Arizona Leaders React To President Trump Verdict

Arizona Leaders React To President Trump Verdict

By Daniel Stefanski |

A number of Arizona Republicans quickly reacted to the unprecedented verdict out of New York City against former President Donald J. Trump, while Democrats across the state largely retweeted sensational headlines.

The Arizona Senate Republicans Caucus “X” account wrote, “This is a dark day in American history. The justice system has been weaponized by the radical left to take out a political opponent. This is something you’d expect from a communist nation, not the greatest country mankind has ever seen.”

State Representative Joseph Chaplik, a Republican, posted, “Rigged Trial. Compromised Judge. The American people won’t put up with this and will re-elect Trump in a landslide.”

State Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope added, “I’ve never financially contributed to a presidential campaign until today. Arizona will be behind President Donald Trump this November and that’s the verdict that matters!”

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican, commented, “When history is written, this will go down as one of the darkest days in American political history. The political prosecution of a former President for murky charges is a disgrace. Our democracy never contemplated lawfare as a political weapon and we cannot continue down this path.”

State Senator Wendy Rogers said, “Today marks a regrettable event in American history, as Democrats celebrated the conviction of the opposing party’s leader on charges based upon testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon.”

Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo, a Democrat, shared an infographic of jury’s decision for the former president, noting that “Today was a big win for the rule of law, election transparency, and our constitution.”

Many Democrats in the Arizona Legislature did not post their own comments and opinions about the verdict on their “X” accounts, though some of those members reposted news stories about the historic outcome from the Manhattan courtroom.

Both Republicans and Democrats in Arizona are closely watching the aftermath of this verdict with how tight the November General Election figures to be in the Grand Canyon State. Not only are Trump and President Joe Biden competing for the state’s eleven critical Electoral College votes, but Arizona showcases significant contests for the U.S. Senate, several ballot initiatives, and the State Legislature.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.

Phoenix Enacts Ordinance Banning Homeless Encampments Near Parks And Schools

Phoenix Enacts Ordinance Banning Homeless Encampments Near Parks And Schools

By Matthew Holloway |

Striking a blow against the blight of homelessness in the state that has reached epidemic proportions in the Arizona Capitol, the Phoenix City Council voted unanimously (8-0) across party lines to ban sleeping, camping, or preparing food outdoors within 500 feet of any school, park, day care center, or homeless shelters in the city. Violation of the new ordinance could result in a Class 3 misdemeanor charge, a fine of $100, and up to 30 days in jail with up to one year unsupervised probation which is a reduction from a Class 1 misdemeanor under a previous city ordinance that applied exclusively to city-owned buildings, parks, and parking lots. Under the law, 12News reported that “camping” is defined as using a property for “sleeping, storage, making fires, cooking activities or setting up tents.”

Republican Councilwoman and Chair of the Public Safety Committee Ann O’Brien explained the ordinance which she proposed in a statement, “It’s so our community members can feel safer going to their parks, and those receiving services have a higher chance of success by not being surrounded by encampments.”

In a post to X, she noted that the new ordinance is a part of her “Homeless Plan put out 11mo ago.” She noted that “To date, over 50% of my ideas are in progress or have been implemented.”

As recently as April, this reporter can provide a first hand account of a large group of homeless people encamped at La Pradera Park on 39th Avenue a few hundred feet from Global Academy of Phoenix Middle School, and Catalina Ventura Elementary School, both in the Alhambra School District. Fox News reported a similar scene at Griffith Elementary School in Pierce Park in Phoenix where two young girls played soccer, flanked on either side by homeless men sleeping on makeshift beds.

O’Brien continued in her statement saying, “This is a tool that helps us sometimes get them into services, right? Community court. Not everybody always says yes to services, but this might help us to hold folks accountable with our laws.”

Phoenix Mayor, Democrat Kate Gallego told 12News that it isn’t safe for individuals to be living in these areas and that Phoenix will continue assisting the homeless with social services. Other members of the city council emphatically stated that the ordinance isn’t intended to criminalize the homeless.

“This is so no child must walk past a line of tents on their way to school or play on a playground with tents pressed up against their school fence. It’s so our community members can feel safer going to our parks and so those who are receiving services have a higher chance of success by not being surrounded by those encampments,” O’Brien added.

Democrat Councilmember Laura Pastor who approved the ordinance expressed her concerns that it would be difficult to enforce, or could set homeless people to cycle through the criminal justice system. “I feel like we’re putting something in the book to put something in the books and there’s no true enforcement and (ability) to place people where they need to be placed,” she told AZCentral.

Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.

Former Trump Border Chief Visits Border In Yuma

Former Trump Border Chief Visits Border In Yuma

By Daniel Stefanski |

A high-profile visitor recently made the trek to the southern border in Yuma, Arizona.

Earlier this month, former Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf made a trip to Yuma, Arizona, to check on the status of the southern border under the Biden administration. Wolf served as one of the DHS Secretaries in the Trump administration.

Wolf first visited a local food bank. He noted that “the situation here is getting worse not better, [that] 116 different nationalities [require] numerous food / dietary challenges, [and that] the surge in illegal aliens is severely impacting the food bank’s ability to provide for the people of Yuma.”

He added that a “major concern here is the Biden administration’s push to eliminate the requirement to have an ID or be a resident in order to receive food benefits.”

The former Trump cabinet official stopped by the wall at the international boundary, which was a staple of the previous administration in border states.

When Wolf was at the border, he spotted travel documents from illegal aliens who had recently crossed. One of the papers he located was a boarding pass from an alien who traveled to Cancun two days prior and crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in Yuma on that day. Wolf stated that the “cartel facilitated.”

He also highlighted a group of illegal immigrants who crossed the border at 2:30am the next morning, taking pictures of some of the approximately 60 individuals who were now being processed by the Border Patrol. Wolf asserted that there were “seven different nationalities represented – including Syrians and Chinese.”

The final post from Wolf focused on the construction of the border wall under both the Trump and Biden administrations. Wolf focused on the “remaining steel bollards lying on the ground and unused.” He opined that “the Biden team redesigned new fencing to plug gaps and to say they didn’t build ‘Trump’s’ wall instead of using this infrastructure,” adding that this was a “waste of taxpayer dollars.”

This week, Wolf shared a recap video from Polaris National Security to share highlights and information about his trip to the border.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.

Arizona Republican Lawmakers Stand Against WHO’s Pandemic Accord

Arizona Republican Lawmakers Stand Against WHO’s Pandemic Accord

By Daniel Stefanski |

Arizona legislative Republicans are standing against a proposed accord from the World Health Organization.

Earlier this spring, an Arizona Senate Republican took aim at the WHO’s Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response Accord (PPPRA). In a statement for the Arizona Senate Republicans weekly newsletter, Senator Janae Shamp, who read the proclamation in her chamber, said that “The World Health Organization is creating a global pandemic agreement between its 194 member states, including the U.S, that would be detrimental to our health and freedoms. The Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response Accord would establish WHO as the governing authority on a wide range of healthcare issues, including vaccinations, abortion, and transgender therapy, all of which are rightly in the province of the American people and their representatives.”

Shamp added, “The PPPRA would also establish WHO as the ‘arbiter of truth’ on all pandemic-related information, thus silencing dissenting voices in direct violation of our First Amendment rights. These are just a couple examples of how the treaty would disturbingly infringe upon our constitutional rights. This week, I read a proclamation stating the Arizona Senate opposes the United States’ participation in this agreement and urges the Biden Administration to withdraw our nation from it.”

The proclamation, entitled “Arizona’s Sovereignty from Participation in the WHO’s Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response Accord,” noted that the WHO’s PPPRA would “become binding upon the United States unless the Biden Administration opposes or delays adoption, [and that] there is concern that the U.S.’s participation in the PPPRA will place America’s sovereignty in jeopardy by relinquishing national and state power to an international organization over which this country has little to no control.”

The proclamation was transmitted to President Joe Biden.

Recently, former President Donald J. Trump told attendees of the Libertarian Party National Convention that “drafts of the agreement show that they (the WHO) want to subjugate America to foreign nations, attack free speech, [and] empower the World Health Organization to redistribute American resources.” He promised to “rip them (this WHO agreement and other similar arrangements) up and throw them out on day one of the Trump administration.”

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.

Two Republican Housing Bills Signed Into Law

Two Republican Housing Bills Signed Into Law

By Daniel Stefanski |

Two Arizona Republican bills to tackle the state’s deepening housing crisis were recently signed into law.

Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2720 and HB 2721. HB 2720 “establishes requirements relating to accessory dwelling units” – according to the overview from the Arizona House of Representatives. HB 2721 “adopts requirements for middle housing development” – also according to the overview from the state House.

In a statement that followed the governor’s signature of his bills, State Representative Michael Carbone, a Republican, wrote, “It’s the goal of Republicans in the Legislature to make life more affordable for everyday Arizonans by addressing the urgent need for more diverse housing options. I’m pleased to have the Governor sign my two bills into law, which will help mitigate the effects of rising housing costs and ensure that our teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and families can live in the communities they serve and love.”

Carbone added, “Importantly, the legislation reinforces a homeowner’s right to use their property as they see fit which, for some, may include adding accommodations for multigenerational housing or to generate additional income. The enactment of this legislation is a significant step toward solving the state’s housing crisis, and I am proud of the bipartisan effort that made it possible.”

Hobbs also released a statement to mark her signature on these two proposals, saying, “I’m glad the legislature heard my calls to come to the table to pass common sense, bipartisan legislation that will expand housing options and help mitigate the effects of rising costs to make life more affordable for everyday Arizonans. And today, I’m proud to sign bills into law that will expand access to ADUs and missing middle housing.”

The governor continued, “I was born and raised in an Arizona where a middle-class family could buy their own home. In the past year alone we have made dramatic strides towards making that the reality again for the next generation. …Moving forward, I hope we can work together to address short term rentals that displace long-term community residents, and crack down on speculation by out-of-state real estate investors that drives up the cost of housing for Arizonans.”

Both bills will go into effect 90 days after the conclusion of the 2024 Arizona Legislative Session.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.

Bill Protecting Polticial Candidates From Deepfakes Headed To Governor’s Desk

Bill Protecting Polticial Candidates From Deepfakes Headed To Governor’s Desk

By Daniel Stefanski |

The Arizona Legislature has sent a bill to the governor that would strengthen protections for political candidates.

Last week, the Arizona Senate approved SB 1359, which would “require a person who distributes a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate within 90 days before an election to include a clear and conspicuous disclosure that the media includes content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and subjects a person that fails to disclose a deepfake as outlined to a civil penalty” – according to the purpose statement from the state Senate.

Senator Frank Carroll, the sponsor of the bill, noted in the Arizona Senate Republicans weekly newsletter that his proposal received “near unanimous support.”

In February, Carroll’s legislation had passed out of the Arizona Senate with an overwhelmingly bipartisan result of 24-4 (with two members not voting). After it was transmitted to the Arizona House of Representatives, it was amended and received a 56-0 tally earlier this month (with four members not voting). The Senate then concurred with the changes from the other chamber with a 25-1 vote (with four members not voting).

Senators Bolick, Gowan, Petersen, and Shamp joined as co-sponsors of the legislation.

On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, Arizona National Organization for Women, and State Conference NAACP signed in to support the bill. A representative from the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona indicated opposition to the legislation.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.