Matt Benson

Brewer Flips Off 600,000 Military Vets in Arizona by Axing Colonel Joey Strickland

Jan Brewer Still Undecided on Her Order Denying Driver's Licenses for DREAMers

One week after the ACLU declared that federal officials had essentially contradicted Governor Jan Brewer's executive order preventing deferred action beneficiaries from getting driver's licenses, the governor hasn't decided how to respond.Brewer's August order says that participants in the Deferred ... More >>

Teen Use of Marijuana Decreased Since Passage of Arizona Medical-Pot Law, Study Shows

People who thought teens would be using marijuana more because of Arizona's 2010 medical-pot law are wrong, a new study shows. Combined, the percentage of 8th, 10th and 12th graders who reported using marijuana at least once in their lives went from 29.9 percent before the law passed to 28.7 percen ... More >>

Jan Brewer May Actually Be Serious About Running for (Likely Unconstitutional) Third Term

It appears that Governor Jan Brewer may be serious about seeking a third term, after reading that she said this for (at least) a third time, even though the Arizona Constitution says you only get two terms.The Arizona Republic published its way-too-early list of gubernatorial candidates for the 2014 ... More >>

Russell Pearce Plot: Is His 260K "Reimbursement" Deal Dead?

Is the effort by some GOPers to "reimburse" their erstwhile God, recalled state Senate President Russell Pearce, D.O.A.?Just recently, the Arizona Republican Caucus Tweeted a response to statements made by Democratic state Senator Steve Gallardo that were critical of the right-wing plot to reimburse ... More >>

Russell Pearce's GOP Toadies Want to Give Him $260,000 of Your Money

Of all the trial balloons in the history of politics, this one most deserves to be shot down, stomped, incinerated, and spat on, with the remains dumped in the nearest landfill to rot.Seems there's a cadre of hardcore Russell Pearce-worshippers in the state legislature that want to give the recalled ... More >>

Jan Brewer's Letter to Barack Obama: We Got the Rough Draft (Kinda)

​Governor Jan Brewer yesterday released a copy of the letter she handed to President Barack Obama on Wednesday as the two argued on the tarmac at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.Initially, Brewer refused to release the letter.Regardless, New Times has come into possession of not only the letter the g ... More >>

Judge Orders Arizona to Implement Medical Marijuana Act, Tosses Out Four Rules for Dispensary Applicants

​Arizona needs to start up the 2010 Medical Marijuana Act as voters intended, but without several of the rules designed to restrict dispensary applicants, a judge has ordered.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Richard Gama ruled on the Compassion First, LLC, lawsuit yesterday, noting that voters ... More >>

Governor Brewer to Refile Medical-Marijuana Lawsuit, Channel 12 Reporter Brahm Resnik Tweets; UPDATE Reporter Gets Quote Wrong

​ Brahm Resnik of Channel 12 News (KPNX-TV) just tweeted that Governor Jan Brewer "indicates she will refile lawsuit to block medical marijuana law."   UPDATE: We watched Resnik's report -- looks like he got this one wrong. In his 10 p.m. broadcast, Brewer can be seen ... More >>

Governor Brewer to Ponder Medical Marijuana Lawsuit Ruling While Keeping Her Ban on Dispensaries; Supporters of Law Praise Ruling

Governor Jan Brewer and her legal counsel will study today's dismissal of her lawsuit against the medical marijuana law while keeping a ban on dispensaries, a spokesman says.Brewer, with the help of state Attorney General Tom Horne, filed the federal complaint back in May, claiming a letter by a for ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Is Under Attack in Arizona Again -- But This Time, Voters and Patients Hold the High Ground

Jan Brewer's Special Session Adjourns Leaving 45,000 Arizonans in the Lurch

Brewer's "special session" was a major dudThe state Legislature recessed indefinitely today from its special session without making a minor change in state law that would allow some 45,000 jobless Arizonans to continue receiving unemployment checks.Around 15,000 out-of-work Sand Landers will receive ... More >>

Governor Brewer Can't Stop Medical Marijuana Under State Law; Qualified Patients Can Legally Possess Drug Without State Approval

Governor Jan Brewer hopes to derail Arizona's voter-approved medical marijuana law, but qualified patients can legally possess weed with or without state approval. ​ The effort by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and state Attorney General Tom Horne to steamroll voters in their attempte ... More >>

Governor Brewer Fails to Defend Will of Voters in Attack on Medical Pot; Supports Enforcement of Federal Drugs Laws

Governor Jan Brewer is failing to stand up for Arizona's voters following the Arizona U.S. Attorney's threat to arrest participants of the state's new medical marijuana program.​ Governor Jan Brewer ought to just come out and admit it: She's thwarting the will of voters who approved Ari ... More >>

Russell Pearce Shakes Down Scores of Lobbyists, Legally

Pearce's big money-grab, and it's all legalTo cop a line from the Notorious B.I.G., "Gimme the loot! Gimme the loot!"That's what Republican state Senate President-elect Russell Pearce might as well be saying with a recent e-mail announcing a fundraiser on January 7, 2011, just three days before Ariz ... More >>

Prop 203: Friday Deadline More a Suggestion Than Deadline. Results Not Expected Until Next Week

​If you were expecting to learn the fate Prop. 203 -- Arizona's medical marijuana initiative -- tomorrow, don't hold your breath. Election officials don't expect to be done counting ballots until next week, which violates election statute, but, as we just found out, is not that big a deal.From ... More >>

Prop 203 Spokesman: "We're Likely to Win" Based on Trend of Provisional Ballots

​ Andrew Myers, the campaign manager for Proposition 203, tells New Times tonight that he's very hopeful the medical marijuana initiative will come out on top when all the votes are in. It seems like wishful thinking, but official figures show he might be right. Myers points out that provision ... More >>

Tom Horne Suit Against Child-Porn Attack Ad Fails, Secretary of State Refers Matter To AG's Office

The anti-Horne ad causing all the hubbub, currently in heavy rotation On Wednesday, a Maricopa County Superior Court Judge denied Republican state attorney general candidate Tom Horne's request for a restraining order against a controversial attack ad now running against him. The ad, which is paid f ... More >>

No Recounts Needed After Last Week's Primary Election; All Votes Now Counted

​No recounts will be needed in any state or county race following last week's primary election, says Matt Benson of the Secretary of State's office. As of late-afternoon Tuesday, all the votes statewide have been counted. Some races got within a rat's hair of forcing a recount, like ... More >>

Tom Horne Leads Andrew Thomas by 887 Votes, with 900 Votes Left To Count

electtomhorne.com Horne: Smilin' all the way to victory Just to keep you updated, as of 5:54 p.m. Monday, state Schools Superintendent Tom Horne had a comfortable 887 vote lead over ex-Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas in the GOP primary for state Attorney General. Accordi ... More >>

Tom Horne Declares "It's Over," Leads Andrew Thomas by 853 with Around 4,500 Ballots Left

electtomhorne.com"It's an absolute certainty now," said Horne of his unofficial win.State Schools Superintendent Tom Horne declared victory Saturday night over former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, his rival in the GOP primary for state Attorney General. This, after today's count left Horne ... More >>

At Least 119,000 Votes Uncounted in AZ as of Today (at About 2:15 p.m.), Officials say

Election officials tell us that at least 116,000 119,000 ballots remain uncounted in Arizona.That's more than enough to flip the close race for state Attorney General again - maybe even a couple more times. The nail-biter of a Republican primary had Andrew Thomas in the lead for most of the night,&n ... More >>

Uncounted Vote Total Rises to 133,000 in State; Counting to Begin Again on Thursday

  Image: Ray Stern Helen Purcell, Maricopa County Recorder, expects to put out a news release at about 5 p.m. on Thursday with updated vote counts.​About 12,000 provisional ballots were amassed today at the Maricopa County Elections department, officials say, bringing the to ... More >>

Doug Ducey: Emperor of Ice Cream or as Sleazy as They Come?

Arizona Republic Political Reporter Jumps Ship for Post in Secretary of State's Office and the Repub Seems a Little Bitter

​Arizona Republic political reporter Matt Benson was pegged last week as the newest addition to Secretary of State Ken Bennett's office.Benson, who has been a reporter for at the Republic since 2005, has joined team Bennett as the secretary's communications director. The move, however, seems fairl ... More >>

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