County attorney wants lobbying laws overhauled after Fiesta Bowl scandal

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, who is wrapping up an eight-month investigation into the Fiesta Bowl scandal, will ask lawmakers to overhaul the state’s lobbying laws, saying financial reporting requirements are confusing and out of touch with what he believes the public demands of its elected officials.

“If it’s too much of a burden for an elected official to keep the pub[...]

Bundgaard ethics investigation: A trial before a trial

Before senators can launch into a full-blown ethics hearing of Sen. Scott Bundgaard, a judge will decide whether the courts have the authority to intervene and halt the legislative inquiry.

State Bar: Only disbarment will repair damage Thomas caused

Attorneys seeking the disbarment of former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and one of his deputies say in written closing arguments filed today that no other penalty for the former prosecutors will repair the damage they caused.

“About a year after Thomas assumed office as County Attorney, it became clear that he had lost all objectivity about his role as a lawyer and as County A[...]

Brewer sees no need for Alabama-style changes to SB1070

Gov. Jan Brewer said she sees no need for Arizona to make the kinds of revisions that Alabama is considering to its SB1070-style law.

Courting immigration

With U.S. Supreme Court taking on SB1070, illegal border crossers are back in campaign spotlight

Montgomery questions DOJ report; calls for reinstatement of immigration checks

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today joined the chorus of Republicans questioning the political motives of the U.S. Department of Justice and its release of findings that the Sheriff’s Office has followed a practice of racial profiling.

Montgomery also said he’s also going to ask the federal government to reinstate a program it stripped from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s[...]

GOP stalwarts stand by Arpaio; Dems say DOJ report not political

The investigative report by the U.S. Department of Justice may have ignited Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s critics, but his political allies said their support for the sheriff remains unwavering.

Arpaio takes shot at DOJ, says investigation ‘political’

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio lashed out at the federal government late Thursday after getting hit with allegations that his agency has a system-wide problem of racial profiling.

Feds: Sheriff’s Office ‘deeply rooted’ in racial profiling against Latinos

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has always been fond of saying he’s accountable only to the voters.

But the U.S. Department of Justice took the first steps Dec. 15 toward making Arpaio answer to the federal government after unveiling the results of a civil rights probe that one investigator described as “the most egregious racial profiling in the United States.”

Pearce still stinging from loss; says he’s working to ‘forgive’ Lewis

Former Senate President Russell Pearce says he is disappointed with the man who ousted him from office, but that he is working on forgiveness.

“I’m not a hateful guy. It’s difficult with the dishonesty that took place in that campaign. It’s disappointing, a lot of things that happened in the campaign. I tend to get over things, so we’ll work on that. I should forgive him, so w[...]

Poll: Immigration remains top priority for Arizonans

Arizonans are clearly worried about the economy and education, but their top priority is immigration, according to a poll released today by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute of Public Policy.

When asked what Arizona’s biggest problem is that lawmakers and the governor should address, 24 percent of respondents answered immigration.

Brewer on SB1070 appeal: ‘I like our chances’

Gov. Jan Brewer is confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold Arizona’s landmark illegal immigration law.

The Supreme Court today announced that it would hear Arizona’s appeal of a 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that SB1070 is unconstitutional because it is preempted by federal law.