by Staff Reporter | Apr 2, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ former division chief was sentenced to probation for theft on Wednesday.
Vanessa Paice Dailey (formerly Hickman) stole a misdelivered package containing $40,000 in jewelry last May. Out of all the jewelry in the package, Dailey failed to return a diamond bracelet worth $2,400. The package belonged to one of Dailey’s neighbors.
Records reflected that Dailey had sold an identical diamond bracelet on Poshmark for $750. As part of her sentencing, Dailey was ordered to pay that money back.
The attorney general’s office placed Dailey on administrative leave in November; shortly after, Dailey resigned.
The name change from Hickman to Dailey reflected the finalization of her divorce, which occurred when she was placed on leave. It was during those proceedings that Hickman admitted to attending an alcohol abuse outpatient treatment program while working full-time for Mayes.
Dailey pleaded guilty last month to the charges of theft and facilitation to commit trafficking in stolen property.
Not only did Mayes let Dailey go under controversial circumstances, she hired her under dubious circumstances as well.
The city of Peoria warned Mayes about hiring Dailey back in 2023. City leaders alleged Dailey, who became their city attorney in 2018, was guilty of serious misconduct to include fraud.
Mayes dismissed the warning as a “political stunt.”
The city later sued Dailey, accusing her of paying herself a six-figure severance to which she wasn’t entitled. That lawsuit is ongoing. Dailey filed a countersuit, which the Maricopa County Superior Court dismissed.
Dailey’s work as city attorney can be tied to one high-profile murder case that occurred this year.
As AZ Free News reported, it was under Dailey that a man released from a weapons charge later committed the widely-reported deadly shooting of a man at a Phoenix gas station in January.
City of Peoria prosecutors dismissed a deadly weapons charge against Deondre Stephen Franklin, 25, in 2020. Franklin was under 21 years old at the time. The court allowed Franklin to undergo substance abuse evaluation and education instead of jail time.
The murder case against Franklin is ongoing.
Dailey’s arrest and other key events have prompted Arizona’s legislative leaders to scrutinize Mayes publicly.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), attorney general candidate, accused Mayes of maintaining a culture of misconduct, corruption, and political weaponization.
“Mayes’ office had been warned by the city of Peoria nearly two years earlier about serious allegations against Hickman — including fraud, conversion, and breach of fiduciary duty — yet Mayes kept her in a position of authority,” said Petersen.
Mayes also faced criticism over her ongoing prosecution of the 2020 electors for Trump. Republican leaders say the timeline connecting donations from the Democratic Attorneys General Association and key actions undertaken by Mayes in the case amounted to corruption.
Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ08) asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate those appearances of bribery and prosecutorial misconduct.
“Many of the individuals involved in this scheme have engaged in highly questionable activity, and as I wrote in my letter to Attorney General Bondi, their rogue and unethical conduct is not isolated to Arizona,” said Hamadeh. “As a former prosecutor, it is unimaginable to me that these officers of the court allegedly conspired to deny citizens their fundamental constitutional rights. Yet, it appears that is exactly what happened.”
That request was made in November. The DOJ has not announced any investigation into Mayes.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 24, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ08) partnered with the U.S. Secret Service to host a fraud prevention seminar for residents of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District earlier this month.
According to a social media post from the congressman’s office, the event was held in Sun City and focused on educating residents about how to identify and avoid common financial scams.
The event listing described the seminar as an opportunity for residents to learn from U.S. Secret Service experts how to recognize and prevent fraud schemes. A video shared on social media by Hamadeh’s office stated that the seminar aimed to help residents learn about fraud and scam tactics that target consumers.
The presentation focused on common forms of financial fraud, including scams that frequently target older Americans.
Concerns about deed fraud and property scams have been increasing in Arizona, prompting the Arizona Senate to introduce Senate Bills 1479 and 1254 in February to strengthen protections for property owners and close gaps in the state’s deed recording process. SB 1479 was advanced unanimously by the state Senate on March 3.
“Property ownership is the cornerstone of financial security for families, seniors, and small businesses in Arizona,” said the bill’s sponsor, Senate Majority Whip Sen. Frank Carroll (R-LD28).
“When criminals are able to forge documents, record false claims, or quietly transfer property without the rightful owner’s knowledge, it erodes trust in our entire system. These bills deliver a strong message: Arizona will not tolerate deed fraud. We are enhancing identity verification, increasing penalties for offenders, improving notification systems, and ensuring that no property changes hands without proper approval. This initiative aims to protect homeowners, restore confidence in our public records, and ensure that the law firmly supports legitimate property owners.”
Sun City and the surrounding communities in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District have a significant population of retirees and senior residents. Hamadeh’s office said the seminar was part of an effort to provide constituents with resources and information on financial crime prevention.
The U.S. Secret Service is responsible for investigating financial crimes, including fraud, identity theft, and other forms of financial exploitation.
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 Staff Reporter | Mar 20, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) successfully convinced the FDA to reverse its decision to remove desiccated thyroid medications from the market.
The congressman issued a press release last week detailing this latest development in the ongoing battle between patient autonomy and federal oversight. Hamadeh explained that the FDA won’t take action to pull DTE medications from the market while companies work toward formal FDA approval.
The usage of DTE in medications predated the creation of the FDA; they were grandfathered in due to their safety and efficacy. Conservative government estimates placed DTE users at 1.5 million in 2024.
Hamadeh clarified that DTE patients will be able to continue getting their prescriptions without interruption, but that the FDA course reversal doesn’t constitute a permanent approval. The FDA noted in an update last week that it changed course to a “risk-based enforcement approach” rather than a blanket removal, and pledged to issue formal draft guidance on compliance priorities by this August.
“As I have said before, it was clear to me based on the feedback that I have received from countless constituents that the FDA’s action against these medications was likely not science-based,” stated Hamadeh. “So, I did not hesitate to question the FDA’s action that many of my constituents believe would negatively impact their quality of life.”
Certain hypothyroid patients rely on these natural thyroid medications, or desiccated thyroid extract (DTE), due to inefficacy or adverse reactions to the synthetic, FDA-approved alternative. DTE medications are made from dried, ground animal thyroid glands (usually porcine).
Most medical practitioners default to the prescription of the synthetic thyroid drug levothyroxine, approved by the FDA in 2000. These and several other synthetic thyroid drugs approved by the FDA provide only one of the two main hormones produced by the thyroid gland, T3 and T4. Unlike their synthetic counterparts, DTE medications provide both T3 and T4.
Last August, the FDA announced it would make DTE medications unavailable within a year at the direction of Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Director George Tidmarsh. Tidmarsh had assumed leadership of CDER just one month before the enforcement action — his very first on the job.
Three months later, in November, Tidmarsh resigned following allegations in a lawsuit that he used his CDER power to harm a former associate, Kevin Tang, by taking enforcement actions against certain drugs — including several DTE medications.
According to the lawsuit, Tidmarsh was accused of attempting to extort American Laboratories, in which Tang was board chair, shortly after the FDA announced its enforcement action.
American Laboratories manufactures Armour Thyroid and NP Thyroid, two of the top brand names for DTE medications. The two drugs constitute their core product line.
Over a month later, Tidmarsh turned his attention to a different drug manufactured by another company chaired by Kevin Tang, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals. In a since-deleted LinkedIn post, Tidmarsh made various accusations against the company’s nephritis drug, voclosporin, which the company alleged were false and defamatory.
LinkedIn appears to be a means by which Tidmarsh would put his former associates on notice. In the months leading up to his appointment as CDER director last July, Tidmarsh warned in another LinkedIn post that his first course of action would be to ban DTE medications.
“The new FDA needs to remove harmful, useless drugs from the market. Let’s start with desiccated thyroid extract,” said Tidmarsh. “An unapproved, crude pig tissue extract that is proven worse than synthetic thyroid hormone and harmful. Working with the new FDA to remove it permanently from the market.”
Following public reporting on Tidmarsh’s resignation and the accusations against him, Hamadeh urged FDA Commissioner Makary to withdraw or indefinitely suspend enforcement actions against DTE medications.
Despite Tidmarsh’s exit, the FDA maintains its claim that its concerns with DTE medications originate not with the personal vendettas of its former director, but with patient complaints and reports of adverse events. The FDA didn’t provide further detail on these alleged complaints or reports.
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) reflected DTE medications having over 3,000 cases from 1970 to 2026. Less than 400 complaints were of the drugs being ineffective and less than 60 reports were of death as a reaction. AZ Free News included all available top name-brand and generic naming of DTE medications in our search: Armour Thyroid, NP Thyroid, Thyroid, Nature-Throid, and porcine thyroid.
Conversely, levothyroxine and its name-brand counterpart, Synthroid, alone accumulated over 46,000 cases of suspected adverse events since 2000, of which nearly 4,000 complaints were of the drugs being ineffective. The synthetic drugs have over 1,000 reports of death as a reaction.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 19, 2026 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) announced earlier this month that high school students around the district are invited to submit original artwork for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.
The non-partisan competition, also known as the Artistic Discovery Contest, is open to all high school students (grades 8-12) across the country, including those in homeschool, online school, or alternative learning programs.
The theme for the 2026 competition is “Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom in America,” marking the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Students are encouraged to create original two-dimensional artwork that reflects the enduring spirit of the nation and celebrates 250 years of American freedom, service, unity, and opportunity. Submissions should be patriotic in tone and supportive of the United States.
“I look forward to seeing even more talent from Arizona, as last year’s art submissions were truly incredible. We were proud to display winner Luke Wagner’s artwork at the Capitol and at my district office,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “With the theme this year being our nation’s 250th birthday, I expect that we will be very inspired by the artwork we receive for consideration.”
Sponsored nationwide by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and administered by the Congressional Institute since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has engaged more than 650,000 high school students over the decades. It provides a platform to recognize and encourage artistic talent both nationally and in each congressional district.
Local winners are selected by panels of district artists, with recognition at the district level and an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
The first-place winner’s artwork for District 8 will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol’s Cannon Tunnel from June 2026 through May 2027. The second-place winner’s piece will be exhibited in Congressman Hamadeh’s congressional office in Washington, D.C., and the third-place winner’s artwork will be displayed at the Congressman’s district office in Surprise, Arizona.
All submitted artwork will be displayed at the district office during the competition week, with an Award Ceremony scheduled for late April 2026, where the first-, second-, and third-place winners will be recognized.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Mar 17, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) to speed recovery efforts at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon passed the U.S. House of Representatives with unanimous, bipartisan support.
According to a statement released by Crane’s office, the House approved the North Rim Restoration Act of 2025, which aims to accelerate rebuilding efforts following the Dragon Bravo Fire that damaged infrastructure and surrounding areas in 2025.
The bill, cosponsored by Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05), Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ09), seeks to streamline the federal contracting process by granting the National Park Service (NPS) emergency contracting authority to expedite recovery projects.
“Five months ago, I introduced the North Rim Restoration Act of 2025 after listening to folks on the ground who were directly impacted by this devastating fire,” Crane said in a statement. “Whether speaking with small business owners, local officials, or park staff, it became clear that removing red tape and bureaucratic hurdles would benefit all stakeholders. Today’s unanimous vote sends a clear message that America refuses to abandon our iconic landmarks and storied communities. This timely response would not be possible without the leadership of Chairman Westerman, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, and everyone else who helped build this blueprint. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to embrace our strong momentum and send this critical bill to the president’s desk.”
In a post to X, Crane wrote, “It’s time for the Senate to harness this strong bipartisan momentum.”
The Dragon Bravo Fire, sparked by a lightning strike in July 2025, destroyed more than 100 structures on the North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. The damage disrupted tourism and impacted park employees, local businesses, and nearby communities that rely on visitation to the park.
Crane introduced the legislation on October 9, 2025, after meeting with park officials, local leaders, and business owners about recovery efforts in northern Arizona.
According to the text of the legislation, the measure authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use federal emergency acquisition flexibilities when contracting for recovery work within the affected areas of Grand Canyon National Park. The authority would apply to forest restoration, infrastructure rebuilding, and other recovery improvements.
The bill also requires the National Park Service to provide Congress with a comprehensive report every 180 days detailing recovery progress and federal expenditures.
The legislation advanced through the House Committee on Natural Resources with unanimous support before receiving approval from the full House. Local officials have expressed support for the measure, including the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, which endorsed the legislation during the legislative process.
The North Rim Restoration Act now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
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.
