by Jonathan Eberle | May 11, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen on Thursday defended the work of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO), highlighting the committee’s progress and reaffirming its role in ensuring transparency and competence in executive branch appointments.
In a statement issued from the Arizona State Capitol, Petersen said the committee — established in February 2023 and comprised of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers — is functioning as intended to uphold a constitutional check on the governor’s appointment powers.
“In an effort to establish a clear system of checks and balances over state agency directors, I created the bipartisan Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO),” Petersen said, noting the panel is currently led by Chairman Jake Hoffman (R) and includes Senators T.J. Shope (R), John Kavanagh (R), Flavio Bravo (D), and Analise Ortiz (D).
According to Petersen, the DINO Committee has reviewed 20 executive nominations since its creation. Of those, 14 nominees have been confirmed by the full Senate, two have been rejected, and three are pending final Senate votes. An additional seven nominations were withdrawn by the Governor’s office before hearings were held.
“The DINO Committee is working as I intended it to, and as a result, we are receiving better quality candidates from the Executive Branch to lead these state agencies,” Petersen said, adding that four nominees are currently awaiting hearings and that two new nominations are needed to replace recently withdrawn candidates.
Some Democrats and political observers have raised concerns that the panel is being used to block or delay nominees over ideological differences rather than qualifications. Petersen rejected that characterization, stating, “We are… weeding out unqualified, highly partisan, incompetent, or corrupt individuals who should not be holding any sort of leadership roles within the State of Arizona.”
In his remarks, Petersen also pushed back on public criticism of the Senate’s rejections, calling media attention to political tensions a distraction from the committee’s overall effectiveness. “The fact is we have confirmed the vast majority of the nominees,” he said. “The process is simple. If the Governor sends us qualified, non-partisan nominees, they will be confirmed.”
Governor Hobbs’ office has not yet publicly responded to Petersen’s latest remarks. Her administration has previously defended its nominees and criticized the Senate for what it describes as politicized obstruction.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 14, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A group with ties to the terrorist organization Hamas, CAIR-AZ, was invited as honored guests of the Arizona Senate on Tuesday.
CAIR-AZ attended Senate proceedings for a proclamation honoring the deaths in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and Lebanon.
“This is a historic step for the Muslim community and CAIR-AZ, as we have worked tirelessly to get this proclamation passed,” stated the organization in an Instagram post.
The proclamation, SR1001, declared Arizona’s recognition and mourning of the loss of lives in Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, and Congo due to the ongoing humanitarian crises. The proclamation declared February to be “a month of remembrance and solidarity” for those countries.
Preceding the proclamation was a prayer from Omar Al-Tawil, an imam at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe and a chaplain for Muslim students at Arizona State University.
SR1001 was introduced by Senator Analise Ortiz and co-sponsored by Sens. Bravo, Diaz, Miranda, and Sundareshan. Ortiz later appeared in photos with the CAIR-AZ activists celebrating the proclamation’s passage.
Those present included Khaled Beydoun, a pro-Hamas activist and Arizona State University associate law professor; Azza Abuseif, executive director of CAIR-AZ, lead organizer of Women’s March Phoenix, and Arizona State Director of NextGen America; Tarteel Alimam, executive administrator at CAIR-AZ; Zakir Siddiqi, co-chair of the Arizona Green Party and co-owner of the WhereUBean Coffee; and former lawmaker Martín Quezada, now the lawyer for CAIR-AZ.
Also present were representatives for the activist organizations AZ AANHPI for Equity, Our Instituto, AZ PACC, Progress Arizona, One Arizona, Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim, and CHISPA Arizona.
In a press release, CAIR-AZ took credit for SR1001’s passage.
“At a time when the world bears witness to immense suffering and injustice, it is crucial to recognize and remember those who have perished due to violence, conflict, and humanitarian crises,” said Abuseif.
The inclusion of the group resulted in ire from Arizonans witnessing the display.
“Who’s bright idea was it to let terrorist-simps spread their propaganda on the AZ Senate floor?” asked one Arizonan.
In addition to advocating for Hamas, CAIR-AZ has taken to protesting against immigration enforcement efforts. The group participated in a protest against SB1164, or the “Arizona ICE Act.” This legislation allows the U.S. Attorney General to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws. This would enable Arizona law enforcement to investigate, apprehend, and detain illegal aliens.
CAIR-AZ also advocated against Proposition 314, the “Secure the Border Act” approved by voters last November. The proposition requires state and local agencies to verify immigration status prior to giving out government benefits, makes it a crime for illegal aliens to apply for government benefits with false information, and enhances punishments for selling fentanyl produced outside the U.S. A portion of the proposition directing law enforcement to arrest illegal aliens remains unenforceable due to court orders in other states.
The national affiliate for CAIR-AZ, CAIR, is an entity of the Muslim brotherhood linked to Hamas activities.
CAIR leaders celebrated the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 17, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Days after their caucus decreased in size for the upcoming term in the Arizona Legislature, Senate Democrats chose their leadership team.
On Tuesday, Arizona Senate Democrats finalized their Caucus Leadership Team for the 57th Legislature.
The new Senate Minority Leader will be Priya Sundareshan (LD 18). The Minority Assistant Leader will be Flavio Bravo (LD 26). The Minority Whip will be Rosanna Gabaldón (LD 21), and the Minority Caucus Chair will be Lela Alston (LD 5).
In a statement after her election as Minority Leader for her chamber, Senator Sundareshan said, “It is a great honor that my fellow caucus members have elected me as their Minority Leader for the upcoming legislative session. The fight ahead will be uphill and the work will be hard. I am confident that along with my newly elected leadership team, we will deliver the very best possible for the people of Arizona. Our commitment to ensuring every Arizonan has access to a good paying job, affordable housing, quality education, and secure water for the next 100 years is unwavering.”
Sundareshan added, “While Republicans have expanded their majority, it is paramount that we communicate and provide a better, bipartisan pathway forward. No matter what setback we may face, our priorities will continue to center working class Arizonans, vulnerable populations, and our future generations.”
Gabaldon also acknowledged her election as Minority Whip on a post on her X account, writing, “I am honored that my fellow Democratic Senate Caucus members elected me to serve as Minority Whip. I look forward to working with the Leadership Team and the Democratic Caucus.”
The three Democrats are some of the most liberal in the Arizona Senate. According to the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, Gabaldón has a 3% lifetime score as of 2023, Sundareshan has a 4% lifetime score, and Bravo has a 7% lifetime score.
The returning and incoming class of Senate Democrat legislators have been relegated to bystanders in a divided Arizona government, where Republican leaders have largely run negotiations with Governor Katie Hobbs and her team on key matters over the past two years. In the final two years of Hobbs’ first term, the same arrangement is likely to occur, leaving legislative Democrats out of the loop on many issues.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 9, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to restrict foreign funding of Arizona elections is attracting some bipartisan support in this legislative session.
Earlier this week, the Senate Elections Committee passed SB 1374, which “requires a person to provide certification that the person is not the knowing recipient of foreign donations before entering into any agreement with a government entity to provide goods or services relating to elections administration.”
According to the fact sheet provided by the Arizona Senate, a ‘person’ is defined as “an individual, candidate, corporation or other entity or committee as prescribed by statute.”
The elections-related proposal, which was introduced by Senator Shawnna Bolick, passed the committee with a 6-2 vote. One Democrat, Senator Flavio Bravo, voted for the legislation in the committee.
In a statement to AZ Free News, Bolick said, “SB 1374 is a bill in support of free, fair, and transparent elections. Leading up to the 2020 elections, billionaires and big tech played an outsized influence in Arizona’s elections. In 2021, the Arizona legislature passed a law prohibiting election offices from receiving private monies for preparing, administering, or conducting an election. In October 2023, in Louisiana, the voters overwhelmingly voted to ban foreign funding of their elections by a vote of 72.57% in favor. When SB 1374 is signed into law, it will send a strong message that Arizona’s elections aren’t for sale by foreign billionaires.”
According to the legislature’s RTS system, representatives from the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and Heritage Action for America support the bill. A representative from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office signed in as ‘neutral.’
Senators Borrelli, Farnsworth, Gowan, Hoffman, and Kavanagh; and Representatives Jones, McGarr, Montenegro, J. Parker, and Wilmeth have co-sponsored Bolick’s legislation.
SB 1374 awaits a vote in the full Senate chamber.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 9, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
After a state senator aired his frustrations with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, two legislative vacancies have been filled.
On Friday and Monday, respectively, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors filled a vacant seat in the Arizona House of Representatives for Legislative District 13 and a vacant seat in the Senate for Legislative District 26.
Julie Willoughby was appointed for Legislative District 13. The newest House Republican fell short of victory in the 2022 election but found her way into the chamber in 2023 thanks to the expulsion of former Representative Liz Harris.
In announcing the selection of Willoughby, Maricopa Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Jack Sellers issued the following statement: “I would like to thank the PC’s from District 13 for selecting three qualified candidates for our consideration. I interviewed all of them about important issues such as Prop 400, homelessness, water, and elections. We take this duty seriously and follow a process that includes background checks and interviews so residents can be confident in the person chosen to fill the vacant seat.”
House Speaker Ben Toma told AZ Free News, “We’re proud to welcome Representative Willoughby to the House and to be a part of our majority Republican Caucus. There is still a lot of important work for us to accomplish this session for the people of Arizona and we can’t wait to get it done.”
Representative Flavio Bravo was appointed for Legislative District 26, opening up another vacancy to be filled in the state house. Bravo was selected after the resignation of former Senator Raquel Terán.
Bravo’s appointment was also heralded by another Maricopa County Supervisor, Steve Gallardo, who stated: “I would like to thank the PC’s from District 26 for selecting three qualified candidates for our consideration. It was a difficult decision because I respect all three of these community leaders. Flavio Bravo knows this district well and will represent it vigorously in the Senate.”
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ appointments came after Arizona Senator J.D. Mesnard took to the floor of his chamber to address the Board’s ongoing consideration of two legislative vacancies.
Senator Mesnard’s frustrations boiled over on the Senate floor as he laid out his charge against the Supervisors’ alleged delay in filling the two vacancies for 19 (Senate) and 20 (House) days. He informed his colleagues “the length of these vacancies is the longest, while we’ve been in session, in a half a century – 56 years!” Mesnard also said that 8.76 days is the historical average to fill the vacancy.
The East Valley lawmaker indicated that due to this historic delay, changes in statute could be on the horizon to ensure a more expedient selection by a county board of supervisors during an ongoing legislative session.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
