Over the past month, Minnesota has been hard at work to set the gold standard for jaw-dropping fraud scandals under the watch of Democrat Governor Tim Walz. The Somali daycare scandal has turned the state into a national punchline—hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars stolen in plain sight while Kamala Harris’ favorite “masculine” governor looked the other way.
Now, with Walz stepping aside from this reelection bid, a new contender for “most scandal-plagued governor on the 2026 ballot” has emerged: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. While Minnesota’s scandals have dominated headlines, Hobbs has been busy compiling a rap sheet that rivals what happened in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. But unlike Walz, Hobbs and her administration are under active criminal investigation.
A Pay-to-Play Scheme Engulfs the Hobbs Administration
The list of Hobbs’ scandals is a mile long and begins at the start of her tenure as governor. At that time, Hobbs set up a shady slush fund to provide donors with a conduit to buy political favor from her administration. While setting up and managing the fund, Hobbs illegally used public resources—like the state’s website—to solicit money for her inauguration. And she also tried to stop the disclosure of the names of those who donated to her inaugural fund.
After immense political pressure, Hobbs finally released the names of the donors. One of the names of the groups on the list was Sunshine Residential Homes Inc., a for-profit company that contracts with the State of Arizona. Sunshine Residential donated $100,000 to the secret fund, which was suspicious enough. But after some additional digging by local reporters, an even deeper level of corruption was revealed—an alleged pay-to-play scheme between Hobbs and the group home.
According to the report, it turns out Sunshine Residential Homes doled out $400,000 to the Arizona Democratic Party, Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign committee, and her aforementioned inaugural fund. Hobbs and her campaign finance manager even arranged a dinner with the government contractor to meet with the CEO in private.
After making the large donations, Sunshine was granted a 30 percent increase in their rates at a time when the Arizona Department of Child Safety cut loose 16 providers! On top of that, no other standard group home provider received a rate increase. This arrangement ensured that Sunshine Residential would receive millions in additional revenue at the taxpayers’ expense.
Hobbs’ is currently under three separate criminal investigations for this pay-to-play scheme, but it’s not the only financial scandal we’ve seen during her reign as governor…
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) introduced legislation Jan. 7 to award citizen journalist Nick Shirley the Congressional Gold Medal for his reporting on fraud and misuse of public funds in Minnesota.
Crane’s office said the bill would recognize Shirley’s work documenting alleged waste, fraud, and abuse involving more than $110 million in federal and state funds in Minnesota’s Somali community, in a statement released Wednesday.
This morning, @GOPoversight held a hearing on the rampant fraud in Minnesota's Somali community.
Thanks to @nickshirleyy and Minnesota lawmakers, historic corruption was revealed, including stolen federal tax dollars funding politicians and terrorism:https://t.co/LCZomxNdS3
In a December 26 video cited by Crane’s announcement, Shirley detailed his investigation into social services programs in Minnesota. Following the release of the report, the Trump administration halted federal funding to businesses accused of fraud, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) ended his reelection campaign.
🚨 Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable
In a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction, Crane wrote that Shirley’s reporting “shed light on this historic scandal” and “resulted in seismic shifts to our political landscape virtually overnight.” Crane added that Shirley “stood up to a corrupt system and exposed waste, fraud, and abuse being perpetrated against the American people.”
He described Shirley as “a fearless citizen journalist,” and called his work “a testament to the power of the average American over the legacy media, and a vindication of the mission that DOGE has sought to implement.”
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress. Recipients have historically included figures recognized for distinguished achievements and contributions to the United States.
Shirley, who is widely known as a YouTuber and content creator, responded to Crane’s announcement on X, writing that the potential award “would be cool, thank you!”
Congress has honored journalists in many ways over the last century through resolutions, Congressional Record tributes, and naming/designation actions. However, there is no official, comprehensive count of journalists honored because congressional recognition isn’t cataloged by profession, unlike the Presidential Medal of Freedom. If so honored, Shirley would join the ranks of the late Bryan Johnson, sports journalist Grant Wahl, and renowned broadcaster Edward R. Murrow.
Crane’s bill is now pending in the House. No additional legislative action, committee referral, or cosponsor information was included in the office summary.
A new bill to increase the penalty for assaulting ICE agents became more timely in light of recent events.
The Protect and Respect ICE Act, or “PRICE” Act, was introduced last September. Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh assisted with shaping and rolling out the bill.
The bill amends Section 111 of Title 18 of the federal code. Individuals who forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any individual engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties would have their punishment doubled.
“In the case of [violence] committed against an officer or employee of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the applicable maximum term of imprisonment under this section shall be doubled, and the applicable maximum fine shall be adjusted accordingly,” stated the proposed bill.
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice that attacks against ICE officers increased by an “unprecedented” 1,300 percent. Vehicular attacks on agents increased by 3,200 percent.
Officials reported nearly 300 assaults on ICE agents last year, compared to less than 20 under the final year of the Biden administration in 2024. Additionally, there were nearly 70 vehicular attacks on ICE agents last year. In 2024, there were only two.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blamed rhetoric from the “sanctuary politicians”: state and local leadership attempting to thwart immigration enforcement efforts.
“This unprecedented increase in violence against law enforcement is a direct result of sanctuary politicians and the media creating an environment that demonizes our law enforcement and encourages rampant assaults against them,” said McLaughlin. “Dangerous criminals — whether they be illegal aliens or U.S. citizens — are assaulting law enforcement and turning their vehicles into weapons to attack law enforcement.”
DHS provided some examples of the end results of assaults on ICE agents. One ICE officer sustained a gaping wound on his mouth after an illegal immigrant hit him with a metal coffee cup, and another ICE officer was bitten while arresting an individual.
Multiple groups of ICE officers have endured near-fatal or fatal shootings during enforcement efforts. Multiple officers have been in car wrecks after being targeted by anti-ICE activists and illegal aliens.
Increased aggressions have resulted in deadlier encounters for both ICE agents and activists.
DHS issued their press release the day after an “ICE Watch” activist, Renee Nicole Good, was shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after driving her vehicle toward an agent. It is believed Good was attempting to evade apprehension by agents during an immigration enforcement effort. Good moved to Minneapolis last year.
Minnesota’s ICE Watch activists operate by tracking and disrupting ICE raids throughout the city. Good’s wife, a woman named Rebecca Good, was also present to resist ICE immigration enforcement efforts.
As claimed by DHS, Anti-ICE Minnesotan activists like Goodwin were acting consistently with the rhetoric of their elected leaders. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called ICE the “Gestapo.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded to Good’s shooting by demanding that ICE “get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”
The New York Postreported that Good was active with the anti-ICE group through her child’s “social justice education” charter school.
The pair moved to Minneapolis after briefly leaving the country for Canada following President Donald Trump’s election in 2024, per KMBC.
The shooting remains under investigation.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
One news network is shifting the status of the Grand Canyon State as the all-important November General Election inches closer to the nation.
Earlier this week, Fox News’ Power Rankings shifted Arizona from being a “Toss-Up” to a “Lean R” battleground state. If Arizona were to land in the Trump camp, he would capture its eleven electoral votes, which have proven critical to securing a victory for the White House in recent elections.
🚨 BREAKING: Arizona Moves from ‘Toss-Up’ to ‘Lean R’
In the final week before Election Day, Arizona has shifted from battleground to a likely win for President Trump and the @AZGOP!
According to the analysis from Fox News, “Immigration continues to be a highly important issue in Arizona, which shares a border with Mexico. In the latest Wall Street Journal survey, 25% of voters said immigration was the most important issue to their vote, higher than any other battleground. It was a ‘deal-breaker’ issue for 24% of voters. And Arizona voters preferred Trump on the issue by 10 points.”
The analysis added that “statewide polling has been directionally consistent and immigration reigns supreme.”
Both the Trump and Harris campaigns have targeted Arizona repeatedly over the past few months, spending large sums of money on advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts and making several trips to the state to encourage men and women to vote for their candidate in the closing days of the contest. Both Trump and his Vice-Presidential nominee, Senator J.D. Vance, were in Arizona last week, and they are returning this week. Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, have made a handful of stops in communities around the state in recent weeks as well.
A recent poll from Atlas Intel shows that President Trump has opened up an almost four-point lead on Harris in Arizona, when the full field of candidates is included in the survey. Almost fifty-seven percent of respondents disapprove of President Joe Biden’s performance over the past four years, compared to just thirty-nine percent who approve, assisting in Trump’s ascent to the top of the polls in the Grand Canyon State. Almost fifty-four percent of respondents believe that Biden’s performance has been “bad / terrible” compared to twenty-eight percent who selected “excellent / good.”
As of Wednesday, Arizona Republicans continue to outpace their Democrat counterparts in early ballot returns, giving cautious optimism to many in the party around the state that, should the trend continue, Election Night on Tuesday, November 5, could be a very good night for them as they watch the results roll in from around the country.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
“We are masters of unsaid words, but slaves to those we let slip out.” — Winston Churchill
On Oct. 10, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was with California Gov. Gavin Newsom when he said: “I think all of us know the Electoral College needs to go. We need, we need a national popular vote, but that is not the world we live in. So, we need to win in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. We need to be able to go into York, Pennsylvania, and win. We need to be in Western Michigan and win. We need to be in Reno, Nevada, and win.”
Walz said aloud what many in his party have long believed. The Harris campaign was quick to say it did not support abolishing the Electoral College — a controversy they do not want to navigate until in office. But Walz rang this bell, and everyone heard it.
Let us discuss the implications of his mindset.
“The Electoral College needs to go.” A constitutional amendment requires 38 states to agree. It is unlikely even half would vote to abolish the Electoral College, which ensures that candidates visit many states. Fifty percent of Americans live in just 9 states. New York City has more people than 39 of our states, Los Angeles County more than 41. An NPV scheme would reward candidates focused on metropolitan areas. With NPV, locations that provide food and natural resources to these urban areas would truly become “fly over states.”
National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Because opponents of the Electoral College will never win the consent of 38 states, leaders of Walz’s party launched this Compact in 2006. It seeks to gain agreement among states to award their Electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. It takes 270 Electoral votes to win the presidency. NPV legislation provides that once the states in the Compact have a total of 270 Electors, it goes into effect the evening of the next presidential election — creating a Constitutional crisis.
Walz Signed the NPV Compact. In the past two years Minnesota and Maine joined the NPV, giving it seventeen states and 209 Electors. These states have one thing in common: one-party control of the House, Senate and governorship. More than 98% of the state legislators voting to join the Compact are of Walz’s party. States in the Compact pledge to direct their Electors to vote for the winner of the national popular vote even if the majority vote of their state must be ignored.
Beaver County, York, Reno and Western Michigan. While in California, which has more than 39 million people, Walz spoke derisively about having to visit Beaver County Pa. (population 168,215), York County, Pa. (456,438), Reno, Nev. (264,165), and Western Michigan because the Electoral College design incentivizes candidates not to ignore these communities. Walz expressed an elitist desire to have urban areas rule. One might ask him, are our major cities so safe and well-managed they should become the sole arbiters of the affairs of our Republic?
How Heads of Government Are Elected in Other Republics. Walz is oblivious to the fact that how we elect our president is more “democratic” than most other republics. Of the 27 countries in the European Union, only France and Cypress use a national popular vote to elect their heads of government. The other 25 elect their heads of government in their parliaments. The same goes for Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Churchill was never on the ballot of all Englishmen, only his constituency. Parliament elected him prime minister.
“Whoever gets the most runs wins.” The Minnesota Twins have won the World Series on two occasions: 1987 and 1991. In 1991 the Twins won 4 of 7 games to clinch the series, even though the Twins had a total of 24 runs in those 7 games, the Atlanta Braves a total of 29.
Is that fair? Most sports focus on the most games won, not the most points. Our states provide 50 electoral competitions — 50 games if you will. We then aggregate those contests to choose our leader. Ingenious!
“Whoever gets the most votes wins.” Walz’s comment is filled with irony. President Joseph Biden is the only person who in 2024 has received Democratic popular votes for president. “Whoever wins no votes wins?”
The Electoral College incentivizes candidates to visit most states, including their rural communities. The winning candidates are those who visit and listen to a wide swath of this vast nation and her people. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. And, so, it is with our own Electoral College.
Michael Maibach is a contributor to The Daily Caller News Foundation and a Distinguished Fellow on American Federalism at Save Our States. He is also a Trustee and the Managing Director of the James Wilson Institute. www.SaveOurStates.comwww.jameswilsoninstitute.org
