by Staff Reporter | Apr 22, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) is heading into the second quarter of this pivotal election year with a negative cash balance exceeding $720,000.
Their latest campaign finance report, filed last week, reflected total-to-date expenditures that nearly tripled their income: over $2.8 million compared to $1 million.
For this first period, ADP’s expenditures did fall below their income: about $67,500 compared to $151,500.
ADP experienced much stronger fundraising in the first quarter of 2022, the last midterm election year. The party’s reported income was over $370,000 and expenditures were $146,000 in that first quarter.
A stark difference was evident between ADP’s campaign finances for the last two off-years as well.
The party’s campaign finance report data for all of 2025 reflected income just below $857,000, but expenditures totaling over $2.7 million. In the first quarter of 2025, the party raised only about $210,000 and spent nearly $360,000.
Comparatively, by the end of 2023, ADP had $1.5 million more in income than expenditures. In the first quarter of 2023, ADP raised nearly $1 million and expended about $227,000.
Some among ADP leadership did warn last summer that the party would go broke by the end of the year. The party has dealt with publicized infighting for about a year.
Unlike other transfers listed, shared expenses with the Navajo County Democratic Committee (NCDC) were categorized as an “unlimited transfer” routing arrangement for ADP funds.
NCDC has a surplus of nearly $1.6 million. Since the beginning of last year, NCDC has sent over $61,000 to ADP.
In that same time period ADP sent back over $107,000 to NCDC, or $46,000 more than NCDC has sent. Their cycle to date reported a cash flow between the two totaling nearly $150,000.
Navajo County accounted for ADP’s second-largest expenditure last year.
AZ Free News contacted ADP about the state of their finances and their fiscal arrangement with NCDC. ADP didn’t respond to our inquiry.
Apart from NCDC, ADP’s number-one expenditure last year by far was $1.7 million last August to the Copper State Values PAC, established and run by Gov. Katie Hobbs’ campaign manager Nicole DeMont and treasurer Dacey Montoya. Since DeMont set up the PAC in December 2024, its primary function has appeared to be a funding arm for the Hobbs reelection campaign.
The PAC sent back $94,500 a few months later, last December.
Discounting the $49,000 received from NCDC last year, ADP’s biggest sources of income were:
- United Food and Comm Workers (UFCW) Union Local 99, the largest private-sector union in the state: $100,000
- Estate of the late Janet Delesanti: $49,000
- Arizona Public Service: $30,000
- Elevance Health Inc (formerly Anthem), an Ohio-based insurance company: $25,000
- Donalyn Mikles, former attorney for the defunct Arizona Summit Law School and director of the California-based Kling Family Foundation: $20,000
- Moms Fed Up, a D.C.-based political activist organization: $20,000
- William (Bill) Roe, former chair of the Arizona Democratic Party: $15,000
- Pam H. Grissom, founder and longtime (not current) board member for Arizona List: $15,000
- AFSCME People, AFSCME’s D.C.-based political action arm: $15,000
The following donated about $10,000 each: University of Phoenix, PMI US Corporate Services, Nextera Energy Resources, Arizona Education Association Fund for Public Education, Arizona State Association of Electrical Workers, and Daniel T. Ling.
None of the Democrats’ other legislative districts or county parties in the state have reported a negative cash balance, with the exceptions of Santa Cruz County Central Democratic Committee and La Paz County Democratic Central Committee.
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by Staff Reporter | Apr 21, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Since taking office last November, Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) has made it clear that defending illegal aliens in her district against deportation will remain a priority.
Unlike her Republican colleagues, Grijalva treats those considered illegal aliens residing in her district as her constituents. To her, citizenship doesn’t determine who qualifies as an American.
“In my district, families span generations, borders, and cultures — but they are unequivocally American,” said Grijalva.
In her criticism of President Donald Trump’s promise to prioritize the “worst of the worst” for deportation proceedings, Grijalva has indicated the need for additional justification when deporting those whose only apparent crime was crossing the border and remaining in the country illegally.
Of the approximately 50 press releases Grijalva has issued since taking office, nearly half were issued in defense of illegal aliens and opposition to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Of her approximately 200 posts on X, nearly one-third were posts in defense of illegal aliens as valid Arizona residents, demanding the abolition of ICE, or opposition to immigration enforcement efforts.
Of her 14 remarks in the congressional record (excluding recognitions and honorings of individuals), three were focused on opposing ICE and stricter immigration enforcement.
Grijalva has made good on her repeated promise to investigate and provide oversight of ICE detention facilities. She has conducted three visits to the Arizona Removal Operations Coordination Center at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Eloy Detention Center in Eloy, and Florence Federal Detention Facility in Florence.
The congresswoman has participated in at least eight protests against ICE and this administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
Last month, Grijalva offered compromise on her refusal to pass DHS funding through her introduction of two amendments. These amendments, not adopted, would have required federal agencies to obtain tribal government approval for immigration enforcement actions on tribal lands, and prohibited the federal government from creating or maintaining lists of individuals protesting at immigration enforcement activities.
The same day, Grijalva demanded the dismantling of ICE.
Grijalva’s commitment is reflected through her actions, notably the significant volume of her constituent work dedicated to illegal aliens.
The congresswoman has participated in at least three forums in her district addressing ICE activity. One forum that Grijalva co-hosted with Tucson Mayor Regina Romero focused on advising illegal aliens of their rights and best ways to avoid immigration enforcement activity.
Earlier this month, Grijalva and Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) hosted one such forum to brief the community on ICE’s “mass detention centers” in Arizona. Grijalva and Ansari heard testimonies from several illegal aliens and their family members.
In February Grijalva visited and successfully advocated for the release of one Cuban illegal alien seeking asylum, Julia Benitez, who was detained at the Eloy Detention Center.
Then, Grijalva escorted Benitez to the airport. Benitez’s flight was arranged by the Phoenix-based nonprofit Helping With All My Heart (HWAMH).
The nonprofit’s website claims it has operated emergency shelters across the Valley for illegal aliens seeking asylum since 2018. However, tax filings reflect that, up until 2022, HWAMH’s mission statement only reflected work helping the homeless and those with addictions to “find a job and return to society.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 21, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Gov. Katie Hobbs offered a false justification for her veto of legislation to rename a freeway after conservative activist and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.
After backlash over her formal justification for vetoing Senate Bill 1010, Hobbs offered another explanation: she falsely claimed that renaming part of the Loop 202 freeway after Kirk would replace the part of the freeway honoring another individual: the late congressman Ed Pastor.
Pastor, a Democrat, served in the House of Representatives for nearly 25 years, from 1991 to 2015. Pastor died in 2018. His daughter, Laura Pastor, serves on the Phoenix City Council.
Contrary to what Hobbs claimed, the bill had a specific carveout to preserve Pastor’s portion of the freeway.
“That the underlying segments of the Charlie Kirk Loop 202 would retain their names and designations and those underlying segments are the Red Mountain Freeway, the Santan Freeway, and the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway,” stated the bill.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican candidate for attorney general, sponsored the bill. Ahead of her veto, Petersen urged Hobbs to continue Arizona’s tradition of honoring legacy by awarding recognition based on impact and not politics.
“Charlie Kirk called Arizona home and built a national movement rooted in free speech, civic engagement, and American values. He inspired millions, especially young people, to get involved and speak up,” said Petersen. “If the governor vetoes this bill, she’s sending a clear message: recognition now depends on political agreement.”
Six years after founding TPUSA in 2012, Kirk moved its headquarters to Phoenix in 2018. Since 2021, the organization has held its annual conference, AmericaFest, in the city.
TPUSA’s student and lifetime membership total runs in the millions, and they have impacted millions more in America and nationally. The organization also manages thousands of college and high school chapters.
Kirk was assassinated last September while speaking at a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University.
The campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, currently congressman, issued a press release on the matter accusing Hobbs of misleading Arizonans intentionally.
“Not only was Katie Hobbs’ decision to veto the Charlie Kirk Loop 202 bill petty and callous, she’s now shamefully misleading Arizonans about why she did it,” said Biggs campaign senior advisor Drew Sexton. “This was a dishonest, partisan act by a weak and ineffective governor who has consistently failed to rise to the moment and lead our state.”
Hobbs’ initial justification for the veto, the one she gave formally, said that lawmakers needed to avoid politicized individuals when choosing who to honor.
The veto letter was a regurgitation of her previous veto letter for another bill seeking to honor Kirk’s legacy.
The governor also vetoed legislation that would have enabled Arizona drivers to purchase a specialty license plate honoring Kirk’s memory.
“I will continue working toward solutions that bring people together, but this bill falls short of that standard by inserting politics into a function of government that should remain nonpartisan,” wrote Hobbs.
Hobbs expressed sorrow over Kirk’s assassination, but said that wasn’t enough to overshadow his political background.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 20, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors are split over the court ruling ordering a restoration of election powers to the county recorder.
On Friday, the Maricopa County Superior Court invalidated the board’s claim of “plenary authority” via its general supervisory powers over elections administration.
“The board’s general authority does not override specific statutory delegations to other county officers,” read the ruling.
The court found that the board had “acted unlawfully and exceeded its statutory authority” by taking the recorder’s personnel, systems, and equipment. The ruling warned the board continuing in its path of harboring the recorder’s election resources would likely result in the disenfranchisement of voters.
“The evidence at trial established that the Recorder’s inability to exercise meaningful control over election systems and staff will likely cause concrete operational harms, including inability to timely process provisional ballots under A.R.S. § 16-134, resulting in voters being denied tabulation of the full ballots they had voted and to which they were entitled,” stated the ruling. “These harms will not resolve and may likely increase absent court intervention, particularly as general election cycles approach.”
The ruling ordered the board to allow the recorder to take up those duties expressly given to him by state law, and to fund all necessary expenses the recorder sets forth. The board was also ordered to return all IT staff, servers, databases, software, websites, and equipment to the recorder, or to fund replacement of those personnel and items.
Chairwoman Kate Brophy McGee disagreed with the court’s view that Recorder Justin Heap has authority in his own right over elections. McGee also contended with the court’s conclusion that the board had deprived the recorder of resources and staffing.
McGee said the board plans to appeal.
“The court correctly concluded that the Board oversees the county budget and makes all appropriations decisions. But I disagree with other portions of the ruling, and I will explore all options with the Board of Supervisors, including an expeditious appeal,” said McGee. “From day one, the Board of Supervisors has provided Recorder Heap the resources and staffing needed to fulfill his statutory duties. We will continue to do so because voters always come first.”
Unlike the rest of the board, Supervisor Mark Stewart issued his own statement expressing support for the court ruling. Stewart challenged the idea that the entire court fight was unavoidable.
“From the beginning, I supported a more transparent, public negotiation process, an approach that could have led to a different outcome and avoided unnecessary confusion, litigation, and cost,” said Stewart. “It is now time to move forward with a unified focus and give our team the resources they need to deliver transparent, secure, and best-in-class elections that the voters of Maricopa County deserve.”
Recorder Heap celebrated the ruling as redress for what he called an unjust “power grab” of his office’s elections authority.
“With this ruling, we will move forward focused on delivering the secure, transparent, and accessible elections the voters of Maricopa County deserve,” said Heap.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 19, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors overstepped and must restore elections authority to Recorder Justin Heap, according to a new court ruling.
The Maricopa County Superior Court rejected the board of supervisors’ argument in a new ruling issued on Friday in Justin Heap v. Thomas Galvin, et al. The court said the board does not enjoy “plenary” authority over election administration. Judge Scott Blaney ruled this view wasn’t consistent with Arizona law.
“The Board’s general authority does not override specific statutory delegations to other county officers,” stated Blaney. “The Legislature has authority over the conduct of elections and determines the extent to which the Board may conduct them. The Board may not override these specific allocations by invoking general supervisory authority.”
The court opted for a more balanced view of the law in which both the board and recorder have duties expressly given in elections administration. Blaney’s ruling interpreted Arizona law to reflect that the board holds only those powers expressly delegated to it. The same goes with the recorder.
“Where a valid delegation of authority exists, the delegation must clearly delineate the designated agency or officer,” said Blaney. “Arizona’s election statutes clearly delineate the Recorder as the designated officer for the 111 functions assigned to the ‘recorder or other officer in charge.’ The Board cannot substitute itself for the Recorder without either the Recorder’s consent or express legislative authorization.”
With this view, Blaney said the board had a duty to release withheld funding for those necessary expenses for which Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap has fought for months. The Arizona legislature appropriated $4.1 million from the state general fund for the recorder’s office for elections-related operations. That funding hasn’t been spent.
Blaney also ordered the board to abstain from weaponizing its budgetary authority as a bargaining chip. Blaney went one step further to preserve Heap’s statutory authority, specifying that the board couldn’t exercise those election funds designated to his office without his consent.
As a major part of restoring the power balance, Judge Blaney ordered the board to either return control of IT staff, servers, databases, software, and elections systems to the recorder’s office, or to fund their immediate replacement.
Should the board fail to restore Heap’s functions, Blaney warned that disenfranchisement could occur.
“[T]he Board has acted unlawfully and exceeded its statutory authority by seizing the Recorder’s personnel, systems, and equipment and refusing to return them to the Recorder’s control[,]” said Blaney. “The evidence at trial established that the Recorder’s inability to exercise meaningful control over election systems and staff will likely cause concrete operational harms, including inability to timely process provisional ballots under A.R.S. § 16-134, resulting in voters being denied tabulation of the full ballots that they had voted and to which they were entitled. These harms will not resolve and may likely increase absent court intervention, particularly as general election cycles approach.”
Immediately following the ruling, Heap declared his victory in a press release. Heap credited America First Legal along with attorney and state representative Alexander Kolodin (R-LD3) for the favorable ruling.
“The court confirmed that the Board cannot override state law, use funding as leverage, or take control of election duties assigned to the Recorder,” said Heap. “This ruling restores both the authority and the resources necessary for my office to do its job.”
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