A Republican state House member is calling on the U.S. military to increase its fire safety standards for Arizona communities.
Earlier this week, Arizona State Representative David Cook submitted his comments for the U.S. Air Force’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), asking the military branch “to ensure the use of flares is prohibited on days where local, state, and federal agencies have put fire restrictions in place.”
Cook said, “While Arizona is an important state for conducting strategic military training operations, the Air Force needs to take every precaution to protect people and land from preventable disasters, including wildland fires. Releasing flares during times when fire restrictions are in place poses an unnecessary risk to residents. The military must recognize the danger these flares pose to Arizona communities and ensure that no flares are deployed on days when state or local fire restrictions are active.”
In his comments, Cook wrote that, “Although the Draft EIS states that the possibility of wildfires ‘would be remote considering the release altitude under the Proposed Action,’ history has shown that flares have been tied to wildfire occurrences, including the 2021 Telegraph fire, which burned over 180,000 acres and for nearly a month. While ‘the DAF believes it is unlikely that the fire was caused by flares,’ the cause of the Telegraph fire has not been fully resolved, and the Draft EIS does not rule out the possibility that flares were responsible for the fire.”
Cook added, “I believe the best way to reduce the risk of fire caused by flares is to implement a dual approach that includes both minimum altitude restrictions and operational constraints that correlate with local, state, and federal fire restrictions. Accordingly, I respectfully request the DAF update its Final EIS and Proposed Action to prohibit the use of flares on days where local, state, or federal agencies have put fire restrictions in place.”
Members of the public may submit their own comments in support or opposition to the proposal up until October 9.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The Maricopa County Superior Court declined to weigh in on whether Republican House candidate Michael Way is qualified to run, instead opting to dismiss the complaint.
Way is running in Legislative District 15.
In the Friday ruling, the court declared that the challenge to Way’s candidacy was inadmissible because it was filed after the statutory deadline and, more significantly, the authority to determine qualified candidates resides with the Arizona legislature.
“Because the duties of judging elections of members of the State Legislature and determining the qualification of those who are elected to be legislators are expressly delegated to the Arizona legislature, dismissal of the complaint is warranted,” stated the court. “If Way is elected, it will be up to the Arizona legislature to judge his qualifications.”
Deborah Kirkland, a resident of the district, challenged Way’s candidacy on allegations that he hasn’t been a resident of the state for at least three years. In one part of the lawsuit, Kirkland alleged that Way indicated to district voters that he’d moved to Arizona from North Carolina in the past year.
Kirkland’s lawsuit alleged that Way was still registered to vote in North Carolina, per the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Additionally, those election records indicated that Way voted in person in North Carolina’s 2022 general election as well as the 2021 municipal election for the town of Wake Forest.
Her lawsuit further questioned the validity of Way’s claim of residing in or even owning his declared Arizona property, noting that the property was owned by another individual with the same last name. Their lawsuit further alleged that Way didn’t sell his North Carolina property until January 2024.
The Maricopa County Superior Court declined to address the merits of Kirkland’s claims regarding Way’s eligibility for election to the legislature, and also declined to issue an advisory opinion as requested. The court also declined Way’s request for an award of attorney’s fees.
In a press release, the Arizona GOP celebrated the court’s dismissal and dismissed the lawsuit claims as “baseless attacks from Democrats and their allies.” Party Chair Gina Swoboda defended Way as an invaluable advocate of GOP values.
“Michael has proven time and time again that he is a dedicated advocate for our shared values,” said Swoboda. “We are thrilled that the court has upheld his qualifications, and we look forward to his continued leadership in the fight to keep Arizona red.”
Earlier this month, Republican State Representative David Cook asked Attorney General Kris Mayes in a letter to investigate Way’s residency and his claim of having resided in Arizona for at least six years prior to this election, which he made when he signed his nomination paper.
Cook’s letter also echoed allegations of illegal voting made by Kirkland, claiming that Way had voted not only in the North Carolina but also the Arizona primary election in 2022. Cook alleged that Way’s wife did the same.
“A number of politicians beat the drums regarding election integrity frequently,” said Cook. “This seems to be the poster child for laws ensuring election integrity — we cannot have individuals simply picking and choosing which state they want to vote in depending on the election. Election integrity cannot be a partisan issue, which is why I am coming forward with this complaint.”
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Research uncovered by AZ Free News’ investigative team has followed a trail of money that leads from major Arizona labor unions to a Democrat-funding SuperPAC and then via several smaller PACs to a supposedly ‘Conservative’ PAC. The money finally arrives at a political consultant employed by State Rep. David Cook to be used against his 2024 opponent Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers.
It started in February with a $400,000 donation, from Arizona Pipe Trades 469 to Residents for Accountability a SuperPAC, which has dumped over $1.36 billion into the Democrat funding machine ‘ActBlue’ in 2024, which donated $261,617.02 precisely to ‘Revitalize Arizona,’ a well-known Democratic Political Action Committee (PAC). And in the end, led to a $261,617.02 payment from Arizona First to McShane, LLC: high-end political consultants who represent Rep. David Cook, earmarked to be used in opposition to Wendy Rogers For AZ Senate per election filings.
The money metaphorically went into the laundry blue and came out red on the other side.
The story unfolding today bears more than a little similarity to another funding scheme uncovered by AZ Free News in 2022 involving the Democratic Revitalize Arizona and Rep. David Cook after he sided against his party on a key bill to prohibit cities and counties from requiring prevailing wages or union labor as a condition of receiving a bid or contract. Cook’s vote was decisive. The bill failed by a single vote in a victory for the unions and a defeat for local governments and small contractors.
“Revitalize Arizona, a Tempe-based PAC, is chaired by Israel Torres, a partner in the Torres Consulting and Law Group, which chairs the same address as the PAC. The PAC funneled $48,000 to the group in 2020, totaling over $122,100 over the past decade. It also paid Torres Multicultural Communications, previously known as Torres Marquez Communications, over $681,200 over the past decade, with the majority paid out to the firm in 2019: nearly $646,000.
All of their funds come from another PAC run by Torres: Residents for Accountability. That PAC receives its funds largely from unions. Among its funders from the past two years are the Arizona Pipe Trades 469 PAC, affiliated with a union, and Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) Action Fund PAC, affiliated with a social justice nonprofit. Over the past decade, a number of other union-affiliated PACs have funded Residents for Accountability.
The PAC has a history of investing in Democratic polling companies such as the D.C.-based Lake Research Partners, whose past clientele have included President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Janet Napolitano, Sheila Jackson Lee, AFL-CIO, and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Arizona.
They’ve also invested in Democratic polling company SKD Knickerbocker, from which Anita Dunn hailed — Biden’s senior advisor and former President Barack Obama’s communications director.”
A key difference in the 2024 scenario is the route the money took, and it’s final purpose and destination. From Revitalize Arizona, the exact same amount, $261,617.02, was moved to Arizona Voters, yet another PAC, this time managed by the American Campaign Finance Foundation. From Arizona Voters, the very same $261,617.02 went to Arizona First, which OpenSecrets.com identifies as a Conservative SuperPAC. And from there, the money in the precise amount of $261,617.02 finally arrives at McShane, LLC on June 25, 2024, five months after it left the union’s hands, in five easy steps.
A bill to help enhance Arizona’s resources to fight fires has been signed into law by the state’s governor.
Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2751, which will “adopt the Great Plains Wildland Fire Protection Compact, entering into a mutual aid agreement with other member states for the purposes of forest firefighting” – according to the purpose from the Arizona State Senate.
✅State Representative @RepDavidCook’s H.B. 2751 Signed into Law, Strengthening Arizona’s Firefighting Capabilities
“As we head into fire season, it’s critical that Arizona is prepared to respond effectively to wildfire threats. With several large fires currently burning in… pic.twitter.com/GxfKmOcDh2
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) May 17, 2024
State Representative David Cook, a Republican who sponsored this bill, issued the following statement after Hobbs’ action: “As we head into fire season, it’s critical that Arizona is prepared to respond effectively to wildfire threats. With several large fires currently burning in Northern Arizona, this legislation comes at a crucial time. The enactment of H.B. 2751 will ensure our communities are better protected and our firefighting resources are optimally utilized. I’m grateful for the broad bipartisan support that we had in both chambers to pass this important legislation and for the Governor’s support in quickly signing it into law.”
According to the press release from Cook and Arizona House Republicans, this legislation would “allow the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to collaborate with state foresters in other states, including Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, and Wyoming, to ensure that Arizona can both provide and receive assistance swiftly during wildfire emergencies, improving overall response times and resource availability.
A win for Arizona!🔥🚒
Today, @GovernorHobbs signed HB 2751 which allows #Arizona to enter into the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact & furthers our commitment to public safety.
Thru the compact, #AZ can go direct w/compact states for equipment & overhead instead of sole… pic.twitter.com/1RKt3rPfa2
— AZ Dept. Forestry and Fire Management (@azstateforestry) May 18, 2024
Joining Cook in support of the bill during the legislative process were Representatives Marshall, Payne, and Sandoval as co-sponsors.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Fire District Association, Arizona Wildlife Federation, and Arizona State Forester signed in to support the bill.
The legislation first passed the Arizona House of Representatives in February with an overwhelming 53-3 result (three members did not vote and one seat was vacant). The state Senate then gave its green light to the bill with a 27-2 vote (with one member not voting) before sending it to the Governor’s Office.
Cook’s press release also explained that HB 2751 “provides a framework for administering mutual aid, allowing state forest fire control agencies to quickly request and render firefighting personnel and resources to each other in times of need and to receive reimbursement for their assistance afterwards, [and] stipulates the responsibilities of and protections for employees that are involved in out-of-state firefighting efforts, including provisions for workers’ compensation and liability coverage.”
A Republican State Representative in Arizona is standing up to a recent proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Last month, Representative David Cook transmitted a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, opposing the agency’s “proposed waiver that would enable the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to mandate zero-emission standards for railroad locomotives starting in 2030,” according to his press release.
House Transportation Chairman @RepDavidCook Urges EPA to Reject California Zero-Emission Locomotive Proposal
“This proposal will have far-reaching effects here in Arizona, potentially upending the rail industry in our state. Arizona’s rail industry hauls over 125 million tons of… pic.twitter.com/gbf8vD4MNy
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) April 16, 2024
Cook explained that the EPA’s proposal would “have far-reaching effects here in Arizona, potentially upending the rail industry in our state.” Per Cook’s letter, the state’s rail industry “hauls over 125 million tons of cargo to and from the state through hubs like Tucson, Flagstaff, and the Phoenix area.” He stated that “Arizona’s economy is growing, and local and state leaders are counting on our rail network to help handle this growth.”
The Republican Chairman of the State House Transportation Committee warned that the EPA’s rule “threatens Arizona’s railways and our supply chain by imposing extreme financial and operational burdens on railroads, especially smaller operators, by requiring the retirement of over 25,000 locomotives aged 23 years or older.” He added that the mandate “would create a fragmented rail network that could jeopardize the supply chain, place an undue burden on rail companies, and drive-up costs,” leading to goods being driven away from rail and to Arizona highways, which would bring its own set of environmental issues.
Representative Cook ended his letter by asserting that “this unworkable policy in California could have major implications throughout Arizona and the country.” He urged the EPA “to reject the California waiver and protect our rail network and supply chains.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
