by Matthew Holloway | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Richie Taylor, Communications Director for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, was called out on social media earlier this week. The Democrat staffer allegedly launched “vicious ad hominem attacks” against Jenny Clark, founder of Love Your School, a nonprofit that advocates for parental rights, school choice, and resources for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) and special education students.
Clark sat on the State Board of Education, appointed by former Gov. Doug Ducey in 2022, as a public member known for her advocacy for ESAs and School Tuition Organizations (STOs), and for vocally opposing Governor Katie Hobbs on both topics. She was ousted from the role by Hobbs in March after her term expired.
Following an August 27th segment on KTAR’s Outspoken, which featured Clark, AZGOP Chairwoman Gina Swoboda, and KTAR Legal Analyst Barry Markson, a terse exchange between Taylor and Clark began.
The disagreement appeared to arise when Taylor referred to Clark as a “grifter” and put her name in quotation marks, which led Clark to point out Taylor’s collaboration with her during his time as Communications Director for the Arizona Department of Education. She wrote, “Why is my name in quotes, Richie! How weird! Remember when you were at the AZ Dept. of Ed. and we partnered to get flyers out about the ESA program in 2021? Here’s a screenshot for reference! Feel free to keep attacking the Arizona ESA program – right into 2026, please!”
The exchange escalated with Taylor posting, “lol indeed. You caught me acting in good faith. Wow impressive. Again, you had a dem superintendent wanting to work with you and you f***ed it over at every turn because it would have ruined your grift.”
In response, Clark shared the post and asked: “Why is the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes posting in my X account, totally unprovoked, and cussing me out? We have had cordial exchanges before when he was at ADE and I worked to get flyers out for them on ESAs (which I shared in screenshots). Inappropriate and odd.”
Responding to another now-deleted post, she asked, “Why is the Head of Communications for an elected Attorney General @AZAGMayes personally attacking a working mom, who started a non-profit on school choice, and is helping families? I mean, is this the type of class and leadership we have come to expect from democrats? Odd!”
She replied to the post, writing, “It’s such an abrupt and unprofessional personal attack. I’m not sure what prompted it! I’ve never had issues with @richietaylor before, all of a sudden today they’re attacking me personally on my X threads. It’s actually very concerning, on a few different privacy levels, too.”
Taylor then doubled down replying “Cry more and get used to it.”
In the most recent post in the social media clash, Clark shared a screenshot of the now-deleted post in which Taylor allegedly wrote to her, “lol. You make so much money off the program and you know it[.] Why don’t you tell people how much? And you also know you torpedoed any real reform because you were trying to get your preferred vendor the contract to manage it.”
According to ProPublica, citing public tax records, Clark drew a salary of $102,000 in her role as Executive Director of Love Your School. No public record of her applying for “preferred vendor status” was found in the State Board of Education’s available online records.
In her post, Clark wrote, “Update: the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes, @richietaylor- has deleted posts against me which were extremely aggressive, untrue, unprovoked and vicious ad hominem attacks. I make policy arguments supported by available facts, they prefer to personally attack people.”
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 Jonathan Eberle | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) has filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Analise Ortiz (D-LD24), accusing her of endangering public safety by posting online alerts about federal immigration enforcement activity.
Hoffman announced the filing Wednesday, arguing that Ortiz’s actions undermined U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Arizona. He said her public posts alerted individuals targeted by federal agents, putting both officers and civilians at risk.
“By publicly posting alerts about federal law enforcement activity, she actively tipped off individuals being pursued by ICE, jeopardizing the safety of officers and law-abiding citizens,” Hoffman said in a statement.
According to the complaint, Ortiz used her official platform to share real-time information about enforcement operations and urged people to avoid them. The filing states that after being criticized, Ortiz defended her posts with what Hoffman characterized as “inflammatory language.”
The complaint is backed by Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), Majority Leader John Kavanagh (R-LD3), and other Republican lawmakers. It calls for Ortiz to face expulsion or, at minimum, disciplinary action by the chamber.
“Every law enforcement officer deserves to go home safe at the end of their shift. Every Arizona family deserves to know their elected leaders are protecting them, not siding with lawlessness,” Hoffman said. The Senate Ethics Committee will now review the complaint to determine whether to move forward with a formal investigation or disciplinary measures.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen is calling on Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to revise the state’s draft of the 2025 Elections Procedures Manual (EPM), warning that lawmakers may pursue legal action if disputed provisions remain in place.
The Elections Procedures Manual, which outlines how elections are conducted in all 15 Arizona counties, must comply with state law and receive approval from both the governor and attorney general before taking effect. Petersen contends the current draft includes measures that exceed the secretary of state’s legal authority.
“The Elections Procedures Manual cannot be used as a vehicle to rewrite Arizona law,” Petersen said in a statement released Monday. “If these provisions are not corrected before submission, litigation will follow.”
Among the concerns identified by Petersen and Republican legislators are provisions they say weaken election safeguards. These include extending the time for non-citizens to “cure” invalid registrations, bypassing voter ID requirements on registration forms, limiting ballot challenges, and reducing oversight on ballot chain-of-custody procedures.
Lawmakers also raised objections to proposed rules that they argue diminish political parties’ role in selecting poll workers, relax standards for petition circulators, and require election officers to adhere to policies they believe infringe on constitutional rights.
Petersen said the secretary of state has a “pattern” of resisting statutory requirements, adding that changes to election rules should be made through the legislative process rather than administrative directives.
“Our election laws are passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor — not invented by one officeholder,” Petersen said.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Sep 5, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) has joined with colleagues from seven western states to reconstitute the Colorado River Caucus, which he will co-chair with Democrat Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado.
As Arizona is heavily dependent on water flowing from the Colorado River, with 2.85 million acre-feet allocated to the state annually, the state’s political representation in decisions that govern the river has always been critical.
Initially launched as a bipartisan effort by members of the 118th Congress in 2023, the 12-member Colorado River Caucus includes representation from Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado.
“The Colorado River is the beating heart of the American Southwest,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “Millions of people in Arizona and six other states depend on it as a source of water for our homes and businesses, our farms and ranches – our way of life. The Colorado River Caucus will help us understand and manage this precious resource as we deal with the impacts of a record-breaking drought that has lasted more than two decades. Collaboration is key and that’s the goal of this bipartisan caucus.”
In May 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and the Colorado River Lower Basin States agreed to a new plan under the Biden administration “to conserve 3 million acre-feet over the next three years to protect the Colorado River system.”
However, in March of this year, Common Sense Institute (CSI) Arizona released a report that pointed to gaps in “infrastructure and ingenuity,” rather than supply scarcity as the state’s greatest water resource issue. CSI advised at the time, “If Arizona opts to address its water future by ending growth and limiting development, rather than investing in infrastructure and addressing water policies, the Grand Canyon state faces the potential of billions in lost economic activity and thousands of new jobs.“
The release from Ciscomani indicated that the Caucus will task itself with advocating for a seven-state solution that incorporates efficient conservation measures to preserve water rights across the board.
Secretary Karen Cesare of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD), representing Pima County, said in a statement, “The Colorado River has been and continues to be one of the most vital issues for the State of Arizona. Since the days of Senator Carl Hayden and Representative John Rhodes, our state has always had leaders in Congress that work on this important issue. I am very happy that Representative Ciscomani is returning as co-chair of the Colorado River Caucus and is continuing this legacy of leadership.”
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 | Sep 5, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Grand Canyon University announced projections for record-breaking student enrollment for the 2025-26 academic year with as many as 133,000 Antelopes or ‘Lopes’ as they’re called, donning the Christian university’s signature purple and black. The new year enrollment represents an increase of approximately 8% over the fall 2024-25 enrollment figure. The increase isn’t limited to online students either, with the university seeing a ten percent increase in new students attending in-person instruction at the North Phoenix campus.
Specifically, the total projected enrollment of GCU for 2025 is 133,000 or more. On-campus enrollment is projected to be approximately 25,000, while online enrollment is expected to exceed 118,000.
In a press release, GCU President Brian Mueller attributed the uptick to the university’s “three core strengths,” citing “high-quality academics, taught from a Christian worldview perspective, a longstanding commitment to affordability, and a vibrant Christ-centered campus culture.”
“There is no shortage of families looking for high-quality, affordable education options rooted in Christian values,” Mueller said. “And they come from every corner of the country.”
In a press release, the GCU emphasized its policy of a tuition freeze for in-person students for the past 17 years, with “only nominal increases in online tuition.”
Mueller also explained, “If I ask students on our ground campus why they chose GCU, 9 out of 10 will say it is because of the community atmosphere on campus It’s what we’re known for, and faith plays a big part in creating that culture.”
Fresh off setting a record in April 2025 for its largest graduating class to date, GCU issued the release corresponding with the university’s ‘Welcome Week,’ describing the festivities as “a spirited tradition that includes more than 105 events organized by Welcome Programs staff alongside more than 500 Welcome Crew and Student Affairs volunteers. Activities range from student orientations, daily socials and nightly events such as Canyon Cooldown, Silent Disco and the inspirational Ignite worship ceremony, which sets the tone spiritually for the school year.”
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 | Sep 4, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) is set to vote on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), an Arizona-based nonprofit, at its upcoming school board meeting.
The agreement, effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027, aims to provide substance abuse prevention and mental health services to students at Carl Hayden High School, Bostrom High School, and Maryvale High School.
However, the proposal sparked debate among board members and community advocates, with concerns about the scope of services and their alignment with student needs.
The MOU outlines CPLC’s role as a subgrantee of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) under the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG). The SABG targets groups such as pregnant women, drug users, and individuals with HIV/AIDS, alongside primary prevention services for substance abuse.
Under the proposed agreement, CPLC would deliver primary substance abuse prevention services and counseling to referred PXU students, with a specific mention of “Health Masculinity Services for Self-Identified Males.”
The proposed MOU has drawn criticism from some PXU board members, notably Jeremiah Cota, who announced via X his intent to vote against the contract.
Cota expressed concerns that the agreement prioritizes services for self-identified males and potentially includes abortion-related support under the guise of “wrap-around” services, labeling CPLC a “leftist activist group.”
His stance has been amplified by Arizona State Representative Teresa Martinez, who praised Cota’s advocacy while criticizing PXU for ignoring student safety, particularly in light of recent discussions about reinstating school resource officers (SROs).
The SROs were removed from PXU campuses in 2020 following concerns about police interactions with minority students.
Despite recommendations from the district’s student safety committee in March 2023 to reinstate SROs, the board postponed the decision, opting for further study sessions and maintaining an off-duty officer model.
No SRO vote is scheduled for the upcoming meeting, intensifying the frustration among advocates, who argue student safety is being pushed aside.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
