The State 48 News

Unity Without Standards Isn’t Unity

The State 48 News — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 04:32:51 GMT

OPINION | By Anthony Dunham, 2026 Republican candidate for Arizona Senate, Legislative District 17

In the days following my primary loss, I had two brief conversations with the state GOP chairman. He made it clear that his top priority is unifying the Republican Party across Arizona.

I agree. We must unite.

But the question is: at what cost?

Too often, unity is reduced to a simple message: “Plug your nose and vote for the Republican nominee.” That starts sounding dangerously similar to the Democrats’ mantra of “Vote blue no matter who.”

If Republicans continue down that path, we’ll end up where Democrats are today: tolerating weak candidates, abandoning accountability, and losing any meaningful platform.

We have to change that philosophy now.

I told the chairman then, and I’ll say it again today: genuine unity is absolutely possible. But it will require real courage and real leadership. I offered then, and I still offer today, to help with that effort. In the coming weeks, I hope to sit down with him and share my vision for a stronger Republican Party.

There are simply too many frustrated Republicans, especially in Pima County, for leadership to ignore.

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A Word About LD17

Let me also be perfectly clear.

I am not telling anyone how to vote in the LD17 Senate race. I am not asking anyone to vote against Chris King. Personally, it will take prayer and serious reflection before I am ready to endorse him.

At the same time, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture. Keeping the Arizona Legislature in Republican hands matters.

Every voter should pray, search their conscience, and make the decision they believe is right.

The Real Problem

We also have to confront an uncomfortable reality.

A growing number of Republicans in Pima County and throughout LD17 are no longer willing to tolerate the divisive, mean-spirited, and destructive behavior that has infected parts of our party.

As I told the chairman, the solution is easy to understand but difficult to implement.

State and county leaders must be willing to confront people they have known for years. If they refuse to do that, the long-term cost to our party will be enormous.

President Trump did exactly this in 2015. He challenged an establishment Republican culture that had become weak, timid, and unwilling to fight. For decades, many Republicans accepted that culture. Trump reminded conservatives that it was acceptable—even necessary—to be bold, unapologetic, and willing to defend conservative principles.

The national Republican Party changed.

Unfortunately, I believe part of Arizona’s Republican Party never received that message. Too much of that old culture still exists in places like Pima County. That is the culture our leaders must be willing to confront head-on.

If they don’t, we risk sliding backward into the same failed mindset Republicans worked years to escape.

The encouraging news is this:

I believe there are enough principled conservatives in Pima County who refuse to go backward.

I know because I am one of them.

A Path Forward

Real unity requires standards.

1. End Destructive Republican Primaries

Republicans can no longer accept personal destruction, character assassination, and immature political theater as normal campaign strategy.

Every Republican candidate should sign a statewide Code of Conduct.

The code should be enforced by both the state and county parties, and violations should carry real consequences.

The principle is simple:

If you cannot defeat your opponent on the issues, then you deserve to lose.

Healthy debate strengthens our republic.

Lies, smears, and character assassination weaken it.

We cannot condemn these tactics when Democrats use them while rewarding Republicans who do the same thing.

Unity comes through strength, and strength requires standards.

2. Enforce the Standards

A code means nothing if no one is willing to enforce it.

State and county parties should be willing to publicly and privately withdraw support from candidates who repeatedly violate the rules.

That includes:

Zero tolerance for libel, slander, and knowingly false attacks against candidates or their families.
Removing “good standing” status from candidates who repeatedly violate the Code of Conduct.
Holding campaign staff and volunteers accountable when they engage in coordinated personal attacks.

Rules without consequences are merely suggestions.

3. Create a Basic Candidate Vetting Process

Before receiving Republican Party support, every candidate should complete a basic vetting process.

At a minimum, that process should include:

A criminal background check.
A review for significant legal or ethical issues that could embarrass the party or disqualify the candidate.
Verification that the candidate agrees to abide by the Republican Code of Conduct.

None of this is complicated.

These are common-sense standards that build trust within the party and with voters.

The Code of Conduct should apply not only to candidates, but also to campaign staff and volunteers.

Kevin Thompson’s Outside Consulting Becomes Central Issue in Arizona Corporation Commission Race

The State 48 News — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 16:15:40 GMT

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable, and settle in. This isn’t a quick article. It’s a deep dive into one of Arizona’s most powerful, and least understood, elected bodies.

As the general election begins, this report previews what is likely to become one of the Democrats’ central lines of attack against Arizona Corporation Commissioner Kevin Thompson: whether elected utility regulators should be permitted to maintain private consulting businesses with clients connected to industries affected by the Commission’s work.

But this story is bigger than one candidate.

We’ll explain, in plain English, what the ACC actually does, why it matters to every Arizona ratepayer, what the current ethics rules require, where critics say those rules fall short, and what reforms could strengthen transparency and restore public confidence in the Commission.

Whether you ultimately believe the current system works or believe Arizona needs stronger ethics safeguards, our goal is to give you the facts, the context, and the competing arguments so you can make up your own mind.

Let’s dive in.

Nick Myers is out. Kevin Thompson survived the primary. As the general election begins, Democrats are expected to make Thompson’s outside consulting business a central line of attack.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) race may ultimately hinge on a larger question than one candidate: Should Arizona’s ethics rules be rewritten to prevent elected utility regulators from maintaining private consulting clients connected to the industries they regulate?

Democrats will try to turn what was largely an insider regulatory controversy into a broader argument about transparency, campaign money, and public trust.

Thompson maintains that his outside work complies with Arizona law and does not involve matters before the Commission.

Critics say, compliance with the minimum requirements of an ethics code, however, is not the same as avoiding the appearance of a conflict.

That distinction matters as Arizona confronts historic growth in electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and hyperscale data centers.

The central question is straightforward: Should one of Arizona’s utility regulators simultaneously operate a private consulting business serving companies whose interests intersect with energy infrastructure, regulated utilities, government procurement, and public policy?

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Thompson Discloses Data Center Client at Regulators’ Conference

The latest scrutiny began after Thompson publicly acknowledged that he currently consults for a data center company while participating in a panel at the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners Annual Meeting.

During a panel titled “Does the Shifting Federal Landscape Change How We Find the Public Interest?”, Thompson disclosed: “For full transparency, I have a client that’s a data center.”

He then discussed the growing electricity demand created by data centers and the challenges communities and utilities face serving those facilities.

The remark renewed attention on Thompson’s consulting business, Broadmore Consulting, and longstanding questions over whether elected utility regulators should maintain private relationships with companies closely connected to the Commission’s work.

State 48 News previously detailed Thompson’s consulting business and the companies identified as Broadmore clients in a May 2025 report.

Data Centers and the “Who Pays” Question

Many Arizonans have little idea what the Arizona Corporation Commission actually does.

The ACC is one of the state’s most powerful constitutional offices. Unlike most states where utility regulators are appointed, Arizona voters elect all five commissioners statewide.

Commissioners approve or deny rate increases, oversee billions of dollars in infrastructure investment, decide how costs are recovered from customers, regulate transmission projects, and set policies that shape Arizona’s electric grid.

Those decisions directly affect the monthly bills paid by millions of residents.

As Arizona experiences rapid population growth alongside semiconductor manufacturing, AI expansion, and large-scale data center development, the Commission’s decisions have grown more consequential. A single vote can determine whether residential customers help finance infrastructure built primarily to serve major technology companies.

Arizona has become a fast-growing destination for data centers. Individual facilities can draw hundreds of megawatts—enough electricity to power entire cities. Meeting that demand requires new generation, transmission lines, and substations.

The critical questions are no longer theoretical: Who pays for the infrastructure? What financial guarantees should developers provide? Should data centers bring their own generation or pay rates that fully reflect their extraordinary demand?

Data centers have become a raw, emotional issue in communities across the state.

It was in this charged environment that Thompson discussed the industry’s power needs—and disclosed that he is paid privately by a company operating in the same industry.

State 48 News had already reported on Thompson’s consulting business in 2025. At that time, Broadmore Consulting’s website publicly listed several clients, including EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, a developer of hyperscale data center campuses with a major facility in Mesa.

After the conference disclosure, Thompson confirmed to reporters that EdgeCore is the client he referenced. He said his consulting work for the company does not involve Arizona. According to Thompson, the assignments have included researching California’s electrical system, reviewing Virginia regulations on underground transmission lines, and advising on easement issues in Nevada.

“I do not perform any consulting work for this client in the state of Arizona,” Thompson said. “None of these projects have involved work in Arizona and I am not authorized by the client to, nor would I, work on projects in Arizona and certainly nothing that would come before the Commission.”

The absence of a direct Arizona case does not eliminate the appearance issue. An Arizona commissioner responsible for utility regulation is privately advising a major data center developer on electrical systems, transmission rules, and utility-related easements in other states. That overlap sits at the center of the controversy.

Broadmore Consulting is a family business. Kevin Thompson is the principal owner. His sister, Katharine Fredriksen, is the firm’s other principal and also serves as a policy advisor to Commissioner Rachel Walden.

State 48 News contacted Thompson for additional comment. He did not respond.

Consulting Clients, Political Consistency and the Family Connection

In March 2025, the Energy and Policy Institute released a report alleging that Commissioner Kevin Thompson “works with clients whose interests too closely align with his work on the commission.”

Thompson has built his political identity as a conservative regulator opposed to ESG mandates, Net Zero policies and government efforts to reshape energy production and consumption. Yet Broadmore Consulting has represented companies that publicly promote sustainability, carbon reduction, smart-city infrastructure and other priorities frequently rejected by the conservative voters Thompson courts.

The clearest example is EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, the data center developer Thompson identified as his client. EdgeCore publicly emphasizes energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, carbon reduction and Net Zero-aligned sustainability goals.

That does not establish that Thompson personally supports every corporate policy adopted by EdgeCore. Consultants are often retained for limited assignments, and there is no public evidence that Thompson used his ACC position to advance EdgeCore’s sustainability agenda.

But the political contradiction is legitimate.

Thompson campaigns against ESG and Net Zero policies while receiving private consulting income from a company that publicly embraces those objectives. Conservative voters are entitled to know what services he performed, whether the work involved electricity infrastructure or utility relationships, and how he separates those private interests from his public responsibilities.

Broadmore has also identified Citelum as a client. The company specializes in public lighting, connected infrastructure, energy efficiency and smart-city technology, including electric-vehicle infrastructure, traffic systems, public Wi-Fi and urban monitoring systems.

Smart-city development has become controversial among conservative voters concerned about centralized data collection, surveillance, climate mandates and government efforts to influence transportation and energy use. There is no evidence that Thompson’s work for Citelum involved surveillance, Arizona policy or a matter before the Corporation Commission. Still, the relationship reinforces the need for fuller disclosure about the nature of Broadmore’s work.

The issue is not whether Thompson can be held responsible for every position taken by a client. The issue is whether his public political message is consistent with his private business relationships and whether voters have enough information to make that judgment.

That transparency question is heightened by Broadmore’s family structure.

Broadmore Consulting is operated by Thompson and his sister, Katharine Fredriksen. Fredriksen also serves as a policy advisor to Commissioner Rachel Walden and previously advised former Commission Chairman Jim O’Connor.

One Broadmore principal is therefore an elected commissioner, while the other works as a senior policy advisor inside the same regulatory agency.

Fredriksen also has extensive experience in the energy industry, including service as a senior executive responsible for health, safety and environmental affairs at Consol Energy. There is no public evidence that she used her ACC position to benefit Broadmore or one of its clients.

The concern is institutional, not personal: Can the Commission maintain the appearance of independence when two principals of the same private consulting company simultaneously occupy influential positions inside the agency?

The public should not be required to rely solely on assurances that internal boundaries are being respected.

The Ethics Code and Its Limits

The Arizona Corporation Commission’s Code of Ethics does not prohibit commissioners from maintaining outside employment. Instead, it requires commissioners to disclose financial interests, avoid conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when appropriate.

Rule 4.1 requires commissioners to disqualify themselves from matters that could affect their financial interests or future employment.
Rule 5.1 requires annual financial disclosures.
Rule 5.4 requires commissioners working as independent contractors to provide the Commission’s ethics officer with an updated client list at least monthly.

Those client lists, however, are not public.

That is the central weakness in the current system.

Thompson may have disclosed every client internally. He may have consulted Commission ethics counsel before accepting each engagement. He may have complied fully with every existing rule.

Even so, Arizona voters cannot independently review his client list, determine the scope of his consulting work or assess whether any client has interests that intersect with matters before the Commission.

Ultimately, the public is being asked to trust a process it cannot independently verify.

Thompson’s Defense

Thompson maintains that he has complied with all applicable ethics and financial disclosure requirements.

“If a matter involving any of my clients were to come before the Commission and create a conflict of interest under Arizona law, I would comply with all applicable statutory requirements, including disclosure and recusal where appropriate,” Thompson said.
He has also said he consulted Commission ethics counsel regarding his outside consulting work.

Thompson previously recused himself from a matter involving a consulting client that had performed limited engineering work connected to a regulated utility, describing the decision as an abundance-of-caution measure.

His disclosure during the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners is also central to his defense. Thompson voluntarily disclosed that he represented a data center client, later identified as EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, and said his consulting work was limited to projects outside Arizona.

Those facts weigh in his favor.

But a voluntary disclosure during a conference discussion is not the same as a permanent, public and independently reviewable ethics system. The broader question is not simply whether Thompson complied with the Commission’s current rules. It is whether those rules provide sufficient transparency to preserve public confidence in elected utility regulators who maintain private consulting businesses.

Utility-Connected Donations Raise Ethics Questions at the Arizona Corporation Commission

An Arizona Capitol Times review found Commissioners Nick Myers and Kevin Thompson accepted 212 contributions from people tied to utilities, energy companies, lobbying firms, developers, and law firms—including registered ACC lobbyists.

Since 2021, Myers’ campaign reported more than $15,000 from those categories; Thompson’s accepted more than $23,000. The ACC both regulates and acts as a quasi-judicial body, approving rates, infrastructure projects, and line-siting applications that directly affect those donors’ financial interests.

The Commission’s Code of Ethics prohibits contributions from any regulated public service corporation and from any person or entity in a generic docket or rulemaking who is a registered ACC lobbyist (or represented by one). Prohibited donations must be returned; if not, the commissioner must disclose them and may have to recuse. Commissioners are also directed to be particularly mindful of contributions from regulated entities or their affiliates and to disclose potential conflicts, including at the start of related open meetings.

Both Myers and Thompson accepted money from 10 individuals registered as ACC lobbyists who have represented interests connected to Arizona Water Company, Arizona Public Service, EPCOR, and the American Gas Association. Opponents received far less: Jonathon Hill $3,315, Clara Pratte $2,296, and Ralph Heap $1,105.

NextEra and pending projects. Eighteen NextEra employees donated to Myers and 19 to Thompson in fall 2025, many at the Clean Elections maximum. NextEra has solar and battery projects in Arizona that require ACC line-siting approval, including the Vulcan Energy Center interconnection under review at the time.

The Picacho rate case. The CEO of JW Water, which acquired Picacho Water and Sewer, donated $220 each to Myers and Thompson in August 2025. The ACC later approved a 22 percent water-rate increase and a 154 percent wastewater-rate increase. Myers voted yes; Thompson voted no. Neither disclosed the donations nor recused.

Commissioners respond. Both deny influence. Thompson said: “I am my own man. I follow my convictions and do what I think is right for ratepayers and our utilities.” Myers noted that Clean Elections bars corporate money: “It is fair to say that I have never taken any money from the entities that we regulate.” Both said they do not personally track every contribution—an explanation that sits uneasily with a code that places the duty to identify conflicts on the commissioners themselves.

The larger problem. The investigation establishes no quid pro quo. It does establish a transparency problem. Clusters of donations from utility executives, registered lobbyists, and employees of companies with business before the Commission create the appearance that regulated interests enjoy access ordinary ratepayers do not.

Diane Brown of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group, who helped develop the ethics code, put it plainly: even small contributions, when compounded from parties that stand to gain, elevate the potential for impropriety and erode public confidence.

This is not the first time Commissioner Kevin Thompson has faced ethics scrutiny. In February 2023, consumer advocate Abhay Padgaonkar filed a formal ethics complaint after Thompson traveled to New York to meet with financial institutions that invest in Arizona utilities. The complaint alleged those meetings could compromise Thompson’s impartiality because the firms had financial interests affected by Arizona Corporation Commission decisions. Thompson denied any wrongdoing, stating he did not discuss pending Commission matters during the trip. In March 2023, the Arizona Corporation Commission voted 3-1 (with Thompson recusing himself) to dismiss the complaint after a closed-door discussion with Commission attorneys.

The Commission largely polices itself.

Who Regulates the Regulators? Is It Time for Ethics Reform at the Arizona Corporation Commission?

Nick Myers lost. Thompson advanced to the general election alongside state Rep. Ralph Heap.1 Myers’ defeat shows voters were willing to remove a sitting commissioner despite the usual advantages of incumbency.

Critics and ethics advocates have long argued the Commission’s framework relies too heavily on confidential disclosures, voluntary recusals, and internal enforcement. They have called for stronger measures, including public disclosure of outside clients and the nature of the work, tighter limits on contributions from regulated utilities and their executives or lobbyists, independent review of ethics complaints, written explanations for recusals, and clearer penalties.

No evidence has emerged that Commissioner Kevin Thompson has violated Arizona law, secretly represented a client in an Arizona case, or used his office to secure a specific private benefit.

Yet the Commission’s own code requires commissioners to promote confidence in the agency’s integrity and impartiality. Thompson regulates utilities while privately consulting for a data-center company whose business depends on large amounts of electricity and utility infrastructure. His consulting work has listed clients connected to engineering, sustainability, ESG, DEI, smart-city development, and government procurement. His sister and business partner works as a policy advisor inside the Commission. Candidates continue to accept contributions from individuals tied to the industries they regulate.

Taken together, the pattern of industry-linked donations, the earlier complaint, the self-policing structure, and the private consulting relationships leave an unresolved question for voters: whether the existing ethics system is strong enough to protect public trust in an agency with this much power over rates and infrastructure.

The primary is over. The ethics debate is not.

In the interest of full disclosure, former LD29 Republican Chair Lisa Everett filed a complaint with the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission questioning whether Rep. Ralph Heap’s reported spending accurately reflected the apparent number of campaign signs in the field. Everett acknowledged she had no direct evidence of a campaign finance violation, relying instead on the “eyeball test.” As of the latest public reporting, no finding has concluded that Heap violated campaign finance laws.

The Stories That Stopped Arizona From Scrolling

The State 48 News — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:50:53 GMT

The 2026 Arizona primary is in the rearview mirror, and what a ride it was. State 48 News spent the cycle talking with candidates up and down the ballot, though our coverage leaned heavily Republican for one simple reason: they actually returned our calls.

To our Democratic friends, the invitation still stands. We don’t bite, the interviews aren’t that …

LD10 Fallout: Ciara Anderson Blames AI, Volunteers for Veteran References; Rep. Blackman Weighs In

The State 48 News — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:40:38 GMT

State 48 News recently published a report detailing the military record of LD10 candidate Ciara Anderson. If you missed that story, we encourage you to read it first for context.

Anderson maintains that she does not consider herself a veteran and does not campaign as one. She says references describing her as a veteran were either generated by artificial…

LD10 Candidate Ciara Anderson’s Military Record Raises Questions About Disclosure and Veteran Status

The State 48 News — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:12:47 GMT

Arizona Republican LD10 House candidate Ciara Anderson has repeatedly described herself as an Air Force veteran in candidate profiles and voter guides.

However, during her campaign, she did not clearly disclose to voters that she was convicted of a crime in the military, served four months in military prison, received a reduction in rank, and that the …

Arizona’s Golden Tickets: A Guide to the Republican Primary Endorsements Shaping the 2026 Election

The State 48 News — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:52:45 GMT

Primary season is officially here, and for Arizona Republicans, some of the most closely watched contests are shaping up to be hard-fought battles with major implications for the future of the state.

While races for Governor and Congress continue to draw attention, the contests generating some of the strongest grassroots interest are for Attorney General, State Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. These offices may not always command the biggest headlines, but they wield significant influence over Arizona’s legal, financial, and educational future.

As candidates make their final push toward the July 21 Republican Primary, endorsements, slate cards, mailers, and the coveted “golden ticket” recommendations are flooding voters’ mailboxes and social media feeds.

State 48 News does not endorse candidates and will not be making recommendations in these races. However, voters frequently ask which organizations, elected officials, and political coalitions are backing which candidates. To help inform voters, we have compiled a list of the various “golden tickets” and recommendation guides currently circulating throughout Arizona Republican circles.

The goal is simple: provide transparency so voters can see who is supporting whom before casting their ballots. Caution: Some of these guides are by established political groups and others are individual opinions.

Among Arizona’s grassroots organizations, the Arizona Tea Party’s voter guide remains one of the most detailed and influential resources available to Republican primary voters. Unlike many endorsement flyers that simply list preferred candidates, the guide provides explanations for its recommendations, giving voters insight into candidates’ records, positions, and qualifications.

The recommendations are developed through a consensus-driven process involving members of the organization rather than serving solely as the opinion of its leadership. While the group is led by Dan Farley, the voter guide is intended to reflect the collective judgment of the organization and its grassroots membership.

The Tea Party does not issue a graphic for all of their recommendations so you have to visit their website. Below a graphic of some of their top picks:

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HUGE DISCLAIMER: State 48 News is not endorsing any of the voter guides, recommendations, or candidates included in this compilation.

In full transparency, there are recommendations in some of these guides with which we strongly and in some cases vehemently — disagree.

However, in the interest of fairness and providing voters with a complete picture of the various influences shaping the Republican primary, we have included every voter guide and “golden ticket” submitted to us, regardless of whether we agree with its recommendations.

Our goal is not to tell voters how to vote, but to show voters who is supporting whom so they can make their own informed decisions.

So let’s get started. In no particular order.

The Strong Communities Action PAC

Crimson Saguaro

Patty Porter LD12 and has held high-ranking positions within the party.

“AZRA” - Arizona Republican Assembly

Turning Point Action

Barbara Parker, former state legislator and member of Freedom Caucus

Ashley Earle, precinct committeeman and has held former party positions.

City of Maricopa Republican Club

Free Enterprise Club PAC: “Freedom Club PAC”

National Freedom Coalition

Grassroots Grandmas

Restoring Faith In Yuma

Senator Hildy Angius

We received an overwhelming response from readers, activists, and grassroots organizations who submitted voter guides and golden tickets for inclusion. Some guides could not be definitively attributed, while others are included here due to space limitations in the sections above.

***Editor’s Note:. Added after the initial publication.

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Phoenix Schools Platforming Calvin Terrell Through “Cultural Awareness” Programming Should Raise Concerns

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:01:53 GMT

Alhambra High School’s “Cultural Awareness Day 2026” flew under the radar but promotional materials revealed a full-day event centered around “diversity,” “equity & inclusion,” “empathy & understanding,” and “civic connection,” featuring special guest speaker Calvin Terrell.

According to the event flyer, students spent the school day participating in gra…

BREAKING: Court Rules BOS Overstepped, Orders Power Returned to Recorder

The State 48 News — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:47:51 GMT

In a decisive ruling issued April 16, 2026, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge found that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors overstepped its authority in its ongoing dispute with Recorder Justin Heap, ordering the Board to restore key election functions and resources to the Recorder’s Office.

This wasn’t a close call, the court overwhelming sma…

Constitutional Rebuke: Court Rejects Ballot Challenge Against LD30 Candidate David Rose

The State 48 News — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:00:11 GMT

Republican Jennifer Esposito, who narrowly lost her bid for Mohave County Supervisor and once again on the ballot, is now at the center of a high-profile legal loss that raises broader questions about judgment and potential governance.

Her lawsuit to remove Republican Legislative District 30 candidate David Rose from the ballot was not just rejected. It …

“Not a Glitch — A Crime”: Gillette Unloads on Arizona Voter System, Points to Richer Email and Sends Federal Criminal Referral

The State 48 News — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:42:16 GMT

Arizona Rep. John Gillette (R-Kingman) dropped a political grenade during a legislative hearing this week, presenting what he called years of evidence showing serious irregularities in Arizona’s voter registration system — and announcing a criminal referral to the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security.

Jay Feely on Immigration: How a Haiti Mission Relationship Shaped His Perspective

The State 48 News — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 22:54:54 GMT

Behind the politics of immigration, Feely says there is a personal story that shaped how he sees the issue.

In the conversation below, Feely explains how a mission trip and his relationship with a young man from Haiti helped shape his views on immigration.

“Deeply Corrupt” Arizona Lawmakers Advance Sweeping DCS Reforms Amid Allegations of Systemic Bias and a Broken System

The State 48 News — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:42:58 GMT

The DCS hearing went on for over three hours. These five minutes exposed the most horrifying truths about Arizona’s child welfare system.

Pinal County Took Millions Under an Illegal Tax — Residents May Never Get Up to $50 Million Back

The State 48 News — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:08:39 GMT

Nearly four years after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Pinal County’s transportation excise tax was illegal, a new political fight has emerged at the Arizona Legislature: what to do with tens of millions of dollars collected under the unlawful tax, money that came from Pinal County residents and businesses.

While more than $39 million has already b…

Testify or Be Removed: Maricopa Board Escalates Fight With Recorder Justin Heap

The State 48 News — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:34:12 GMT

The latest flare-up between Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is no longer just a public spat over election operations. It has turned into a direct confrontation over compelled sworn testimony, the hiring of outside legal counsel by a sitting supervisor, political retreat by another, and the Arizona Republ…

Buckle Up: AZGOP’s Chair Fight Heads to Prescott Valley

The State 48 News — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 07:59:18 GMT

Arizona Republicans will choose their next party chair at the AZGOP’s Mandatory Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, a high-stakes gathering that will set the stage for Republicans heading into the 2026 cycle.

There are four candidates for seeking to replace Gina Swoboda for chairman: Sergio Arellano, Rober…

Kolodin: “Arizona stands with ICE and the rule of law”

The State 48 News — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 23:53:16 GMT

`“Arizona stands with the rule of law. We stand with President Trump. And we proudly stand with ICE!” - State Representative Alex Kolodin(R-3)and Candidate for Secretary of State.`

Accountability Starts Local: The Centennial High School Case and School Oversight in Arizona

The State 48 News — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:56:17 GMT

When we started State 48 News, the goal was clear: provide solid, accountable journalism focused on local Arizona stories. We set out to cover what many outlets either ignore or only touch on at the surface—stories that affect day-to-day life in our communities.

That means asking questions others don’t. What is your mayor actually doing? Why did your sch…

Police Records Detail Alleged Inappropriate Relationships Between Centennial High School Teachers and Students

The State 48 News — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:22:41 GMT

Peoria police records detail an extensive investigation into two female Centennial High School teachers accused of engaging in alleged sexual conduct with students.

According to a detailed police report obtained by State 48 News, detectives executed multiple search warrants and reviewed thousands of digital files before reaching conclusions about the nat…

Hobbs ‘Pay-to-Play’ Scandal Reignites as Two Foster Teens Die After Placement in Sunshine Residential Group Homes

The State 48 News — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:44:59 GMT

Two teenage girls who had been living in Arizona’s foster care system died months apart under separate circumstances, but both cases intersect at the same state-licensed group home provider — Sunshine Residential Homes — a company already embroiled in a widening “pay-to-play” controversy involving Governor Katie Hobbs’ administration.

State lawmakers tel…

Inside the Statehouse — Senator John Kavanagh on State Legislatures: An Owner’s Manual

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:44:57 GMT

State 48 News sat down with Arizona State Senator John Kavanagh for an in-depth discussion about his newly released book, State Legislatures: An Owner’s Manual. What followed was less a promotional interview and more a candid walkthrough of how state government actually functions — and why much of it is routinely misunderstood.

For context, State 48 editor Christy Kelly read the new book cover to cover. Despite its nearly 400 pages, the book is a surprisingly easy read and is packed with practical, usable information for anyone seeking to understand how state government actually operates.

Kavanagh, who has spent nearly two decades in the Arizona Legislature, wrote the book to address a gap he repeatedly encountered both in public discourse and in academic settings. According to the Senator, there is no widely available, practical guide that explains how state legislatures truly operate — from bill drafting and committee maneuvering to leadership dynamics and informal power structures that never appear in one civics textbook.

The book draws heavily from Kavanagh’s firsthand experience as a lawmaker and educator. In addition to serving in the legislature, he teaches at Arizona State University, where the original concept for the book emerged while preparing course material on state legislative systems. That project ultimately expanded into a comprehensive manual intended for lawmakers, staffers, journalists, students, lobbyists, and engaged citizens seeking a clearer understanding of how policy is made at the state level.

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During the interview, Kavanagh emphasized that state legislatures —not Congress — are where many of the most consequential policy decisions occur, yet they remain poorly understood by the public.

State Legislatures: An Owner’s Manual covers both the formal mechanics of lawmaking and the informal realities that influence outcomes behind the scenes. Kavanagh does not shy away from discussing political pressure, ethics, and how legislators are punished by leadership.

The interview offers readers a rare opportunity to hear directly from a veteran Arizona lawmaker reflecting on the institution from the inside. Rather than advancing partisan talking points, the discussion centers on institutional knowledge, civic literacy, and the practical realities of governing.

Kavanagh’s book is now available in print and digital formats - you can find in on Amazon.