Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) has backed an arrangement to secure lawfare protections for American farmers and ranchers.
Crane was present for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Small Business Administration (SBA) that establishes a joint process to intake, investigate, and resolve lawfare complaints.
As part of the signing, the two agencies hosted a roundtable where farmers and ranchers shared personal testimonies of alleged regulatory and legal overreach.
Two Arizona rancher families impacted by that kind of alleged overreach were present at the event: Dustin and Becki Ross of Windmill Mountain Ranch, and Casey and Meggan Murph of H Bar and Y Ranch.
The Ross family has endured a two-year-long stall on their grazing allotment due to archaeological-clearance requirements, affecting their property maintenance and herd management.
The Murph family faces the potential loss of their grazing leases to a foreign company’s solar project. Their family has worked the land for over 100 years, predating Arizona statehood.
In a press release, Crane accused the federal government of historically siding with environmentalists to target farmers and ranchers. However, Crane said the Trump administration has taken a novel, friendlier approach to the welfare of families like the Rosses and Murphs.
“Farmers and ranchers are the foundation of a strong and thriving nation. Despite their tremendous contributions to our way of life, the federal government has too often stood by as radical environmentalists targeted them,” said Crane. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and Administrator Loeffler, those days of bureaucratic neglect are over. This Memorandum of Understanding will help protect America’s producers from senseless red tape and litigation. We look forward to continuing this critical partnership and laying the groundwork for a healthy, robust industry for generations to come.”
Under this lawfare protection arrangement, the USDA will collect complaints and the SBA will handle case management and resolution.
The SBA said in its announcement of the memorandum of understanding that the Trump administration has taken a posture of believing the plight of farmers and ranchers first, and seeking justification for the regulations and legal actions that allegedly burden them.
“The goal is to identify patterns of abuse and eliminate regulations that drive up costs and drive down productivity,” stated the SBA. “Family farmers do not have the time or legal resources to fight back when Washington gets it wrong. Under POTUS, we are answering to the producers who power this country, not the bureaucrats who hold them back.
SBA and @USDA have signed a new MOU to help farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses report costly federal rules and lawfare.
Under this partnership, USDA will collect complaints and share them with SBA for case management and resolution.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said their agency’s Lawfare Portal received over 600 submissions from producers across 47 states, including Arizona, who she says were “unfairly targeted by their own government.”
The USDA launched its Lawfare Portal last April in the wake of a high-profile criminal trespass trial involving a South Dakota ranching couple in a land dispute with the U.S. Forest Service. Like the Arizona families at Thursday’s event, the South Dakota couple’s family have worked the land for over 100 years.
There is still so much more work to do.
Since launching USDA's Lawfare Portal last April, we've received more than 600 submissions from producers across 47 states—farmers and ranchers who have been unfairly targeted by their own government. We review every single case because… pic.twitter.com/KLg0w1ykR5
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) July 2, 2026
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Activists reported that they have turned in more than 420,00 signatures for a ballot initiative that would end the universality of Arizona’s school choice program.
Supporters wearing red shirts reading “Public School Proud” affiliated with Save Our Schools Arizona (SOSA) gathered outside the secretary of state’s office to watch the box truck delivery of the boxes containing the signatures for the ballot initiative. Both SOSA and the Arizona Education Association (AEA) were behind the initiative.
SOSA and the AEA contend the universality of the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program diverts far too much in funding away from public schools. Families within the program don’t have to depart their public schools; however, since the expansion of the ESA program to all students in 2022, enrollment in public schools has declined. Defenders of the ESA program counter that per-pupil spending in the program costs less than in public schooling.
ESA program funds may be used for private school tuition, tutoring, online courses, homeschool curriculum, educational therapies, textbooks, educational software, testing fees, and college courses.
The Protect Education Act (PEA) would impose income restrictions on the ESA program.
Estimates show that approximately 20,300 current students in the ESA program would be disqualified under the PEA initially, though that number would grow to exclude more than half of Arizona’s families with school-aged children due to inflationary impact on incomes outpacing the income cap adjustment.
The act would also impose accreditation requirements and further restrictions on spending.
The ESA program has reported the enrollment of more than 100,000 students. More than 8,200 were listed as new students enrolled for the next school year.
Those who support keeping the universality of the ESA program have been maneuvering to preserve protections for some member families.
The Republican majority in the state legislature passed a ballot measure of their own last month: HCR 2048, the “Military Families College Savings and Scholarship Protection Act,” which would amend the Arizona Constitution to prohibit the confiscation of ESA program funds from students belonging to military families.
Should voters approve both the lawmakers’ measure and PEA, it is likely the latter would be voided under language included in the former.
In addition, Doug Ducey, the former governor who signed universal school choice into Arizona law, made an announcement Thursday of a political action committee dedicated to securing school choice protections for military families. Ducey was announced as the chairman of the Protect Military Families PAC.
“Out-of-state special interests and their union allies are trying to take educational scholarships away from the children of Arizona’s military families,” said Ducey.
Serving alongside Ducey on the political action committee is Ashley Ragan, president of InCompliance AZ.
Out-of-state special interests and their union allies are trying to take educational scholarships away from the children of Arizona’s military families.
That is why today, we are proud to launch Protect Military Families PAC @ProtectMilFam.
The Goldwater Institute, a public policy think tank and litigation organization, filed a motion in the Maricopa County Superior Court earlier this week on behalf of two military families involved in the ESA program.
The organization said that about 1,000 other military families stand to be disqualified from the ESA program should the universalization end.
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Arizona’s unemployment rate has now hit a new high following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state’s unemployment rate neared 5% according to a new data analysis report from the Common Sense Institute of Arizona (CSI). Based on this newly calculated rate, Arizona has the 12th-highest unemployment rate in the nation.
Unemployment hit 4.8% in May, with CSI saying broader data indicators have revealed the state’s labor market to be cooling despite job growth.
The addition of 2,000 non-farm jobs in May put Arizona at 30th for national job growth. Overall, the nation experienced growth with the addition of 172,000 jobs.
As for job growth year-over-year, Arizona added over 21,200 jobs. That qualified the state as the 10th best in the nation for job growth year-over-year.
Mining jobs increased by about 1,300 over the past year. CSI attributed this growth to the increased demand for copper by electric vehicles, artificial intelligence technology, and data centers.
Manufacturing jobs also increased by 500 over the past year. Trade, transportation, and utility jobs declined by 1,600 over the past year.
Arizona’s labor participation also hit a post-pandemic milestone. The state’s labor force participation rate fell just below 61 percent: the lowest level seen since 2020. Last May, the labor force participation rate was over 62 percent.
Along with rising unemployment and compressed labor participation, Arizona’s private-sector wages increased by over three percent over the year to $35.78. However, that total lags behind the national average of $37.53.
Arizonans may have felt these changes to Arizona’s employment climate more acutely due to major year-over-year changes with state spending.
CSI attributed the state’s budget shortfall to overspending.
Another recent analysis released earlier this month by CSI found that the state budget has experienced rapid growth over the past decade.
In just 10 years, the state budget doubled and now amounts to more than 10% of the state’s gross domestic product.
Per CSI, spending pressures have remained elevated despite normalized revenue growth.
Some items that CSI said to blame were the disparities between Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) enrollment and member costs, elevated demands from the Development Disabilities Program (DDP), and federal payment error rates impacting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) obligations.
AHCCCS enrollment fell by about 10% (over 200,000 people) but average per-member costs increased by 14%.
DDP was projected to require an additional $400 million in state spending by next year.
And the state may have to cover $300 million in annual SNAP cost-sharing obligations should federal payment error rates fail to be reduced in the near future.
Total state spending reached over $70 billion in the 2026 fiscal year, and estimates projected spending to approach $75 billion in the 2027 fiscal year. Of the 2026 fiscal year total state spending, close to $50 billion is expected to come from non-appropriated funds.
CSI found that spending not subject to regular legislative appropriations has grown by more than 150% over the past decade, though appropriated spending grew by about 100%.
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Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) was cleared of campaign finance and sexual misconduct accusations by one entity, but now faces a probe into his campaign finances by another.
The Senate Ethics Committee issued a letter to Gallego on Friday notifying him that he was cleared of accusations made by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) concerning sexual and financial misconduct.
The committee advised it had reviewed statements from individuals identified in the complaint, Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports, the 2025 Senate secretary’s expenditure report, the House of Representatives clerk’s expenditure reports, the House of Representatives reports of privately sponsored travel, and information provided by Gallego to the committee.
Committee members include Sens. James Lankford (R-OK), chairman; Christopher Coons (D-DE), vice chair; James Risch (R-ID); Brian Schatz (D-HI); Deb Fischer (R-NE); and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
In response to the committee letter, Gallego accused Paulina Luna on Monday of being one of many “far-right activists” spreading “right-wing conspiracies.”
The dismissal by the Ethics Committee reaffirms what I have said about these accusations from the beginning: they were right-wing conspiracies peddled by far-right activists like Anna Paulina Luna, the White House, and their allies.
I look forward to an apology from Rep. Luna…
— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) June 29, 2026
Relief for the potential 2028 presidential candidate was short-lived. The Department of Justice (DOJ) also had an announcement on Monday wherein it revealed Gallego was under investigation for those alleged campaign finance violations the ethics committee had cleared.
According to federal campaign finance records, Gallego allegedly spent campaign funds on amenities and extravagances for himself and his family. An anonymous source first reported on by Politico accused the senator of treating his campaign cash like a “personal slush fund” for “a luxury lifestyle.”
One widely scrutinized expenditure concerned Gallego’s attendance at the 2023 Super Bowl with his former best friend: ex-California congressman and gubernatorial candidate, Eric Swalwell. Gallego and Swalwell hosted a joint fundraising committee event in which they dropped tens of thousands of dollars on brunch, tickets, and other watch party arrangements for themselves and select special guests.
Gallego has reportedly spent around $20,000 in campaign funds on childcare over the past seven years (nearly half came from this past year alone), and tens of thousands more on trips to vacation destinations including Miami for his wife’s birthday, the Caribbean for the birthday of his wife’s boss, and Nantucket and Puerto Rico as well.
Twice in 2025, Gallego used campaign funds to fly his family and an au pair to Disney properties.
Another anonymous source — either the same source quoted by Politico or another source — toldThe Daily Beast that Gallego arranged at least the Miami trip under the guise of fundraising but truly intended as a celebration for his wife’s birthday.
The New York Times recently reported that, while running for Senate back in 2024, Gallego allowed his wife to drive an SUV leased for campaign purposes.
Gallego and his spokespeople have defended the au pair as allowable childcare reimbursements under FEC rules, and some of the events criticized as luxury outings like the jet-setting trips and 2023 Super Bowl watch party as valid fundraising endeavors.
“Trump is targeting Senator Gallego while the most weaponized Department of Justice in history is turning a blind eye to Trump’s unprecedented corruption that’s raising costs for families, and instead targeting anyone who gets in their way — like the Federal Reserve, members of Congress doing their oversight duty, and now Senator Gallego,” read a recent statement from a Gallego spokesperson.
“Because I’m not a millionaire (I’m one of the least wealthy members of Congress), every month is a game of childcare, travel, and scheduling balancing,” said Gallego in a post to X earlier this month. “And because of my schedule and the laws passed that allow for it, I will at times bring my wife and children with me to these retreats and fundraisers. Are these at nice venues? Yes, it’s where the donors are, and it’s part of campaigning. I know people have opinions on that, but that’s the nature of the campaign system we have in our country.”
Let me clear the air on some of these stories swirling around. The FEC has stated that childcare may be reimbursed. There is a simple reason: we want Congress to look like America. Not just people without children, those with grown children, or those from wealthy backgrounds.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld state laws barring males from competing in female sports, even if they identify as female. The ruling drew praise from Arizona’s Republican leaders.
In its opinion in West Virginia v. B.P.J. (inclusive of Little v. Hecox), the high court declared that biology defines sex, not gender identity, when considering federal regulations on sex-based discrimination.
“The term ‘sex’ […] cannot plausibly be interpreted to refer to anything other than biological sex,” stated the ruling.
Arizona participated in the lawsuit through its leaders in the Republican-led state legislature: Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (LD14) and Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro (LD29). The pair filed an amicus brief last September.
Petersen hailed the Supreme Court decision as a “landmark ruling.” In a press release responding to Tuesday’s ruling, Petersen said the ruling represented a win in both the intellectual and moral sense, calling it common sense justice for women and girls.
“Every young woman deserves the opportunity to compete on a level playing field and earn a roster spot, a championship, a record, or a scholarship based on her hard work. Girls shouldn’t have to lose those opportunities because adults are afraid to acknowledge biological reality. That’s not fairness, and it’s not what Title IX was created to do,” said Petersen. “Arizona has been leading on this issue for years, and we were proud to stand with West Virginia and Idaho before the U.S. Supreme Court to defend girls’ sports. Today’s decision makes it clear that states can continue protecting the integrity of women’s athletics and the opportunities generations of women fought so hard to secure. This is a victory for every girl who dreams big, works hard, and deserves the chance to compete fairly.”
Arizona Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne — the lone elected leader to defend in court Arizona’s law prohibiting biological males from participating in female-only sports — declared the ruling a victory for female success and safety in competition. Attorney General Kris Mayes refused to defend the law in court (Jane Doe v. Warren Petersen).
“The news has been full of stories about girls who worked hard on their sports, hoping to make the team, or even earn a college scholarship or qualify for the Olympics. But then they had to compete against biological boys and their advantages in birth in size, speed and strength. The girls’ dreams were shattered and they were devastated,” said Horne. “Girls have also been injured, including a brain injury, from having to compete against larger and stronger males. I am committed to making sure that Arizona schools follow state law protecting girls’ sports.”
Former Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, passed the “Save Women’s Sports Act” under the Republican-led state legislature in 2022. In a letter approving the legislation, Ducey called it fair and common sense.
“This legislation simply ensures that the girls and young women who have dedicated themselves to their sport do not miss out on hard-earned opportunities including their titles, standings and scholarships due to unfair competition,” stated Ducey. “This bill strikes the right balance of respecting all students while still acknowledging that there are inherent biological distinctions that merit separate categories to ensure fairness for all.”
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