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Recent Articles from Hank Stephenson
Democratic leadership calls for Rep. Velasquez to resign
House Democratic leadership is calling for Democratic Rep. Ceci Velasquez to resign after a state grand jury indicted Velasquez on allegations she ripped off the state’s food stamp program.
Candidates face legal challenges that aren’t always worth fighting
A dozen Arizona legislative and congressional candidates are facing legal challenges to their ability to run for office this year, with opponents and interested third parties filing lawsuits alleging the candidates didn’t collect enough valid signatures of registered voters to appear on the ballot.
Hopkins is back after longshot bid in 2014 barely fell short
In 2014, Republican Richard Hopkins nearly pulled off the extraordinary feat of winning a seat in the state House in an overwhelmingly Democratic district. This year, he failed to even get the 252 signatures necessary in order to run for office.
17 legislative candidates are already guaranteed winners
Legislative candidates have filed their paperwork to run for office, clearing the first official hurdle of the 2016 election. And for almost 20 percent of the state’s 90 lawmakers, that first hurdle is the only hurdle they will face.
Eric Meyer: For Dems, this year was more successful
House Minority Leader Eric Meyer came to the Capitol eight years ago almost as a fluke. In 2008, another Democratic lawmaker was kicked out of the Legislature following his arrest for domestic violence, and Meyer stepped in.
Only 29 lawmakers had perfect attendance record in 2016
Twenty lawmakers didn’t miss a single vote this year – far fewer than last year’s 35 who had perfect voting attendance in the historically short 2015 session.
Lawmakers sent 32 percent of bills to Ducey, Yee had best ‘batting average’
Gov. Doug Ducey has finished acting on all the bills lawmakers sent him this year – and the legislative batting averages have been tallied.
An angry crowd and a tweet break school funding logjam
In March 2015, just as the Legislature was approving last year’s budget, several West Valley lawmakers walked into a Peoria Unified School District meeting and faced a very hostile crowd.
Lawmaker and girlfriend leave Plumlee to fend for herself in Tempe
There’s a bitter primary brewing in Tempe’s Legislative District 26, but not the one politicos were expecting.
Voters approve changes to public safety pensions
Arizona’s dangerously underfunded public safety pension system will undergo a substantial reform after voters approved Proposition 124 in Tuesday’s special election.
Former Arizona Lawmaker arrested on suspicion of murder
Former Arizona lawmaker Mark DeSimone has been arrested in connection with a homicide in Alaska, according to court documents posted on the website of the Juneau Empire newspaper.
Gowan OKs, then bars controversial group from meeting on House floor
America’s civil rights legacy has been “hijacked” by blacks, and revisionist history unfairly denigrates “English-speaking white citizens” even though they freed the slaves and ended segregation, according to a group planning a “civil rights conference” on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives later this month.
