State lawmakers continue to express messages of sympathy and support for Israel, following the unprovoked and shocking terrorist attacks from this past weekend.
This week, many Arizona elected officials added to the bipartisan crescendo of voices in Israel’s corner. On Tuesday, House Speaker Ben Toma issued a statement, saying, “Hamas’ actions amount to terrorism, plain and simple. There is no place for their hateful ideology in any society and their violent actions of anti-Semitism must be stopped. Israel has a right to live in freedom and to defend their land from these barbaric terrorists. We strongly condemn the senseless acts of violence against the people of Israel and support their right to defend themselves. We stand unequivocally with our Israeli brothers and sisters and grieve with those who have lost loved ones to these unprovoked atrocities. May their memories be a blessing and may justice be swiftly delivered.”
✅FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE✅ Representative@RepBenToma and @AZHouseGOP Condemn Unprecedented Attacks on Israel: "Hamas' actions amount to terrorism, plain and simple. Israel has a right to live in freedom and to defend their land from these barbaric terrorists. We strongly condemn… pic.twitter.com/gWVbDH1XwR
State Senator Frank Carroll also put out a statement in support of Israel on Tuesday. He said, “Arizonans should pray for our ally Israel, the lives lost and those in harm’s way. We also need to be vigilant in these trying times. To predict the future, one only needs to understand the past. The 20th century is rich in history about events that led up to the midcentury global conflict. Here we go again. It should be clear where this is heading. God help us.”
In addition to the statements, hundreds of Arizonans, as well as a bipartisan coalition of government officials, attended a Monday night event in Scottsdale to show solidarity for Israel. From that event, Attorney General Kris Mayes posted, “Shoulder-to-shoulder in support of Israel.”
— County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (@Rachel1Mitchell) October 10, 2023
On Monday night, Governor Katie Hobbs also announced that the Executive Tower was lit ‘blue’ in a demonstration of support for the staunch American ally.
To the people of Israel: Arizona stands with you. Tonight, the Executive Tower is blue in solidarity. 🇮🇱
In a since-deleted article, “Three Women-Led Organizations That Helped Flip Arizona Blue,” principal actors behind several of the most powerful leftist dark money organizations in the state bragged about engineering Democratic voter turnout in the 2020 election.
Vianey Olivarria, then-communications director and current executive director for Chispa AZ, credited work done by her organization and others to turn out Democratic voters. Olivarria also served as a director of Activate 48, a coalition of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) organizations.
“Arizona turning blue is a victory a decade in the making and owed to the tireless work and dedication of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people who organize for justice and liberation,” stated Olivarria.
Chispa AZ is a 501(c)(4) project of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), another 501(c)(4), and sponsored by Way to Win, a national donor network aimed at defeating Republican candidates. Way to Win served as the sponsor to Progress Arizona, formerly and once again led by Gov. Katie Hobbs’ ousted spokeswoman Josselyn Berry.
Per the IRS, a 501(c)(4) organization may engage in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to candidates so long as those activities aren’t the organization’s primary activity.
Discrepancies exist in various organizations’ tax returns disclosing contributions to Chispa AZ’s political arm, Chispa AZ PAC. Neither “Chispa AZ” or “Chispa AZ PAC” exist within the IRS database. Also, Chispa AZ has claimed the same EIN as LCV publicly; however, different organizations’ tax returns have cited multiple, nonexistent EINs for Chispa AZ.
In their 2018,2019, and 2020 tax returns, LCV listed an EIN number for Chispa AZ PAC that yielded no results in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization database. In their 2019 tax return, LCV listed an organization called Fuerte Arts Movement for the Chispa AZ PAC’s address, and listed the same EIN number from 2018. They used the EIN again in their tax return.
In the 2019, 2020, and 2021 tax returns from the California-based Grove Action Fund, a different address and EIN number from that used by LCV were listed for Chispa AZ PAC. The listed address was the correct address for Chispa AZ; however, the EIN listed also doesn’t exist in the IRS database.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona’s 2020 tax return listed that same nonexistent EIN number as well, and offered the Fuerte Arts Movement address.
Tax returns from the Green Advocacy Project (2020) and the Wilderness Society Action Fund (2019) also listed the nonexistent EIN given by LCV, but listed the correct address.
Publicly collected data reflects that Chispa AZ PAC has managed at least around $8.5 million in contributions since 2017. Yet, Chispa AZ has claimed to have total revenues of nearly $26.9 million, net assets of over $18.4 million, and expenses of over $18.9 million.
Chispa AZ is also part of MiAZ, a coalition of nonprofits focused on turning out minority voters.
Other Chispa organizations exist in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, and Texas.
Chispa AZ isn’t the only dark money entity lacking a clear IRS status to have an outsized impact for Democrats in recent elections. There’s also the two Arizona Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AZ AANHPI) related organizations: AZ AANHPI for Equity and AZ AANHPI Advocates. Although AZ AANHPI wasn’t featured in the deleted 2020 article, their communications director was: Alexa Rio-Osaki. She spoke on behalf of a different dark money nonprofit also part of MiAZ: Our Voice, Our Vote.
“We’re doing what we can to ensure everyone’s represented,” said Rio-Osaki.
Rio-Osaki has her hands in multiple leftist dark money organizations: in addition to AZ AANHPI and Our Voice, Our Vote, Rio-Osaki served as the director of Progress Arizona.
Recently, AZ AANHPI for Equity has engaged in lawfare against non-party conservative organizations, demanding transparency of private documents while operating in the dark itself.
AANHPI for Equity and AZ AANHPI Advocates have independent websites, social media pages, and staff, yet the pair are presented as one entity in multiple locations (for example, on the AZ AANHPI for Equity “about us” page). Both were founded in July 2020 by Jennifer Chau, who has served as the director for AZ AANHPI for Equity, an unspecified nonprofit, and executive director for AZ AANHPI Advocates, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, since their inception according to her LinkedIn page.
According to the IRS, AZ AANHPI Advocates had its federal tax exempt status automatically revoked in mid-May for not filing any tax forms in the entire three years of its existence (EIN:85-2344934). The IRS issued its revocation posting earlier this month. No IRS records exist for AZ AANHPI for Equity.
Yet, both organizations’ websites continue to solicit donations and market themselves as nonprofits. The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) awarded AZ AANHPI Advocates good standing for its status as a nonprofit in mid-July as well. No ACC records exist for AZ AANHPI for Equity.
Like Chispa AZ, AZ AANHPI has used EIN numbers of another organization in receipt of funds. In 2021, AZ AANHPI for Equity received $25,000 from Solidago Foundation and gave the EIN belonging to One Arizona, the 30-nonprofit coalition to which all five Arabella Advisors nonprofit arms issued funds. Also that year, AZ AANHPI made its name synonymous with “One Arizona” and used its EIN in its receipt of $35,000 in funding from Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
On its website, AZ AANHPI Advocates discloses that it receives funding from top leftist dark money organizations The Future We Need and Arizona Wins!. The listed address for The Future We Need is the same address for the Arizona Education Association and Progress Now Arizona (now Progress Arizona); yet, no such organization as “The Future We Need” exists per ACC, the IRS, the Federal Election Commission (FEC), or the secretary of state’s campaign finance databases. There does exist a similarly-named dark left political action committee (PAC) entity, “The Future We Want.”
In their entire three years of advocacy and fundraising, only AZ AANHPI Advocates had any campaign finance records filed within the state: just one receipt of $10,000 from Invest in Arizona in August 2021, for “signature gathering.” According to the secretary of state’s campaign finance database, AZ AANHPI has never filed any reports on their contributions or expenditures.
The deleted article was published by Supermajority News: a project of Supermajority and the Supermajority Education Fund, the latter a project of the Arabella Advisors’ New Venture Fund. Arabella Advisors is behind one of the biggest dark money funding networks in the nation; their shadowy dealings prompted the District of Columbia attorney general to issue subpoenas to the organization last month.
Along with their Arizona-based compatriots, Supermajority will also be working to turn out more Democratic voters in the upcoming 2024 election.
Last year, Supermajority reported turning out over 959,000 voters: nearly 116,200 in Arizona. The organization had over 8,000 active members in Arizona. Supermajority reported that they ensured the turnout of 30 percent of women ages 18 to 35 years old, specifically to ensure the re-election of Sen. Mark Kelly and election of Gov. Katie Hobbs. The organization disclosed that their approach consisted of contacting female Democrat voters that sporadically voted in presidential elections but hadn’t voted in midterm elections.
“At the state level, we were able to help elect and support progressive governors who would protect and expand women’s freedoms in their states,” stated Supermajority.
Supermajority took credit for Kelly’s re-election and Hobbs’ election, declaring that 92 percent of Kelly’s margin of victory was made up of their voters and that their 116,200-voter turnout far surpassed Hobbs’ 17,100-vote margin.
The organization also noted its plans for the upcoming 2024 election: contacting 432,300 female Arizona voters who didn’t vote last year, overcoming the projected 10,500-vote victory margin, and electing a Democratic senator to take independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s seat. The organization also plans to target Georgia and North Carolina.
“We need a Democratic senator in AZ who will work alongside Sen. Mark Kelley [sic],” stated Supermajority.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
The transition in Arizona’s statewide leadership party credentials continues to manifest itself in the fight to defend innocent life in the womb.
Last week, Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs announced that she had “filed an amicus brief in support of Planned Parenthood, opposing the reinstatement of a total abortion ban.” The legal filing was transmitted to the Arizona Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood v. Mayes. The case was previously initiated under the prior Attorney General’s, Republican Mark Brnovich, administration. Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, has made no secret of her opposition to the pro-life law in dispute, despite her office named as one of the defendants.
Yesterday, I filed an amicus brief in support of Planned Parenthood, opposing the reinstatement of a total abortion ban.
I’m fighting against extremists who want to jail doctors and bring an end to reproductive freedom in Arizona.
In the Hobbs’ amicus brief, she argues that “Abortion access is critical to the health, safety, and wellbeing of Arizonans, and implicates significant liberty interests,” that “failure to harmonize the Territorial Ban with Title 36 and returning to a near-total ban on abortion raises serious questions under the Arizona Constitution,” and that “the constitutional avoidance canon further supports affirming the Court of Appeals’ decision.”
The governor highlighted her battle “against extremists who want to jail doctors and bring an end to reproductive freedom in Arizona.” She noted the stories of two women in the state “who have relied on access to abortion care,” writing, “Erika who sought reproductive healthcare after a previous pregnancy threatened her life. She now lives happily with her daughter & husband in Sedona. And Jasmine, who struggled to provide for her two children when she discovered she was pregnant. Abortion access allowed her to graduate from college & pursue full-time work.”
One of Arizona’s premier pro-life organizations, the Center for Arizona Policy, also filed its own amicus brief at the state’s Supreme Court. The Center’s President, Cathi Herrod issued a statement about the brief and the importance of the case, writing, “The brief pushes back against claims from abortion activists suggesting that because Arizona lawmakers only passed pro-life laws within the constraints of Roe, that they never wanted to further restrict abortion. That is clearly false. In anticipation of the eventual fall of Roe, the Arizona Legislature consistently showed its dedication to preserving the rights of the unborn by keeping the pre-Roe law on the books, which reflects Arizona’s strong pro-life position.”
The brief from Center for Arizona Policy argues that the “Respondents’ focus on legislative inaction is incomplete and unavailing,” that “the legislature’s express instruction to retain 13-3603 and to interpret Arizona law to protect unborn children should be respected – especially given the unique circumstances here,” and that “overlap in laws protecting unborn children is a feature, not a flaw, where legal challenges are an ever-present threat.”
The case will be before the Arizona Supreme Court in December.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Phoenix residents are petitioning the Phoenix City Council to improve security on the city’s light rail, claiming the transportation remains far too dangerous.
The state of the light rail was once again the focus of the council in a Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee meeting last month.
Dangers of the light rail contributed to the defeat of the city’s plan to landlock the State Capitol.
Jessica Mefford-Miller, Valley Metro CEO, reviewed their light rail security. Mefford-Miller reported that their private security does face limitations: only 75 percent of their scheduled shifts were filled, or 80-85 security officers out of the 110 needed; they only have 87 percent fare compliance; and they can’t issue citations to those riders who refuse to provide ID unless police are present. Each shift only has nine law enforcement members: one sergeant, four officers, and four police assistants.
Mefford-Miller noted that they would be expanding their police presence on stations and trains in the future. However, challenges to Mefford-Miller’s presentation revealed that the actual presence of security was lower.
Councilman Jim Waring questioned how many security personnel a rider could expect to encounter on the light rail. Mefford-Miller said only “about a third” of trains have personnel on them at any given time.
Waring further disclosed that multiple constituents had complained of seeing “vomit everywhere” and “people [that] were acting crazy.”
“I got tired of hearing too many constituents call and say, ‘Wow, I rode that one time. Never doing that again.’ It’s too expensive and too ungodly inefficient to justify anything we’ve spent, but now that it exists, you know, at least we shouldn’t be chasing away our customers,” said Waring.
Waring said he was “curious” with Mefford-Miller’s reference to homeless riders that were, “presumably, not paying.” He said her messaging was “unsound.”
“Those aren’t actually customers. They’re chasing away people who might actually be customers,” said Waring. “You’re not a customer if you didn’t pay. Then you’re stealing services from the people who did pay, and I guess asking the rest of us to subsidize it. And, if you’re harassing people who did pay, and making them never use it again, leaving more cost to be picked up by taxpayers who never use it.”
Mefford-Miller rejected Waring’s claim that riders were at significant risk of witnessing an incident or sustaining a personal attack. She said that “most” of the assaults on passengers in the Phoenix area were between two individuals known to each other, not strangers.
However, Waring rebutted that even the fact that so many fights were breaking out at all was cause for concern.
“To say, ‘Well, they’re attacking each other, so you’ll be perfectly fine.’ Well, okay, I’m not sure I’m going to be using that mode of transportation again,” said Waring. “The idea that this is great for everybody, this is not the feedback I’m getting.”
Valley Metro sustained over 575,100 incidents from January to July of this year across Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe. Those incidents consisted of nearly 24,600 removals, nearly 300 trespasses, over 100 assaults on passengers, over 30 assaults on security, and over 400 citations issued.
During that same time period, police reported over 3,500 criminal investigative reports, and over 1,100 transit unit arrests for drugs, criminal damage, and assaults.
Waring further shared that his and other councilmembers’ constituents have endured waves of criminals obtaining transport to their areas, where before the light rail they couldn’t.
Councilman Kevin Robinson responded that the 12 Arizona State University (ASU) students in his class reported enjoying the light rail and felt safe. Robinson said he would try riding the light rail himself to gain his own perspective on it.
Public comment was overwhelmingly negative.
Jeff Spellman with the Violence Impact Project Coalition said that light rail security has been a “disaster” for years, despite consistent constituent complaints.
Shannon McBride with North Mountain Village Planning Committee said that all but one from over 300 respondents to a survey of those living near the light rail described the light rail as very unsafe.
Darlene Vallo, with the 19th Avenue Community Safety Plan and Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board, reported observing drug deals, individuals high on drugs, individuals drinking alcohol, fights taking place on the light rail, and individuals taking baths in the public water fountain daily along her neighborhood patrols near the light rail.
Despite Mefford-Miller claiming that Valley Metro upholds a “See Something, Say Something” program, Vallo reported that Valley Metro employees have dismissed her reports of criminal activity on light rail property.
Councilwoman Betty Guardado expressed concerns with how much it would cost to add more police to Valley Metro. Guardado also expressed concerns with the impact that fully staffing the transit with law enforcement would have on the current police shortage. The councilwoman indicated that Valley Metro should make do with their current resources.
“Is it worth it at the end of the day?” asked Guardado. “Is it going to be cost efficient?”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
In the ongoing standoff over 13 agency appointments, Gov. Katie Hobbs took issue with the Senate’s vetting process; yet, she was forced in recent months to withdraw one of her nominees over his alliance with antisemitic extremism.
Former Democratic State Sen. Martín Quezada failed to be confirmed as the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AROC) director following discovery of his support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement.
Quezada purged his X timeline of several anti-Israel posts. In a deleted May 2021 post, Quezada urged his followers to listen to a speech by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and to “free Palestine.” In her speech, Tlaib called for the U.S. to cease funding to Israel over the alleged apartheid of Palestinians. Traditionally, apartheid concerns state-sanctioned racial segregation and discrimination such as the denial of voting rights.
‘How many Palestinians have to die for their lives to matter?’ — Rep. Tlaib called out U.S. involvement in Israeli violence during this powerful floor speech pic.twitter.com/mOYdd0VW8F
Tlaib’s remarks came about a month after the Human Rights Watch (HRW) declared that Israeli policy in the West Bank amounted to apartheid, one of the first international organizations to do so. Tlaib, HRW, and other pro-Palestinian entities and actors have accused the Israeli government of apartheid for denying certain rights and privileges enjoyed by its citizens to Palestinians, as well as their engaging in a military conflict to maintain control over the disputed territory.
Two days after Quezada reposted Tlaib’s remarks, he appeared as a guest speaker for a Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ) protest against the alleged Palestinian apartheid. CAIR-AZ has been identified as an entity of the Muslim Brotherhood and linked to activity with Hamas: the terrorist militant group behind this most recent attack on Israel.
As of this report, at least nine Americans were killed and an unknown number remain hostage. Authorities estimate that at least 150 individuals were taken hostage, if not more. Early estimates declared that 800 Israelis were killed, and over 2,500 were wounded in this most recent attack.
In his May 2021 speech for the CAIR-AZ protest, Quezada called the Israeli government a “Zionist state” enacting terrorism: invalid military occupation, human rights abuses, and ethnic cleansing. Quezada called for President Joe Biden to cease funding for the Israeli military.
“All of those billions of dollars, that is directing military aid that is going to occupation forces that are committing terrorism against the people of Palestine right now,” said Quezada. “This — what we are witnessing — is oppression and occupation in action right now. This is murder in action right now.”
Today, CAIR-AZ joined over 1000 Arizonans at the State Capitol to demand justice for the human rights violations and the #apartheid occurring in Palestine! We demand that our tax dollars do not go to fund the killing and the forced displacement of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/ZiYe73nOOI
After the protest, Quezada wrote in a since-deleted post that he was a proud ally to the Free Palestine movement.
“I was proud to be present today as a friend and an ally to the Palestinian people,” said Quezada.
The next month, Quezada voted against legislation enhancing school curriculum on the Holocaust and antisemitism. In a speech on the Arizona Senate floor, Quezada derided the legislation as a lobbyist push to root out any criticisms of Israel.
“There is a strong and a well-funded lobbying effort that’s underway right now to take advantage of this crisis, to redefine antisemitism to include any criticism of the nation-state of Israel,” said Quezada.
Despite these past remarks and actions, Hobbs nominated Quezada for the AROC directorship in January.
By May, the Senate Committee on Director Nominations rejected Quezada’s nomination, dubbing him “an unqualified extremist with [a] racist past.” The committee uncovered Quezada’s antisemitic sentiments through its vetting process.
Although Hobbs apparently conceded to the committee’s findings by withdrawing Quezada’s nomination, only several months later the governor accused the Senate of poor vetting techniques. Hobbs cited canceled hearings and failures to bring committee-approved nominees to the floor for a vote. The governor accused the committee of “slow walk[ing]” acceptable nominees.
“[I]t is clear the Senate’s vetting process is not functioning as intended by law or tradition,” said Hobbs. “I have fulfilled my responsibility of nominating eminently qualified directors who meet the requirements of law.”
Hobbs withdrew her 13 nominees and reappointed them as executive deputy directors in an attempt to bypass the Senate confirmation. The move prompted a feud between Treasurer Kimberly Yee and Hobbs after the former declined to recognize several Hobbs appointees as valid members at the last Board of Investment meeting, followed by the latter accusing Yee’s concern with the law of being “extremist” behavior and “partisan obstructionism.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Arizona elected officials stood with Israel after the American ally suffered a shocking and horrific terrorist attack late last week.
After Israel was attacked by Hamas terrorists on Friday night (Arizona time), state politicians offered their thoughts, prayers, and messages of unwavering support for the Middle Eastern democracy.
Governor Katie Hobbs wrote, “I condemn the horrific terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. Arizona stands with the people of Israel and supports their right to self defense. My heart breaks for the families of those who have been killed, injured or captured.”
I condemn the horrific terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. Arizona stands with the people of Israel and supports their right to self defense. My heart breaks for the families of those who have been killed, injured or captured.
Attorney General Kris Mayes stated, “Deeply shocked and heartbroken by today’s terrible Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. My heart goes out to the families mourning their lost loved ones. Arizona stands resolutely in support of Israel.”
Deeply shocked and heartbroken by today’s terrible Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. My heart goes out to the families mourning their lost loved ones. Arizona stands resolutely in support of Israel. https://t.co/arvkaKKyqs
— AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes (@AZAGMayes) October 7, 2023
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes added, “This has been a tough day for the world. I unequivocally condemn today’s terrorist attacks in Israel and am thinking of the victims and their loved ones. Every nation should have the right to defend itself. Democracy must be protected wherever it is in jeopardy.”
This has been a tough day for the world. I unequivocally condemn today’s terrorist attacks in Israel and am thinking of the victims and their loved ones. Every nation should have the right to defend itself. Democracy must be protected wherever it is in jeopardy.
Treasurer Kimberly Yee also weighed in, saying, “I stand with Israel. The United States has enjoyed a longtime friendship and allied relationship with Israel, a shining light of democracy in the Middle East. As a former State Senate Majority Leader and now as Arizona Treasurer, I have fought against BDS efforts to boycott and harm Israel. Please join me in praying for protection over the people of Israel against these evil Hamas terrorist attacks. May God bless the United States and Israel.”
— Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee (@AZTreasurerYee) October 9, 2023
Many members of Arizona’s Legislature also shared their solidarity with Israel over the weekend.
Senate President Warren Petersen spoke for his Republican conference, stating, “Arizona Senate Republicans stand in support of Israel, one of our nation’s most important allies. We strongly condemn the horrific violence happening against innocent Israeli civilians and Americans. We send prayers for strength, courage and comfort as the Israeli people battle against pure evil.”
Arizona Senate Republicans condemn the horrific violence happening against civilians and Americans in Israel. – @votewarren ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/tyPJQsXgkb
Representative Alma Hernandez wrote, “While I don’t post during Shabbat I must break that today. Israel is at war and my heart is breaking for what is happening and unfolding there. Innocent Israelis murdered, walking on the streets, elderly being murdered while waiting at bus stops, women and children being kidnapped, raped and murdered on video. All while Palestinian terrorist are celebrating on the streets. I can’t believe this is happening today. My heart is shattered.”
While I don’t post during Shabbat I must break that today. Israel is at war and my heart is breaking for what is happening and unfolding there. Innocent Israelis murdered, walking on the streets, elderly being murdered while waiting at bus stops, women & children being kidnapped,…
— (((Rep.Alma Hernandez))) (@almaforarizona) October 7, 2023
Arizona Senate Pro Tempore, T.J. Shope, expressed his prayers for the American ally.
Representative Consuelo Hernandez said, “Praying for the people of Israel who were infiltrated by Hamas terrorist. So many more Israelis will be killed for the simple reason of being Jewish and existing. You are not alone. The world is watching.”
Praying for the people of Israel who were infiltrated by Hamas terrorist. So many more Israelis will be killed for the simple reason of being Jewish and existing. You are not alone. The world is watching. https://t.co/rv3zSF3twN
Representative Jacqueline Parker praised Israeli leadership and response to the attacks, saying, “At least there’s one righteous super power left in the world with competent leadership. I pray for Israel’s safety & swift victory.”
At least there’s one righteous super power left in the world with competent leadership. I pray for Israel’s safety & swift victory. 🙏🙏🙏 https://t.co/u5WYoiIzz8
Representative Seth Blattman added, “This is a horrifying surprise attack on the people of Israel. I stand with Israel as it defends itself against Hamas in this ongoing assault.”
This is a horrifying surprise attack on the people of Israel. I stand with Israel as it defends itself against Hamas in this ongoing assault.
Other municipal and county officials also issued their own statements in reaction to the events from the weekend.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego posted, “I’m proud to stand with Israel and condemn Hamas’s attacks on innocent people in the strongest terms. Here in Phoenix, our police are stepping up patrols near synagogues – and our hearts are with our many friends throughout Israel.”
I’m proud to stand with Israel and condemn Hamas’s attacks on innocent people in the strongest terms.
Here in Phoenix, our police are stepping up patrols near synagogues—and our hearts are with our many friends throughout Israel.
Representative Alexander Kolodin recognized the increased security provided by Phoenix law enforcement, stating, “Grateful to the Phoenix Police for this extra degree of vigilance. We American Jews are tremendously luck to live in a country where officers of every faith are willing to risk their lives to protect our ability to worship freely.”
Grateful to the @PhoenixPolice for this extra degree of vigilance. We American Jews are tremendously lucky to live in a country where officers of every faith are willing to risk their lives to protect our ability to worship freely.https://t.co/vP13f1j04b
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell also shared her prayers for Israel.
Praying for Israel.
— County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (@Rachel1Mitchell) October 7, 2023
Peoria Mayor Jason Beck told AZ Free News that “Israel is a home away from home for me and my family. It has a sacred history and is one of the few places in the region that respects the personal beliefs of their citizens. I’m both saddened and angry at what these acts of terrorism have done to the people of Israel. I am taking action by sending body armor to Israel for the protection of the brave soldiers who will defend their homeland and our Western values. The Biden administration should be ashamed of their recent actions that opened up funding to Iran. Iran is who has openly trained and funded Hamas and other affiliates that don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist. They seek to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. I stand with the men and women of Israel in this fight and pray that God will protect their homeland.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
