Arizona’s GOP presidential primary, like New Hampshire’s, will likely be another race for second place — according to a recently released poll, former Massachusetts Governor (and one-time Joe Arpaio butt-smoocher) Mitt Romney has a double-digit lead over each of his opponents in the “Colt Single-Action Army Revolver” state.The poll, conducted…
A convicted child molester — who once was “mentored” by Republican state Representative Jim Weiers — was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning, where he was sentenced to some pretty serious prison time.Judge Peter Reinstein sentenced Arthur Vitasek to 559 years in prison after he was convicted of multiple…
There could be a new horse in the race to become the next sheriff of Maricopa County — retired Phoenix Sergeant/Nancy Grace suck-up Paul Penzone has filed paperwork with the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office to set up an exploratory committee for a potential run to unseat Sheriff Joe Arpaio.Arpaio –…
Following the resignation of former state Senator Scott Bundgaard over the scuffle he got into with his former girlfriend on the side of a Valley freeway — and the legislative fiasco that followed — Democratic state Senator Steve Gallardo says he plans to introduce a bill that would do away…
Just days after Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu announced he’s running for Congress in Arizona’s fourth district, Republican state Senator Ron Gould announced that he, too, is entering the race. “After talking to residents of Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District during my exploratory phase, one thing has become clear, ” Gould…
In Governor Jan Brewer’s State of the State Address yesterday, she bragged about her plan to do something that apparently is unusual for a politician: keeping a campaign promise.To quote comedian Chris Rock, “you’re supposed to, you dumb motherfucker!”…
Governor Jan Brewer yesterday gave her third State of the State Address, during which she credited herself with taking “the helm” of the sinking ship that was Arizona’s economy and saving the entire state.At least she’s humble.See our post on Brewer’s speech here.Despite what she has to say about it,…
In case you were wondering why Arizona hasn’t fallen further into the depths of economic catastrophe, Governor Jan Brewer’s got the answer: Governor Jan Brewer.This afternoon, in her third State of the State Address (her second since using an immigration bill to get herself elected) Governor Glug-Glug discussed how “Arizona…
State Senator Scott Bundgaard resigned from the Senate this afternoon just minutes before he was supposed to testify in front of the Senate Ethics Committee regarding a scuffle he got into with his former girlfriend on the side of a Valley freeway.Bundgaard’s attorney, Andre Merrett, tells New Times that the…
*UPDATE* Bundgaard confirms to New Times that he has resigned. He says he’ll speak with us about it later today.State Senator Scott Bundgaard was scheduled to testify this afternoon during the Senate ethics hearing over the freeway fight he got into with his former flame Aubry Ballard. That didn’t happen,…
It seemed like only a matter of time, but Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu announced this morning that he’ll run for Congress in Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District.”The American people are sounding a giant 911 call on Washington,” Babeu says. “And I’m responding.”In a press release issued this morning, Babeu regurgitated…
In a move that doesn’t come as much of a shock to anyone familiar with state politics in Arizona, Democratic state Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced today that she’s resigning from her Senate seat and running for Congress — potentially against Congressman Ben Quayle (although, that’s unlikely. More on that below)…
Greg Stanton took the stage as Phoenix’s 52nd mayor and delivered an inauguration speech earlier today that, in part, announced his plans to develop a second bio-medical campus in north Phoenix with the Mayo Clinic and creation of a “Mayors’ Futures Forum on Education,” a way for Arizona mayors to champion…
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge has denied state Senator Scott Bundgaard’s request to put a stop to the State Senate ethics hearing over the fight the senator got into with his former gal-pal on the side of a Valley highway last year.See our coverage of the scuffle the senator…
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge today will consider whether to put a stop to the State Senate ethics hearing over the fight Senator Scott Bundgaard got into with his former gal-pal on the side of a Valley highway last year.Bundgaard’s attorneys have requested that Judge John Buttrick issue a…
Just in case you thought there was a snowball’s chance in hell that shamed former County Attorney Andrew Thomas could ever hold public office ever again, enter his attorney, Don Wilson. Wilson is representing Thomas in the disciplinary proceedings that potentially could conclude with the former CA’s disbarment. Regardless, in…
Judicial Watch, the Washington, D.C.-based conservative think-tank that went after Phoenix to force them to release logs maintained by Mayor Phil Gordon’s security detail, is pleased with a recent court decision ordering their disclosure.”Judicial Watch is excited by the ruling because it creates more transparency within government,” says Greg Collins,…
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, who only has about a week left in office, may be forced to release security-detail logs that track two years’ worth of his movements.The Arizona Court of Appeals reversed a ruling by a Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Rea that protected those logs from being…
The Center for Responsive Politics recently released its list of the net worth of every member of Congress, and we’ve learned a few things about Arizona’s Congressional delegation.For starters, Arizona’s 10-member delegation is worth a collective $60,806,459, with fagala-phobic Congressman Trent Franks’ $33,925,002 making up more than half of the…
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced yesterday that no criminal charges will be filed against any of the more than two dozen state legislators who accepted questionable gifts from the scandal-plagued Fiesta Bowl organization while it was headed by former CEO John Junker.The gist of Montgomery’s explanation as to why…
No politicians will be charged with crimes for accepting gifts from the scandal-plagued Fiesta Bowl organization under the leadership of former CEO John Junker — but that doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t do anything wrong (just look at ousted former state Senate President Russell Pearce, who accepted nearly $40,000 in gifts from the…
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is holding a press conference this morning to announce the findings of an eight-month investigation into elected officials who received gifts from the allegedly corrupt Fiesta Bowl organization.It’s unclear what Montgomery will announce — the Arizona Republic reports he’ll propose a plan to ban lawmakers…
