by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 17, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona House Republicans have chosen their new leadership team for the upcoming term of office.
Last week, Arizona House Republicans met to elect their new team of leaders for the next two years. Representative Steve Montenegro received enough votes to become the next Speaker of the House, replacing outgoing leader Ben Toma. Representative Michael Carbone was elected as Majority Leader, and Representative Julie Willoughby as Majority Whip.
In a statement to accompany the announcement of his victory for Speaker, Montenegro said, “I am deeply honored by the trust my colleagues have placed in me to serve as Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives. Together, we have a strong mandate from Arizonans to advance policies that uphold our principles, promote economic growth, and protect the freedoms and values that define our great state. This opportunity to lead is one I take with great respect for the role and with determination to address the challenges ahead. Our commitment to conservative principles will guide us as we work to secure a bright, prosperous future for every Arizonan.”
Representative Matt Gress posted a picture with the incoming leadership team, writing, “Congratulations to the next Speaker of the Arizona House, Steve Montenegro, along with our new party leaders, Republican Majority Leader, Michael Carbone, and Republican Majority Whip, Julie Willoughby. Under their leadership, the House will deliver common sense solutions for Arizonans. Let’s GOOOO!!”
Unlike the largely unified process and result in the Arizona Senate for Republicans this time around, their legislative allies in the state House of Representatives will have to heal from a speaker’s election that was divided and extremely competitive. To illustrate that point, at least one Arizona House Republican took to X in the aftermath of the speaker’s election to publicly decry the consequences of the result. A unified caucus will be critical to joining with Senate Republicans to stand against Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs’ continued attempts to advance her left-wing priorities in the state over the final two years of her first term in office.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | Mar 30, 2024 | News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
Arizona State Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma filed a lawsuit to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from enacting a new air quality rule.
“The Biden administration should be rewarding American businesses for being the most environmentally friendly in the world,” Petersen said. “Instead, they are doubling down on their left-wing agenda. This rule is bad for Arizona, its citizens and our small businesses.”
Petersen and Toma filed the suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Monday.
The EPA rule, titled “Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter,” creates “unattainable” environmental goals for Maricopa, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties, according to the news release.
The rule imposes strict regulations on fine particles within the air, also known as PM 2.5. Sources of PM 2.5 include smoke, vehicle exhaust, emissions from industrial facilities and energy sources, such as power plants.
Less than 20% of all coarse and fine particles combined come from power generation or other industrial activities. Wildfires are the largest source, accounting for 43% of all particulate matter in the air.
Petersen said the EPA should be focusing on mitigating wildfires, instead of imposing measures which economically harm Arizonans.
“This rule will create unnecessary hardships for job creators and hardworking Arizonans,” Petersen said. “It will detrimentally impact our power grid and create even more red tape for both small and large businesses. We have no choice but to ask the courts to provide relief from this tyrannical, arbitrary, and illegal move by the EPA.”
The United States already has some of the strictest air quality standards in the world, even more than the European Union. The Obama Administration first adopted them, and the Trump administration retained them.
But this new rule would be even more severe, causing new infrastructure construction that would improve safety and travel times for Arizonans to be halted and permits for new manufacturing facilities, especially in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima Counties, to be blocked.
Additionally, small businesses would be required to pay for expensive new equipment, and investments in new facilities will be sent to foreign countries with less stringent regulations, forcing jobs overseas and creating a greater reliance on adversary nations.
Up to eight additional counties within Arizona could be out of compliance, which could further threaten the state’s economic growth and prosperity.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 5, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Rep. Kevin McCarthy became the first in American history to be voted out of the speakership this week, and Republican lawmakers are divided over that development.
Led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01), House Democrats joined six other Republicans to vote out House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20): in addition to Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) and Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), there were Ken Buck (CO), Tim Burchett (TN), Bob Good (VA), Nancy Mace (SC), and Matt Rosendale (MT).
As of Wednesday, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) and Steve Scalise (R-LA-01) announced their candidacy for the speakership. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) is serving as the speaker pro tempore.
State Rep. Austin Smith (R-LD29) said that the “establishment” line of thinking was supporting Democrats to pass the continuing resolution, but not to vote out McCarthy.
Similarly, State Rep. Justin Heap (R-LD10) challenged claims that those against McCarthy were traitorous. Heap said that those Republicans against McCarthy were for more important GOP priorities: an end to foreign war funding, border security, and the rejection of lengthy omnibus bills.
Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-LD-08) said the ouster was a “bad move” for the Republican Party and the country.
“Now we are at a standstill again until we figure out who the new speaker is going to be,” said Lesko. “Republicans need to unite to defeat the Democrats’ radical agenda.”
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) said the removal was “pointless, unproductive, and harmful” to the GOP agenda.
“[A] handful of Republicans partnered with Democrats to stop our efforts to get it done, obstructing the work we have at hand,” said Ciscomani. “Washington is broken.”
In response to a criticism of the ouster by Ciscomani, State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez (D-LD18) blamed the “radical right” faction of eight that ousted McCarthy for upending order in the House.
“This is bad for our economy and democracy,” said Gutierrez.
The day after issuing those criticisms of his party peers, Ciscomani had no problem taking a selfie with Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), who also voted to oust McCarthy.
Biggs said that McCarthy had repeatedly failed to uphold his policy promises. He further rejected the claim from Ciscomani and others that he was a chaos agent siding with Democrats.
Crane concurred, expressing hope for a leadership that upholds promises and displays situational awareness.
“I really want to see leadership that honors their word, understands the situation the country is in, and is willing to make a change,” said Crane.
It was for those reasons that other Republican lawmakers supported the ouster.
State Rep. Cory McGarr (R-LD17) said that McCarthy’s leadership was poor, hence why he was ousted.
Likewise, State Sen. Justine Wadsack (R-LD17) praised the House Freedom Caucus for standing up for Americans.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Dec 8, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Conservative pundit Mark Levin accused Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) of being a “fraud” and “phony conservative” over opposition to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23) as House Speaker.
Biggs responded with the claim that Levin’s support was merely opportunism. The representative showed evidence that Levin has long opposed McCarthy.
“Levin is the biggest fraud in politics right now. For years, this guy castigated McCarthy publicly (with no shame),” tweeted Biggs. “Now, he is all in for him and wants his audience to turn a blind eye. Total fraud.”
Levin made Biggs the subject of his Tuesday radio show. The pundit noted Biggs’ long opposition to the Convention of States, and recent vote for Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), who Levin called a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only), over Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN-03) for a House leadership position.
Levin responded to Biggs’ flip-flopping accusation without addressing any of his prior opposition to McCarthy.
Levin and Biggs’ exchange occurred following Biggs’ announcement on Tuesday that he would challenge McCarthy for the speakership.
“Kevin McCarthy was created by, elevated by, and maintained by the establishment,” tweeted Biggs.
In a Daily Caller column, Biggs painted McCarthy as a feckless leader for over six years. Biggs declared McCarthy was the establishment’s pick because he has a track record of maintaining the status quo for Democrats. He cited a forthcoming spending package from Biden that he said will worsen national debt, noting that McCarthy supports it.
Biggs also criticized McCarthy for circulating a censure resolution for former President Donald Trump and protecting outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) until Cheney personally embarrassed McCarthy.
He disclosed that McCarthy thwarted efforts to challenge Democrats by requiring a vote on every bill, reportedly calling it “inconvenient.”
McCarthy teased a bid for the speakership in 2015, but withdrew amid rumors of an affair with former North Carolina Rep. Renee Ellmers. McCarthy failed to secure the speakership again in 2018 after Democrats took over the majority.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Page 1 of 11
