Targeted Democrats continue stockpiling funds for congressional re-election bids
WASHINGTON – With a year until the next election, Democratic freshmen in three competitive Arizona congressional districts are continuing to stockpile cash for their re-election bids, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
Ex-AZ congressman Rick Renzi gets 3-year prison term for corruption
A federal judge on Monday sentenced former U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi to three years in prison for convictions on public corruption, money laundering and other charges, capping a corruption case prosecutors said began more than a decade ago.
With Napolitano out, Arizonans are wary of new Homeland Security chief
When former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano stepped down as the Department of Homeland Security secretary in August, the reaction from policymakers along Arizona’s border with Mexico was mixed.
Badly Wounded
Horne could face bloody, expensive battle in 2014 attorney general race
Tom Horne has long maintained that he’s innocent of the campaign finance allegations against him, but he may not get a chance to prove it until after voters have decided whether to give him a second term as attorney general.
California commission also goes after recipients of “dark money”
While the Arizona-based Center to Protect Patient Rights and the Americans for Responsible Leadership successfully settled to pay only a combined $1 million for failing to adhere to California’s campaign disclosure laws, the political committees that received millions of dollars from the Koch-associated groups still could face heftier enforcement actions.
Horne: ‘No excuse’ for Air Guard members accused of expense fraud
Twenty-one Tucson-based Arizona Air National Guard members have been indicted for fraud after using fake addresses to collect federal stipends meant for those who are traveling or on short-term orders, Attorney General Tom Horne said on Monday.
Net metering battle takes center stage
Statewide political warfare is usually reserved for even-numbered years, targets millions of Arizona voters and follows well-defined partisan boundaries. But the fight over solar energy in Arizona has broken all those maxims this year.
Search warrant provides details into investigation of Gary Husk
A small group of lobbyists with Husk Partners met in an office in 2009 at the firm as allegations of a Fiesta Bowl scandal involving illegal political contributions swirled.
Lobbyists John MacDonald, Dana Paschke and Dean Miller made a pact of sorts as they looked over the statute outlawing reimbursement of contributions, according to a search warrant affidavit that provides details of an i[...]
Phoenix City Council OKs plan to start phasing out food tax
The City Council has approved a plan to begin phasing out an “emergency” 2-cents-per-dollar tax on food imposed in 2010 to help address a massive budget deficit.
Free ride
Clear path to general election provides a boost to DuVal, but …
After five Republican gubernatorial hopefuls held their first candidate forum, some observers said the big winner was a candidate who wasn’t in the room — Democratic nominee-in-waiting Fred DuVal.
Dual lists, dueling officials
Conflicting policies likely to produce headaches as elections approach
Attorney General Tom Horne says he suspects the few voters who didn’t prove their citizenship when they registered with federal forms are in the U.S. illegally.