, a critical hub for training and operations, retains its one-star general leadership. The second provision addresses HVAC issues at the West Valley Air Force Base.
In broader moves for his district, Hamadeh worked with Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) to secure a provision eliminating burdensome regulations that required license holders to “babysit” machine guns during fitment and testing. This change will save Arizona’s defense industry, particularly in Congressional District 8, significant costs while boosting efficiency.
Hamadeh added additional provisions as well to invest in cutting-edge gyroscopes produced in Congressional District 8, enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellite imagery, fast-tracking the customization of jet engine production in Phoenix for use in collaborative combat aircraft, and increasing the acquisition of dump trucks for the Arizona Army National Guard.
Working in bipartisan cooperation alongside Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) and Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Hamadeh also secured an order for three additional conversions of AH-64D to AH-64E Apache helicopters, saving jobs at Mesa’s remanufactured Apache production line, which had been at risk of shutting down. In collaboration with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Hamadeh included a provision requiring the Secretary of Defense to report on suicide prevention resources under The Brandon Act, named after Congressional District 8 service member Brandon Caserta, who tragically died by suicide.
Hamadeh emphasized the collaborative nature of the NDAA, stating, “I am grateful to my colleagues for their bipartisan support of Arizona’s military installations and innovators.”
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 | Sep 17, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona House Ethics Chair Lupe Diaz (R-LD19) blasted Democrats Friday for “weaponizing” complaints against Rep. John Gillette (R-LD30). Democrat Reps. Oscar De Los Santos, Nancy Gutierrez, Quanta Crews, and Stacey Travers filed a complaint on September 10, citing an interview from Gillette and social media posts. They called his remarks “offensive” and “unbecoming of an elected official,” noting his criticism of radical Islamists and Sharia law.
In a string of posts to X referred to in the Democrats’ complaint, Rep. Gillette wrote, “Islamophobia is a construct of the Marxist left I reject. I hear them state that they stand with Hamas and Iran, they want to bring Sharia Law to the US. They chant death to US. I have years of direct experience with these savages. [Their] own religion preached convert or die. F**K EM. If they want here to become the s**t hole they left… they can go home. The democrats support them. DEMOCRATS HATE AMERICA!”
Responding to subsequent comments, he clarified his position, stating, “I was critical of their policies. “Shiria(sic) Law and convert or die” are policy positions of Islam. Democrats want to install Socialism as a policy. I criticize both as they are repugnant to the Constitution. My reply is based on experience in the Middle East and Soviet Union. Not some leftist theory cooked up in a liberal college classroom with the same professors and systems that say there are 32 genders.. grow up and see reality…. remember Covid when you were told to wear a face covering, not work. The left forced this on us, not people like me.”
In their complaint, the Democrat lawmakers claimed, “Rep. Gillette referred to Muslims as ‘f***ing savages’ who don’t properly ‘assimilate’ into American culture. By referring to Muslims as ‘savages’ and ‘terrorists,’ Rep. Gillette dehumanized them and demonstrates his bigotry against an entire religious group, which constitutes about 1% of the population in this state.”
In a letter responding to the Democrat representatives, Chairman Diaz wrote that “remarks, statements, or opinions by a member, alone, are not traditionally the subject of an ethics inquiry. Subject to our House Rules regarding debate, members—like any other citizen—have a First Amendment right to the freedom of speech, as well as a right to freely speak under Article 2, Section 6 of the Arizona Constitution.”
Citing the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Diaz added, “Moreover, particularly in light of recent events, it is imperative that government institutions protect the freedom of speech, rather than take actions to silence, punish, or censor speech simply because someone might find it offensive or disagreeable. The inquiry you request this Committee to make would result in no more than an inquiry into the sincerity of Representative Gillette’s beliefs or a debate into the merits of those beliefs— neither for which an Ethics Committee hearing is the proper venue.”
Diaz concluded, “It would be inconsistent with constitutional principles—and unprecedented, based on past practices of previous House Ethics Committee Chairmen presented with similar complaints to undertake any further review or investigation of your complaint. Accordingly, I will not take further action on this matter.”
He further added an admonishment to the Democratic representatives, urging them to review Rep. Gillette’s response to their press release announcing the complaint, entitled “Defending America Against Radical Ideologies and Political Hypocrisy,” and added, “To the extent that you have any lingering concerns about his statements, it would be prudent to engage in civil discourse rather than weaponizing the House Ethics Complaint process.”
In the statement, Gillette explained in part, “Immigrants are welcomed here as guests who can become fellow citizens, and gratitude, respect, and loyalty to our nation are the minimum expectations. Yet too often, what we see instead is a demand that Americans change our culture, our speech, or our religion so as not to ‘offend’ those who chose to come here. That is not assimilation—it is subversion. I will treat every human being with dignity and respect. But I will not, and Americans must not bow to the demands of those who place their foreign ideologies above our Constitution.”
Gillette defined the group he opposes as “radical Islamists,” who seek “the establishment of a worldwide caliphate,” adding, “While some [in] the Muslim world may practice their faith peacefully, many more have weaponized the concept of jihad to justify terrorism, mass murder, and political conquest.”
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.
