by Matthew Holloway | Jan 28, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
State Rep. John Gillette (R-LD30) recently posted a series of messages alleging that some Arizona Democratic lawmakers accepted endorsements from the Communist Party and have not renounced them. His comments came as protests over federal immigration enforcement continued in Phoenix and across the state.
Gillette cited photos in the Arizona Republic, which depicted demonstrators carrying red banners emblazoned with the hammer and sickle, an internationally recognized symbol of communism, during an anti-immigration enforcement protest outside the State Capitol in Phoenix on January 23.
In his social media posts, Gillette asserted that several Democratic members of the Arizona Legislature had received endorsements from the Communist Party and noted that “none of the elected Dems renounced the Communist endorsement,” though his posts did not specify which lawmakers he referenced.
As previously reported by AZ Free News, Arizona Reps. Mariana Sandoval (D-LD23) and Lorena Austin (D-LD9) were both endorsed by the Arizona Working Families Party (WFP), which, according to its website, describes itself as “building our own party on top of the two-party system in the United States,” and “organiz[ing] outside the two parties.”
In July 2025, AZ Free News reported that the WFP also endorsed Democrat Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva during her candidacy in the special election as well as socialist New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Responding to a commenter who shared imagery of Communist Party founder Vladimir Lenin gleaned from a Working Families Party post, Gillette noted: “They took that down after the original posting. I can work with a Kennedy dem… sure they like big govt, taxes, welfare state, but they can be reasonable and dont [sic] hate America like these woke progressive Communists.”
Gillette’s remarks drew attention against a backdrop of Arizona’s ongoing political debates over immigration, federal enforcement, and state-federal relations. Responses from Arizona legislative Democrats to Gillette’s endorsement claims were not contained in his posts, and follow-up statements from affected lawmakers were not immediately available.
In recent weeks, multiple gatherings have taken place in Phoenix opposing ICE activity and federal immigration enforcement. Dozens of protesters gathered outside an ICE field office near 7th Avenue and Montecito calling for the agency to stay out of Arizona after federal immigration enforcement actions sparked nationwide pushback. Demonstrators marched toward downtown Phoenix as part of the event.
Earlier in January, activists in Phoenix held demonstrations outside an ICE office following the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, joining similar demonstrations in other cities in Arizona.
On January 20th, roughly 200 protesters participated in a nationwide “Free America Walkout” demonstration at the Arizona State Capitol, marked by chants, poetry, and marches around the Capitol grounds. Organizers framed the protest as part of broader national actions coinciding with the anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration.
In the Phoenix area and at nearby university campuses, youth and students also participated in walkouts and demonstrations calling for limits on federal immigration enforcement and criticizing ICE, including protests featuring chants against the agency and President Trump.
The rallies in Phoenix reflect a broader pattern of protests and demonstrations nationwide this month, including protests involving activist groups identifying as socialist or communist, in response to federal immigration enforcement actions and fatal shootings involving ICE agents. National coverage from Fox News noted coordinated events in multiple U.S. cities, with activist groups staging protests in opposition to ICE operations and Trump administration policies.
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 | Jan 5, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remain steadfast in their core responsibility to defend American communities by apprehending and removing dangerous criminal offenders, even as political leaders intensify efforts to undermine these essential law enforcement operations.
In a recent action, DHS and ICE arrested Anel Billy Irigoyen Portillo, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico previously convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona for importing fentanyl—a deadly narcotic that has ravaged families, fueled widespread addiction, and claimed countless lives across Arizona and the nation.
Portillo’s arrest is in line with the focus of DHS and ICE to target narcotics traffickers and other violent offenders who pose direct threats to public safety.
“While federal agents conduct lawful operations to protect public safety, newly elected Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva has chosen to publicly attack DHS and ICE, portraying enforcement actions as misconduct rather than acknowledging the clear and documented threat posed by violent criminal offenders,” said Representative John Gillette (R-LD30). “This rhetoric undermines law enforcement, encourages resistance to lawful authority, and erodes respect for the rule of law at a time when clarity and cooperation are essential.”
In a press release, Gillette called on officials in Pima County to prioritize full cooperation with DHS and ICE, rather than engaging in obstruction, delays, or politicalization of federal efforts. He urged the following actions to ensure the protection of Arizona communities:
- Complete cooperation between Pima County and federal law enforcement.
- Effective operational coordination with DHS and ICE.
- Termination of political attacks that disrupt lawful enforcement activities.
“DHS and ICE are doing the job the American people expect—removing violent criminals and drug traffickers from our communities,” Representative Gillette added. “Arizona does not need political grandstanding that shields offenders and targets law enforcement. The public wants dangerous individuals removed, and they want their elected officials supporting—not sabotaging—the mission. This issue is not ideological. It is about public safety, the rule of law, and standing with the men and women charged with protecting our communities and our country.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Sep 17, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona House Ethics Chair Lupe Diaz (R-LD19) blasted Democrats Friday for “weaponizing” complaints against Rep. John Gillette (R-LD30). Democrat Reps. Oscar De Los Santos, Nancy Gutierrez, Quanta Crews, and Stacey Travers filed a complaint on September 10, citing an interview from Gillette and social media posts. They called his remarks “offensive” and “unbecoming of an elected official,” noting his criticism of radical Islamists and Sharia law.
In a string of posts to X referred to in the Democrats’ complaint, Rep. Gillette wrote, “Islamophobia is a construct of the Marxist left I reject. I hear them state that they stand with Hamas and Iran, they want to bring Sharia Law to the US. They chant death to US. I have years of direct experience with these savages. [Their] own religion preached convert or die. F**K EM. If they want here to become the s**t hole they left… they can go home. The democrats support them. DEMOCRATS HATE AMERICA!”
Responding to subsequent comments, he clarified his position, stating, “I was critical of their policies. “Shiria(sic) Law and convert or die” are policy positions of Islam. Democrats want to install Socialism as a policy. I criticize both as they are repugnant to the Constitution. My reply is based on experience in the Middle East and Soviet Union. Not some leftist theory cooked up in a liberal college classroom with the same professors and systems that say there are 32 genders.. grow up and see reality…. remember Covid when you were told to wear a face covering, not work. The left forced this on us, not people like me.”
In their complaint, the Democrat lawmakers claimed, “Rep. Gillette referred to Muslims as ‘f***ing savages’ who don’t properly ‘assimilate’ into American culture. By referring to Muslims as ‘savages’ and ‘terrorists,’ Rep. Gillette dehumanized them and demonstrates his bigotry against an entire religious group, which constitutes about 1% of the population in this state.”
In a letter responding to the Democrat representatives, Chairman Diaz wrote that “remarks, statements, or opinions by a member, alone, are not traditionally the subject of an ethics inquiry. Subject to our House Rules regarding debate, members—like any other citizen—have a First Amendment right to the freedom of speech, as well as a right to freely speak under Article 2, Section 6 of the Arizona Constitution.”
Citing the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Diaz added, “Moreover, particularly in light of recent events, it is imperative that government institutions protect the freedom of speech, rather than take actions to silence, punish, or censor speech simply because someone might find it offensive or disagreeable. The inquiry you request this Committee to make would result in no more than an inquiry into the sincerity of Representative Gillette’s beliefs or a debate into the merits of those beliefs— neither for which an Ethics Committee hearing is the proper venue.”
Diaz concluded, “It would be inconsistent with constitutional principles—and unprecedented, based on past practices of previous House Ethics Committee Chairmen presented with similar complaints to undertake any further review or investigation of your complaint. Accordingly, I will not take further action on this matter.”
He further added an admonishment to the Democratic representatives, urging them to review Rep. Gillette’s response to their press release announcing the complaint, entitled “Defending America Against Radical Ideologies and Political Hypocrisy,” and added, “To the extent that you have any lingering concerns about his statements, it would be prudent to engage in civil discourse rather than weaponizing the House Ethics Complaint process.”
In the statement, Gillette explained in part, “Immigrants are welcomed here as guests who can become fellow citizens, and gratitude, respect, and loyalty to our nation are the minimum expectations. Yet too often, what we see instead is a demand that Americans change our culture, our speech, or our religion so as not to ‘offend’ those who chose to come here. That is not assimilation—it is subversion. I will treat every human being with dignity and respect. But I will not, and Americans must not bow to the demands of those who place their foreign ideologies above our Constitution.”
Gillette defined the group he opposes as “radical Islamists,” who seek “the establishment of a worldwide caliphate,” adding, “While some [in] the Muslim world may practice their faith peacefully, many more have weaponized the concept of jihad to justify terrorism, mass murder, and political conquest.”
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 Matthew Holloway | Aug 13, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) has become the center of controversies in Arizona in the past few days, involving Arizona’s Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and a raft of reforms to the act proposed by Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ08).
According to a press release from State Representative John Gillette’s office (R-LD30), “Fontes ordered counties to abandon the secure, state-managed Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ballot processing system and instead use a third-party platform controlled solely by his office.”
Gillette condemned Fontes, saying, “UOCAVA exists to ensure that our deployed service members, their families, and Arizona residents living overseas can securely exercise their right to vote. He explained, “It does not give voting rights to foreign nationals, illegal immigrants, or U.S. citizens with no prior Arizona residency. This directive is a reckless expansion of voting access beyond what the law allows.”
The release from Gillette’s office added, “The change undermines the clear intent of federal law, circumvents the Arizona Election Procedures Manual—which requires a public process and legislative oversight before such changes—and risks improper use of federal funds designated for legitimate UOCAVA services. Removing counties from control also weakens ballot verification and tracking safeguards that protect against fraud.”
In a statement released by the Secretary of State’s office, Fontes characterized his change as “the upgrade we’ve been working toward for 20 years.”
On the federal stage, the Proving Residency for Overseas Voter Eligibility (PROVE) Act, introduced by Rep. Hamadeh earlier this month, drew the ire of elections reporter Garrett Archer of ABC 15. The self-proclaimed “data guru” held the reforms to be unnecessary, according to the Arizona Daily Independent. Archer has been in an ongoing social media feud with Hamadeh and his staff regarding UOCAVA voting totals.
Introducing the measure, Hamadeh warned that the UOCAVA allows people who have never resided in the U.S. to vote in state elections, undermining the integrity of the electoral process. “The loophole in UOCAVA allows citizens living overseas, with no current ties to a state, to arbitrarily choose where their vote counts,” he said. “This threatens electoral integrity and is an affront to everyone who believes in fair and free elections. The PROVE Act will close this loophole and go far to restore trust in our elections.”
Hamadeh explained in a post to X:
“The military and overseas citizen voting data reveals some concerning patterns: Volume Stats:
• Total UOCAVA ballots transmitted: 1,327,324
• Here’s the kicker: 70% went to overseas citizens, not military voters
• That’s the largest gap between overseas civilians and uniformed services since 2014.”
Archer accused the congressman of “still lying. Just with numbers this time.” He argued, “The four states with a concentration of UOCAVA voters are Virginia, Florida, Washington, and California. The UOCAVA voters in the first three are all majority military. Virginia is near the seat of government, Washington and California both have aerospace and tech industries. Abe is implying its suspicious that a random county in Oklahoma or Nebraska DO NOT have over 100 UOCAVA voters. Quite the opposite in fact. If a random county in Oklahoma or Nebraska had over 100 UOCAVA voters, that would be suspicious.”
In response to another post from Archer, who shared his breakdown of UOCAVA registrations in 2024 by Arizona counties, Hamadeh asked, “Why aren’t you using the military numbers? Is it because it completely invalidates your rebuttal? This bill ensures that military voters are protected and loopholes are closed.”
Hamadeh then cited Hans von Spakovsky, Election Law Reform Initiative and Senior Legal Fellow at the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies: “‘The typical civilian Congress was looking at [when UOCAVA was created] was, for example, a State Department foreign service officer in Europe for a several-year assignment who would return to his or her home in Maryland or Virginia or another state when that assignment ended,’ Spakovsky told The Federalist. Spakovsky explained the legislation was surely not intended to permit expatriates, or other individuals who left the country and have no intention of ever returning, to continue voting.”
Answering the efforts of Adrian Fontes to interfere, and blasting the Democrat in a post to X, Hamadeh wrote, “Overstepping his authority & again demonstrating his flagrant disregard for the integrity of our elections, @Adrian_Fontes is exploiting voting in the name of the very servicemembers who protect that freedom. Congressman Hamadeh’s PROVE Act fixes this.”
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 Matthew Holloway | Aug 5, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona State Representative John Gillette (R-LD30) issued a strong condemnation of Texas Democrats who have fled their state in an effort to deny the legislature a quorum over upcoming redistricting proposals. In fleeing the state, the leftist lawmakers have ground progress on not only the redistricting, but bills addressing the devastating Hill Country flood as well, earning them wide criticism, arrest warrants, and potential expulsion.
Texas State Representative Ann Johnson (D-HD134) defended the ongoing abdication of duty in a post to X saying, “Breaking Quorum is an exceptional and extraordinary act of last resort.” Johnson’s post ingored the fact that Democrat lawmakers did similar as recently as 2021 to delay mail-in ballot reform and before that in 2003 to also oppose redistricting.
Gillette’s response to Johnson was scathing. “Breaking quorum is a cowardly act,” he wrote. “You swore an oath, not only to the Constitution but your State as well as its people. Now you hide in leftist states. What a disgrace. You can try to church this up all you want….not working[.] Cowardice and criminal, sum up the democrat party.”
The Republican lawmaker’s response to a video post from Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds (D-HD27) made on an airliner was even more direct. Answering Reynolds’ claim to be “breaking quorum today to stop Texas Republicans from passing racially gerrymandered maps,” Gillette replied, “Cowardly P”ssy said what? Go back and do your job.”
As of this report, the Texas legislature has voted to empower its Sergeant-at-Arms to locate and arrest the more than 50 Democrat legislators who have abandoned the Special Session called by Governor Greg Abbott to respond to the flooding emergency on the Guadalupe River, and which has also taken on redistricting.
As reported by the Texas Tribune, House Speaker Dustin Burrows slammed the Democrats from the House on Monday saying they had “shirked their responsibilities,” and thanking those present. “You understand that the issues before us, disaster recovery, fighting for the families who lost loved ones in the floods, human trafficking and more, are not abstract policy debates,” Burrows said with a rebuke toward the Democrats. “Instead of confronting those challenges, some of our colleagues have fled the state and their duty.”
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.
