by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 11, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
With his chamber remaining in Republican hands, Arizona’s Senate President is gearing up for a return to his position for the upcoming legislative session.
Senator Warren Petersen is running for reelection for president of his legislative body after deftly guiding his caucus through the past two sessions in a rarely seen divided Arizona government.
In an exclusive interview with AZ Free News, Petersen said, “I’m running for Senate President again because I want to build off the momentum from our successes over the past two years with serving as the necessary check against abuses of power and radical policies pushed by the Executive that Arizonans do not support. I also want to maintain unity within the Republican caucus while advancing commonsense solutions to the important issues impacting our state, like inflation, the border crisis, the housing shortage, water security, and providing our kids with educational excellence in their schools.”
Petersen’s service has largely endeared himself to fellow Republican colleagues, who are poised to vote in support of his reelection bid. Senator Wendy Rogers, one of the Legislature’s top allies of President-elect Donald J. Trump, told AZ Free News that she is fully on board with Petersen’s efforts to reclaim his post. She said, “Senate President Warren Petersen has my fullest support. He is deeply principled, loyal, and a true conservative. He stood by me when the chips were down, and that meant more to me as a career military officer than what people realize. You know who your friends are when they stick up for you in the crucible of the fight.”
Rogers added, “As a Republican caucus, we have come through a lot… together. Bonded. We are more conservative and cohesive and have had each other’s back under President Petersen’s leadership. The legislature is the closest to the people, yet the most difficult to corral. He has done yeoman work as our president and will continue to do so in this next cycle. It’s my honor to be in his corner with him.”
Another Republican, Senator T.J. Shope, weighed in on his support for Petersen, saying, “It’s an easy choice to support a guy who treats everyone fairly and runs the chamber efficiently.”
The Republican Senate leader has quickly put his stamp of influence on the state over the past two years in Arizona’s divided government, forcing Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs to relent on her key priorities in two straight budgets, stopping left-wing agenda items from becoming reality, and protecting key state and national laws in the absence of Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes. Under Petersen’s direction, the Arizona Legislature has joined over fifty legal matters across the nation, including lawsuits, amicus briefs, comments, and letters. He is also defending at least five state laws that Mayes declined to intervene in.
Petersen’s prolific defense of state and federal laws has launched him into a conversation for state Attorney General as politicos start to look at the fast-approaching 2026 cycle. Many of the several briefs and lawsuits Petersen has signed onto are spearheaded by Republican attorneys general, giving him first-hand experience in the world of a state’s top prosecutor for select issues. If he would run for the office, it is unknown who – if anyone – might contend with him for the primary election nomination.
The election for Senate leadership positions is expected to occur this upcoming Tuesday.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 10, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
With Arizona election results lagging yet again, Republicans are pointing to failed action from the state’s Democrat governor to help correct the holes in the system.
Once again, the Grand Canyon State is the focus of negative post-election attention due to the length of time required to tabulate outstanding ballots. Legislative Republicans have highlighted their efforts to improve efficiency and speed of vote counting, as well as Governor Katie Hobbs’ rejection of some of their past proposals.
In a press release on Friday, Senator J.D. Mesnard noted that one of his bills in 2023 would have “resolved the biggest contributor to the delay in final election results while establishing equal treatment of those coming to the polls on or near election day.” Hobbs vetoed this piece of legislation, SB 1595, which would have “required those who decide to hold on to their mailed ballots until after the Friday before election day to follow the same ID requirements as everyone else when dropping off their ballots.”
Senator Mesnard said, “Once again, Arizona is a laughingstock across the country for how long it’s taking our state to determine winners and losers in this election, an election with national implications. This chaos, confusion, frustration, and controversy is nothing new for us and easily could have been avoided this year had the Governor not vetoed SB 1595. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again – ignoring this problem is a complete disservice to our voters who are taking their precious time to exercise their civic duty. It also continually puts us in the national spotlight, and not in a good way. We can’t just kick the can down the road every election cycle. My proposal was commonsense, practical to implement, fair to the voters, and would have made a real difference in tackling the lengthy timeline voters and candidates – and the nation – continue to complain about.”
Mesnard vowed to redouble his efforts to resolve the issues plaguing the state’s elections system, adding, “Senate Republicans will work again to send a bill like this to the Governor’s desk next session, and we hope she will do the right thing by signing it this time so we can finally move past this ongoing embarrassment.”
Hobbs failed to provide much of a reason for her veto of this bill in her customary letter to Senate President Warren Petersen in June 2023, writing, “This bill fails to meaningfully address the real challenges facing Arizona voters.”
Two days after this most recent Election Day, Petersen echoed Mesnard’s sentiments in a post on his X account, stating, “I have tried without success to shift us to the Florida model that has a Friday cutoff to drop off early ballots. Current delay is from counting the mail ballots dropped day of, which have to be signature verified. Maybe I can get enough support now to get it to the finish line.”
A handful of Republican legislators agreed with Petersen’s sentiments for the solution to Arizona’s issues. State Representative Selina Bliss said, “I sponsored this bill our last two sessions and the House Chair of the Elections Committee wouldn’t hear it. I will be sponsoring it again. So glad to have a Senate champion Warren Petersen to get this done!!”
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope weighed in, saying, “Let’s put the bill to shift to the Florida model on Governor Hobbs desk!”
State Representative Justin Wilmeth added, “I’ll definitely support a shift to this model!”
Arizona Senator Wendy Rogers stated, “Yes, we have been TRYING and will PERSEVERE!”
It wasn’t just Republicans at the state legislature noting the issues facing Arizona elections. Laurie Roberts, a columnist at The Arizona Republic, wrote a piece this week entitled, “Why does it take Arizona so long to count votes? This problem is fixable.” Roberts wrote, “I think it’s time to put the early back in early ballots. If you want to vote on Election Day, then go vote the old-fashioned way – in person.” She also said, “…it’s just not realistic that nearly a quarter of a million people can drop off early ballots on Election Day, then expect to know who won a close race on election night. In a swing state, no less. As the world is watching (and, I suspect, wondering what the heck is wrong with Arizona). Fix it in January, please, Arizona legislators.”
Petersen publicly thanked Roberts for her piece and expressed hope that the right legislation would become law this next year. He noted, “Hopefully with your voice and the overwhelming support from AZ citizens it will pass and get signed by the governor.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Oct 26, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Republicans highlighted a questionable appearance by a controversial figure on behalf of swing-district legislative Democrats.
Last week, Jane Fonda landed in Phoenix to appear with State Senator Christine Marsh and her other running mates for the critical Legislative District 4.
Karen Gresham, who is running for State House of Representatives, posted, “Climate change is on the ballot and Jane Fonda is in town! Here she is helping Kelli Butler, Christine Marsh and me launch our first canvass of this all-important weekend. Let’s Get Out the Vote.”
Arizona Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope immediately called out the trio of Democrats for this association with Fonda, writing, “I didn’t have Dems campaigning with Hanoi Jane on my bingo card but, here we are. Just another example that AZ Democrats are too extreme and too far left to be given the levers of power in Arizona.”
State Representative Quang Nguyen added, “Jane fonda??? Isn’t she the jerk sitting at the NVA anti-aircraft guns yucking it up about shooting down American aircrafts during the VN War? Now I know where you all stand. Disgusting!!!”
Fonda also appeared at a Legislative District 2 rally, helping other vulnerable Democrats get out the vote. Democrat Judy Schwiebert is running for state Senate in this district. Both Marsh and Schwiebert did not appear to post about Fonda’s appearance on their X accounts.
Republican consultant Constantin Querard opined on Fonda’s assistance for these Democrats. He said, “Pretty much abandoning the moderate label and going full Fonda is interesting. Going hard left at this late stage suggests your effort is more about turning out your base instead of growing it. Imagine building your brand around celebrities famous for being so anti-American?”
Meanwhile, Schwiebert’s Republican opponent for the all-important state Senate seat, incumbent Shawnna Bolick, contrasted her actions and activities with her rival’s. She wrote, “While my leftwing general election opponent was chumming it up with Hanoi Jane – the same Jane Fonda who hung out with North Vietnamese troops atop an anti-aircraft gun being used to target American planes in 1972, I was being recognized by the Arizona Conservative Policy Alliance Action Committee as the 2024 recipient of ‘Advocate for Arizona’s Youth’ for my work protecting our youth. One of the many pieces of legislation signed into law this session was my lemonade stand bill helping to protect youth entrepreneurs. Thank you to ACPA and my fellow award recipients in the West Valley.”
Senator Bolick faces a tough General Election fight in November for her bid to return to the Arizona Legislature for another two years. Arizona Legislative District 2 is one of the most competitive in the state, with a 3.8% vote spread in the past nine statewide elections. It is very winnable for Republicans, however, as the party has emerged victorious in six out of those nine elections.
Legislative District 4 is another competitive seat with a 3.4% vote spread between Republicans and Democrats in the past nine statewide elections, according to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. Republicans have won five of those contests, compared to four for Democrats.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Sep 28, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Hobbs Administration is again under political fire for alleged conflicts of interest.
This week, Arizona State Senator T.J. Shope, the Senate President Pro Tempore, issued a statement to announce the recent conclusion of an administrative law judge that “the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCS) improperly awarded contracts for healthcare services for 26,000 elderly and physically disabled individuals enrolled in the Arizona Long Term Care System.” According to the release from Senator Shope, the “determination was based on several factors, including violations of statutes and rules by AHCCCS, prejudice, a lack of transparency, contract awards based on best interests of the agency and not the state, an arbitrary and flawed ranking system of bid proposals, as well as deceptive criteria provided by AHCCCS to health care companies on the evaluations of their bid proposals.”
Shope revealed that “while the judge recommended cancellation of the procurement and issuance of a new request for bid proposals, AHCCCS announced this month it would not do so, and instead, would delay the transition to the newly awarded health plans by one year, commencing in October of 2025.”
In a statement, Shope said, “I’m deeply disturbed by what’s transpired under the Hobbs Administration, from the Sunshine Residential pay-for-play scheme, to now this procurement scandal. The integrity of state government and its spending practices have been compromised. As chairman of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee, it’s my goal to get to the bottom of these disputes and determine whether in fact preferential treatment is being provided using the tax dollars of hardworking Arizonans, and whether our citizens who rely on these critical services are being protected.”
The Senate Republican leader added, “I will be on a fact-finding mission in the coming months and will determine the best course of action to address these cases, whether through legislation, or other legal avenues.”
Earlier this year, The Arizona Republic broke a story about the Arizona Department of Child Safety “approv[ing] what amounts to a nearly 60% increase in the rate that Sunshine Residential Homes Inc. charges to care for a child for a day.” The alleged action to approve the rate increase for the one organization was made while “DCS has denied pay increases to home operators and cut loose 16 providers during the contract renewal process.” The Republic also asserted that “no other standard group home provider was approved for any rate increase during Hobbs’ tenure.”
After the story ran in the Republic, Shope sent a letter on June 5 to both Attorney General Kris Mayes and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, asking both officials to “examine the facts surrounding the Department of Child Safety’s alleged decision to approve a nearly 60% rate increase for Sunshine Residential Homes and determine if conduct by any of the involved parties warrants a criminal or civil investigation.”
State Representative Matt Gress followed up with a letter on June 6 to Mitchell, letting her know that “the Auditor General’s Office stands ready to partner with you in getting the facts about this troubling matter,” and that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee “will allocate the resources the Auditor General needs to help restore what appears to be a major breach of trust in our government.”
That day (June 7), Mayes fired off two letters to both Mitchell and the Arizona Auditor General, Lindsey Perry, over the investigation. Mayes told County Attorney Mitchell that “it would not be appropriate or in the best interest of the state to conduct parallel investigations into the same matter,” and that “a separate process conducted by the MCAO could jeopardize the integrity of the criminal investigation that my office will now proceed with.”
Mayes similarly told Auditor General Perry that “while [the Auditor General’s] office is statutorily authorized to examine records and conduct audits at the direction of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, at this time, the assistance of [her] office is not needed by the Attorney General’s Office for our investigation.”
After the letters from Mayes, Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee sent a letter to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, requesting “that [she] investigate the allegations that have occurred in [her] jurisdiction.” Yee also delivered a letter to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, highlighting that the state’s top cop’s assertion that her office had singular control over any investigation “is not appropriate or authorized by law, as those entities have separate jurisdiction to investigate this matter.”
After receiving the letters from Senator T.J. Shope and Gress, County Attorney Mitchell informed them that her office was “contacted by the Arizona Auditor General asking that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office serve as the prosecution office that will work with them while they conduct an investigation into this matter.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Sep 24, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A leading small business advocacy organization has presented several Arizona lawmakers with its top award.
Earlier this summer, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) presented a handful of Arizona legislators with its Guardian of Small Business Award. The individuals recognized with the award were as follows:
- Speaker of the House Ben Toma
- Representative David Livingston
- Representative Travis Grantham
- Senate President Warren Petersen
- Senator J.D. Mesnard
- Senator T.J. Shope
“These six lawmakers have gone above and beyond on behalf of Main Street Arizonans,” NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich said. “In this difficult economy, where costs continue to go up and open positions remain unfilled, it’s incumbent on lawmakers to not make it more difficult to own and operate a small business here in Arizona. Our members are grateful for each of these lawmakers’ commitment to free enterprise and sound policy.”
NFIB presented the award to Petersen in August.
NFIB presented the award to Shope in August.
NFIB presented the award to Mesnard in August.
NFIB presented the award to Toma earlier this month.
Toma responded to the award, stating, “Thank you. It is a great honor to be recognized by those dedicated to protecting and promoting small businesses.”
According to its website, “NFIB is the voice of small business, advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
