by Staff Reporter | Oct 9, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
The superintendent of Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD), Jeremy Calles, declined to show up to a legislative hearing to audit his district.
Instead, Calles had a notice of defamation claim served to the committee ahead of their hearing. State Representative Matt Gress, House Education Committee chairman and Joint Legislative Audit Committee vice chairman, explained that Calles filed the $150,000 defamation claim because lawmakers were holding the hearing.
Gress also said Calles wanted to charge him up to $28,000 for “basic” public records pertaining to the district’s finances. Gress requested those records in August following a separate committee hearing the previous month.
“This is a very unusual situation,” said Gress. “I’ve not seen a school district or any political subdivision of the state for that matter, be so antagonistic to the legislature’s constitutional authority and responsibility to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.”
Lawmakers held a joint audit committee hearing on Tuesday to discuss TUHSD finances under Calles.
TUHSD came under legislative scrutiny following a $25 million leaseback agreement to rescue the Isaac School District (ISD) at the start of this year — another district with allegations of financial mismanagement. Calles disclosed in the July hearing that initial conversations on the ISD deal began with the other role he holds as a consultant. Calles is the highest paid superintendent in the state.
Gress flagged the deal as potentially unlawful and challenged Attorney General Kris Mayes’ approval of the deal.
“This agreement raises glaring legal and financial red flags,” said Gress. “The Isaac School District has a long history of financial mismanagement, and now it’s relying on a last-minute bailout that may not even be legal. The Attorney General owes the public clear answers about how this deal was approved and whether it complies with state law.”
ISD was placed into receivership in January. Preliminary investigations into the district’s finances found it overspent nearly $30 million — mainly federal relief dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic — and falsified financial records.
Over the summer, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation inspired by ISD that would oust the school board of any district placed in receivership.
“[T]he financial mismanagement of the Isaac School District is unacceptable, and governing board leadership must take accountability and resign,” said Hobbs. “This bill appears to seek broad retribution rather than providing targeted methods to address problems. Mandating the upheaval of an entire elected school board is blatant legislative overreach that would create disruption and confusion for school districts during a time of crisis.”
Last November TUHSD spent nearly $77,000 on “luxury vacations” for its board members and administrators over the course of two days for just 30 people.
The bipartisan committee voted unanimously, 9-0, to audit TUHSD following testimony.
Felipe Mandurraga, who was a principal at Tolleson Union High School for eight years until he resigned following this spring semester, testified that Calles abused funding. One of Mandurraga’s allegations was that Calles handed out $20,000 vouchers to teachers without rules on their expenditure.
Apart from finances, Mandurraga also alleged TUHSD officials allowed a teacher in a relationship with a student to resign with full benefits without launching an investigation, filing a report with police, or reporting the incident to the Arizona State Board of Education (ASBE). Mandurraga further alleged the teacher in question was hired two weeks later by another district and has no pending complaints according to ASBE.
Mandurraga also alleged that Calles denied the removal of a student suspected of possessing a gun on campus; several months later, that same student was involved in a Phoenix shooting.
Calles denied knowledge of the alleged incident to members of the media.
The committee also heard testimony from the Citizens for Schools Accountability.
Auditor General Lindsay Perry said the audit would take until January 2027 to complete.
Last December, TUHSD placed Calles on paid leave amid tensions between himself and several board members. Months before, Calles had filed a formal sexual harassment complaint against then-Governing Board President and current State Representative Elda Luna-Najera.
An independent investigation by TUHSD found that Calles and Luna-Najera were in a consensual, sexual relationship. Calles filed a complaint of retaliation for his placement on paid leave.
In January, TUHSD paid Calles $450,000 to settle his complaints of sexual harassment and retaliation. TUHSD Governing Board President Leezah Sun read the statement announcing the settlement. Sun resigned from the state legislature last year to avoid expulsion after the House Ethics Committee found she violated ethics rules.
Prior to becoming TUHSD superintendent in 2023, Calles served as the district’s chief financial officer for six years.
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by Staff Reporter | Oct 8, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A popular Phoenix drag star and DACA recipient was arrested for sex with a minor last month.
Michael “Mikey” Browder, 35 — better known in the Valley by the drag persona “Aubrey Ghalichi” — was arrested for having sex with a 13-year-old boy.
Per court records obtained by ABC 15 News, the 13-year-old victim posed as an 18-year-old on an online dating website. In an interview with police, Browder allegedly admitted to the crime, but on the caveat that the victim looked to be of age and that the victim’s apartment was too dark to discern the victim’s age.
Browder, a DACA recipient, worked for the Arizona Dream Act Coalition (ADAC) as a DACA coordinator. He told media outlets that he qualified for a work permit under former President Barack Obama’s program for those who immigrated to America illegally as children.
Browder was also an involved anti-ICE activist. In February, Browder was one of many to protest for hours at the Arizona State Capitol against mass deportations initiated by President Donald Trump.
Browder immigrated illegally into the United States from Mexico when he was 10 years old with his mother, Vanessa “Cherry Elizabeth” Browder, who also resides in the Valley.
Browder didn’t apply for DACA until December 2020 when he was 30 years old, according to an interview with AZ Mirror. Browder reported receiving an approval letter in June 2021, less than five months after he and six others with ADAC flew to Washington, D.C. to “send a message” to then-incoming President Joe Biden and his administration.
“We want immigration reform now. We’ve waited eight years since Obama; he said there was going to be some kind of immigration reform for DACA recipients and it hasn’t happened yet,” said Browder in an interview with Prospect. “We’re hopeful that Biden does something now because a lot of us would like to vote hopefully in the next election, in 2024.”
If convicted, Browder could qualify for deportation.
DACA recipients must renew their status every two years. Under federal law, disqualification for renewal extends to those who commit any misdemeanor that is an offense of domestic violence, sexual abuse or exploitation, burglary, unlawful possession or use of a firearm, drug distribution or trafficking, or driving under the influence.
Additionally, those who pose a threat to national security or public safety, those who receive sentencing to time in custody for more than 90 days, or those convicted of a felony or three or more other misdemeanors don’t qualify for DACA renewal.
While working with ADAC, Browder handled the advance parole application process for DACA applicants.
Browder worked closely alongside ADAC executive director Karina Ruiz de Diaz — the LUCHA activist and illegal immigrant benefitting from DACA who filmed herself following then-Senator Kyrsten Sinema into a bathroom in October 2022.
Browder’s husband, John Andrew Covarrubias, has been a writer and producer for multiple networks, including Prime Video and Amazon Studios, Starz, the CW Network, Marvel Studios, NBC Universal, and CBS Television Studios according to LinkedIn. Per his Facebook, Browder has also worked for Paramount Studios.
Browder was scheduled to be a headline performer at Phoenix Pride Festival next week, as first reported by ABC 15.
Phoenix Pride’s board of directors issued a statement condemning the allegations. The organization also disputed the validity of online claims that they created a December 2023 event featuring Browder called “Holiday With the Queens,” which they said never existed.
“Phoenix Pride remains committed to creating safe, affirming, and empowering spaces for our LGBTQ+ community,” said the organization.
Phoenix Pride named Browder’s drag persona, Aubrey Ghalichi, the winner of the 2022 Mayor Phil Gordon Spirit Award — though for both the 2022 and 2020 honorees of that award, the organization put a description of another LGBTQ+ activist, Adonias Arevalo-Melara.
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by Staff Reporter | Oct 6, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A varied coalition of political voices will be the newest contributors to the Arizona Republic opinions page.
Those joining as representatives of the center and the right are former Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer, former state lawmaker Paul Boyer, and Goldwater Institute vice president Timothy Sandefur.
Those joining from the left are Navajo Nation member and founder and director of Arizona Native Vote Jaynie Parrish, and the founder, CEO, and board chair of Aliento Reyna Montoya.
Since losing reelection to the recorder’s office, former Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer has joined multiple leftist organizations including: States United Democracy Center (board member), State Democracy Defenders Fund (board member), and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Reimagining Democracy Program (senior fellow). Last year, Richer announced his intention to vote for Joe Biden over Donald Trump.
Goldwater Institute leader Timothy Sandefur’s latest opinion urges for laws to come from Congress again, not presidential dictate, citing former President Joe Biden’s executive order prohibiting farming and mining on one million acres of northern Arizona land and President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Sandefur was previously a litigator with the Pacific Legal Foundation.
Both Richer and Sandefur are adjunct scholars with the Cato Institute.
While in the legislature, former state lawmaker Paul Boyer maintained his stance as an independent among Republicans. Boyer introduced the bill that successfully became law allowing in-state tuition and financial aid to illegal immigrant students. Boyer also consistently stood against the Republican flock when it came to supporting election integrity bills.
Boyer maintains he left the legislature following death threats for his resistance to election legislation advanced by fellow Republicans. Presently, he teaches Latin at Heritage Academy Schools.
Both Boyer and Richer were on the board of Save Democracy Arizona, a now-defunct nonprofit that aimed to make primary elections nonpartisan through a ballot initiative.
Boyer made an unsuccessful run for Glendale mayor last year.
Arizona Native Vote leader Jaynie Parrish was previously the executive director for Navajo County Democrats and social media manager for abortion activist group EMILY’s List. Arizona Native Vote runs ballot curing, voter registration, and voter education campaigns. Like Richer, Parris attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Parrish has made clear the goal is to mobilize Native American voters for Democratic candidates.
“We are fighting against structures that weren’t built for us. They weren’t meant for us there. They were trying to kill us all. We’re not supposed to be here,” Parrish said. “We’re not supposed to be voters.”
Parrish’s latest opinion piece advocated for voter reform benefiting tribal communities.
The nonprofit led by Montoya, a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), provides illegal immigrants with plans to counter immigration enforcement efforts and resources to evade immigration enforcement. Montoya received seed money from George Soros’ Open Society Institute.
Montoya was 10 years old when her mother smuggled her from Tijuana, Mexico, into the state. Montoya has expressed concerns that she will be deported under Trump.
Montoya worked closely alongside Boyer for the passage of in-state tuition and financial aid for illegal immigrants.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Oct 6, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Republicans are hoping to field a candidate against Mohave County Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen should he decide to run for re-election in 2026. Jantzen, who presided over the 2022 Arizona Attorney General election challenge by now-Congressman Abe Hamadeh, was accused in that case of gross incompetence by lawyers on both sides of the political aisle.
“Lee Jantzen reached levels of incompetence that I honestly did not know were possible,” tweeted Brian Anderson, a Republican influencer and owner of Saguaro Group. “Kept ‘forgetting’ to issue rulings, then ‘forgot’ to sign the rulings, then ‘accidentally’ labeled the AG race as the SOS race, etc. Historic miscarriage of justice.”
In 2023, after a series of serious missteps, attorneys on both sides of Hamadeh’s election contest discovered that Jantzen signed what should have been a final order, but left matters pending, resulting in an “unfinal” final order. The judge’s failure delayed final judgment, leaving Hamadeh without the opportunity to file an appeal on the denial by Jantzen for a new trial.
At that time, Mohave County residents reached out to the Arizona Daily Independent, telling the outlet that they were “embarrassed and frustrated by the continued missteps by Judge Jantzen. Residents are concerned about Judge Jantzen’s history of malfeasance and how his conduct in this case could indicate issues with other more routine cases that he presides over.”
An X account operated by supporters of Congressman Hamadeh weighed in on the discussion started by Mohave County Republicans last week, asking:
“Do we have any brave attorneys in Mohave County who want to run to become a judge in Superior Court? ‘Judge’ Jantzen, who inexplicably ruled against @AbrahamHamadeh’s election lawsuit WITHOUT considering the evidence is up for election again in 2026. He helped disenfranchise THOUSANDS of voters. We have to uproot the corruption in Arizona. We can start with this judge.”
Jantzen’s repeated mistakes left court watchers wondering if he was intentionally slow walking the case, saying that it created an increased air of distrust in both the judicial system and the electoral process.
That distrust of the judicial system only worsened when nine months to the day after Jantzen denied Hamadeh’s election challenge did the Arizona Supreme Court issue an order to Jantzen to do his job “forthwith” and sign-off on two overdue judgments in the case, one of which dated back to Dec. 23, 2022.
Hamadeh’s case was not the first time Jantzen ran afoul of the Arizona Supreme Court. According to public records obtained by the Arizona Daily Independent through Hamadeh’s attorney, Jen Wright, Jantzen stipulated in May 2018 to a censure by the Arizona Supreme Court for “misconduct in office” following an investigation that showed the judge missed the 60-day deadline by more than one year.
Jantzen, who became a superior court judge for Mohave County in 2009, acknowledged as part of the censure that “he has previously received a warning from the Commission for similar misconduct involving a delayed ruling.”
He was also reprimanded in 2021 for the same problem.
A censure is one step down from a suspension and one step above a public reprimand. A censure can be imposed by the Arizona Supreme Court while a reprimand can be imposed by the Court or the Court’s Commission on Judicial Conduct (CJC).
The Arizona Judicial Branch has two check-and-balance systems in place in an attempt to guard against judges accidentally or intentionally ignoring the 60-day deadline.
“The 2018 censure noted Jantzen had, from June 2015 to September 2017, falsely signed statements pursuant to ARS 12-128.01 by certifying he had no matters outstanding more than 60 days,” according to the Arizona Daily Independent. “Jantzen’s 2021 Reprimand Order shows the judge signed his March 2020 payroll certification with a notation that a ruling in a 2020 case was overdue. The ruling was finally issued at 78 days.”
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by Staff Reporter | Oct 5, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Several Northern Arizona University (NAU) students were captured on film targeting a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) table with vandalization, theft, and threats of violence.
These incidents occurred in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the organization’s founder and former CEO. Kirk was assassinated last month during an open-air debate event at Utah Valley University.
Frontlines, the public awareness and news group associated with TPUSA, published footage of the incidents. The footage came from the field representative that advises the NAU chapter, Susie Sullivan.
In one video, a student pushed all the merchandise off the TPUSA chapter’s table before stealing a sign. In another video, a different student handed the table volunteers a note with a drawn depiction of Kirk’s assassination and an implied threat that those who share Kirk’s beliefs — or, Christians, which the individual characterized as “Nazis” — deserve death.
“A good Nazi is a dead one,” said the note. “Free speech!”
The wife of NAU President Joe Luis Cruz Rivera and professor at NAU’s honors college, Rima Brusi, called Kirk (alluded to as “person X”) “morally repugnant” and “a bad person” following his assassination and preceding his memorial service in Phoenix, while acknowledging that his murder was “morally wrong” in a Facebook post:
“I’m honestly perplexed (not surprised but perplexed) at how many don’t seem to get this bit of logic but for what it’s worth, here it goes: 1) Murdering (including murdering person X) is wrong and 2) person X was demonstrably and consistently a bad person—these two statements are NOT mutually exclusive and almost any human brain should be able to handle both at the same time. Saying that ‘those who say X was a bad person who did damage are celebrating his murder’ is propaganda, not a logical conclusion — except when ‘those’ are truly ‘rejoicing’ (not just pointing out basic facts showing that X was a bad human, or reminding us of facts such as ‘the murder of W and Z went unacknowledged’). Anyway — perhaps those intent in erasing history from our classrooms would be open to the idea of adding ‘intro to philosophy: logic’ to the the curriculum. As ‘objective’ (and classic) a subject as they come. Don’t obey in advance. Buy and protect books for later sharing. Take screenshots of news in case they ‘disappear’. Download the contents of science databases. Support your librarian. Make truth and fact-checking as habitual and natural as teeth-brushing and food. Because truth IS nourishment, its protection is healthy, and its friends (science, research, literature, and why not – Wikipedia!) are our friends. Truth and fact-checking are the new and real herd immunity.”
TPUSA has reported over 62,000 new chapter requests from high school and college students since Kirk’s assassination. There are around 27,000 high schools and around 4,000 degree-granting postsecondary institutions, according to data from the National Center for Educational Statistics.
In other words: the amount of requests received to establish TPUSA chapters, if all nonduplicative and approved, would cover every single high school and postsecondary institution in the nation.
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