Author
AZ senator who spearheaded QAnon-linked COVID hearing spread QAnon online
A Republican state senator who denied that a COVID conspiracy hearing she spearheaded last week that was marketed with a QAnon acronym had anything to do with the dangerous conspiracy theory had, in fact, posted lots of QAnon content on social media — including the very acronym used by the committee. A report Tuesday by […]
Senate COVID hearing light on facts, heavy on misinformation
A two-day special hearing at the Arizona Senate aimed at examining the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was rife with conspiracy theories, misinformation and fear-mongering around vaccines and public health — all endorsed by the Republican state legislators who sat and listened intently and offered no pushback. The Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee featured […]
Katie Hobbs has been banned from Russia
Gov. Katie Hobbs was listed among two other notable Arizonans on a list of 500 people permanently barred from Russia in response to U.S. sanctions against the country amid its invasion of Ukraine. Hobbs, along with U.S. Rep. Eli Crane and ASU President Michael Crow, was added by the Russian government to a list that […]
The COVID vaccine deniers and QAnon believers coming to speak at the Arizona legislature
A special committee created by the Arizona legislature to examine the state’s response to COVID-19 will feature a litany of speakers who have spread disinformation about the pandemic, vaccines, spoken at QAnon events and have conspiratorial beliefs about the virus, including believing it will usher in the “mark of the beast.” And the two-day hearing […]
Citing ‘plenary powers,’ GOP leader claims a non-binding resolution bans Arizona election machines
Claiming that a non-binding resolution overrides state law, an Arizona Republican state senator on Monday declared that Arizona counties are barred from using machines to count ballots — an assertion that was quickly shot down by elections officials, the state’s attorney general and county leaders. Senate Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli penned a letter to all […]
A Paul Gosar aide is reportedly a white nationalist. Gosar has long associated with racists.
A staffer for Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar was revealed to have close connections to a white nationalist youth movement, the latest example of Gosar’s ties to and support of racists. Earlier this week, Talking Points Memo detailed how Gosar’s digital director has been considered one the “strongest soldiers” for white nationalist leader Nick Fuentes. […]
Arizona State Legislature takes another extended break
The Arizona Legislature is taking another extended break, this time for four weeks, ostensibly to allow lawmakers time to shore up their work on various projects, including measures aimed at allowing Maricopa County voters to decide the future of a transportation tax and a possible revival of legislation ending municipal rent taxes. After a whirlwind […]
Ex-GOP lawmaker John Fillmore takes reins of Patriot Party of Arizona
The far-right Patriot Party of Arizona has taken on a new form and new leadership, in the form of former GOP state Rep. John Fillmore, who is aiming to distance the group from its founders and reigniting an attempt to make it a full-fledged political party. The Patriot Party of Arizona was formerly headed by […]
AZ budget clears Senate with reluctant support from ‘dejected’ Dems
A budget deal brokered between Republican leadership and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs made its way out of the Arizona Senate in the early morning hours Wednesday. The $18 billion budget has been an on-going point of contention between Hobbs and her own caucus and public school advocates who claim it falls short of earlier promises […]
Lawmakers put state budget on fast track to passage, Dems remain opposed
A budget deal brokered by Gov. Katie Hobbs and legislative Republicans is speeding toward passage, even as Democratic lawmakers protest the spending plan and are decrying the process as “unprecedented.” The state Senate is preparing to debate the budget Tuesday night and vote on them in the early morning hours of Wednesday, while the state […]
Democrats push back against bipartisan budget bills
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican lawmakers have negotiated a budget, with a slew of budget bills filed Monday, but Democratic lawmakers and even the Arizona Attorney General are pushing back. “Today, we see a budget proposal moving forward that appears to be politically expedient for a few, but wholly inadequate for the majority of […]
Hobbs says budget deal is ‘very close,’ House set to introduce budget bills Monday
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican lawmakers appear to be closing in on a deal to pass a state budget, and the state House of Representatives is poised to introduce a spending plan on Monday. The budget comes as the legislative session reached its 115th day on Friday and lawmakers head towards a hard deadline […]