by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 22, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The crisis at America’s southern border continues to present serious national security concerns.
Last week, it was reported that ten IEDs were found along the Arizona / U.S. – Mexico border.
According to reports, the explosive devices were found on the Mexican side of the border, near Sasabe (located between Nogales and Lukeville).
Republican state legislators joined many from around the country to declare their outrage and worries over this latest revelation from the border. Senator Wendy Rogers said, “We’ve known this was coming.”
Representative John Gillette added, “We have confirmed that internal officer safety alert dated December 13th that warns CBP agents to be vigilant as (IEDs) found at the border. How long will it be until the terrorists crossing the border are wearing suicide vest? Biden admin 100% to blame.”
Ali Bradley, a National Correspondent for NewsNation, reminded her audience that this episode wasn’t the first time that an IED had been found at the border.
Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes, the President of the Arizona Sheriff’s Association, issued the following statement when asked by AZ Free News for comment: “We have long said that sometimes very dangerous criminals and people with intent to harm America are crossing the border daily. We need more resources from both the federal government and the state to catch these people trying to harm America. Local law enforcement encounters more violent and dangerous criminals along the border than ever before. People smuggling IEDs are doing so to attack America. The federal government needs to understand the threat and then provide the needed resources.”
The news about the IEDs came just hours before Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs issued an executive order to mobilize members of Arizona’s National Guard to a local epicenter of the crisis in Lukeville. Hobbs’ action was criticized by some Republican legislators, who questioned her motivations and timing for the decision. Representative Justin Heap stated, “Katie Hobbs has never cared about the Border. The reason Hobbs needs to appear to be taking action now (after years of opposing immigration reform & spending her first year in office dismantling state efforts to secure our own border) is the Border Crisis is such a complete disaster that her advisors have warned her that continued inaction will hurt democrats chances of winning in an election year. This isn’t security, it’s political calculation.”
Representative Jacqueline Parker also weighed in on Heap’s assertions, saying, “It’s actually worse than that – she still isn’t going to do anything to fix the problems. Nothing will really change. She’s just giving lip service to anyone stupid enough to believe her & finding ways to waste the money we’ve allocated to secure the border.”
The governor’s order proves that she understands the significance of this crisis – especially as the state approaches a critical election year for both parties. However, Republicans and Democrats entering their second year of a divided government will likely be at odds when it comes to possible solutions to help Arizona stem the historic tide of illegal immigration.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 22, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
On Tuesday night, it was revealed that the Arizona State Senate had filed a lawsuit in the Maricopa County Superior Court against Governor Katie Hobbs over her refusal “to nominate agency directors, bypassing the Senate’s advice and consent processes.”
The lawsuit asks the Court to declare that the Governor has violated state law and to require her to nominate directors to any of the agencies missing Senate-confirmed heads.
This legal action from Senate Republicans, led by President Warren Petersen, promises to reignite a fiery political saga just weeks from the start of business for the Arizona Legislature.
Senator Wendy Rogers, who appeared to break the news of the lawsuit on “X,” celebrated the filing, highlighting her pride that her Senate Republican colleagues are “committed to upholding the law to protect Arizonans’ liberty.”
In September, Hobbs sent a letter to Petersen, informing him that she would “withdraw all director nominations that remain pending before the Senate and pursue other lawful avenues of ensuring State government can continue to function for Arizonans.” The governor blamed Senate Republicans for not “fulfilling (their) statutory obligations in good faith.”
After receiving Hobbs’ correspondence, Petersen stated that “This move by the Executive Branch showcases another prime example of an elected official who believes they’re already above the law and will go to extreme measures to bypass the requirements of the law when they don’t get their way.” Petersen also warned of the consequences of Hobbs’ unprecedented actions, saying, “Without directors fulfilling these obligations, the legality of every decision made by these state agencies is dubious, and litigation against the state would surely prevail.”
It didn’t take long for Petersen’s warning to come to fruition. One day after his statement, Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee held a Board of Investment Meeting and refused to recognize “employees from the Department of Administration or the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions as legally participating members.”
Senator Jake Hoffman, the chairman of the committee that was tasked with vetting Hobbs’ nominees, reacted to his chamber’s breaking lawsuit against the governor, telling AZ Free News that the state’s chief executive has “made it abundantly clear to voters that Democrats care more about playing petulant political games and throwing temper tantrums than actually governing.” Hoffman contrasted Hobbs’ efforts with those of his colleagues, noting, “Republicans are committed to creating a government that works for every Arizonan.”
On February 2, Petersen announced the formation of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations, tasking this panel “with gathering information and evaluating qualifications on the governor’s executive appointments in order to recommend a course of action for the Senate to take on each individual.” The Senate President appointed five members to serve on the committee – three Republicans and two Democrats.
Over the next several months, the committee held multiple hearings for Hobbs’ nominees. Although Hobbs was upset that not everyone of her nominees received a passing grade, Petersen reminded observers that the process chosen by the Senate had “approved 70 percent of her nominees,” adding that “we are not a rubber stamp.”
The lawsuit follows increased efforts from Senate Republicans to set the agenda for 2024 in a critical election year for both political parties. The Senate Republicans recently released their Majority Plan, laying out their caucus’s priorities on eleven major categories. Republicans in both chambers also held a press conference this month to announce a plan to “ease the financial burden hitting hardworking Arizonans when they fill their gas tanks…by addressing fuel blend requirements in Arizona.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Dec 21, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Holiday travel times and flights may be more difficult to handle this year, based on the flood of illegal immigrants at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
Reporters returning from Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) America Fest conference publicized their observations at the airport in a flurry of social media postings on Tuesday.
One independent political commentator and journalist, “Nuance Bro” (Omeed Afsarifard), encountered large groups of illegal immigrants awaiting their flights, with papers indicating that they received services from Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona (CCSA).
One woman asked why Afsarifard was filming their group without their consent, to which he informed her that filming in public areas was legal.
Afsarifard observed that the illegal immigrants had white tags on their luggage and, often, their processing paperwork from border enforcement.
From last August to this August, CCSA reported taking in over 80,000 illegal immigrants to Casa Alitas, the organization’s shelter service for illegal immigrants claiming refugee status. From August 2021 to August 2022, CCSA reported taking in about 47,800 illegal immigrants to their shelter service.
Tenet Media reporter Tayler Hansen reported that illegal immigrants received priority boarding and expedited security checks.
Hansen, along with several other reporters and political commentators, claimed to observe multiple incidents of illegal immigrants being escorted by security out of women’s restrooms.
Babylon Bee commentator Ashley St. Clair filmed her experience at Phoenix Sky Harbor: wading through crowds of illegal immigrants, and waiting behind them for boarding. St. Clair noted that taxpayers were funding the premium transportation of the illegal immigrants.
The border crisis surge is only likely to worsen in the coming weeks. Reporters along the border shared videos of thousands of illegal immigrants waiting to be let into the country. Last week, the Tucson Border Sector reported another record number of illegal immigrants breaching the border.
In response to the massive uptick in the border crisis, Gov. Katie Hobbs tapped the National Guard to provide assistance at the border.
The illegal immigrants are being flown or bussed to “sanctuary cities” in other states. Yet, those cities may be less of a sanctuary than anticipated, due to overcrowding and increasingly limited resources.
One Chicago shelter for illegal immigrants made headlines this week after reportedly poor living conditions have caused mass illnesses and the recent death of at least one: a five-year-old boy.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Dec 21, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Arizona finalized its Presidential Preference Election (PPE) list of candidates on Monday.
There will be seven Democratic candidates and nine Republican candidates on the PPE ballots.
The seven Democratic candidates are Minnesota businessman Frankie Lozada, Nevada businessman Gabriel Cornejo, author Marianne Williamson, Maryland venture capitalist Jason Palmer, Oklahoma resident Stephen Lyons, President Joe Biden, and Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips.
The nine Republican candidates are former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida businessman David Stuckenberg, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump, Texas businessman Ryan Binkley, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The PPE allows certain voters to select their presidential candidate for the 2024 General Election. Each party will then finalize their winner at their national convention.
Only voters registered with participating parties — Democratic or Republican — may vote in the PPE. The deadline for registering with a party is Feb. 20, 2024. Independent voters who desire to vote in a party’s PPE may register with that party prior to the deadline, then revert to Independent after the deadline.
The Democratic National Committee will host its national convention in Chicago, Illinois from Aug. 19 to 22, 2024. The Republican National Committee will host its national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from July 15 to 18, 2024.
The latest cumulative polling data reflects Trump leading at 63 percent, with DeSantis at a far second of 12 percent, followed by Haley at 10 percent, Ramaswamy at four percent, Christie at three percent, and Hutchinson at less than one percent.
The latest polls from last month and this month focused in Arizona reflected Trump leading Biden anywhere from several points to 10 points. By comparison, Biden leads by eight points over Haley and seven points over DeSantis.
Averages of polling data reflect Trump leading Arizona by about five percent, and the nation by over two percent.
Biden currently has a cumulative approval rating of about 39 percent, and an over 55 percent disapproval rating. Trump has a cumulative approval rating of 42 percent, and an over 53 percent disapproval rating.
For more information on the PPE, please visit Arizona Clean Elections. The PPE is scheduled for March 19, 2024.
The general election will take place on Nov. 5, 2024.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Dec 20, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
On Tuesday the legal team for former GOP gubernatorial candidate, now Senate candidate, Kari Lake argued for the dismissal of Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer’s defamation lawsuit against her.
Richer filed his defamation lawsuit against Lake in June over her claims of his administration of the 2022 election. Lake filed a motion to dismiss in August.
In his amended complaint, Richer alleged that Lake had “falsely and with actual malice” accused him of intentionally printing improperly-sized ballots and inserting 300,000 illegal or invalid early-vote ballots during his administration of the 2022 general election. Richer said that the accusations have caused him and his family real harm, including threats of violence and death.
Lake’s motion to dismiss argued that she voiced legitimate concerns about the 2022 election, and that Richer’s lawsuit amounted to retaliation following two failed attempts at obtaining sanctions against her. In those denied requests for sanctions, Maricopa County Superior Court found that Lake’s claims weren’t groundless or brought forth in bad faith.
“The types of statements that Recorder Richer complains of are the types of statements directly related to his job performance that political foes and constituents critical of elected officials ordinarily make,” read the motion.
During Tuesday’s arguments in the Maricopa County Superior Court, one of Richer’s attorneys, Cameron Kistler, said that Lake’s speech wasn’t hyperbole, but a statement of facts.
“She’s making statements where she’s asserting these are actual facts that happened in the world, these are actual accusations of falsifiable criminal conduct,” said Kistler.
Jen Wright, the former assistant attorney general serving on Lake’s team, countered that Lake did believe her speech to be true based on the facts at hand: the county’s admission that there were ballots that lacked chain of custody, and that printer problems did occur for some, still unknown reason.
“I don’t think it’s a question of fact as to whether or not the printers malfunctioned, it’s a question of opinion as to how they characterized them,” said Wright.
Richer accused Lake of issuing dozens of defamatory statements.
Jessica Banks-McDowell, an Arizona State University (ASU) law student on Lake’s team, said that court precedent clarifies that Richer’s intent via his filings is to stifle Lake’s speech. ASU’s First Amendment Clinic signed onto Lake’s defense.
“There is very clear intent of his motivation to deter, retaliate against, or prevent Kari Lake’s lawful speech,” said Banks-McDowell.
Richer seeks an injunction that would force Lake to delete the allegedly defamatory statements.
Banks-McDowell further argued that Richer hadn’t met the burden of proving defamation occurred as required by A.R.S. 12-751, Arizona’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law.
Kistler said that the anti-SLAPP law didn’t apply here because Lake’s team didn’t provide evidence to prove Lake’s disputed statements as true.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Dec 20, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A northern Arizona city is showing its support for the nation of Israel.
Earlier this month, the Prescott City Council passed a resolution to condemn Hamas and declare support for the Jewish State of Israel.
The motion to pass the resolution, taken during the City Council’s voting meeting on December 12, was unanimously adopted 7-0. After the result was announced, those in attendance, as well as some of the members behind the dais, broke into applause.
Prescott Mayor Phil Goode, who ushered the resolution through the meeting, said, “I’m quite proud of this council and our adoption of this resolution. As I said, I hope there are other cities and towns in this state that will follow our lead.”
In the resolution, Prescott leaders highlighted the state’s adoption of “the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism which includes anti-Zionism.”
The resolution gave seven action items for the city to follow in its support of Israel, which were as follows:
- Reaffirm its support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the Jewish State of Israel;
- Recognize Israel’s right to act decisively and unilaterally in self-defense to protect is citizens;
- Express its support for Israel’s right to pursue without interference or condemnation the elimination of Hamas;
- Convey its most heartfelt condolences to all Israeli victims as well as their families and communities;
- Call upon Prescott law enforcement to remain vigilant in protecting Israeli Americans, Jewish Americans and all supporters of Israel from acts of crime and unlawful discrimination that tend to manifest at such times;
- Encourage all other Americans to likewise condemn Hamas as well as any official body that refuses to recognize Israel’s right to act decisively in self-dense to protect its citizens; and
- Call upon the United States to provide all assistance as may be required to support Israel in its defense against Hamas and all other terrorist organizations.
The Prescott City Council’s strong demonstration of support for Israel follows a similar action taken by the Arizona State Legislature on October 11, when Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma issued a Joint Legislative Proclamation to “denounce the horrific acts of war against Israel and support Israel’s right to defend itself” – among other calls to action for the Legislature.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
