Arizona State Representative John Gillette (R-LD30) issued a strong condemnation of Texas Democrats who have fled their state in an effort to deny the legislature a quorum over upcoming redistricting proposals. In fleeing the state, the leftist lawmakers have ground progress on not only the redistricting, but bills addressing the devastating Hill Country flood as well, earning them wide criticism, arrest warrants, and potential expulsion.
Texas State Representative Ann Johnson (D-HD134) defended the ongoing abdication of duty in a post to X saying, “Breaking Quorum is an exceptional and extraordinary act of last resort.” Johnson’s post ingored the fact that Democrat lawmakers did similar as recently as 2021 to delay mail-in ballot reform and before that in 2003 to also oppose redistricting.
Gillette’s response to Johnson was scathing. “Breaking quorum is a cowardly act,” he wrote. “You swore an oath, not only to the Constitution but your State as well as its people. Now you hide in leftist states. What a disgrace. You can try to church this up all you want….not working[.] Cowardice and criminal, sum up the democrat party.”
Breaking quorum is a cowardly act. You swore an oath, not only to the Constitution but your State as well as its people. Now you hide in leftist states. What a disgrace. You can try to church this up all you want….not working Cowardice and criminal, sum up the democrat party.
— Rep. John Gillette AZ House LD30 (@AzRepGillette) August 4, 2025
The Republican lawmaker’s response to a video post from Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds (D-HD27) made on an airliner was even more direct. Answering Reynolds’ claim to be “breaking quorum today to stop Texas Republicans from passing racially gerrymandered maps,” Gillette replied, “Cowardly P”ssy said what? Go back and do your job.”
Cowardly P"ssy said what? Go back and do your job.
— Rep. John Gillette AZ House LD30 (@AzRepGillette) August 4, 2025
As of this report, the Texas legislature has voted to empower its Sergeant-at-Arms to locate and arrest the more than 50 Democrat legislators who have abandoned the Special Session called by Governor Greg Abbott to respond to the flooding emergency on the Guadalupe River, and which has also taken on redistricting.
As reported by the Texas Tribune, House Speaker Dustin Burrows slammed the Democrats from the House on Monday saying they had “shirked their responsibilities,” and thanking those present. “You understand that the issues before us, disaster recovery, fighting for the families who lost loved ones in the floods, human trafficking and more, are not abstract policy debates,” Burrows said with a rebuke toward the Democrats. “Instead of confronting those challenges, some of our colleagues have fled the state and their duty.”
Arizona’s Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes fueled a new wave of condemnation during a Wednesday War Room segment of ‘Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos’ on KTAR with Republican Arizona Senator John Kavanaugh. During the segment, Fontes brazenly described law enforcement as “hooded thugs.” Fontes then went on to deny his words minutes later when called Kavanaugh, a former police officer, called him out for it.
Saguaro Group and Arizona Capitol Oversight founder Brian Anderson drew attention to the moment in a post to X writing, “Democrat @Adrian_Fontes just went on the radio and smeared Arizona law enforcement officers as “HOODED THUGS” for enforcing border laws … and then nervously claimed “I didn’t say the word thug” after Senator @JohnKavanagh_AZ called him out for it[.]”
VIDEO 🚨
Democrat @Adrian_Fontes just went on the radio and smeared Arizona law enforcement officers as "HOODED THUGS" for enforcing border laws
Republican Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs also called out Fontes on X, saying, “Arizona is less safe today because Democrats like Katie Hobbs and Adrian Fontes think our law enforcement agents are ‘thugs.’ Our safety is at risk. We cannot afford four more years of them in charge.”
Arizona is less safe today because Democrats like Katie Hobbs and Adrian Fontes think our law enforcement agents are “thugs”.
Our safety is at risk. We cannot afford four more years of them in charge. https://t.co/N8lE3wWqgU
In full context, Fontes began the exchange by responding to a question from co-host Bruce St. James, who asked how illegal immigrants are being selected for arrest and deportation. St. James asked, “How are these people [illegal immigrants] then being chosen picking picked out of a group then? What are the parameters people are using?”
Fontes answered, “Uh, whatever they are, they are un-Christian. I can’t see how anybody can say they’re a Christian and treat someone from another land in their own land this way. It’s mean is what it is. It’s mean-spirited. Uh, a lot of these folks are being picked up by, you know, hooded thugs in the street in the most un-American way. So, I just think the spirit behind this, whether or not the poll numbers are up or down, I mean, that’s kind of the window dressing here. At the end of the day, what we’re looking at is uh scaring the hell out of people on purpose because we don’t like them. And it’s an un-Christian-based way of not liking people because just cuz they’re from somewhere else.”
Defending the use of masks to protect officers from the dangerous leftist tactic of ‘doxxing’ law enforcement officers and their families, making them vulnerable to targeted violence, Kavanaugh called out the Democrat Secretary of State for his comment: “I’m proud to have been a cop for 20 years. I’m proud to have helped immigration when I was a cop.” Kavanaugh said.
To which Fontes replied, “I appreciate what law enforcement agents do when they do it to protect or to…”
But Kavanaugh, having none of it, cut him off, “But you call them thugs!”
Fontes immediately denied the words he had spoken just over four minutes before, claiming, “I didn’t say the word thug. Now you’re lying.”
Kavanaugh then challenged him, “Play the tape. What? What? Mask thugs, or did you use a similar derogatory term? You didn’t say law enforcement officers.”
Fontes avoided the question and continued to attack the enforcement of immigration laws, saying, “You remove humanity, dignity, mercy, and decency from governance. What you’re doing is saying the most powerful will rule over the least without mercy.”
However, Kavanaugh wouldn’t let the comment pass unanswered, “So when I was a cop and I locked up somebody who committed a crime, I was a thug? I was not being humane because I enforced the law?”
Fontes answered conditionally, “When the law is amnesty, and people are fleeing places where they might get killed if they stay there?” He continued, claiming, “This home of freedom is now turning into a place of fear because of these ridiculous policies.”
Kavanaugh replied tersely, “People being removed do not have claims of asylum. If they did, they’d be on hold.”
Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne criticized recent remarks made by Governor Katie Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, who labeled the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) staff as “wasteful bureaucracy.”
Horne called the comments a reckless insult to dedicated state employees who are understaffed, under pressure, and focused on serving the parents seeking the best education for their children.
“The governor’s spokesman has demeaned state employees by calling ESA professionals a ‘wasteful bureaucracy.’ Defining people as waste is a terrible insult,” said Superintendent Horne. “No matter what her (Governor Hobbs) personal opposition, the ESA program exists to give parents’ choice when local schools don’t meet their children’s needs, and people are needed to serve those parents. That is not wasteful; it is essential.”
ESA Director John Ward, in a recent legislative testimony, highlighted the program’s significant growth and challenges.
In the 2025 fiscal year, the ESA program distributed $869 million, surpassing the $769 million allocated for all federal education programs in Arizona.
Despite managing a larger budget, the ESA program has only 40 employees, compared to the 300 staff members handling federal programs at the Arizona Department of Education.
Since its start in 2011, the ESA program has grown from $100 million and 11,000 accounts to now, nearly $1 billion and over 90,000 accounts today, with no additional staff to support the increased workload.
“We are always in survival mode,” Ward told lawmakers. “Our main responsibility is to get students who want to be in the program into the program, to review their purchases, and provide customer service. That is our core mission, and that is what we are focused on.”
Horne also noted that in 2025, the Department of Education requested 12 additional staff members to manage the growing program’s demands. The House supported this request in its budget, but Governor Hobbs refused to consider it.
“To deny these resources while allowing her spokesman to insult state employees serving parents is beyond the pale,” Horne said.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The Arizona State Treasurer’s Office announced a major financial milestone last week: the Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) has reached a record $7.6 billion in total assets. According to State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, the fund has grown by $4.3 billion — a 131% increase — since she took office in 2019.
The announcement came during the July State Board of Investment meeting, where Treasurer Yee presented the latest performance report. The LGIP, a fixed-income investment pool managed by the Treasurer’s Office, serves as a centralized option for local governments — including cities, counties, towns, and special districts — to invest public funds with an emphasis on safety and competitive yields.
The report shows that assets under management are up 7.08% year-over-year, with June earnings totaling more than $27.4 million, a 3.18% increase compared to the same month last year.
“We are proud to provide responsible stewardship of public funds while ensuring liquidity, safety, and strong returns,” Treasurer Yee said at the meeting.
Yee’s career in public service spans more than a decade, including eight years in the Arizona Legislature, where she served as Senate Majority Leader. Since assuming leadership of the Treasurer’s Office, Yee has emphasized transparency, performance, and accessibility. Under her watch, the state has expanded participation in the LGIP, which provides local government entities a low-risk, professionally managed option for investing taxpayer dollars.
The Office operates four separate LGIP pools, each tailored to meet the liquidity and investment needs of its contributors. By pooling resources, smaller jurisdictions gain access to economies of scale and greater portfolio diversification.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
An alleged altercation with pro-life advocates in June has led to renewed concerns regarding Dr. Ronald Yunis, a Phoenix physician who pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a class six felony, after being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2019.
Civic action group Red State Reform stated that the “alleged pattern of violence raises public safety concerns.”
Sharing a video of the June altercation, documentation of the prior firearm incident, and Medical Board findings, the group raised questions about the doctor’s accountability and presented the alleged pattern of behavior:
“Dr. Ronald Yunis, a local physician, was recently captured on video allegedly assaulting a peaceful protester on June 3, 2025. Despite eyewitness testimony and clear video evidence showing what appears to be an unprovoked physical assault—which under Arizona law (A.R.S. § 13-1203) could constitute probable cause for arrest—and notwithstanding his prior conviction involving a firearm, the Phoenix Police Department did not place him under arrest at the scene.
“Instead, officers issued only a citation requiring him to appear in court. The Phoenix City Prosecutor’s Office has since declined to pursue even misdemeanor assault charges, and the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could still be re-filed.”
Phoenix abortionist Ronald Yunis punched a peaceful sidewalk counselor this week. Targeting a Christian who was lawfully pleading for life and sharing the gospel outside his abortion mill. A police investigation is underway! pic.twitter.com/z69xSaETy8
A witness to the incident, James Baird of P24 Ministries, said in a statement, “No one should be above the law — especially when patient and community safety are at stake.”
The organization added that “while there was an allegation that the victim may have trespassed, there is no justification under Arizona law for the use of physical force without imminent threat or danger. Both the video and eyewitness testimony corroborate that the protester neither threatened nor committed any violence against Dr. Yunis.”
In the 2019 incident, Yunis was captured on body-worn camera footage by a pro-life protester visibly pointing a gun at them from his vehicle. In a similar circumstance to the June incident, the Phoenix Police Department initially declined to arrest Yunis.
Red State Reform noted that “it was only after the video footage was posted online and sparked numerous public complaints that an arrest was made seven days later, resulting in Dr. Yunis pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, a class 6 felony.”
WATCH: 2019 Incident
Yunis was later stripped of his Medicare billing privileges until 2031 after he allegedly failed to report the felony conviction as required by law and served two years of probation.
According to Health and Human Services documentation, the Doctor claimed, “his criminal attorney assured him that conviction pursuant to the plea agreement would not be considered a felony because it was an undesignated offense and would not be reported to any regulatory body.”
Red State Reform observed, “The Administrative Law Judge found that Dr. Yunis failed to report his felony as required by federal law, exhibited reckless disregard for those around him, and demonstrated an inability to exercise sound judgment. As a result, Dr. Yunis was barred from reenrolling in Medicare through 2031, underscoring serious concerns about his professional conduct and reliability.”
In October 2023, Dr. Yunis was brought before the Arizona Medical Board in a response to the 2019 incident as well as other complaints, including “multiple reports of unprofessional interactions between Respondent and nursing staff occurring between 2018 and 2019,” and “review of Respondent’s care and treatment of five obstetrical patients (MR, CB, BL, GCU, and KB) identified by the Hospital’s investigation.“
The Board found as “Conclusions of Law,” that “the conduct and circumstances described in MD-19-1001A and MD-20-0925A above constitute unprofessional conduct pursuant to A.R.S. § 32-1401(27)(r) (‘Committing any conduct or practice that is or might be harmful or dangerous to the health of the patient or the public.’)”
An appeal by Dr. Yunis was denied by the Board two months later.
In a statement, Red State Reform Vice President Daryl Groves summarized his concerns regarding the non-prosecution of Dr. Yunis for the alleged June altercation, saying, “The public deserves to know that everyone is held to the same standard under the law.”
As Arizona counties finalize their budgets for Fiscal Year 2026, the majority are preparing to raise property taxes, with 11 of the state’s 15 counties proposing increases totaling nearly $54.8 million, according to the Arizona Tax Research Association’s (ATRA) July 2025 newsletter. The moves come amid population growth, infrastructure demands, and rising costs, but they have also triggered requirements under Arizona’s Truth in Taxation (TNT) law aimed at ensuring transparency.
ATRA’s analysis reveals that under state law, primary property taxes — which fund the general operations of county governments — are subject to TNT provisions. These rules require counties to notify taxpayers if their proposed tax levy exceeds the previous year’s amount, excluding new construction. Notifications must be published in newspapers of general circulation, and a public hearing must be held before any vote to approve the increase.
TNT also applies to some countywide special taxing districts, including those for libraries, flood control, and public health. While counties are allowed to raise taxes up to a constitutional limit — 2% above the previous year’s levy, plus new construction — only Apache and Coconino counties currently tax at that maximum level.
According to ATRA, of the counties planning tax hikes, Pima County stands out with the largest proposed increase: $33 million. This includes a nearly 25-cent hike in the primary property tax rate above TNT limits. Pima is also planning to exceed TNT thresholds for both its flood control and library districts.
Maricopa County, Arizona’s most populous, is proposing its first primary property tax increase in five years — not by changing the rate, but by holding it steady. Due to growth in the tax base, this would still result in a $12.5 million increase, exclusive of new construction.
In Coconino County, library district taxes are slated to rise 11.5% over TNT, generating approximately $780,000 in additional revenue. The county also plans to levy the maximum amounts for its primary property tax, as well as for its flood control and public health districts. Altogether, Coconino’s tax increase would total around $1.8 million.
Mohave County is eyeing a 7% increase in primary property taxes, which would raise about $3.2 million. Four counties — Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, and Pinal — have opted not to increase property taxes this fiscal year, bucking the statewide trend.
County officials say the proposed increases are necessary to sustain essential public services amid rising costs and growing populations. Still, the hikes are expected to generate scrutiny from taxpayers, especially in counties proposing large percentage increases or exceeding TNT thresholds.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
