Governor Katie Hobbs has been reticent to transmit her nominations for state agency heads to the state legislature, and the effort by the Arizona Senate to bring transparency to the process may not lend itself to greater cooperation by the Ninth Floor going forward.
On Thursday, the Arizona Senate Committee on Director Nominations met for its first meeting to consider two of the nominees that Governor Hobbs sent to the legislature. A.R.S. 38-211 prescribes that “the governor shall nominate and with the consent of the senate appoint such officer,” and that “the governor shall during each (legislative) session nominate a person who meets the requirements of law for such office and promptly transmit the nomination to the president of the senate.” The Senate’s constitutional responsibility to provide “consent” for Governor Hobbs’ nominees led to President Warren Petersen forming this committee to “recommend a course of action for the Senate to take on each individual.”
But Governor Hobbs has only fulfilled her constitutional responsibility to “promptly transmit” a select number of nominees – and two of them were before the Senate Committee Thursday. The first individual up for consideration was Angie Rodgers, the nominee to lead the Department of Economic Security. Rodgers has been the President and CEO for the Arizona Food Bank Network and previously served in the Napolitano administration as the governor’s Human Services Policy Advisor. Though Republicans on the committee did have concerns about how she would lead this agency, the vote to favorably recommend her to the full Senate was unanimous.
It was the second nominee considered by the committee who brought the most contention, however. Dr. Theresa Cullen, who Hobbs nominated to run the Department of Health Services, is currently the Director of the Pima County Public Health Department – a position she has held since June 1, 2020. Both Dr. Cullen and Rodgers were announced in the first round of future nominees on December 27, 2022, by then-Governor-elect Hobbs.
Arizona Republicans pointed out multiple inconsistencies in her answers throughout the afternoon. On two occasions, Senate President Petersen sharply chided her responses and served a warning about her future as a public servant, writing, “Any nominee who gets caught lying at a confirmation hearing is not fit to serve the state of Arizona. The 9th floor could learn from Napolitano. Napolitano did not appoint radical lefties as directors.”
Any nominee who gets caught lying at a confirmation hearing is not fit to serve the state of Arizona. The 9th floor could learn from Napolitano. Napolitano did not appoint radical lefties as directors.
After enough time was spent on vetting Dr. Cullen’s past (especially her leadership over the Pima County health response to the COVID-19 pandemic) and her ability to lead this Department in the future, members of the committee voted against recommending her nomination to the full Senate with a party line 3-2 vote.
Senate Republicans, who now have a decision to make about Dr. Cullen’s future employment at the Department of Health Services, had plenty to say after the hearing was complete. Senator John Kavanagh tweeted, “Her repressive covid policies when she led Pima County Health included an illegal 10pm-5am curfew.” Senator Sonny Borrelli wrote, “Why would @GovernorHobbs appoint Dr. Cullen to a critical position, such as state health director, when her testimony in committee clearly showed she makes decisions based on politics and not commonsense or data?” Senator Anthony Kern stated, “Dr. Cullen prided herself on locking down Pima County, ruining the livelihoods of her constituents while she raked in a comfortable $200,000/yr. salary.” Committee Member Janae Shamp said, “Dr. Cullen provided misleading responses and failed to accept responsibility for her record.” Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope tweeted, “I respect Dr. Cullen’s experience, but her poor judgement in Pima County reflects poorly on her – and even more poorly on Hobbs.” And Senator Wendy Rogers left no doubt with her thoughts from the hearing: “True leaders never reply, ‘I don’t know’ to tough questions. Shame on @GovernorHobbs for nominating Pima county’s MEDICAL TYRANT Dr. Theresa Cullen for State Health Director.”
I'm incredibly troubled by @GovernorHobbs's decision to push forward her nominee to the Dept. of Health Services.
I respect Dr. Cullen's experience, but her poor judgment in Pima County reflects poorly on her — and even more poorly on Hobbs.#AZLeg#AZSenate@AZSenateGOP
Governor Katie Hobbs was also not happy after the hearing – but for different reasons than legislative Republicans. She released a statement, saying, “What we witnessed today was an exercise in political theater, and it is a shame that Arizonans have to suffer for it. Dr. Admiral Cullen has a distinguished career in medicine and public health that spans decades, and I stand by her nomination. Her dedication and vision in making our state the healthiest it can be is exactly what Arizona needs right now.”
It is a shame that the Senate committee has decided to play partisan politics in this case instead of doing what's best for Arizonans. Dr. Admiral Cullen's dedication and public health expertise is exactly what we need right now. pic.twitter.com/FnOD7IL6Fl
Daniel Scarpinato, a Chief of Staff to former Governor Doug Ducey, had some valuable insight about the committee process and genesis, tweeting, “All Governors must work with the Legislature. It’s part of our process and a system taught in basic civics. The Arizona Senate gets to determine how they want to conduct the process, and I think the one they have developed is a very good one.” He went on to say that “No one can accuse this AZ Senate Committee of being a partisan exercise. Their questions are fair and appropriate. Sen. Hoffman is doing an excellent job as Chairman.”
All Governors must work with the Legislature. It's part of our process and a system taught in basic civics. The Arizona Senate gets to determine how they want to conduct the process, and I think the one they have developed is a very good one. https://t.co/pR8dUgrV9M
Out of the nearly 14,000 abortions performed in 2021, at least nine babies were born alive following a botched procedure.
The data comes from the Arizona Department of Health’s (AZDHS) latest report on abortions in the state for 2021. 2020 had the exact same number of babies born alive following a botched abortion.
AZDHS issued its latest report the day after the Arizona Appeals Court ruled that the state’s near-total, pre-statehood abortion ban couldn’t be used to prosecute abortionists. The court upheld the law codified last March, which allows abortions up to 15 weeks.
State reporting on botched abortions resulting in live deliveries went into effect in August 2017. That year, the state reported at least 10 abortions that resulted in the baby delivered alive between August and December 2017. In 2018, there were 12. Then in 2019, there were 15.
The number of abortions have fluctuated slightly over the years, marking a general upward trend since 2010, when there were more abortions performed that year than in any other year since 2004: over 11,400 abortions.
2010 was the year the state began tracking abortions, due to a newly passed law at the time. The all-time high for abortions on record in one year occurred in 2011, though this year came closer to meeting that record.
In 2011, there were over 14,400 abortions; 2012, over 13,300; 2013, over 13,400; 2014, about 12,900; 2015, over 12,600; 2016, 13,300; 2017, over 12,500; 2018, over 12,400; 2019, over 13,000; and in 2020, over 13,200.
99 percent of the 2021 abortions were administered to Arizonans.
The greatest demographic of women receiving abortions were aged 20 to 24 years old (nearly 31 percent), followed by 25 to 29 years old (27 percent), 30 to 34 years old (18.6 percent), 35 to 39 years old (10 percent), 18 to 19 years old (seven percent), 40 to 44 years old (three percent), and 15 to 17 years old (nearly two percent).
There were 19 total abortions administered to girls under the age of 15. According to AZDHS data, that rate declined by over 63 percent since 2012, and by over 11 percent since 2020. Likewise, teen girls aged 15 to 19 declined in abortion rates by nearly 16 percent since 2012, but did increase by six percent since 2020.
There were 31 abortions administered to women at or over the age of 45.
In 2021, about 15 percent of those who obtained abortions were married. That percentage has remained stagnant over the years, reaching a brief high of 17 percent in 2012 but ultimately averaging at about 14 percent. Unmarried women have generally made up 79 to 87 percent of abortion patients.
The largest portion of missing data concerned the educational status of the women receiving abortions. About 38 percent of that data was missing.
The following were the top-five clinics that performed the most abortions in 2021, in order: Camelback Family Planning, nearly 4,000; Family Planning Associates Medical Group, over 3,500; Planned Parenthood Tempe Health Center, nearly 1,600; Planned Parenthood Glendale Health Center, nearly 1,200; and Desert Star Family Planning, over 870. The state listed 17 facilities that performed abortions.
In addition to requiring abortion providers to report on botched abortions that result in a live birth, the state requires abortionists to use “all available means and medical skills [to] promote, preserve, and maintain the life” of the baby.
Only three abortions were partially or fully paid for using state monies through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). There weren’t any abortions paid for using state monies in 2020.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
This week, Desert Mountain High School (DMHS) put on a play exploring the sexuality of kids. It’s the latest display of the school’s promotion of minors’ sexualization.
The play, “She Kills Monsters,” tells the story of a high school senior, Agnes, discovering a journal containing the sexuality-based confessions of her younger, 15-year-old sister, Tilly, who died in a car accident.
The play comes in two editions: the traditional script for adults, and a “young adventurers” script intended for minors. The DMHS newsletter and flyer advertising their rendition of the play didn’t disclose whether the school would use the traditional or “young adventurers” version. The minor-oriented script retains frequent descriptions of and innuendos to sexual behaviors along with frequent expletives. The play displays the younger sister fantasizing about lesbian relationships with various “sexy” fictional female characters from a role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, including a demonic, leather-clad “dominatrix,” succubuses, and an elf.
The script describes Agnes as an overwhelmingly “average,” “drab” teenager who lacks creativity and understanding for her sister, while Tilly is depicted as an adventurous, bold, creative, and wise individual.
DMHS sold the play tickets for $10 to $12 each.
In a 2020 review of the play, New York Times described the minor-oriented script as a “hot school play” for youth to enjoy.
“This is a story in which girls wield swords, queer kids are cool, and nerds rule the earth,” stated the review.
DMHS is friendly to the exploration of children’s sexuality on campus, though they’re not as friendly to the parents who question what occurs during this exploration. In 2021, AZ Free News reported how DMHS delayed responding to parental inquiries about the Gender & Sexualities Alliance (GSA) chapter on campus.
Last year, a DMHS psychology teacher, Mackenzie Onofry, taught students unapproved material on the findings of debunked sexologist Alfred Kinsey. The material declared that only four percent of men and two percent of women were exclusively heterosexual, that sexuality is a continuum, that homosexuality spans human history and is a natural part of the animal world, that sexual orientation isn’t a choice and is immutable, that conversion therapy doesn’t work, that women have more erotic plasticity (sexual interests) than men, that homosexuality is a gene location on the X chromosome, that fetal testosterone exposure causes attraction to women, and that chances of male homosexuality increase by one-third with each son born.
Onofry remains employed by the district, according to her LinkedIn page.
DMHS’ district, Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is aware and supportive of the high school’s initiatives for exploring minors’ sexuality and proclivity for keeping parents in the dark. Last month, it was discovered that SUSD falsely denied the existence of a transgender support plan for nearly a year.
Last year, SUSD’s social justice professionals promoted a drag queen storytime.
That summer, SUSD unintentionally provided a parent with blank transgender patient intake forms for a Phoenix hormone and gender transition facility in response to a records request regarding communications concerning DMHS librarian and GSA Club advisor Michelle Schulke.
Earlier that year it was discovered that Schulke was behind plans for sexuality and anti-racist programming for minors. Schulke also remains employed by the district.
SUSD Superintendent Scott Menzel has defended the normalization of sexualized campuses since joining the district in 2020. In response to parents upset by kindergarten and elementary school staff members discussing gender ideology to their children without consent, Menzel issued accusations of Civil Rights violations.
“To target an individual publicly for their personal identity — in this case the individual against whom this complaint was filed does not identify as either male or female — is overt discrimination and inconsistent with state and federal law as well as school district policy,” said Menzel.
Menzel also admonished parents and community members opposed to the district’s GSA clubs, calling them “bullies.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Arizona’s water situation isn’t getting any better, and the next decade will most likely present major challenges to people as cities and towns take additional actions to conserve water for the future. One community has felt the brunt of our state’s drought, and members of the Arizona Legislature may be poised to help bail them out.
HB2561 and SB1093, which deal with requirements for service by city water providers, both cleared legislative committees this week and are one step closer to possible votes in the respective chambers. According to the Arizona House summary, this bill “directs a municipality to provide water service through a standpipe until 2026 to up to 750 households that lack access to sufficient water if those households had previously received water service from the municipality, the municipality is reimbursed for providing water service and providing this water does not reduce water available to the municipality or the households.”
The issue stems from an action taken by the City of Scottsdale on water hauling operations to Rio Verde Foothills, an unincorporated community of approximately 2,000 homes. As the Arizona House fact sheet reports, “Scottsdale ceased providing water for hauling to Rio Verde Foothills in 2023” because the Bureau of Reclamation’s declaration of a Tier 1 shortage on the Colorado River triggered the city’s “Drought Management Plan, which required that when a Tier 1 shortage occurred, any water hauling operations would cease unless the customer could prove the hauled water was being directly supplied to a resident or business within the city’s limits.” It is estimated that about “500-700 households depend on the delivery of hauled water” in this case.
The Rio Verde Foothills’ current standing when it comes to access to water has put some families in dire straits, and many individuals and families have made desperate entreaties for help that have reached the international scene. One reporter uncovered that some residents are now paying around $1,000 a month for water, a substantial increase from $220. This story has even attracted the attention of the New York Times.
One Twitter user from Oxford, England had this comment about the New York Times piece: “I don’t care for an affluent suburb nor do I necessarily think Scottsdale Water is in the wrong here. BUT if the starting position is ‘there’s no way to help,’ that doesn’t bode well for the many other Arizonans who may find themselves without water access in the coming years.”
I don't care for an affluent suburb nor do I necessarily think Scottsdale Water is in the wrong here. BUT if the starting position is "there's no way to help," that doesn't bode well for the many other Arizonans who may find themselves without water access in the coming years
Enter the Arizona Legislature and the attempts to intervene in the situation. Representative Alex Kolodin was the sponsor of HB2561, and Senator John Kavanagh of SB1093. Both legislators have met with people within the Rio Verde Foothills Community, including one meeting that took place on January 29.
Today, residents of the Rio Verde Foothills gathered with AZ Reps. Griffin, Kolodin and Sen. Kavanagh at Reigning Grace Ranch to discuss ways to bring water to the community after the City of Scottsdale shut off their water at the start of '23. For @azcentralpic.twitter.com/iaF4MiOa6o
HB2561 passed the House Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water with a 6-3-0-0-1 vote. SB1093 passed the Senate Government Committee with a 5-3 vote. Both votes were mostly along party lines (Democrat Representative Travers voted “present”) – a fact that did not escape the attention of one Republican lawmaker.
Hmmm… looks like all the dems are racist (discriminating on the basis of race), not just Katie Hobbs… SMH. 👇Panel moves to force Scottsdale to give Rio Verde water https://t.co/qhvJNqRnJG
In an exclusive statement to AZ Free News, Representative Austin Smith, the vice chairman of the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee explained his reasoning for his vote to advance this legislation to the full chamber: “There was an issue in Rio Verde and the representatives of that district went right to work and brought it to our committee. I look forward to voting for more bills that go right to work for citizens who need water and conservation efforts.”
The City of Scottsdale has opposed this legislation and issued a statement regarding this matter on January 16. The Office of Communication wrote, “Rio Verde is a separate community governed by Maricopa County, not the city of Scottsdale. Scottsdale has warned and advised that it is not responsible for Rio Verde for many years, especially given the requirements of the city’s mandated drought plan. The city remains firm in that position, and confident it is on the right side of the law. Nothing in the city’s action precludes residents in Rio Verde Foothills from purchasing water from other sources. The water haulers who have previously hauled water from Scottsdale have access to water from other jurisdictions and are still offering to haul water to serve the homes in Rio Verde.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Photo radar has always been a contentious issue in Arizona with regular attempts from state legislators to remove cameras from Arizona streets and highways. This year, one powerful Republican state senator is leading the efforts to prohibit all such operations once and for all.
SB1234, sponsored by Senator Wendy Rogers, “prohibits a local authority from using a photo enforcement system to identify violators of laws or ordinances relating to excessive speed or failure to obey a traffic control device,” according to the Senate’s fact sheet for the legislation. Her bill, which was introduced last month, has twelve co-sponsors (Senators Bennett, Borrelli, Farnsworth, Gowan, Hoffman, Kaiser, Kavanagh, Kern, Kerr, Mesnard, Petersen, and Wadsack).
When asked by AZ Free News why he supported this bill, Senator Borrelli said, “Law enforcement should not be farmed out to third-party private companies.”
This week, the bill cleared the Senate Government Committee, chaired by Hoffman, with a 5-3 party line vote. Senators Rogers (vice-chairman), Farnsworth, Shamp, Wadsack, and Hoffman voted in favor of the photo radar ban; while Democrat Senators Diaz, Mendez, and Sundareshan voted in opposition.
The Arizona chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLCAZ) was in strong support of SB1234. Its Twitter account wrote, “There are many reasons to abolish photo radar, starting with questions about constitutionality….Photo radar traffic enforcement is bad policy & it should come to an end.” RLCAZ then listed multiple concerns with photo radar, including issues of the 6th Amendment, due process, 4th Amendment, and other arguments in a seven-tweet thread.
Stopping photo radar has long been a focus of Senator Rogers, who forecasted her plans to introduce this legislation last summer. Rogers said, “The photo radar industry made its home base in Arizona. And that ends next year. We’re no longer going to allow government to spy on Arizonans for profit and trample due process rights.”
"The photo radar industry made its home base in Arizona," Rogers told TheNewspaper. "And that ends next year. We're no longer going to allow government to spy on Arizonans for profit and trample due process rights."" /2
— AZ Senator Justine Wadsack (@Wadsack4Arizona) February 9, 2023
SB1234 was one of the “Top Freedom Bills This Week” from EZAZ. Merissa Hamilton, one of EZAZ’s co-founders, tweeted an “easy as pie” summary sheet, including the photo radar prohibition bill with one of her cheat sheets.
Hundreds signed in to oppose this legislation on the Arizona Legislature’s site. The City of Chandler, Town of Paradise Valley, AZ Chapter National Safety Council, City of Kingman, City of Mesa, League of Arizona Cities & Towns, and City of Scottsdale were among the opposition.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
An activist who goes by the nickname “Pro-Life Spiderman” was arrested after climbing Phoenix’s tallest building.
The activist, Maison Des Champs, scales buildings to raise money and awareness for pro-life causes. Des Champs climbed the former Chase tower on Tuesday to raise awareness for Let Them Live, a charity that incentivizes women to cancel their abortions by providing financial support, as well as to fundraise for a pregnant mother named Hope, who reportedly has an abortion scheduled Friday, Feb. 10. Hope is 22 weeks along.
Des Champs has been a featured guest on a number of networks and media groups since he began this strain of activism last year.
Des Champs appeared on The Daily Wire host Michael Knowles’ show last month. He claimed that Knowles was the inspiration for his activism — specifically, the conservative pundit’s coverage of the “Justice for the Five” movement that arose after pro-life activists discovered the remains of five unborn children killed by potentially unlawful late-term abortion procedures last March.
Des Champs shared that he undertook these climbs because they attracted the media attention required to bring awareness of pro-life efforts and needs. He claimed that his first climb occurred the day after the Roe v. Wade decision was leaked last May, calling it a “divine timing.”
“I’m sitting at home and I’m thinking to myself, ‘If politics are downstream of culture, and I want to change the culture, then the best way to change culture is to somehow become part of it,” said Des Champs.
However, Des Champs stated on his website that he began scaling buildings in August 2021 to protest Nevada’s COVID-19 mandates.
Des Champs also posted about that climb on his Instagram. He said he was inspired to climb due to his passion for mental health, and the impact of pandemic lockdowns and mandates. Des Champs revealed that he’d struggled with suicidal ideation for about six years leading up to the pandemic, but used rock climbing as an outlet.
Des Champs encouraged others to join him in a protest he organized later that month at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Los Vegas, Nevada, attended by conservative radio pundit Joey Gilbert.
Then, for nine months, Des Champs didn’t post climbing or protest content on Instagram. He broke the dry spell in May after posting his climb of a California skyscraper, coming out as a pro-life climber that time around.
Des Champs has had a number of other media rounds and appeared on Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” in November.
Des Champs also earned the ire and mockery of leftist networks, like Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show.”
On his website, Des Champs calls for the arrest of the abortionist behind the five late-term babies’ deaths, Cesare Santangelo.
Des Champs has amassed tens of thousands of social media followers: over 18,500 on Instagram. His Twitter, which hasn’t been updated since last June, has just over 400 followers.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
