by Staff Reporter | Apr 12, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) revoked the gubernatorial endorsement of his longtime friend, Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell, over sexual assault claims.
Gallego dropped support for his “best friend” Swalwell following a Friday report in the San Francisco Chronicle detailing sexual assault claims by one of Swalwell’s former female staffers.
That report came out in the days following social media posts by political activists alleging other incidents of sexual misconduct.
Gallego said he regretted defending Swalwell.
“What is described is indefensible. Women who come forward with accounts like this deserve to be heard with respect, not questioned or dismissed,” said Gallego. “I regret having come to his defense on social media prior to knowing all the information. I am equally as shocked and upset about what has transpired.”
In the days leading up to the San Francisco Chronicle report, Gallego was defending Swalwell against the online rumors.
“When you are in first place, is when they will target you,” said Gallego. “Eric is a fighter and he will win the governor’s race.”
According to the report, an anonymous staffer alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent. Swalwell issued a statement denying the allegations and indicating he would initiate legal action.
The staffer alleged that Swalwell’s unwanted advances began almost immediately after she was hired to work in one of his district offices in 2019; she alleged Swalwell sent and solicited nude pictures from her via Snapchat. At the time, the staffer was 21 years old.
Common among the various rumors and allegations of Swalwell’s misconduct was the use of Snapchat.
She also alleged that Swalwell attempted to kiss her following a donor meeting, and in a separate car ride exposed his genitalia and requested oral sex. In the latter instance, she recounted that she complied.
That same year of her hiring, the staffer alleged that she blacked out while out drinking with Swalwell and later woke up naked in his hotel bed.
In 2024, some time after ceasing employment with Swalwell’s office, the woman alleged that she again blacked out while out drinking with him and was again sexually assaulted.
Ahead of Friday’s report, Swalwell’s attorney submitted a cease-and-desist letter to the former staffer. The letter threatened a lawsuit unless she walked back her allegations.
Following the report, three more women told CNN that Swalwell had committed sexual misconduct against them. Swalwell has denied these allegations as well.
Beyond those claims of wrongdoing, Swalwell denied to the California Post that he ever had any sexual relationships with any staff or interns.
Gallego and Swalwell were close for over a decade leading up to this development. The Arizona senator served as Swalwell’s campaign chair when the latter made a brief run for president in 2019.
The Arizona senator recently invested in Swalwell’s AI startup.
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 12, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona superintendent of schools is urging Gov. Katie Hobbs to lift a financial burden for schools.
Hobbs has yet to decide on a bill, SB 1142, allowing Arizona schools to participate in a new federal school tax credit opportunity. Superintendent Tom Horne says the governor needs to sign the bill, or else Arizona schools will lose out on critical funding.
The pending legislation wouldn’t come at a cost to the state, and it could potentially provide up to $6 billion more to public, charter, and private schools.
“Any school could establish such a scholarship organization to accept contributions and bring more money to the classroom,” said Horne. “It does not cost the state any money and would increase funding for education.”
Horne mentioned that another prominent Democratic governor has backed this federal program.
“This bill benefits students in public district schools, charters, and every other school setting,” said Horne. “[Gov. Hobbs] should join fellow Democrat Governor Jared Polis of Colorado in supporting this program.”
Unlike Hobbs, the Colorado governor has expressed support for school choice. One other Democratic governor, Josh Stein of North Carolina, has opted into the program.
The Democratic governors of Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Wisconsin all vetoed opting into the program.
Gov. Hobbs vetoed similar legislation back in January (SB 1106/HB 2153).
State Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-LD2) sponsored the bill. It passed both chambers without support from any Democratic lawmakers, and was sent to Gov. Hobbs on Wednesday.
Arizona House Democratic lawmakers said they opposed SB 1142 because it doesn’t establish enough oversight of the distribution of funds. Some characterized it as a wrongful diversion of public funds from public schools, insisting it would ultimately impact the state general fund. However, this program derives its funds from a federal tax credit.
Last year, Congress included the federal school tax credit program within the FY2025 reconciliation act (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”). The program launches January 1, 2027.
The federal legislation allows taxpayers to donate up to $1,700 annually to state-recognized Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) that issue grants to cover eligible school expenses for certain students like books, supplies, tutoring, special needs services, computers, internet access, tuition, fees, room and board, uniforms, and transportation.
With that donation potential, Arizona schools could see up to $6 billion in extra funding. (The Arizona Department of Revenue reported over 3.5 million individual income tax returns in 2023).
Only students whose family income falls below 300 percent of their area median income would qualify for SGO grants.
The federal legislation requires SGOs to be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, provide scholarships to 10 or more students who don’t attend the same school, spend at least 90 percent of revenue on qualifying scholarships, and prioritize scholarships first for students who have received scholarships in previous years and then for siblings of such students.
Should Gov. Hobbs approve Arizona’s participation in the program, the Arizona Department of Revenue would administer the federal SGO credit and approve SGOs.
ADOR would submit a list of certified SGOs to the Secretary of the Treasury annually and post the list on the ADOR website.
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 11, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The leader of the Arizona Senate is one of the top contenders to unseat Attorney General Kris Mayes this November, according to a recent poll.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) led among prospective voters polled about the upcoming primary election in the attorney general’s race.
The poll from Gray House surveyed 400 likely Republican voters and 450 likely general election voters across the state.
Petersen leads fellow Republican candidate Rodney Glassman, both before voters were advised of the candidates’ backgrounds and after. (The polling did include a third Republican candidate, Greg Roeberg; however, Roeberg withdrew from the race in February).
A majority of voters — 75 percent — said they were undecided prior to being informed about the candidates’ backgrounds.
After, 42 percent of the 75 percent of undecided voters put their support behind Petersen.
65 percent of likely voters polled said they were more likely to support Petersen after hearing his biography.
Petersen’s platform proposes a more conservative federalist approach to the attorney general’s office: defending the rule of law as opposed to acting on personal political preferences, curbing federal overreach, increasing criminal prosecutions, defending women’s sports, and protecting constitutional rights.
Petersen has served in the Arizona legislature since 2012—first in the state house, then the state senate. He also assumed a leadership role in the house; he served as the majority leader prior to his election to the state senate.
Glassman, by contrast, lost the support of 74 percent of the voters polled after hearing his biography.
Glassman’s platform focused on certain specific areas of interest, a continuance of the major flip he made from his years as a Democrat: prosecuting border crime and election fraud, advocating for law enforcement, defending the Second Amendment, and scrutinizing government expenditures.
Prior to this race, Glassman ran for attorney general in 2022 as a Republican (lost in the primary), Maricopa County assessor in 2020 as a Republican (lost in the primary), Arizona Corporation Commission in 2018 as a Republican (lost in the general election), and U.S. Senate in 2010 as a Democrat (lost in the general election).
Voters expressed indifference to Roeberg after hearing his biography, only inspiring an additional 17 percent more likely voters.
Among prospective general election voters, Petersen trailed behind Attorney General Mayes by two points, around 42 to 44 percent.
Glassman trailed Mayes by 7 points and Roeberg trailed Mayes by 9 points.
As state senate president, Petersen has been uniquely positioned among the candidates to challenge Mayes on her execution of the office directly. A significant portion of Mayes’ focus in office since last January has concerned fighting policies and executive orders put forth by the Trump administration.
Earlier this week Petersen referred Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to the Department of Justice for an investigation, alleging the pair were guilty of obstruction of justice and witness tampering for meddling with a federal probe into Arizona election records.
“The threats of the Attorney General and Secretary of State are incompatible with United States Constitution, which enshrines the grand jury in our constitutional order, and only serve to hinder voters’ confidence in our elections,” stated Petersen.
Mayes and Fontes advised the county recorders against complying with the federal subpoena.
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 10, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Senate’s leader referred two state officials to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to be investigated for obstruction.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) announced the referral on Tuesday. Petersen, who is also running for attorney general, accused Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes of obstruction of justice and tampering with a witness concerning the federal probe into Arizona election records.
“The threats of the Attorney General and Secretary of State are incompatible with United States Constitution, which enshrines the grand jury in our constitutional order, and only serve to hinder voters’ confidence in our elections,” stated Petersen in his letter to the DOJ.
The referral emerged in response to Mayes and Fontes requesting information from the state senate concerning its compliance with a recent federal grand jury subpoena of 2020 election records.
In response to Petersen’s referral, Fontes accused the senate president of jeopardizing voters’ safety and security.
“My main concern for ensuring privacy of personal information in voter registration data, as required by law, remains,” said Fontes.
Last month, the two Democratic officials issued a joint letter ordering county recorders not to comply with the federal subpoena. Contrary to what Petersen claimed in Tuesday’s letter, Mayes and Fontes argued compliance with the federal subpoena would violate both federal and state law.
“It is the states’ authority and responsibility to hold elections — not the federal government,” stated the pair’s letter. “Without direct congressional action, the United States Constitution does not authorize or allow the federal government to insert itself into a state’s election procedures, much less authorize the DOJ to unilaterally build a national voter database.”
Mayes called the subpoena “a weaponization of federal law enforcement in service of crackpots and lies,” and Petersen “an unrepentant election denier” spreading conspiracy theories and false stories of election fraud.
Petersen said the pair’s request from the state senate suggested their intention to interfere with the federal investigation.
Petersen based his referral on a legal analysis from the law firm Snell & Wilmer, which he said defended the state senate’s compliance with the federal subpoena and posited that the request by Mayes and Fontes constituted obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
In Petersen’s letter to Arizona District Attorney Timothy Courchaine, the state senate president accused Mayes and Fontes of ulterior motives linked to election meddling.
“Instead of fighting over these issues, we should all be working together to ensure the election integrity necessary to realize our country’s democratic promise,” said Petersen. “The Attorney General and Secretary’s phobia of fair and secure elections is impossible to explain absent nefarious motives.”
Mayes’ reelection campaign manager, Delaney Corcoran, said in a response that Petersen’s referral was a means to “seek retribution against his political enemies.”
Mayes made a similar claim when news of the federal subpoena emerged last month.
“One of the Republicans hoping to challenge me this fall is reigniting his SHAM ‘Cyber Ninja’ 2020 election audit conspiracies to the disservice of Arizonans,” said Mayes. “It’s a disgusting politicization of government and a waste of time and [money].”
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 10, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
A Phoenix-area school district instituted a new policy requiring oversight of books in the classroom.
Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) began enforcing the policy in January after its governing board approved it unanimously in December.
The policy required the district to restrict general access to materials containing sexually explicit content within school and classroom libraries; develop procedures for site-level review, inventory, and parental access to the inventory list of all classroom library collections; and establish an accessible opt-out procedure for school or classroom library materials not directly related to content, curriculum, or standards.
Although Arizona law has long prohibited exposing children to sexually explicit materials, Arizona libraries and schools continued to offer books containing sexually explicit materials under the defense of the necessity of educating children on topics of sexuality and identity.
Books with sexually explicit content offered to minors in the past by school libraries throughout the state have included titles popular nationwide: “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins, “Looking for Alaska” by John Green, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews, “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins, “Sold” by Patricia McCormick, and “Flamer” by Mike Curato.
QCUSD Board member Kelli Anderson introduced the classroom library oversight policy after recognizing that district policy on oversight extended only to school library books. In a press release, Anderson reported that the primary complaint from parents concerned the books brought into classrooms.
“Before this policy, complaints about classroom books were the number one issue I heard from parents,” said Anderson. “Since it went into effect, I have received zero complaints from parents.”
Anderson said QCUSD’s action should be adopted by all other districts in the state as best practice.
“[A]fter listening to parents and reviewing our policies, it was clear there was a gap that needed to be addressed,” stated Anderson.
Arizona Women of Action (AZWOA), a parental advocacy nonprofit and Arizona chapter of America’s Women, agreed with Anderson’s assessment.
“This policy closes a major loophole and restores trust between schools and families,” stated AZWOA in a press release. “It empowers parents, supports teachers, and ensures students are learning in environments that are transparent and accountable.”
According to AZWOA, at least one parent has already reported seeing a difference in school handling of inappropriate books. That parent allegedly told AZWOA that his elementary-aged child’s school contacted him prior to the policy compliance deadline to recover a classroom library book deemed inappropriate under the new policy.
The parent also reportedly said he wasn’t aware his child had access to such materials in the classroom.
At the beginning of last summer, the Maricopa County Library District piloted a “parental choice” program at the Queen Creek library enabling parents to choose which books, if any, their child may not check out.
Months later, in September, the county removed sex education books from the children’s sections to the adult non-fiction sections at 12 of its 14 libraries.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
