Author
Campaign to stop AZ universal school vouchers expected to fall short on signatures
The leader of a volunteer group of public school advocates said Monday that the effort to block universal school vouchers and let voters decide the program’s fate in 2024 is likely short of the number of signatures required to refer the new law to the ballot. “I think we will end up short, yes,” said […]
The J6 committee can get phone records for AZGOP leader Kelli Ward and her husband
The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has the right to see phone records for Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward and her husband, Michael, a federal judge ruled Thursday. The subpoena from the House Select Committee on January 6th sought phone records from T-Mobile between Nov. 1, 2020, through […]
Judge temporarily blocks AZ law that would ban recording video of police
An Arizona law that would make it illegal to create video recordings of police in certain circumstances will not go into effect Sept. 24 as planned, after a federal judge temporarily blocked its enforcement. The judge on Friday morning granted a temporary injunction of the law, essentially putting the law on hold while a court […]
No one wants to defend the new AZ law that makes filming police officers a crime
All three of the defendants in a lawsuit filed last month by a coalition of news organizations and civil libertarians say they won’t defend a law set to go into effect later this month that would make it a crime to take video of police officers in some situations. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, including […]
The Senate can use legislative privilege to shield some ‘audit’ records: Arizona Supreme Court
If the Arizona Senate provides more detailed explanations for why it says some records related to the partisan election review it conducted in 2021 are privileged and can’t be made public, those records should remain secret, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. In a long-running legal battle over records related to the so-called “audit” of […]
Finchem, Gosar and Kern must pay ex-Dem lawmaker’s $75,000 legal fees for ‘groundless’ lawsuit
Republican secretary of state nominee Mark Finchem, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar and former GOP state legislator Anthony Kern must pay $75,000 in attorney’s fees to a former Democratic state lawmaker they sued after a judge said the lawsuit was “primarily for purposes of harassment.” In February 2021, the three Republicans filed a lawsuit against Charlene […]
Arizona Supreme Court keeps sweeping election ballot measure in limbo
A ballot initiative that would overhaul Arizona election and campaign finance laws is tentatively approved for voters to consider in the November election — but that could change Friday if the Arizona Supreme Court doesn’t like how a trial judge counted the initiative’s signatures. Nearly two hours after the 5 p.m. Thursday deadline that Maricopa […]
Filming cops raises questions that Republicans don’t want to answer. So they made filming cops a crime.
Why did Arizona’s Republican leaders this year make it a crime to make video recordings of police? Why did a retired cop introduce the legislation to throw people in jail for up to 30 days if they used their phones to take video of police officers? Why did every Republican legislator, many of whom are […]
Media organizations and civil libertarians sue to stop a law that restricts recording videos of cops
A coalition of news organizations, including the Arizona Mirror, and civil libertarians filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block a new law that would make it a crime to take video of police officers in some situations, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. “If it goes into effect, HB2319 would have a dramatic chilling […]
After sparking outrage, Kari Lake has rescinded her endorsement of an Oklahoma antisemite
Kari Lake has rescinded her endorsement of an antisemitic Republican legislative candidate in Oklahoma after her support of a man who said “the Jews” are evidence that “evil exists” became a political firestorm. Lake’s campaign spokesman Ross Trumble on Monday confirmed that the GOP gubernatorial candidate had withdrawn her endorsement of Jarrin Jackson, a far-right […]
Kari Lake endorsed an antisemitic Oklahoma Republican who says ‘the Jews’ are evil
Less than a month ago, Kari Lake rejected an endorsement from a prominent antisemite, saying that she “absolutely denounces bigotry in all its forms, especially anti-semitism.” This week, the Republican nominee for Arizona’s governor gave her full-throated endorsement to an Oklahoma legislative candidate who has said “the Jews” are evidence that “evil exists.” Lake said […]
After criticizing the ‘audit,’ Stephen Richer received death threats. A Missouri man is now facing federal charges.
A Missouri man was indicted Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice for threatening to kill Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer because he opposed the Arizona Senate’s partisan election review, leaving a voicemail on the Republican’s cell phone telling him that “other people from other states are watching your ass.” “So, I see you’re for […]