by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 19, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate Republicans introduced a new state budget proposal Monday that aims to deliver a balanced fiscal plan while investing in public safety, education, infrastructure, water, and public health — all without raising taxes.
Senate leaders emphasized that their budget reflects bipartisan priorities and presents a path forward to avoid a looming government shutdown.
“This is a bipartisan budget the Republican majority can fully support and the governor will sign,” said Senate President Warren Petersen. “We are protecting the interests of Arizona by boosting pay for public safety personnel and increasing public safety resources to support safer communities.”
Petersen added that the proposal includes key investments in transportation and infrastructure, with a focus on road projects that support economic growth. The budget also addresses water security and enhancements to Arizona’s public health system.
“The governor has been adamant she will veto the House budget,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman John Kavanagh. “With the possibility of a government shutdown in a matter of days, we must move forward with our conservative spending plan, and we’re calling on our colleagues in both chambers to support it.”
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope offered a blunt assessment of the House proposal, describing it as a “fantasyland budget.”
“Elections have consequences,” Shope said. “We are in an era of divided government, and we must proceed as such. Republicans can’t get everything they want, and neither can Democrats. We did very well with protecting and funding our Republican priorities.”
Lawmakers face a deadline to approve a spending plan before a potential government shutdown later this week.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 19, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Republican Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) has issued a request for a full investigation into credible allegations that election security protocols in Arizona were breached during the 2024 General Election, putting the integrity of the election into question.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Congressman Hamadeh requested an investigation to specifically examine the handling of ballots from multiple states throughout the west by Runbeck Election Services.
Hamadeh cited credible reports that large stores of printed blank ballots from several western states were “improperly mixed in a warehouse with returned voted mail ballots that were in the process of being prepared for tabulation.”
He wrote, “This alarming situation raises serious questions about the security and integrity of the election process in Maricopa County and potentially beyond. The comingling of blank ballots with live ballots poses a significant risk to the accuracy and fairness of election results. It is crucial that we have confidence in the integrity of our elections, and any potential mishandling of ballots must be investigated to ensure that the will of the voters is accurately reflected.”
Hamadeh has requested that DOJ investigators determine:
1) The circumstance surrounding the mixing of blank ballots with voted ballots in the Runbeck warehouse.
2) The security measures in place to prevent such incidents and whether they were followed.
3) The potential impact on the accuracy of election results in Maricopa County and any other affected areas.
4) Any other relevant factors that may have comprised the integrity of the 2024 election. The Congressman also pointed to an announcement by FBI Director Kash Patel that the bureau has “turned over documents to Sen. Chuck Grassley involving an intelligence report in which China is alleged to have mass-produced fake U.S. driver’s licenses as part of the CCP’s effort to rig the 2020 election with fake mail-in ballots in favor of President Joe Biden.”
“These include allegations of plants from the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] to manufacture fake driver’s licenses and ship them into the United States for the purpose of facilitating fraudulent mail-in ballots–allegations which, while substantiated, were abruptly recalled and never disclosed to the public,” Patel revealed. “In accordance with Chairman Grassley’s request for documents, I have immediately declassified the material and turned the document over to the Chairman for further review.”
In a statement following his request for an investigation, Hamadeh said, “We have known for years that our election processes in Arizona are flawed and ripe with opportunities for nefarious forces. There appears to be a clear pattern and practice of security breakdowns, system failures, and outright manipulation that must be investigated and remedied.”
He concluded, “Now is the time for our Department of Justice to investigate credible allegations and offer sound recommendations to ensure that the integrity of our elections is restored in full.”
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 Shanxi Omoniyi | Jun 18, 2025 | Education, News
By Shanxi Omoniyi (The Lion) |
What do NBA players Blake Griffin and Allonzo Trier have in common with Allison Miller, a junior basketball player at The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, California?
All were previous homeschoolers who participated in the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships (NCHBC), according to Arizona State University’s Cronkite News.
“The prospect of even entering such an event – in which (East Valley Athletes for Christ, or EVAC) first appeared with boys basketball in 2021 – was as foreign as homeschooling back when EVAC was established in 2003,” writes Payne Moses.
The Arizona association of Christian homeschool families started with just one boys high school basketball team. Today it has maxed out capacity with 291 students across 37 teams, according to the article.
“EVAC actually has greater and better and more customized extracurricular athletic experiences … because it’s parent-led,” said EVAC communications director Grant Botma. “There’s not bureaucracy or red tape for what is part of a public school.
“If the parent has an idea, and it fits within the mission, vision and core values of EVAC, parents step up and do it and we support it. And that’s a really big thing because that creates, again, athletic experiences that would not have been had anywhere else.”
‘Relationships in the community’
Demand for EVAC’s services have skyrocketed in recent years, with some families coming from as far away as Anthem, Maricopa and the West Valley to enroll, Moses notes.
“Now at an enrollment near 300 students, EVAC is officially maxing out its capacity. An influx in volunteers would be the only way it can sustainably expand.”
Miller, who won back-to-back state titles in the Canyon Athletic Association’s second division, credited her homeschool experience with helping her prepare for the NCHBC.
“The difference in how people play basketball around the country is really interesting. … There’s just a different feel at that tournament,” she said. “I think it just opened up another gear of competitiveness within EVAC and (was) something else to work towards because some of the years in EVAC my teams were pretty dominant.”
The association’s success stems from its emphasis on flexibility and parent-directed learning, said Tracy Miller, Allison’s mother and EVAC administrative assistant.
“It was worth it for us to stay in something that was maybe less competitive because of the relationships in the community,” she said. “It’s kind of twofold that way, and I think it drives the mission of our organization, (which) is community, our dedication to Christ and then competition.”
Meanwhile, Allison continues to excel in college basketball. She has even influenced Fonda Wilson, coach of The Master’s University women’s basketball team, to start recruiting other homeschool athletes.
“(Miller) has been informing me about (homeschool athletes) all year, and that’s really where my heart wants to be, is to look in that portal because the Lord’s going to glorify that,” Wilson said. “He’s going to be so faithful. I’m just looking for his kids.”
Originally published by The Lion.
Shanxi Omoniyi is a staff writer for The Lion. She also serves as Online Content Director at Midwest Parent Educators (MPE), a nonprofit organization serving thousands of homeschool families not only in the KC metropolitan area of Kansas and Missouri, but also in neighboring states such as Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 18, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Corporation Commissioners Nick Myers and Kevin Thompson responded to reports of an upcoming primary challenge from State Representative Dr. Ralph Heap and running mate Rep. David Marshall with a surprising attack against both candidates and two of the most prominent conservative organizations in the state. After Heap confirmed his 2026 candidacy for the Commission in a call with the Arizona Republic, incumbents Thompson and Myers reportedly blasted Heap and Marshall as “special interest proxies who have been recruited to return politics into ratemaking.”
Myers would even go as far as to claim that the two GOP challengers are in the service of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AZFEC) and Turning Point USA (TPUSA), telling the Republic that both want “good puppets” on the Corporation Commission.
Responding to the remarks, Arizona Free Enterprise Club President Scot Mussi told the Republic that Myers and Thompason were “pretty on brand,” and added, “They always resort to attacks and attacking whoever they can to avoid having to address the substance of what’s being brought to them.”
Turning Point Action spokesman Andrew Kolvet told the outlet, “We have no idea what the commissioner means by ‘puppet,’ as we have had zero contact with any current commissioners since they have taken office.” He stated that TPUSA considers AZFEC to be “an ally.”
Although the Corporation Commission came fully under Republican control in January, the stakes for Arizona voters are high given that APS has requested yet another rate increase on top of the 8% increase it was given in 2024.
Commissioners Thompson and Myers have also drawn the ire of many Republicans by echoing the talking points of APS and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), when both utilities refused to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order to reactivate the Cholla and Springerville coal-fired power plants. As previously reported by AZ Free News, Thompson claimed that doing so would “jeopardize the grid and burden ratepayers with millions of dollars in short-sighted costs.” He also criticized the President’s intervention saying, “The Commission must hold utilities accountable and ensure that we have reliable and dispatchable generation to meet the load demands of the future. We also have to make sure we accomplish that goal in a manner that doesn’t jeopardize the grid and burden ratepayers with millions of dollars in short-sighted costs that fail to meaningfully address our long-term energy needs.”
He added, “Managing highly intricate systems like our electrical grid is far more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Continued calls from certain elected officials to reopen Cholla does nothing more than promote financially reckless solutions.”
The Commission’s refusal to follow the Trump administration’s energy agenda and pushback toward efforts to eliminate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies has placed it at odds with the Republican-controlled state legislature—along with the Arizona Freedom Caucus, AZFEC, and the Goldwater Institute.
Speaking to reporters, Myers accused AZFEC and TPUSA of “making things up,” claiming, “They’ve basically been trying to run us through the mud for every little thing they can drum up.”
However, Mussi explained that the Free Enterprise Club has had “a multitude of issues,” with the Commission. “There’s been a multitude of issues that they have shown no interest in working on,” he said. “And when these issues are brought up, rather than engaging on them, they have usually gone and attacked not just us, but whoever is bringing the policies that they disagree with addressing.” In particular he pointed to APS and TEP’s integrated resource plans, which lean heavily on wind and solar generation as opposed to coal, natural gas and nuclear, and AZFEC’s drive to terminate “California-style, Green New Deal policies.”
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 | Jun 18, 2025 | Education, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Maricopa County Library District (MCLD) is facing growing scrutiny from parents and advocacy groups over concerns that sexually explicit books are being displayed in the youth sections of its libraries. Organizations like AZ Women of Action (AZWOA) and EZAZ, along with dozens of local residents, are urging county officials to take stronger action to protect children and support parental rights.
The issue reached a boiling point this spring when residents raised their concerns directly with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (BOS). In response, Supervisors Debbie Lesko and Mark Stewart held meetings with AZWOA representatives, signaling that the county may be preparing to address the controversy more directly.
MCLD, which oversees 15 libraries serving the nation’s fourth-most populous county, currently follows a Collection Development Policy that emphasizes community demand and diversity. The policy also defers to parents and guardians on what materials their children borrow, and explicitly avoids labeling materials based on their content or philosophy. Critics argue this approach lacks adequate safeguards.
At the center of the debate are specific books flagged as inappropriate by advocacy groups. Titles such as “It’s Perfectly Normal” by Robie H. Harris and “This Book Is Gay” by Juno Dawson have drawn sharp criticism for what opponents say are graphic depictions of sex and sexual behavior that are not suitable for minors. Novels by author Ellen Hopkins, which explore themes of sexual abuse and trafficking, have also been cited as problematic.
Advocates point to Arizona statutes—ARS 13-3506 and ARS 13-3507—which make it a felony to knowingly provide sexually explicit materials to minors or display such materials in public. Some residents have called on the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office to investigate whether the library’s practices violate these laws.
“The goal isn’t censorship,” said Merissa Hamilton of EZAZ. “It’s about ensuring age-appropriate content and preserving a parent’s right to guide their children’s upbringing.”
In recent weeks, AZWOA has launched a petition asking the BOS to move explicit titles from youth sections to adult areas and to consider implementing a rating system. Books rated three or higher on a five-point scale would require parental permission before being borrowed by minors.
As a partial response, the BOS approved a pilot program at the Queen Creek Library. The program allows parents to submit a form listing books their children may not check out. However, critics argue the system is cumbersome and poorly publicized, making it ineffective.
The future of library policy in Maricopa County remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: a growing number of residents are demanding more say in what books their children can access—and they’re not backing down.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 17, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes faced a setback last week in her legal challenge against President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a favorable ruling for the President, allowing the tariffs challenged by Mayes’ and eleven other state Attorneys General to remain in effect pending appeal.
The appeals court blocked an order from the U.S. Court of International Trade, which struck down the tariffs on May 28th in State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al. The appeals court acknowledged the Trump tariffs’ raise “issues of exceptional importance” and agreed to expedite the case. It will hear arguments before the entire court on July 31st. In the ruling, the court found that “both sides have made substantial arguments on the merits” and stated, “The court also concludes that these cases present issues of exceptional importance warranting expedited en banc consideration of the merits in the first instance.”
Responding to the ruling, President Trump wrote on Truth Social, “A Federal Appeals Court has just ruled that the United States can use TARIFFS to protect itself against other countries. A great and important win for the U.S.”
The May 28th ruling against the President resulted from two separate lawsuits, one brought by the Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small U.S. businesses which depend on foreign imports and the second from a coalition of 12 states including Arizona.
Mayes claimed in a post to X that “The president does not have the authority to implement tariffs unilaterally.”
White House spokesman Kush Desai responded to the ruling saying, “The Trump administration is legally using the powers granted to the executive branch by the Constitution and Congress to address our country’s national emergencies of persistent goods trade deficits and drug trafficking. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ stay order is a welcome development, and we look forward to ultimately prevailing in court.”
At issue in the case are the discounted reciprocal tariffs that the Trump administration announced on April 2nd, which apply a 10% minimum tariff across the board, particularly in Europe, while applying more punitive tariffs, as high as 49%, in the case of Cambodia which charges the U.S. a 97% tariff or 34% initially for China, which at that point charged 67% on U.S. imports.
Through subsequent negotiations with China and a ratcheting upward of the tariffs, the U.S. duties on China stabilized at approximately 55% and will remain there under a new trade deal, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC.
Despite the legal imbroglio with leftist State AGs, President Trump announced Wednesday that China’s duties on U.S. goods will remain at 10%, where they paused in May when both sides agreed to a 90-day reprieve, and he provided a glimpse into the new agreement pending with Beijing.
In a post to Truth Social, Trump wrote, “OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME. FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!). WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”
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.
