by Matthew Holloway | Jul 16, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) suggested Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ handling of a “foreign cyberattack” looks like a “massive cover-up” in a fiery exchange on X, posted Tuesday.
Further allegations from Hoffman that “Adrian Fontes is lying” followed Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer’s post about the reported hacking of the Secretary of State’s Candidate Portal. Hoffman added that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are now involved in the matter.
In his initial post Bowyer wrote, “BREAKING NEWS: I was just was told by an inside source at the legislature that it appears the Arizona Secretary of State’s portal was hacked, believed to be impacting the Candidate portal, but possibly much more.”
The Secretary of State responded with a reference to his office’s July 1st press release writing, “Your ‘inside source’ finally read the press release we issued on July 1? Breaking news indeed.”
In the press release in question, Fontes’ office stated:
“The Secretary of State’s Office detected and successfully responded to a malicious adversary that targeted the Arizona Secretary of State’s website. These attempts were investigated, our security controls tuned for similar attack patterns, and applicable threat intelligence was shared with our cybersecurity partners. The Arizona statewide voter registration database was not targeted and is unaffected by this event. The integrity of all Secretary of State systems has been maintained and the office remains in a heightened security posture as we continue to monitor for new and evolving threats.”
In a statement Fontes said, “Our office identified patterns of activity consistent with what others are now publicly acknowledging, and we took decisive action to strengthen our defenses early on. I’m proud to say that critical systems—like Arizona’s voter registration database—remained secure and protected throughout. We will continue to lead with urgency and vigilance, because defending democracy doesn’t come with a pause button.”
In a response posted Tuesday night, Hoffman blasted Fontes writing, “July 1st press release looks like a MASSIVE cover up[.] FBI & DHS (at least!) now involved[.] A private briefing was held TODAY and legislators have confirmed that a ‘foreign cyberattack’ on AZ’s election system occurred[.] The public is totally in the dark[.] Adrian Fontes is lying!”
In a follow-up post he wrote, “AZ ELECTION CYBER ATTACK COVER-UP Legislators report a briefing last week for GOP members downplaying severity of hack[.] NOW: Reports of a briefing today for DEM legislators only telling the full story[.] FBI & DHS are confirmed to be involved[.] Why is Adrian Fontes lying?”
AZ Free News has reached out to Senator Hoffman seeking elaboration on the “private briefing” held Tuesday and the involvement of the FBI and Department of Homeland Security that “confirmed” a “foreign cyberattack’ on AZ’s election system.”
As of this report no response has been received.
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.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 16, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Republican Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ08) issued a call this week for Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, to resign. Hamadeh cited a series of failures from Powell in an official Congressional letter sent on Sunday.
“My call for Chairman Powell’s resignation does not come lightly nor without good cause,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “Considering the recent revelations by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought about Chairman Powell’s gross mismanagement of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation project, and his apparent lack of candor before the Senate Banking Committee, neither does my call come too soon.”
In a post to X Monday, Hamadeh further stated, “Jerome Powell has lost the confidence and ability to effectively Chair the Federal Reserve.”
Senators pressed Powell hard on the ongoing $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s headquarters during the Chairman’s semiannual monetary policy hearing before Congress in June. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) critcized Powell for the renovations, referring to them as “luxury upgrades that feel more like they belong in the Palace of Versailles.”
James Blair, a White House deputy chief of staff, announced in a post to X, “The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General is considering opening an investigation into the massive cost overruns for their $2.5B+ HQ renovation project.”
Blair was appointed to the National Capital Planning Commission which holds oversight over the project last week.
In his letter calling for Powell to step down, Congressman Hamadeh echoed the words of Director Vought, who questioned the “ostentatious” overhaul of the Federal Reserve Campus and also cited the Chairman’s “failure to accurately assess the effects of tariffs” and “refusal to lower interest rates for the good of the nation in a timely manner,” as causes. He added, “This renovation is $700 million over budget at a time when your political game playing is wreaking havoc with Americans’ budgets. In fact, it is your failure at the Fed that has caused home ownership to be cost prohibitive for too many young families, denying them access to one of the most important facets of the American Dream.”
Hamadeh continued by highlighting Powell’s failed predications on the Trump administration’s tariff system.
He wrote, “Aside from the burden you have placed on taxpayers, who must foot the bill for your frivolous fabrications, you have failed to properly assess the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. Contrary to your predictions, increasing tariff collections are helping improve government finances with the U.S. Treasury Department posting a $27 billion budget surplus in June 2025.”
Hamadeh acknowledged that “White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has said that President Trump has the authority to fire Chairman Powell for cause,” but added that “it shouldn’t have to come to that.”
He concluded, “Chairman Powell needs to accept the fact that his political game playing has led to harmful failures and step down for the good of the country.”
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.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 16, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Blademir Angulo Audeves, a Mexican national, was arrested on July 8th , 2025, and charged with Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
Angulo made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday, July 11th.
Homeland Security Investigations launched an investigation in March 2025 following allegations that Angulo was employing undocumented workers, without work authorization, at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area.
The investigation revealed that at least 12 illegal aliens were working for Angulo, some of whom were residing at his home in Laveen, Arizona, or at a secondary residence on 16th Avenue.
On July 8th, Homeland Security executed federal search warrants at Angulo’s main residence, restaurant locations, and secondary residence.
Agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal authorization to be in the United States at both residents, arresting them and Angulo.
During the search of his Laveen home, agents found three firearms along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the closet of the master bedroom.
Immigration records show Angulo was previously encountered in the U.S illegally in 2011 and voluntarily departed through Nogales, Arizona, in May of 2021.
At the time of his arrest, Angulo lacked legal permission to be in the U.S., prohibiting him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At Angulo’s taco restaurants, Homeland Security also identified more Mexican citizens without legal authorization to be present or employed in the U.S.
Two individuals, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were encountered by Homeland Security on the same operation. They were both arrested and charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. They had been previously removed from the U.S. in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice Initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and keeping our communities safe.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 15, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Dragon Bravo Fire, raging across the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, has escalated quickly, destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and an estimated 50-80 structures including National Park Service administrative buildings and visitor centers.
Around 3:30 p.m. on July 12, 2025, the North Rim water treatment facility caught fire, resulting in a release of chlorine gas.
Chlorine gas, which is heavier than air, settled into lower elevations like the inner canyon. This prompted the immediate evacuation of all firefighters, hikers, and staff from the North Rim and inner canyon areas.
All river trips were instructed to bypass the Phantom Ranch to avoid risk exposure.
By 10:30 p.m. the fire intensified, driven by constant winds of 20-40 mph, joined with hot temperature and low humidity.
Despite efforts by firefighters, including aerial bucket drops near the Grand Canyon Lodge and Transept Trail, the chlorine gas leak prevented the use of aerial retardants in critical areas, hindering containment efforts.
Firefighters worked through the night under dangerous conditions to slow the fire’s spread but lost the Grand Canyon Lodge and other significant structures.
As of July 13, fire managers initiated retardant drops on the east side of the developed area, focusing on the Roaring Springs drainage, as part of an aggressive full-suppression strategy.
The fire remains highly active, fueled by persistent winds and dry conditions.
Preliminary damage assessments confirm the destruction of 50-80 structures, but no injuries or fatalities have been reported, and all staff and residents were safely evacuated prior to the fire’s escalation.
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will remain closed to all visitors for the remainder of the 2025 season. The following inner areas are also closed until further notice:
- North Kaibab Trail
- South Kaibab Trial
- Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens
- Phantom Ranch
- All associated campgrounds
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 15, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
A new report reveals a rise in financial cybercrime across the United States, with Arizona ranking 47th out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., as one of the riskiest states.
Based on the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) annual report, the findings highlight a national rise in crime frequency and financial impact. Arizona is among the states that faced significant challenges due to high victim counts, staggering losses, and inadequate legislative protections.
Arizona reported 2,239 victims per million residents in 2024, which was well above the national average, totaling $337 million in financial losses.
The state experienced a 61.02% increase in victim counts and a 51.84% rise in losses from 2022 to 2024. These losses are driven by an increase in high volume scams such as phishing, tech support fraud, and identity theft.
With a weighted score of 59.305 and only 10 cybersecurity-related laws, Arizona’s legislation has not kept up with the growing scale of cybersecurity threats.
Nationwide, financial cybercrime losses more than doubled from 2022 to 2024 reaching billions in reported damages. The report mentions that most states, including Arizona, saw double-digit increases in either victim counts or monetary losses.
Nationally, cyber security intrusions rose 613% from 2013 to 2023. In 2023 alone, there were 7.6 trillion hacking attempts, and 6.06 billion malware attacks recorded.
Americans lost $25.4 billion to phone phishing scams last year, and ransomware attempts occur nearly 20 times per second.
Cybercriminals are targeting multiple sectors, with the financial industry hit by 95.7% of successful attacks in 2023, costing $5.90 million per data breach.
The healthcare sector faced the highest breach costs at $10.93 million, while 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses.
The retail sector lost $2.9 million per breach, and the banking industry’s cybersecurity market is projected to grow from $74.3 billion in 2022 to $282 billion by 2032.
These trends show the broad economic toll, with the average global data breach costing $4.88 million in 2023.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 14, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
U.S Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) has reintroduced H.R. 4235. This is a bipartisan bill to designate the United States Postal Service facility at 100 N. Taylor Lane in Patagonia, Arizona, as the Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.
The reintroduction aligns with what would have been former Congressman Jim Kolbe’s 83rd birthday on June 28, 2025. Congressman Kolbe passed away on December 3, 2020.
The bipartisan effort is co-sponsored by Representatives Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ).
This legislation was introduced in the 119th Congress, 1st session and referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
The bill includes two key provisions:
- That the post office at 100 N. Taylor Lane in Patagonia, Arizona, will be officially named the Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.
- That any mention of the facility in laws, maps, regulations, documents, or other U.S. records will reflect its new designation as the Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.
Jim Kolbe, a native of Patagonia, represented southeastern Arizona in Congress for 11 terms from 1985 to 2007.
Prior to Congress, Kolbe served in the Arizona State Senate from 1977 to 1982 and began his career as a U.S. House page.
He was also a Navy veteran who served from 1967 to 1977 including in Vietnam.
Congressman Kolbe was a respected statesman known for his leadership on the House Appropriations Committee, where he was the chairman of one of its 12 subcommittees.
Congressman Ciscomani praised the former Congressman by saying, “Jim Kolbe lived a life of service dedicated to not only our state but our country as a whole. He was a Navy veteran who represented Arizona as a true statesman, leading in foreign affairs, trade, and fiscal discipline, while staying true to his values. He continues to inspire my own service in Congress and his impactful leadership will long be remembered.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
