Scottsdale leaders have accused senior executives with the weapons company behind the Taser, Axon Enterprises, of using a pay-to-play scheme to sway the outcome of the Scottsdale City Council election.
Scottsdale City Councilman Barry Graham, former Councilman Bob Littlefield, and former State Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita made the case for their complaint in a letter to the Axon Enterprise board of directors. All three are also running for council seats.
In a press release, Graham accused Axon’s senior executives of engaging in what appeared to be an attempt to influence the city council election. If their actions were what they appeared to be, said Graham, then that would raise troubling implications concerning corporate involvement in local elections.
The letter to Axon’s board claimed Axon executives funneled over $1.1 million into at least one political action committee their cohorts created — Arizonans for a Better Future — to defeat city council candidates opposed to a rezoning for their company’s headquarters campus.
These same cohorts created another political action committee earlier this month, Better Together, but total funds aren’t yet available since its first campaign finance report won’t be due until July 15.
Ballots for the city council election began to be mailed out on Wednesday.
This power struggle between Scottsdale leadership and Axon can be traced back to 2024, when a lame-duck majority of the Scottsdale City Council approved Axon’s petition to rezone 74 acres for apartments to serve its new headquarters. Scottsdale residents who objected to the rezoning formed the Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions and successfully gathered more than 25,000 signatures for a ballot referendum.
However, before that election could occur, Axon headed off a potential voter rejection of their desired rezoning by convincing the legislature to pass SB 1543, dubbed the “Axon Bill.” The legislation prevents municipalities with populations between 200,000 to 500,000 from allowing residents to weigh in on certain land zoning measures pertaining to hoteling and housing.
The legislative workaround irked Scottsdale’s elected leaders, including key Scottsdale lawmakers who claimed they were left out of discussions on the bill. Mayor Lisa Borowsky accused Gov. Katie Hobbs and the legislature of “unconstitutional overreach” that would ultimately harm the Scottsdale community.
I am disappointed with the way the Axon Bill has played out, culminating with the Governor signing this awful legislation—-without any discussion with representatives of #Scottsdale, knowing the impact it will have exclusively on our communities.
These political action committees were characterized as coordinating entities engaged in “aggressive” political campaigns against Graham, Littlefield, and Ugenti-Rita, whom the letter said were the only three candidates that had supported all but Axon’s apartment component of their headquarters project.
“[T]he circumstantial evidence here is substantial and difficult to ignore. It suggests that senior executives of a major public corporation are attempting to remove local elected officials and candidates perceived as insufficiently supportive of the company’s development objectives,” stated the letter. “Scottsdale voters should decide who represents Scottsdale — not corporate executives, political consultants, or special interests with access to virtually unlimited financial resources.”
The complaint letter relayed that the political action committee was created and entirely funded by Axon leadership.
Axon lobbyist Chris Baker and Axon spokesman David Leibowitz formed the two political action committees. Arizonans for a Better Future received $500,000 from the Axon company itself, $500,000 from Axon CEO Rick Smith, $100,000 from Axon President Josh Isner, and $20,000 from Axon Chief Legal Officer Isaiah Fields.
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Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) was once again accused by Kari Lake, President Donald Trump’s pick for the U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, of being under the control of drug cartels.
Lake defended her claim during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), ex-running mate to Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 presidential run, asked Lake about her accusation against Gallego, remarking that it was debunked by fact checkers and accusing Lake of “undiplomatic behavior.”
Lake said she didn’t know whether evidence existed to prove her claim that drug traffickers control Gallego, but that she had confidence in her position.
“I don’t believe my charge is wrong. Ruben Gallego’s father is a high-level drug trafficker who is a felon,” said Lake.
Kaine read aloud one of several X posts by Lake accusing Gallego of cartel ties. Lake has claimed Gallego kept up his ties with his “Mexican narco trafficker family.”
I can’t speak to these new allegations against @RubenGallego.
I only know his past — & when your own party nicknames you “the Troll,” you’ve got problems.
His life has been full of red flags. I spent over a year sounding the alarm.
Lake has also accused Secretary of State Adrian Fontes of being a “cartel lawyer” who was “fraudulently installed” within a “puppet government” under Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Gallego responded with a denial of the charge. Gallego has maintained for years that his father, a convicted drug trafficker named Jose Angel Marinelarena, abandoned his family when he was a child, and that he was raised by his mother.
Gallego changed his last name from “Marinelarena” to his mother’s surname, Gallego, while serving as chief of staff to former Phoenix City Councilmember Michael Nowakowski.
Gallego said that he wasn’t ashamed of his origins.
“Kari Lake decided to take the hardest part of my family’s life and turn it into a weapon. She has claimed for years that I’m controlled by the cartels because of my father,” said Gallego. “I am not ashamed of where I come from. Kari Lake should be ashamed of what she is willing to say to get ahead.”
My father walked out on my family when I was a kid. My mother raised us. I made my own way, joined the Marines, and built a life he had no part in. There are thousands of American boys doing the same thing right now, growing up determined to be better men than the fathers who… pic.twitter.com/I4OIhJXrBg
— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) June 18, 2026
Much of Lake’s responses to senators during the hearing focused on cracking down on the narcoterrorism afflicting Jamaica.
Trump nominated Lake for the ambassadorship following an unsuccessful effort to dismantle the Voice of America (VOA). The president initially announced Lake as the director of VOA before shifting Lake into a special advisory role within VOA’s parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
It was within USAGM that Lake made moves to carry out the Trump administration’s desire to scale back VOA operations in order to cut bureaucratic bloat. These efforts were rebuffed by a federal court.
Lake addressed the USAGM exodus in brief at her confirmation hearing last week. Lake said VOA operations had improved under her leadership.
Other committee Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with Lake’s cuts to VOA and concerns that Lake would not work with Congress in her role as ambassador. Lake maintained that her work had improved VOA operations and promised that she would work with Congress.
Lake remains within her deputy CEO role at USAGM pending Senate confirmation.
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Rep. Eli Crane’s bill to expand the U.S. Capitol Police’s authority to respond to drone threats near the Capitol complex advanced through the House Administration Committee on Wednesday.
The U.S. Capitol Police Empowerment Act, sponsored by Crane (R-AZ-02), would authorize the Capitol Police Board and designated U.S. Capitol Police personnel to take action against unmanned aircraft systems that pose a credible threat to covered Capitol Police facilities or assets. The House Administration Committee unanimously advanced the measure during its June 24 markup.
Crane introduced the bill on May 13, 2025, with Reps. Scott Perry (R-PA) and Barry Moore (R-AL), as original cosponsors. Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) later joined the measure as a cosponsor.
In a post to X, Crane wrote, “After meeting with the U.S. Capitol Police, I learned they lacked explicit authority to intercept drones on the complex.”
After meeting with the U.S. Capitol Police, I learned they lacked explicit authority to intercept drones on the complex.
My bill would allow the USCP to take decisive action to protect Members of Congress, staff, and constituents on Capitol Hill:https://t.co/IldB8bmEma
Under the bill text, the Capitol Police Board could authorize Capitol Police personnel assigned to protect people, facilities, or assets to mitigate a credible threat posed by an unmanned aircraft system. The bill would allow Capitol Police to detect, identify, monitor, and track a drone; warn its operator; disrupt control of the aircraft; seize or exercise control of it; confiscate it; or use reasonable force, if necessary, to disable, damage, or destroy it.
“The evolution of drone warfare has drastically changed both the battlefield and the threats to our national security,” Crane said. “My bill would grant the USCP the ability to take decisive action to protect Members of Congress, staff, and constituents on Capitol Hill.”
The legislation would require the Capitol Police Board to coordinate with the Secretary of Transportation and with the Federal Aviation Administration when an action could affect aviation safety, civilian aviation or aerospace operations, aircraft airworthiness, or the use of airspace.
The bill also includes privacy provisions. Regulations or guidance issued under the measure would have to ensure that interception or use of communications to or from a drone is conducted in a manner consistent with the First and Fourth Amendments and applicable federal law. The bill would limit the acquisition of communications to what is necessary to support authorized action and would generally bar retention of those records for more than 180 days unless one of several exceptions applies.
The measure would also require the chief of the Capitol Police, or another individual designated by the Capitol Police Board, to submit reports to Congress within six months of enactment and every six months thereafter. Those reports would have to cover actions taken under the authority, effects on the National Airspace System, privacy and civil liberties procedures, communications retained or shared outside Capitol Police, and any new technology or equipment deployed under the program.
The proposal comes as federal rules already restrict drone activity in Washington, D.C. The FAA says the National Capital Region is governed by a Special Flight Rules Area within a 30-mile radius of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, with unmanned aircraft flights prohibited inside the 15-mile inner ring without specific FAA authorization.
The U.S. Capitol Police also identifies Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol Grounds as a “No Drone Zone.” Capitol Police regulations prohibit unmanned aircraft on Capitol Grounds, and violations can carry arrest, a $300 fine, 90 days imprisonment, and additional federal civil or criminal penalties.
Crane’s office said he drafted the bill with input from committees of jurisdiction, including House Administration, Transportation and Infrastructure, Judiciary, and Homeland Security. The bill was referred to the House Administration, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Judiciary committees after introduction.
Crane has also introduced the DEFEND Act, a separate piece of legislation aimed at broader civilian drone threats, and, alongside Rep. Ciscomani, targeted drone interference with wildfire response efforts with the Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act of 2025.
Gov. Katie Hobbs once again vetoed key election bills, blocking a Republican-backed reform package.
The governor rejected six Senate bills restricting election equipment internet connection, expanding chain-of-custody requirements, publicizing cast vote records and voter registration rolls, increasing anti-counterfeiting measures for election ballot vendors, clarifying voter registration standards for those residing temporarily out of state, and requiring disclosures for out-of-state circulators.
Similar proposals were included in bills passed by the legislature and vetoed by Hobbs last year.
The following were the veto explanations Hobbs gave for the election reform package:
SB 1037: Hobbs said further specifications regarding election equipment belonged in the Elections Procedures Manual, citing her 2025 veto of SB 1064
SB 1038: Hobbs claimed jeopardization of constitutional protections for voter privacy, citing her 2025 veto of SB 1280
SB 1040: Hobbs claimed that voter registration information could be redistributed or posted online, citing her 2025 veto of SB 1375
SB 1057: Hobbs claimed election officials would endure added expenses and complexities, citing her 2025 veto of SB 1123
SB 1060: Hobbs claimed the bill would prevent U.S. citizens from registering to vote, citing her 2025 veto of SB 1052.
SB 1429: Hobbs claimed U.S. citizens would be prevented from registering to vote, namely those born overseas to service members, citing her 2025 veto of SB 1052
Arizona Senate Republicans rejected Hobbs’ arguments as unconvincing, and accused the governor of “a troubling pattern” in which she has been intentionally “keeping Arizona voters in the dark.”
A press release from the caucus issued Tuesday made the case that voters should have more opportunities to verify the integrity of their elections — not be forced into their current position where Republicans say their only option is, allegedly, to trust the outcome.
State Sen. Mark Finchem (R-LD1) insisted that these election reforms were necessary to combat voter insecurities over election results.
“When questions about election results come up, and they always do, election officials and poll workers need real tools to show their work and defend the outcome,” said Finchem. “These vetoes strip away the very things that would help good people running elections prove the system is working. Public cast vote records, stronger ballot security, and clearer chain-of-custody rules aren’t about attacking anyone. They’re about giving the people who administer elections the ability to back up their results with evidence instead of just statements. Blocking these reforms year after year doesn’t build trust, it makes the job of defending Arizona’s elections harder.”
State Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-LD7), chair of the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee, argued that Hobbs had also prevented additional means for voters to have hands-on oversight of their elections.
“She blocked public cast vote records, stronger anti-fraud features on ballots, tighter security on voting equipment, and more transparency on voter rolls and ballot measures. If everything is already so secure and trustworthy, why is she fighting so hard to keep voters from seeing more of it?” said Rogers. “These bills weren’t radical, they were basic safeguards. The governor keeps telling people to just trust the system while she works to keep it in the dark.”
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Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed a package of child welfare bills sponsored by Sen. Carine Werner (R-LD4) aimed at strengthening Arizona’s response to abuse reports, improving Department of Child Safety (DCS) case review procedures, and increasing protections for children in dependency proceedings and state care.
Werner said the measures followed months of legislative oversight and investigation into Arizona’s child welfare system.
The Senate Republican Caucus said the hearings examined weaknesses in how abuse reports are reviewed, how allegations are investigated, and how children already known to DCS are protected. The hearings were launched after multiple high-profile child deaths exposed breakdowns in the state’s child safety system, including the deaths of Emily Pike, Rebekah Baptiste, and Zariah Dodd.
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Senator Werner Strengthens Child Welfare System with Package of Bipartisan Reforms Signed Into Law
All together, Arizona enacted 13 new child welfare laws this year.
SB 1127 amends Arizona’s mandatory reporting statute for child abuse and neglect. The bill requires a person who has a duty to report and who has direct knowledge that a minor is or has been the victim of abuse or neglect to immediately report it to DCS and bars that person from delegating the report to someone else.
Under existing statute amended by the bill, mandatory reporters include physicians, physician assistants, optometrists, dentists, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, podiatrists, behavioral health professionals, nurses, psychologists, counselors, social workers, peace officers, child welfare investigators, child safety workers, school personnel, domestic violence victim advocates, sexual assault victim advocates, clergy, parents, stepparents, guardians, and others with responsibility for the care or treatment of a minor.
SB 1174 requires the DCS centralized intake hotline to take steps to identify and locate prior communications and DCS reports related to a current abuse or neglect communication using the department’s data system and the state’s central registry system.
The bill requires the hotline to quickly and efficiently show in a single report the entire history of a child and the child’s siblings who have been the subject of prior hotline calls or DCS investigations. The hotline worker must review the narrative of every call received for that child from the previous 90 days.
SB 1174 also allows a hotline worker to review hotline calls received in the previous 90 days that did not meet the criteria for a DCS report and use information contained in prior calls when deciding whether a new allegation meets the criteria for a DCS report. The law takes effect after Dec. 31, 2026.
SB 1496 makes broader changes to DCS policies and procedures involving children in dependency cases, federal benefits for children in DCS care, kinship placement searches, missing or runaway children, and central registry hearings.
The bill requires courts to appoint an attorney for a child in dependency and termination of parental rights proceedings before the first hearing. It also directs the attorney to determine whether the child has diminished capacity that would affect the child’s ability to express an opinion or make decisions.
The measure requires DCS to determine within 60 days after a child enters care whether the child is receiving or may be eligible for benefits administered by the Social Security Administration or Veterans Administration. If DCS is appointed as the child’s representative payee, the department may not use the child’s federal benefits, other benefits, savings, or assets to pay for or reimburse the state for the child’s care.
The bill requires DCS to use due diligence to identify and notify adult relatives and persons with a significant relationship to a child within 30 days after the child is taken into temporary custody. The search must include interviews with the child’s parent, the child, identified adult relatives, and others likely to have information about possible relatives or significant contacts.
For missing, abducted, or runaway children in state care, SB 1496 requires DCS to notify law enforcement immediately or within 24 hours, request that law enforcement enter the child into state and national missing-person systems, and report the child to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children within 24 hours.
The bill also requires DCS to provide local law enforcement with identifying information within 48 hours, including a physical description, last known location, clothing description, vehicle information if applicable, current photos, a law enforcement phone number, and information about any offered rewards. Law enforcement must provide that information to local media outlets and post it to social media platforms.
SB 1631 requires that when a child alleges sexual abuse, or when a report of abuse or neglect includes an allegation of sexual abuse, a person trained in forensic interviewing must conduct a forensic interview with the child immediately or within 72 hours.
The 72-hour requirement does not apply if DCS shows good cause for the delay. The bill lists several examples of good cause, including when the child is receiving inpatient physical or mental health care, is not physically present in Arizona, has not been located by the department, or is unavailable because a parent or guardian who is not the subject of the allegation is unresponsive or unable or unwilling to make the child available for the interview.
The bill defines sexual abuse for the purposes of the requirement to include sexual abuse, sexual conduct with a minor, sexual assault, molestation of a child, commercial sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, incest, and child sex trafficking.
“Protecting vulnerable children is one of government’s most important responsibilities, and there have been far too many cases where that responsibility was not met,” Werner said. “These new laws address real problems we uncovered through legislative oversight, and they strengthen the safeguards that exist to protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Arizona families deserve confidence that when warning signs appear, the system will respond appropriately and children will not be forgotten.”
The latest signed bills follow two other Werner-sponsored DCS measures Hobbs signed earlier this year. SB 1125 requires DCS to make annual efforts to enter into memorandums of understanding with Arizona tribes that do not already have current agreements with the department. The agreements must address information sharing, training materials, operational standards, tribal liaisons, and access to regulatory and enforcement information involving DCS-licensed group homes where tribal children are placed.
SB 1126 requires schools, upon request by a DCS caseworker, to identify any school that has requested a pupil’s educational records and any person who has withdrawn the pupil from school. The law also requires schools to provide other requested information or records related to a pupil who is or was enrolled at the school and bars public and private schools from prohibiting employees, contractors, or volunteers from speaking with a DCS caseworker investigating abuse or neglect allegations.
The Governor’s Office listed SB 1127, SB 1174, SB 1496, and SB 1631 among the bills Hobbs signed in a June 19 legislative action update.
A separate Werner measure, SB 1175, was vetoed by Hobbs. The proposal would have required DCS caseworkers to photograph children during abuse and neglect investigations and review the photographs when assessing a child’s safety. DCS Director Kathryn Ptak said the department would adopt the requirement administratively.
Arizona’s major state-owned public shooting ranges, including the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, are now protected from unilateral closure after Gov. Hobbs signed House Bill 2763 into law. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-LD1).
The new law establishes additional safeguards before certain Arizona Game and Fish Commission-owned shooting ranges can be closed, requiring approval from the Arizona Legislature in addition to existing public review and executive branch requirements.
H.B. 2763 applies to state-owned shooting ranges located in or near Arizona’s larger population centers and adds a legislative approval requirement to an already extensive closure process.
Under the law, a shooting range may not be closed unless the following steps occur:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department director recommends the closure in writing.
The commission issues a report explaining the reason for the proposed closure.
Public hearings are held in Arizona’s three most populous counties.
The commission unanimously approves the closure.
The Joint Committee on Capital Review reviews the closure recommendations.
The Arizona Legislature adopts a joint resolution approving the closure.
The Governor signs an executive order authorizing the closure.
The legislation passed both chambers of the Arizona Legislature without receiving a single Democratic vote.
Rep. Nguyen, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the measure ensures that decisions involving Arizona’s most significant public shooting facilities remain subject to public scrutiny and legislative oversight.
🚨BILL SIGNED🚨
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – The Ben Avery Shooting Facility and other major state-owned public shooting ranges are now protected from unilateral closure under legislation sponsored by Republican State Representative Quang Nguyen and signed into law today.
“Ben Avery belongs to the people of Arizona, and no state agency should be able to quietly shut it down because development moved closer or political priorities shifted,” stated Rep. Nguyen. “This law puts that decision where it belongs: before the public and the lawmakers they elect. Ben Avery trains responsible gun owners, supports hunters and law enforcement, and keeps shooting activity on a supervised range instead of pushing it into the open desert. Protecting this facility protects public safety, public access, and the rights of Arizona gun owners.”
Ben Avery Shooting Facility, located in North Phoenix is the largest publicly operated shooting facility in the United States and serves thousands of Arizonans annually through hunter education programs, firearm safety training, competitive shooting events, recreational shooting opportunities, and law enforcement qualification exercises.
Supporters of the legislation noted that Ben Avery was established decades before much of the surrounding residential and commercial development. They argue that maintaining designated public shooting facilities helps keep shooting activities in safe, supervised environments rather than pushing them onto unmanaged desert lands, where concerns can include wildfire risks, litter, environmental damage, and unsafe shooting conditions.
In addition to Ben Avery, the law impacts several other Arizona Game and Fish Commission-owned shooting ranges throughout the state, including:
Three Points Shooting Range (Tucson)
Seven Mile Hill Shooting Range (Kingman)
Silver Creek Archery Range (Show Low)
Second Knoll Shooting Range (Show Low)
Sierra Vista Shooting Range (Sierra Vista)
St. Johns shooting Range (St. Johns)
Tri-State Shooting Park (Bullhead City)
Usery Mountain Shooting Range (Mesa)
Northern Arizona Shooting Range (Flagstaff)
With Governor Hobbs’ signature, H.B. 2763 is now law, providing an additional layer of legislative oversight before Arizona’s major state-owned public shooting ranges can be permanently closed.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
