by Matthew Holloway | May 26, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
“Promise made. Promise kept.” Congressman Abe Hamadeh was celebratory last week and praised the decision by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to rescind a politically driven report against the Phoenix Police Department on “patterns and practice” of discrimination that was found by law enforcement experts to be 97% “factually or contextually inaccurate.”
Describing the report as being from a “weaponized investigation by the Biden Administration,” Hamadeh urged FBI Director Kash Patel to take action to refute the report in a letter previously reported by AZ Free News. In a statement issued Wednesday, Hamadeh’s office said the Arizona Republican had engaged in “aggressive advocacy for the men and women of the Phoenix Police Department,” which culminated in a meeting with top DOJ Officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.
“I promised our law enforcement officers before taking office that I would end the weaponization of our judicial system and work with President Trump’s Department of Justice to undo the damage wrought by the Biden Administration,” Hamadeh said.
He added, “I am grateful to President Trump and his team of patriotic professionals dedicated to the men and women of our local law enforcement agencies who run to the sound of danger to keep our communities safe and secure.”
Hamadeh explained, “As I noted in my communications with Trump Administration officials, our officers did everything right, voluntarily cooperating in good faith, opening their records, and participating in lengthy interviews. They were met with stonewalling, mischaracterized testimony, and a final report riddled with glaring inaccuracies.”
“The Trump Administration has now shown that it will not tolerate attacks on our law enforcement officers – either through physical violence or bureaucratic machinations,” said Congressman Hamadeh.
“Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control of policing from communities where it belongs, turning that power over to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats, often with an anti-police agenda,” added Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments with factually unjustified consent decrees.”
As reported by Law Enforcement Today, law enforcement experts Dr. Travis Yates and Dr. JC Chaix released a bombshell analysis on May 1st describing the DOJ report as detailing 134 incidents of which 130 were “either factually or contextually inaccurate,” in a shocking “97% rate of false reporting.”
Yates and Chaix wrote, “The answer lies in the DOJ’s investigative methodology—one that leans heavily on anecdotal narratives, hindsight bias, and advocacy framing rather than factual accuracy. While the individuals conducting this investigation are anonymous, it’s clear that they lack expertise in police operations, policy, or law. In many cases, their descriptions misidentified lawful force as unconstitutional, ignored established case law standards, such as Graham v. Connor, and omitted critical contextual information, including suspect behavior, threats, or prior warnings.”
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 | Apr 16, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Maricopa County leadership is asking U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to drop a lawsuit against Phoenix police and limit consent decrees.
In a letter sent to Bondi on Tuesday, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin made the case to drop the ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit against the Phoenix Police Department and further restrict consent decree usage in order to improve law enforcement capabilities.
“My colleagues and I share a commitment to effective policing,” said Galvin. “Federal oversight is an affront to federalism.”
Galvin said the controls exercised by the judicial branch over policing in recent decades amounted to “an assault on federalism and a quiet tyranny” perpetrated by activists. The chairman reminded Bondi that no instances of racial profiling in traffic stops emerged in Maricopa County following the 2013 ruling in Ortega Melendres, et al. v. Arpaio, et al. In that case, the ACLU, ACLU of Arizona, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and law firm Covington & Burling sued on behalf of Latino residents alleging Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office committed racial profiling in traffic stops when inquiring after immigration status.
“Tragically, one of the largest obstacles to protecting our citizens is legal: judicial takeovers of law enforcement through consent decrees, court-appointed monitors, and judgments that mutate over time to prevent local governments from ever satisfying their requirements and regaining local control,” wrote Galvin.
Galvin reported Maricopa County spent over $300 million on the consent decree and independent monitoring to comply with the 2013 federal court ruling. Galvin asked Bondi to restore limitations on consent decrees in order to lift the fiscal and administrative burdens on Maricopa County law enforcement.
Galvin also asked Bondi to drop the lawsuit against the Phoenix Police Department (PPD). Last June, the Biden administration’s DOJ accused PPD and the city of Phoenix of committing civil rights violations: excessive force and unjustified deadly force; unlawful detainment, citations, and arrests of homeless individuals; unlawful disposal of homeless belongings; discrimination against Black, Hispanic, and Native American individuals; free speech punishments; and discrimination against mentally ill individuals.
The DOJ’s accusations were a result of their investigation opened in August 2021. The DOJ sought to enter into a consent decree and independent monitoring, but the city refused.
“It simply sets the stage for a judgment that allows a federal judge to take over law enforcement in America’s fifth-largest city — exactly the nightmare that Maricopa County is living already,” wrote Galvin. “I am certain you will agree that our communities will only be safer and stronger if they were able to commit every resource to fighting the flow of drugs, violence, and human smuggling rather than chasing the whims of a federal judge.”
The county does have some support for an end to the lawsuit at the federal level.
Last month, Congressman Abe Hamadeh submitted a similar request letter to FBI Director Kash Patel requesting a rescission of the DOJ’s “desperate witch hunt” report on PPD.
“It is nothing more than an attempt to undercut valid police work, leaving my constituents — both officers and civilians — at risk,” wrote Hamadeh. “Despite the Biden DOJ’s baseless claims, our officers did everything right, voluntarily cooperating in good faith, opening their records, and participating in lengthy interviews. They were met with stonewalling, mischaracterized testimony, and a final report riddled with glaring inaccuracies.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 13, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Trump administration will no longer continue its legal challenge to Arizona’s documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) laws.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief on Tuesday motioning to drop the case.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon filed the brief the very day after she was sworn into her position within the Civil Rights Division, alongside the controversial Interim Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Timothy Courchaine.
Senate President Warren Petersen called the development “a major win for election integrity and the rule of law” in a statement Wednesday. Petersen previously submitted a letter to the DOJ requesting they drop the case.
“The @azsenategop and @azhousegop will continue to defend this law against the special interest groups challenging it,” said Petersen.
Petersen submitted his request letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi in mid-February.
The case, Mi Familia Vota v. Fontes, is before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Arizona’s DPOC laws required automatic rejection of Arizona state form registration submissions lacking DPOC, prohibited individuals who hadn’t provided DPOC from voting for a president or returning a ballot by mail, and added mandatory fields to the state registration form for a registrant’s birthplace and a checkbox confirmation of the applicant’s U.S. citizenship.
Last August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Arizona would have to accept state voter registration forms without DPOC.
Tuesday’s motion by the DOJ was the latest in the Trump administration’s efforts to cease legal action against states’ election laws.
Last month, the DOJ dropped multiple election-related lawsuits in Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana initiated under the Biden administration. Those lawsuits opposed voting maps and election integrity initiatives, respectively.
President Donald Trump and his administration have also taken steps to require proof of citizenship in elections, prompting resistance from the state’s top Democratic leaders.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, alongside Attorney General Kris Mayes, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over President Donald Trump’s recent executive order requiring DPOC to register to vote in federal elections as well as requiring all ballots to be received by Election Day.
Last week, Mayes and Fontes held a joint press conference announcing their lawsuit and accusing Trump of “unconstitutional intrusion” on states’ rights and congressional authority regarding elections. The pair want Trump to go through — not around — Congress for any election law changes.
“If President Trump wanted to make laws then he should have run for congress where the U.S. Constitution says that work is done,” said Fontes. “If the President wants to reshape our elections, he must propose realistic bipartisan legislation in Congress instead of forcing states into unfunded mandates through unlawful executive orders.”
“Clearly, Trump only supports state’s rights when it suits him,” said Mayes.
Last month in another case pertaining to DPOC, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled against the Elections Procedure Manual (EPM) produced by Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. Fontes’ EPM would have allowed voters who failed to submit or couldn’t achieve verification of their DPOC.
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 23, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) issued a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, calling on him to rescind a Department of Justice report on the Phoenix Police Department. Hamadeh characterized the report as an example of the weaponization of the DOJ based on cherry picked narratives by the outgoing Biden Administration to support “their political agenda.”
In part, the letter from Hamadeh read, “The Biden DOJ’s ‘pattern or practice’ report on the Phoenix Police Department was a desperate witch hunt. It is nothing more than an attempt to undercut valid police work, leaving my constituents – both officers and civilians – at risk.
“Despite the Biden DOJ’s baseless claims, our officers did everything right, voluntarily cooperating in good faith, opening their records, and participating in lengthy interviews. They were met with stonewalling, mischaracterized testimony, and a final report riddled with glaring inaccuracies. The Biden DOJ’s claim that Phoenix Police Department officers violated constitutional standards during unrest following one of President Trump’s rallies was absurd. That claim is especially ludicrous because the Ninth Circuit affirmed that the department’s actions were lawful. The Biden DOJ ignored this and many other court-backed facts, choosing instead to cherry-pick narratives that support their political agenda.
“The Biden DOJ sowed distrust, diverting millions from public safety, and discouraging officers — at the very moment when Arizona’s communities need them most.”
As reported by AZ Free News, efforts had been underway during the Biden administration to shackle the Phoenix police with a DOJ Consent Decree designed to place the Department under court-ordered federal oversight. The move came following a report from the Biden DOJ that claimed, “We have reasonable cause to believe that PhxPD and the City engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution and federal law. First, PhxPD uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force and unreasonable less-lethal force. Second, PhxPD and the City violate the rights of people experiencing homelessness by unlawfully detaining, citing, and arresting them and by unlawfully disposing of their belongings. Third, PhxPD discriminates against Black, Hispanic, and Native American people when making stops and arrests. Fourth, PhxPD violates individuals’ First Amendment Rights. Fifth, PhxPD and the City discriminate in their response to people who have behavioral health disabilities. Finally, we have serious concerns about PhxPD’s treatment of children, and the lasting impact aggressive police encounters have on their mental and physical wellbeing.”
Hamadeh, who participated in a regularly scheduled Air Support Mission with the PPD, had the opportunity to see the work of Phoenix Police Officers firsthand and a statement from his office said decisively, “Congressman Hamadeh believes that by rescinding the DOJ’s report on the Phoenix Police Department, the Trump administration will send a powerful message that political interference has no place in law enforcement, and that America First principles now govern the day.”
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 6, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Legal experts are concerned over Attorney General Pam Bondi’s pick for Interim Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
The Justice Department (DOJ) announced the swearing in of Timothy Courchaine on Monday, effectively opting for an internal promotion to the assistant U.S. attorney of nearly five years rather than bringing in new leadership. Bondi appointed Courchaine last week.
The appointment came shortly after the termination of the former U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino, appointed to the position by President Joe Biden in November 2021. Restaino’s term earned a general reputation for not accomplishing as much as possible.
An insider at the Arizona legislature expressed concern to AZ Free News that this selection would continue the status quo within the legal world, not prompt greater activity or usher in the desired overhaul of an office scrutinized for its caseload in recent years.
“The U.S. attorney’s office here in Arizona has earned a reputation for being ineffective and deliberately so. You cannot clean it up from the inside. You must have someone come in and see just what a mess it is,” said the source. “Anyone who has been on the inside and who has not publicly come forward to talk about what a disaster it is does not deserve to lead the place.”
Cleaning house within the DOJ was one of the clear mandates set forth by President Donald Trump.
“Over the past four years, the Department of Justice has been politicized like never before,” posted Trump on TruthSocial. “Therefore, I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining ‘Biden Era’ U.S. Attorneys. We must ‘clean house’ immediately, and restore confidence. America’s Golden Age must have a fair Justice System — THAT BEGINS TODAY!”
Prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Courchaine clerked for Arizona Supreme Court Justice William Montgomery. Courchaine began his career with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office back in 2015 as a special projects manager prior to joining the Marine Corps as a judge advocate and attaining the rank of captain. Courchaine was also a Blackstone Legal Fellow for the Claremont Institute’s Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence before clerking for Biola University’s Office of General Counsel.
As the interim Arizona district attorney, Courchaine supervises prosecution of all federal crimes and litigation of all civil matters in which the U.S. has an interest. The DOJ reported that Courchaine leads a staff of about 350 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across the state. The office also handles one of the larger Indian Country dockets in the nation, serving as the felony prosecutor for nearly all the 22 federally recognized tribes within the state.
The DOJ also credited Courchaine with the handling of cases concerning border crimes and Mexican-based cartels.
Per reporting from the Arizona Daily Independent, potential appointees to the permanent slot include Tim La Sota, Dennis Wilinchek, Jennifer Wright, Anthony Martin, James Rogers, and potentially former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
