by Matthew Holloway | Aug 31, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The legal fight between Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap and the County Board of Supervisors escalated Monday. America First Legal filed two motions on Heap’s behalf, and Arizona’s legislative leaders submitted an amicus brief supporting him.
In a press release, the County Recorder’s Office stated that the motions filed by America First Legal “reveal how the County Board of Supervisors and County Attorney Rachel Mitchell have weaponized county government against duly-elected Recorder Justin Heap simply because he dared to fulfill his statutory duties and protect the sanctity of Arizona elections.”
Heap said in a statement, “It’s unfortunate that the Board’s unprofessional and bad faith actions have forced us to litigate this issue; however, it’s significantly more unfortunate that the Board continues to deny the voters of Maricopa County the positive, common sense election integrity reforms that they voted for last November when they elected me. As I’ve promised from day one, I am working to ensure honest, secure, and transparent elections for every voter in Maricopa County. I am not, and will not, waiver in my commitment to executing on this promise. I’m grateful to America First Legal for standing by my side in this battle.”
America First Legal detailed Heap’s allegations in the first filing: “The Defendants — the members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (‘BOS’) — have crossed from fiscal oversight into outright sabotage. Ignoring [state law] and decades of precedent, the BOS has refused to fund the Recorder’s ‘necessary expenses’ — from modern ballot-processing equipment to indispensable IT staff — while simultaneously seizing control of the very election functions its stonewalling endangers. The BOS’s obstruction is not mere bureaucratic foot-dragging; it is a calculated power grab that throttles the Recorder’s constitutional duty to administer secure, timely elections.”
In an amici filing in support of Heap, Arizona House Speaker Steven Montenegro and Senate President Warren Petersen’s legal representation call for a strict interpretation of state statutes which govern the responsibilities of the county recorder and board of supervisors. They argue that the “court should narrowly conclude that, based on the statutes’ plain language, when the statute authorizes ‘the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections’ to act, it is the recorder’s duty to ensure the statute is complied with unless the recorder expressly agrees to delegate that duty to another ‘officer in charge of elections.’”
As previously reported by AZ Free News, the months-long negotiations between Heap and the Board, led by Chairman Thomas Galvin, devolved steadily since Heap’s election and the replacement of Stephen Richer in January until finally collapsing into litigation in June.
The crux of the disagreement between the Board of Supervisors and County Recorder Heap rests upon a Shared Services Agreement (SSA) agreed to by Heap’s predecessor, Richer, who ardently opposed the election integrity efforts that Heap ran for office to enact. For nearly six months, the two county offices negotiated; however, Heap and the Supervisors were unable to reach an agreement, culminating in a lawsuit filed by Heap.
Since then, Heap has alleged that the Supervisors have “taken retaliatory actions” describing a series of measures that “make it impossible for him to do his job, including removing nearly all his election-related IT staff; seizing the servers, databases, and websites necessary to fulfill his duties; and restricting access to necessary facilities and equipment,” as reported by The Federalist.
In a second filing, Heap and America First Legal introduced allegations involving Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, bringing a third County office into the fray in a dispute over who may represent the County Recorder, an attorney chosen by Heap or Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. In the legal brief, they allege, “Attorney Mitchell originally appointed a criminal defense attorney to advise the Recorder; however, in April, America First Legal agreed to represent Heap pro bono, a move that Mitchell objected to.”
“When the Recorder complained that the original attorney appointed for him lacked sufficient subject matter expertise, County Attorney Mitchell appointed former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould to advise the Recorder only during negotiations with the Board. However, County Attorney Mitchell and the Board did not allow Justice Gould to litigate on the Recorder’s behalf,” the filing revealed.
But according to AFL, that wasn’t the end of it. “In May of 2025, Justice Gould specifically asked the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for permission to litigate on Recorder Heap’s behalf but was not allowed to do so because the scope of his representation was limited to negotiation of the SSA and did not include litigation, and, accordingly, the County would not compensate him for litigation-related work.”
Mitchell responded by penning a letter to the AFL attorneys, writing in part, “This letter is to inform you that I am the Recorder’s attorney and that you do not represent the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office or Recorder Heap in his official capacity.”
Per The Federalist, AFL attorney James Rogers retorted that the “County Recorder is allowed to pick his own lawyer in litigation,” adding that Heap “is not subject to the whims of the county attorney.”
In the midst of the complex legal battle between the Recorder’s Office and the Board of Supervisors, which has drawn the attention of legislative leaders, the dispute with Mitchell adds yet another layer of infighting within the already divided county government, with the calendar counting down to the 2026 elections.
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 Ethan Faverino | Jul 22, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona Republican Assembly (AZRA) has released its Final Legislative Scorecard for the 2025 Arizona State Legislative Session.
This scorecard evaluates Arizona State Senate and House of Representatives members based on their voting records and alignment with AZRA’s core principles of limited government, individual liberties, and fiscal responsibility.
As primary elections approach, this scorecard is a critical tool for voters to distinguish authentic conservatives from those who merely claim the label.
The AZRA Legislative Scorecard is the only one, not only in Arizona but in the nation, where a committee of twelve members from across the state invest thousands of hours analyzing over 1,800 bills annually, rating more than 250 bills.
AZRA then publishes these bill ratings before legislative votes, notifying every legislator in advance and inviting feedback to ensure fairness. To maintain integrity, AZRA contracts a national data firm that receives daily voting data from the Arizona Legislative Council, updating results without manipulation or bias.
The scorecard lists 30 State Senators and 60 State Representatives, providing numerical scores out of 100 based on weighted votes on key bills. Scores are presented alphabetically by last name for letter grades, in descending order, along with party affiliation and legislative district.
Among senators, Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) earned the highest score of 98.5, followed by Senator Wendy Rogers (R-LD7) at 96.9, Senator David Farnsworth (R-LD10) at 95.9, and Senator Timothy Dunn (R-LD25) at 95.5.
The highest-ranking Democrats were Senator Brian Fernandez (D-LD23) at 40.5 and Rosanna Gabaldón (D-LD21), at 34.1. The lowest scoring Democrats were Lauren Kuby (D-LD8) at 25.4 and Priya Sundareshan (D-LD18) at 23.8.
Representative Selina Bliss (R-LD1) led the House with a score of 96.8, followed by a four-way tie at 96.1 among Majority Leader Michael Carbone (R-KD25), John Gillette (R-LD30), Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), and James Taylor (R-LD29).
Rep. Bliss recognized AZRA’s Scorecard saying, “It is an honor to be recognized, along with seatmate Quang Nguyen, by the Arizona Republican Assembly for our work at the Capitol!”
Out of the Democrat Representatives, Alma Hernandez (D-LD20) scored the highest with a 49.4 and Consuelo Hernandez (D-LD21) with a 48.8. The lowest ranked Democrats are Quantá Crews (D-LD26) with a score of 26.6 and Mariana Sandoval (D-LD23) with a 25.5.
The AZRA scorecard reveals a significant divide in voting patterns between Republican and Democratic legislators in the Arizona State Senate and House, with Republicans ranging from 78.7 to 98.5 and Democrats scoring from 23.8 to 49.4.
Correction: This story originally stated that there are 50 State Representatives. The story has been updated to reflect the correct number at 60 State Representatives.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jul 17, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced on Monday new senior staff appointments for the House Majority leadership team, signaling an early staffing shift as lawmakers prepare for the next legislative session.
Grant Hanna will assume the role of Chief of Staff, bringing over a decade of legislative experience from the Arizona Senate. Hanna most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Senate, where he was a key advisor on natural resources, water policy, energy, and government affairs. His background also includes roles as a Senior Policy Advisor and Research Analyst.
In addition, Matt Specht has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Specht has spent nine years on the House Majority staff and will now lead the day-to-day operations of the House. His responsibilities will include advising leadership, overseeing floor calendaring, and serving as a key resource for both members and staff. Montenegro praised Specht’s “professionalism, institutional expertise, and the highest standards of public service.”
Linley Wilson will continue in her dual roles as Deputy Chief of Staff and General Counsel. She will remain a principal advisor to leadership and Republican caucus members, contributing to policy strategy while also overseeing legal matters and supporting the House Rules Committee.
“The Arizona House is fortunate to have such a talented, experienced, and trusted leadership team supporting our Majority staff,” Speaker Montenegro said in a statement. “Grant, Matt, and Linley have earned the confidence of Members through their professionalism and sound judgment. Their leadership ensures we stay organized and focused on delivering results for the people of Arizona.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 26, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs on Tuesday vetoed a continuation budget passed earlier in the day by the state House of Representatives, sharply criticizing House Republicans for what she called “pointless political grandstanding” just days before the June 30 budget deadline.
The House-passed stopgap measure aimed to keep the government operating past the end of the fiscal year while negotiations continued over a full budget agreement. But Hobbs swiftly rejected the proposal, calling it a “sham budget” that threatens critical state services and derails the bipartisan progress already made in the Senate.
“For months, I worked with leaders of both parties, in both chambers, to craft a bipartisan, balanced, and fiscally responsible budget that the majority of Senate Republicans support,” Hobbs claimed in a statement. “That budget has pay raises for State Troopers and firefighters, cuts taxes on small businesses, invests in combatting Veterans homelessness, and makes childcare more affordable and accessible.”
The governor’s veto comes amid rising tensions between the House and executive branch. House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29) had framed the continuation budget as a responsible step to avoid a shutdown after the Senate-negotiated agreement failed to garner enough support in his chamber. “We owe it to the people we serve to take the time needed to get this right,” Montenegro said. “This continuation budget ensures state services remain funded while giving lawmakers the time to work toward a better, more responsible solution.”
Governor Hobbs, however, dismissed that reasoning and accused House Republicans of endangering essential state services for political gain. “I have long made clear that both of the partisan and reckless House Republican budgets are unacceptable,” she said. “They gut public safety, slash health care for Arizonans, harm businesses, fail to lower costs, and leave our Veterans out in the cold.”
With just five days remaining before the state’s fiscal year ends, the legislature remains without an approved budget. Hobbs urged lawmakers to abandon political brinkmanship and adopt the bipartisan budget already passed by the Senate.
“Now, it’s time for House Republican leadership to move past their political stunts and work productively with their colleagues before they force an unnecessary state government shutdown of their own creation,” she said.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 22, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
With less than two weeks before Arizona’s fiscal year ends, a deepening budget dispute between the state House and Governor Katie Hobbs escalated Saturday, as House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced plans to introduce a continuation budget to keep state government running past the June 30 deadline.
Montenegro said the House would move forward with a stopgap measure after determining that the Senate-passed executive budget, negotiated by Hobbs and Republican Senate leaders, lacks sufficient support to clear the House.
“The executive budget plan passed in the Senate does not have the votes in the House—with bipartisan opposition from Republicans and Democrats,” Montenegro said. “Now, with time running out and no viable path forward for their plan, it’s our responsibility to act to prevent a shutdown.”
He added that House Republicans had already passed their own budget last week, which he said focused on public safety, infrastructure, and government accountability—but that proposal was “ignored by the Senate.”
“The House is not going to be forced into a take-it-or-leave-it deal that doesn’t reflect the will of our members or the people we represent,” Montenegro said. “We will do what responsible legislators should do: take action to keep government running and protect Arizona taxpayers.”
A continuation budget, currently being drafted, would maintain current funding levels to preserve essential government operations while lawmakers continue to negotiate. However, the governor swiftly condemned the plan and signaled she would veto any such proposal.
In a statement, Governor Hobbs accused House Republicans of abandoning bipartisan talks and attempting to “jam through an irresponsible and partisan ‘budget.’”
“For months I have worked with leaders of both parties, in both chambers, to craft a bipartisan, balanced, and fiscally responsible budget,” Hobbs said. “Sadly, House Republican leadership abdicated their responsibility and refused to meaningfully participate in those bipartisan conversations.”
Hobbs warned that the continuation budget would gut pay raises for state troopers and firefighters, slash childcare and education funding, raise taxes on small businesses, and eliminate key investments in veterans’ services and wildfire mitigation.
“Speaker Montenegro knows this, yet he has chosen to continue with this farce as an exercise in pointless political grandstanding,” she said. “His reckless actions jeopardize basic government functions with potentially devastating consequences.”
The governor also criticized House Republicans for seeking an increase in their own per diem pay while proposing cuts to public safety and education programs.
“This irresponsible House Republican budget will raise costs and make our state less safe, less secure, and less competitive,” she added. “It’s time for House Republican leadership to come back to reality, stop wasting everyone’s time, and show some common sense by working with their colleagues in a productive fashion.”
With the June 30 deadline approaching, the battle over Arizona’s budget now hinges on whether either side can reach a new agreement—or whether the impasse will trigger a government shutdown.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
