Horne campaign finance case sent to Yavapai County prosecutor
Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk has agreed to pursue campaign finance allegations against Attorney General Tom Horne and a top aide.
Arizona Solicitor General Robert Ellman, who reports directly to Horne, stated in a June 27 letter to Polk that he was referring the case to her office to avoid a conflict of interest in the case.
Domestic partners employed by state gain win at Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court today let stand a ruling that struck down Arizona’s policy of denying benefits for domestic partners of state employees.
Arizona campaign to legalize same sex marriage intensifies
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in two gay-marriage cases Wednesday signaled the start of Arizona’s next round in marriage politics.
Fugitives, mentally ill able to buy guns in Arizona under outdated records system
Arizona’s system for tracking fugitives, accused felons and mentally ill people is rife with loopholes, creating the potential for hundreds of thousands of people who are banned from owning guns to buy them anyway.
Gallardo: Brewer broke promise to kill election overhaul bill
Democratic Senator Steve Gallardo said June 19 Gov. Jan Brewer violated a promise to help stop a controversial election overhaul bill from passing or to veto it.
Brewer signs election overhaul bill
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a far-reaching elections bill that will help weed inactive voters from the Permanent Early Voter List, prohibit political organizations from collecting early ballots en masse and impose stricter legal standards on citizen initiatives.
Senator faced pressure to change deciding vote on elections bill
Sen. Steve Pierce was under tremendous pressure from forces within and outside the state Capitol – including at least one official from the National Republican Congressional Committee –during the hours before sine die as lawmakers and others tried to influence his vote on a controversial election bill.
Medicaid foes launch effort to repeal expansion
The citizen referendum against Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion has begun.
The United Republican Alliance of Principled Conservatives, which is headed up by former Sens. Frank Antenori and Ron Gould, took out petitions for a citizen referendum this morning at the Secretary of State’s Office in Tucson. The group has until Sept. 11 to collect 86,405 valid signatures to refer Bre[...]
Brewer’s signing of election bill creates major hurdle for third parties
Third-party candidates may become a rare breed in Arizona.
HB2305, an omnibus elections bill, dramatically raises the number of signatures that Green Party, Libertarian and other third-party candidates will need to qualify for the ballot. Whereas signature requirements have historically been based on the number of registered votes a party has, the bill equalizes the requirements for all[...]
Supreme Court strikes down Arizona voting law, but leaves door open to challenges
In the first of two widely-anticipated voting rights decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court this month, the justices struck down Arizona’s voter-imposed law requiring residents to show proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.
Brewer signs Medicaid expansion bill
When Gov. Jan Brewer walked into the room for her Medicaid expansion signing ceremony, she was met by a standing ovation. After she signed the bill, she let out a sigh of relief.
Nation getting new look at Brewer
The rest of the country is learning something about Gov. Jan Brewer that Arizonans have known for years — the SB1070-fueled perception of her as a finger-wagging Tea Party icon is only part of the story.