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.
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by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Democrats are standing behind a budget proposal from the state’s governor.
Late last week, Governor Katie Hobbs released her budget for Fiscal Year 2026 for the State of Arizona. Hobbs, a Democrat, championed her priorities of “opportunity, security, and freedom for Arizonans” in a statement that accompanied her budget proposal, which was the third of her first term in office as the state’s chief executive.
The top Democrat lawmakers in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature were quick to respond. House Democratic Leader Oscar De Los Santos said,“The Governor’s budget is tightly aligned with our Caucus priorities in several key ways —especially with its focus on affordability, affordability, and affordability. While greedy corporations try to fleece and price-gouge working families, we must do everything we can to slash costs. Thankfully, the Governor has put forward solid and workable plans to cut costs for childcare, housing, and more — which give us an excellent starting place for the bipartisan negotiations that it will take to pass a budget that works for every Arizonan. As the chaos and tariffs of the incoming Trump Administration threaten to drive up prices on basic necessities like food and healthcare, it’s more important than ever that here in Arizona we make much-needed investments to protect hard-working families and make life more affordable.”
Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan added,”I applaud the Governor and her team for their work and dedication to putting forward a fiscally responsible budget proposal. This proposal has a desperately needed focus on ensuring Arizona is an affordable place to live, raise a family, and build a business. It is my hope that Republicans choose to partner with the Governor to adopt the outlined common-sense constraints on the out-of-control universal ESA voucher scheme. The strain of this program paired with years of irresponsible Republican budgeting have left our state in critical need of the investments this proposal seeks to make in Tribal communities, working families, affordable housing, and responsible groundwater management.”
Arizona Democrat legislators will likely be on the outside looking in at another process of budget negotiations in a divided state government. Over the past two years, Republican legislative leaders have spearheaded negotiations for the fiscal packages with Hobbs and her team from the Ninth Floor of the Governor’s Office. Republicans have also been able to protect all their priorities from Democrats throughout those budget agreements, while managing to extract significant concessions from Hobbs and Democrats.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him 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.
