Gov. Katie Hobbs is looking to spend as much of the federal COVID-19 relief funds as possible before Election Day and the December spending deadline.
On Tuesday, Hobbs announced the allocation of more than $16.4 million to Arizona’s three public universities.
Arizona State University will receive more than $8 million; Northern Arizona University will receive more than $2.6 million; and the University of Arizona will receive more than $5.7 million split between its main campus and its health sciences center.
The $16.4 million comes from the $4.2 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds given to the state. The deadline to obligate ARPA funds passed on Dec. 31, 2024, and the deadline to spend those funds is coming up on Dec. 31, 2026.
Legal forms of obligation include formal commitments through contracts, interagency agreements such as a memorandum of understanding, purchase orders for goods or services, or subawards.
Moving ARPA funds into a general fund without establishing an obligation doesn’t qualify, however.
During Hobbs’ first year in office, she clawed back more than $210 million in ARPA funds issued by her predecessor, Gov. Doug Ducey. The Hobbs administration alleged the funds were illegally issued because the recipients weren’t subjected to a competitive bidding process. Sean Behrens, Hobbs’ senior counsel, said at the time that Hobbs was just following the law.
“We didn’t have a choice in the matter,” said Behrens. “In the Hobbs administration, we follow the law.”
Hobbs’ spokesman Christian Slater refused to elaborate on the original obligations behind the $16.4 million in a statement to KNAU. Slater also denied that the millions had any bearing on Hobbs’ reelection campaign.
“I’ll decline to comment on the processes by which we determine ARPA funding,” said Slater. “As the governor has always said, she is committed to doing what’s right for Arizona and putting politics aside.”
Hobbs said the funds were necessary to offset budget cuts from the fiscal year 2027 state budget, which she characterized as the product of “extremist” and “reckless” Republican lawmakers who she claimed were opposed to public education.
The $16.4 million matches the cuts the state budget made to each university.
“I will always fight to ensure state universities have the resources they need to deliver opportunities for Arizonans and ensure our employers have a high-skilled workforce,” said Hobbs. “ I’ll continue standing up to extremist legislators and their attacks on public education that kill jobs and make our state less competitive.”
The governor sang a different tune about the state budget less than four months ago when she signed it into law.
Hobbs announced her approval of the budget back in June with a press release praising it as “her Arizona First budget” with laudable public education investments.
“I’m thrilled to sign the bipartisan Arizona First budget into law,” said Hobbs. “We’re stopping the data center tax credit for three years, investing in border security, education and water security, and delivering a $1.4 billion tax cut for middle class Arizonans. Starting on July 1, Arizonans will have no taxes on tips and overtime, a higher standard deduction, a deduction for seniors, and next year, an expanded child tax credit.”
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A progressive advocacy group plans to host election crisis training in Arizona less than a week before Election Day.
Interfaith Alliance planned stops for Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson in its “The Vote Is Sacred Tour,” a series of events across Arizona and 14 other states slated to begin the first week of October.
The Arizona Republican Party’s Latino group brought attention to the organization’s planned activities, alleging that “partisan operatives” were gathering “to rehearse election disruption.”
EXPOSING THE ELECTION MANIPULATION GAMES!
While hardworking Arizonans prepare to make their voices heard, partisan operatives are setting the stage in Phoenix to rehearse election disruption. The voters deserve transparency, order, and honest elections.
The Phoenix event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27; the Tucson event is scheduled for Thursday, October 29; and the Flagstaff event is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.
The organization says the events are intended to provide voter education on ballot items, voter registration, and funds to local activists, in addition to providing a “trained, peaceful presence at the polls and crisis-ready communities.”
An election crisis scenario planning toolkit provided by the organization, in partnership with Protect Democracy, floated six sample scenarios occurring during early voting and on Election Day concerning ICE operations, President Donald Trump invoking the Insurrection Act or declaring premature victory in races, right-wing claims of foreign interference and unverified ballots, and federal takeover of election operations.
One scenario proposes that in mid-October a posted video of a faith leader being violently arrested sparks nationwide protests, resulting in the Trump administration federalizing the National Guard and filing federal criminal charges against pro-migrant organization leaders partnering in election advocacy work.
Interfaith Alliance reported that it selected the location for each of the trainings based on the “2026 Election Risk Heat Map” by the Voting Rights Lab. Arizona was ranked as 87 out of 100 for election risk, with Maricopa County ranked as 100 out of 100 for election risk and Pima County ranked as 90 out of 100 for election risk.
The risk index reportedly measures counties for “close contests, bad actors, and systemic weaknesses.”
The organization previously held a similar tour during the 2024 election across six states.
Interfaith Alliance scheduled a kick-off of this latest tour with a No Kings-affiliated event on Wednesday.
Several key members of the organization have held prominent roles within Democratic presidential administrations and the party.
Maggie Siddiqi, the senior advisor for the organization, held a directorship within the Biden administration’s Education Department. Siddiqi advised former Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on religious freedom issues and led efforts to address antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Derrick Harkins, board member, was the Democratic National Committee’s director of interfaith outreach, a faith leader for former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, and faith leader for the Biden administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Jake Siewert, board member, was the White House press secretary under President Bill Clinton and counselor to the secretary of the treasury under Obama.
Interfaith Alliance began with seed funding from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 1994.
Since then, its foundation has grown to pull in millions every year: around $1 to $3 million annually since 2011. Its schedule of contributors isn’t public, though some contributors have named the nonprofit in their tax filings, including the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, which gave $1 million in 2024; Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc., which gave $300,000 in 2023; the Rockefeller Family Foundation, which gave $170,000 between 2022 and 2024; and the William B. Wiener Jr. Foundation, which gave $80,000 between 2018 and 2019.
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Arizona Republican Party Chairman Sergio Arellano is calling on Attorney General Kris Mayes to reject fundraising support from actress and activist Jane Fonda, pointing to her controversial visit to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Fonda is scheduled to headline an Oct. 7 fundraiser for the Democratic incumbent.
Arellano, a U.S. Army combat veteran, issued the demand in a statement from the Arizona Republican Party. He urged Arizona veterans to press Mayes to disassociate herself from Fonda and apologize for accepting her support.
“As a U.S. Army combat veteran, I am calling on all of my fellow Arizona veterans to demand that Attorney General Kris Mayes rebuke Jane Fonda and refuse her fundraising support,” Arellano said.
As a U.S. Army combat veteran, I am calling on all of my fellow Arizona veterans to demand that Attorney General Kris Mayes rebuke Jane Fonda and refuse her fundraising support. We have all seen images of Fonda in July 1972, when she mocked our nation and our warfighters as she… pic.twitter.com/OcgfDprK39
The party’s statement identifies an invitation it says Mayes shared on X advertising Fonda as a special guest. The invitation names Dawna and Dan Calderone as hosts and places the event in North Central Phoenix.
A VIP reception is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a general reception from 7 to 8 p.m. The advertised contribution levels are $250 for the general reception, $1,000 for VIP admission, $2,500 for co-hosts, and $5,500 for hosts. The invitation lists the highest level at $5,500, although the party’s accompanying release describes a $5,000 maximum.
Mayes’ campaign website also lists the Jane Fonda Climate PAC among the organizations endorsing her. Other listed supporters include the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters-aligned NRDC Action Fund, labor organizations, and abortion rights groups.
Arellano’s criticism centers on Fonda’s July 1972 visit to North Vietnam, where she was photographed seated at an anti-aircraft gun emplacement and participated in Radio Hanoi broadcasts.
“We have all seen images of Fonda in July 1972, when she mocked our nation and our warfighters as she posed for photographs seated on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun,” Arellano said. “This was the same type of weapon used against American aircraft.”
“As our American heroes suffered in Vietnamese prison camps, Fonda also recorded multiple broadcasts on Radio Hanoi that North Vietnam aired as propaganda aimed at our U.S. pilots,” he continued.
Arellano argued that those actions harmed American servicemembers and said Fonda had not disavowed the trip or broadcasts.
“Those actions gave aid and comfort to the enemy while Americans were still fighting and dying,” he said.
Fonda has publicly apologized for the anti-aircraft gun photograph. In an account on her website in 2011, she described allowing the photograph as something she would regret for the rest of her life and acknowledged the pain it caused servicemembers and their families. The account also defended her antiwar activism and explained her reasons for traveling to North Vietnam.
Her position on the broader trip and broadcasts was addressed in a CBS announcement of her 2005 interview with “60 Minutes.” CBS reported that she regarded the gun site appearance as a major lapse in judgment while continuing to defend visiting Hanoi and speaking on its radio service.
According to CBS, Fonda appeared on Radio Hanoi at least 10 times, addressing American pilots and criticizing the bombing of North Vietnam. She maintained that she had sought to help end the war and denied asking pilots to disobey orders.
Arellano’s statement calls for Mayes to refuse Fonda’s fundraising support but does not identify a specific contribution from the actress or an amount already raised through the upcoming event.
“Mayes should publicly disassociate herself from Fonda and apologize to all veterans, especially Vietnam veterans, for her decision to accept that support,” Arellano said. “If you served, make your voice heard. We have not forgotten.”
Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes is facing criticism from Arizona Republicans after calling for a pause in new data center development, with critics circulating earlier remarks in which she described access to renewable electricity as a factor in attracting technology companies and jobs to Arizona.
The Arizona Republican Party’s post to X accused Mayes of changing her positions to win votes. The criticism followed a post by Brian Anderson highlighting a Phoenix Business Journal excerpt discussing Mayes’ views on renewable energy and corporate investment.
Here is @KrisMayes lobbying in support of MORE gigantic data centers in Arizona and MORE green energy tax subsidies for them.
Now she claims to want a moratorium? What will she believe tomorrow? We have no clue because Mayes is constantly saying one thing and doing another pic.twitter.com/M8FNkCCwFU
“Kris Mayes is a fraud. She will say whatever she needs to say to get your vote,” the party wrote.
The excerpt comes from a 2018 Phoenix Business Journalarticle examining the debate over Proposition 127 and the potential employment effects of expanding renewable energy.
In the excerpt, Mayes pointed to Facebook’s selection of New Mexico for a data center after seeking a location that could provide entirely renewable power. She also cited renewable energy requirements and emissions goals at Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft.
“These companies are not going to put jobs in Arizona unless they can get renewable power,” Mayes said.
Anderson characterized the remarks as support for additional data centers and green energy tax subsidies, questioning Mayes’ subsequent support for a moratorium. The circulated excerpt discusses renewable electricity availability and company location decisions without identifying a specific tax-subsidy proposal.
Mayes called for a statewide pause in August, urging the Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs to halt approvals and construction of new data centers, particularly hyperscale artificial intelligence projects, until Arizona develops a plan to manage the industry’s growth.
“The only sane thing to do is to pause the approval of new data centers,” Mayes said.
Her announcement cited rising electricity costs, pressure on water supplies, and infrastructure needed to serve the facilities. Mayes’ office argued that additional development could strain the electric grid and increase residential power bills. The office also announced an October 14 town hall concerning Menlo Digital’s planned hyperscale data center in Ahwatukee.
The proposal has drawn intra-party disagreement from Hobbs. The governor opposed a statewide development moratorium while acknowledging concerns about the industry’s demands on water and electricity.
“I don’t believe that a state moratorium is the right approach,” Hobbs said.
Data center policy also surfaced during the attorney general debate between Mayes and Republican Senate President Warren Petersen. Petersen expressed conditional support for data centers and emphasized community involvement in decisions about their development. Mayes supported a moratorium and attributed utility rate pressures to data center growth.
Separately, Pima County’s decision to suspend certain new data center development has prompted a legal challenge from the Goldwater Institute. The organization demanded the county rescind its 120-day moratorium, arguing that supervisors had failed to satisfy state law requirements and could expose the county to property rights claims.
Legislative leaders are petitioning the Arizona Board of Regents for an independent investigation into Arizona State University (ASU) over the near-fatal hockey team workout that occurred last month.
State Rep. Matt Gress (R-LD4) and State Sen. Hildy Angius (R-LD30), respective chairs of the Arizona House and Senate education committees, issued a joint statement urging an outside review after ASU hockey players were subjected to a workout last month that caused one player, 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, to collapse from heat stroke.
Mayich was hospitalized and remains in a coma on life support. It is unclear whether he will recover.
The lawmakers issued their statement following a 26-page letter sent to ASU President Michael Crow from seven members of the hockey team on Monday that heavily disputed ASU’s own initial findings.
The letter disputed key facts regarding ASU coaching staff adherence to heat acclimatization protocol and workout approval policy, the nature of the near-fatal workout, availability and application of heat stroke preventative equipment and water breaks, and the timeline and treatment of Mayich’s deteriorating condition.
Gress said that an outside investigation would be the only way to determine the truth behind this incident.
“Seven players who were on that field have raised serious questions that ASU’s own review does not answer,” said Gress. “We need an independent investigation to determine whether ASU followed its own rules, who was responsible for protecting these athletes, and what happened when Matthew Mayich showed signs of distress. ASU should not be left to investigate its own conduct and decide whether anyone should be held accountable.”
Angius also encouraged the board to secure an outside investigator in order to assure protection to the players behind the letter, who submitted it anonymously through counsel out of fear of retaliation.
“Student-athletes should never have to choose between telling the truth and protecting their scholarship, roster spot, or playing time,” said Angius. “If players fear retaliation for speaking about what happened to a teammate, the Regents need to act. They should protect these students and appoint an investigator who answers to the Board, not ASU.”
🚨House and Senate Education Chairs Call for Independent Investigation of ASU Hockey Workout
Chairman Gress and Chairman Angius ask Board of Regents for outside review after seven players dispute ASU’s account of August 20 workout
The players’ letter alleged that the workout instructor and the workout plan for that day weren’t approved; the session lasted more than 75 minutes, not 45 minutes per the ASU report; Mayich and other players weren’t acclimatized to the heat and received no water during the workout; Mayich and other players were made to continue the workout despite showing signs of physical distress; emergency equipment to treat heat stroke wasn’t on the field; and staff improperly treated Mayich’s heat stroke.
The report further alleged that an assistant coach observed Mayich exhibiting signs of disorientation about an hour into the workout, but took photos and videos instead of intervening. About a half hour later, an assistant coach observed Mayich exhibiting signs of disorientation and directed players instead of trained staff to assist Mayich. Mayich was allegedly sat up instead of laid down to rest, squirted with water rather than immersed, and kept in the sun rather than removed to a shaded area.
The report alleged that some, but not all players, were only given one water break for less than a minute throughout the whole workout. Mayich allegedly didn’t receive any water.
On Tuesday, Mayich’s parents issued a statement calling for the removal of coaches who ran the workout that hospitalized their son pending an independent investigation. Greg Powers, the team’s head coach, and his assistant coaches were on the field that day.
Powers had selected the workout instructor: an Army special forces veteran named Tim Ziesel reported to suffer from serious and lasting issues with decision-making and emotional regulation, among other problems, incurred from a 2023 motorcycle crash.
“The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day. And there are plenty of former college and pro players in the Valley who could step in and help,” stated the Mayiches. “Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”
Mayich, a native of Ontario, Canada, was a recent transfer to ASU; this season would have been his first with the Sun Devils. Mayich was previously drafted to the National Hockey League in 2023, but didn’t sign a contract.
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Arizona’s Republican candidate for treasurer Elijah Norton and the Arizona Republican Party are criticizing Democratic nominee Nick Mansour’s business record, pointing to nursing school disciplinary proceedings, student lawsuits, and a federal settlement involving a company where he previously worked.
In a post to X, Norton argued that Mansour’s record should disqualify him from overseeing Arizona’s investments. The Arizona Republican Party amplified the criticism, accusing Democrats of nominating someone who took advantage of nursing students.
Someone who took advantage of nursing students, had his nursing college put on probation, sued multiple times, and fined $11.4 million for Medicare fraud should be nowhere near Arizona’s $34 billion in assets. In November, just say NO to @MansourforAZ.https://t.co/EVraWZ5rQc
An accompanying campaign advertisement calls Mansour a “con man,” accuses his nursing school of pocketing money intended for students, and invokes an $11 million Medicare case.
Public records document disciplinary action against Arizona College’s Tempe nursing program and an $11.4 million settlement involving Pacific Pulmonary Services. The nursing board terminated the program’s probation in February 2025, and the Justice Department described the company’s settlement as resolving allegations without a determination of liability.
Mansour’s campaign biography identifies him as a former chairman and CEO of Arizona College of Nursing. His campaign credits him with expanding the institution from one campus to 24 across 14 states.
The Arizona State Board of Nursing’s May 2022 consent agreement placed the Tempe bachelor’s degree nursing program on probation. It prescribed a minimum of 36 months, with eligibility for early termination after 30 months upon satisfying the requirements.
The board found that the program administrator lacked adequate control over decisions made by corporate officials. It documented the dismissal of 32 clinical faculty members approximately two weeks before the fall 2021 semester, despite concerns from the nursing program’s dean and faculty about replacing them.
The order also identified an incident in which 10 students were at a clinical site without clinical faculty supervision for approximately four hours. The assigned instructor had reported to the wrong building, and the error was not promptly corrected. Arizona College self-reported the incident to the board.
The agreement required outside evaluation, corrective measures and quarterly reporting.
In a Feb. 24, 2025, termination order, the board said it had reviewed the program’s compliance and determined that probation was completed. Its current program listing identifies the Tempe program as having full approval.
Addressing the nursing program’s probation and operational problems, Mansour said that the school made corrections and kept students informed.
“We were transparent with the students about it,” he said.
Student litigation has also become part of Norton’s criticism. In Caine v. Eduvision, students pursued claims against the operator of Arizona College of Nursing’s Dallas campus. The federal docket records the school’s motion to compel arbitration.
Students alleged overcharging, changes intended to cause program failures, and failure to distribute COVID-19 relief money. The report said the case was stayed and closed pending arbitration and that attempts to reopen it had been denied.
The Medicare allegation concerns a separate business. In an April 25, 2017, announcement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Braden Partners, doing business as Pacific Pulmonary Services, agreed to pay $11.4 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations against the company and its general partner, Teijin Pharma USA.
Federal authorities alleged that Pacific Pulmonary submitted claims for home oxygen equipment without required physician authorization beginning around 2004. They also alleged that certain patient care coordinators participated in a cross-referral arrangement with sleep clinics beginning in 2006.
The DOJ described an $11.4 million corporate settlement resolving allegations without a determination of liability. Its announcement does not name Mansour or identify any penalty imposed on him personally.
Mansour joined Pacific Pulmonary in late 2007 as vice president of business development. Mansour said he worked there for less than a year and that his role “never had anything to do with Medicare.”
Norton’s campaign has also launched a “Nurses Against Nick” website highlighting the school’s probation and litigation and urging voters to support Norton. The site identifies itself as paid for by Friends of Elijah Norton and authorized by the candidate.
