Latest news with #AdrianFontes
Toronto Star
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Arizona Democrats will bypass struggling state party in midterms, with key races on ballot
PHOENIX (AP) — Top Arizona Democrats said Tuesday they will bypass the financially strained state party and its embattled new chairman in next year's midterms, as they looked to assure donors and activists that party dysfunction won't hamper their efforts to win in the battleground state. Gov. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes — who all are seeking second terms next year — said grassroots organizing will be outsourced to a small county organization rather than the Arizona Democratic Party.
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Arizona Democrats will bypass struggling state party in midterms, with key races on ballot
PHOENIX (AP) — Top Arizona Democrats said Tuesday they will bypass the financially strained state party and its embattled new chairman in next year's midterms, as they looked to assure donors and activists that party dysfunction won't hamper their efforts to win in the battleground state. Gov. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes — who all are seeking second terms next year — said grassroots organizing will be outsourced to a small county organization rather than the Arizona Democratic Party. The workaround comes as party disarray threatens to complicate Democrats' efforts to hold on to a decade of successes in a state long dominated by Republicans. Arizona has no Senate contest next year but will have at least two battleground U.S. House races, and the campaigns for governor, other top state offices and legislature could dictate how Arizona handles the 2028 presidential election. National Democratic committees, including the Democratic Governors Association, signed on to the move. Conflict with Arizona Democratic state partyArizona Democrats unexpectedly ousted former Chair Yolanda Bejarano after the party's disastrous showing in the 2024 election, when Donald Trump won the state after losing it to Joe Biden in 2020. New Chairman Robert Branscomb promptly fired most of the senior staff. Behind-the-scenes tension exploded into public view in April. Branscromb sent a letter to members of the state Democratic committee blasting Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, a highly unusual move against the state's top Democrats. Kelly, Gallego, Hobbs, Fontes and Mayes responded with their own letter saying they'd lost trust in Branscomb. Last month, the party's treasurer warned that Branscomb was spending more money than he was raising and the party was on track to run out of money by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the party is operating without a budget approved by the executive committee. Allies of Branscomb, the party's first Black chair, have said the pressure on him is racially motivated. He faces a potential ouster later this month but has refused to step aside. After Tuesday's announcement, Branscomb projected a united front with the officials who spurned him, predicting the split would not hold back Democrats. 'I think the people are ready to solidify our democracy, and democrats are in a position to win up and down the ticket,' he said. 'Because we're focused on different areas doesn't mean we're not together.' Navajo County Democrats to run get-out-the-voteThe Arizona Democratic Party has traditionally housed the coordinated get-out-the-vote campaign designed to turn out voters for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Hobbs, Fontes and Mayes said Tuesday they'll run it instead through the Navajo County Democratic Party for 2026. Democrats are well-organized in Navajo County, which is small by population but large geographically in rural northeastern Arizona. The party has long invested in organizing there among Native American voters. The county party can do most everything the state party can do, with one major exception—only the state party can send mail at a discounted postal rate. Branscomb said that won't be an issue. 'We'll still cooperate and work together on this,' he said. 'We all have the same vision, we all have the same goal to get them all re-elected.' Running a statewide campaign through a county party is not without precedent. Former Sen. John McCain leaned on the Yuma County GOP in his 2010 re-election campaign after a faction hostile to him took control of the Arizona Republican Party. In Nevada, Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto ran her 2022 coordinated campaign through the Washoe County Democratic Party after progressives took control of the state party. In this case, the rupture between the officials and the party is not driven by ideology but by concerns of mismanagement and financial constraints. ___
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
RNC sues over Arizona voter registration law
The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Arizona GOP have filed a lawsuit seeking to block an Arizona law that allows military and other temporarily absent overseas voters to cast ballots without providing proof of citizenship directly to the state. 'Arizona's elections should be decided by Arizonans, not by individuals who have never lived a single day in this country,' RNC Chair Michael Whatley said in a statement Monday. 'Democrats want to cheat in our elections by allowing votes from people who have never established legal residency.' 'The RNC is defending the rights of Arizona voters to stop this unconstitutional law in its tracks,' he added. The Arizona law, adopted in 2023, allows some overseas U.S. citizens who have not lived in the Grand Canyon State but have a parent who is a registered Arizona voter to cast ballots through a federal write-in system created under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986. The 1986 act applies only to presidential and other federal elections, but some states have extended provisions from it to apply to state and local elections. Arizona's law allows county registrars to accept the federal form in lieu of a separate state affidavit. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes's (D) office didn't immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment on the GOP's lawsuit. The Arizona election law was reviewed by the Supreme Court last August, when justices sided with the RNC and Arizona GOP leaders' argument that proof of citizenship should be required for state voter registration forms. But the high court also upheld the portion of the law that allows overseas voters to cast ballots by mail without confirming citizenship to the state if they meet other federal registration requirements. Arizona became a hotbed for Republicans' election law challenges after President Trump lost the state to former President Biden in the 2020 cycle. Trump won support from the majority of Arizona voters four years earlier and won the state again last fall. Multiple Republicans have faced defamation claims, obstruction charges and conspiracy allegations over unfounded objections to Arizona election results in recent years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Arizona is grateful.' Hundreds attend Memorial Day ceremony at Phoenix military cemetery
The hallowed grounds of the military cemetery in Phoenix were adorned with red, white and blue on Memorial Day as hundreds of people gathered to honor Arizona veterans. The National Cemetery of Arizona was the site of a tribute attended by top state officials, including Gov. Katie Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. The ceremony marked the 157th Memorial Day celebrated in the United States, and Hobbs proclaimed the day as Arizona Memorial Day. Memorial Day was established in honor of military members who died in service to the country. Honor guards presented an array of U.S. flags and flags for each branch of the military, carried by servicemembers from Luke Air Force Base, the Arizona Army National Guard and more. Fontes, a Marine Corps veteran, was the event's featured speaker and delivered remarks about diversity and respect for the ideals that formed the country. That includes standing against tyranny in the pursuit of freedom, the secretary of state said. He reflected on the first Americans who rejected a king in favor of a system ruled by the people. "Diversity is our strength when we recognize and acknowledge that new ideas are important," Fontes said. Part of that he said, was maintaining respect for the U.S. Constitution. "We are a people of progress. Sometimes through very bumpy roads, and sometimes through very rich resentment. But it is that ability to move and change that keeps us so strong," Fontes said. Acknowledging flags placed at each of the gravesites, Fontes said, "Every single one of those flags out there represents a different point of view, not just a separate soul." Some in the crowd perceived the speech as political and interrupted Fontes, a Democrat, with a call to speak more about veterans. Another person in the front row waved their hands in dismissal towards Fontes and left the event. Fontes turned his focus to the fallen veterans, their many stories and experiences. "We will continue to remember them all in our way... Every single one of us believes in this nation and in its promise, supported by the passing and sacrifices of those who are gone," he said. Fontes responded on social media not long after the event. "Somehow, defeating fascism is now political?" he posted. Hobbs took the stage to honor veterans who served the country and kept its values intact. She said the American values of liberty, democracy, equality and the rule of law are embodied in the nation's troops. "Whether it was defeating the evils of Nazi Germany, defending our allies against communism in the Korean War or dismantling terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, the patriotism and service of every person who put on a uniform has never wavered," Hobbs said. She also honored those who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. "Let me say loud and clear: The entire state of Arizona is grateful for their sacrifice and will forever remember what they gave for this country and our families," Hobbs said. Virgil Macklin smiled as he took a photo with Fontes, a kindred connection visible between the men. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Macklin started nearly 40 years in the service in the 1970s, a legacy continued by his granddaughter, who attended the event with him and now serves in the military. "It's all about the people that gave so much for me to be here," Macklin said. Douglas Penwell served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly 20 years, including a stint working on stealth aviation equipment. He said he knows people who died while serving the country. "The current partisan divide in our country is disgusting to me because it ignores the service of the people that went before us," Penwell said. He said he did not agree with the interruptions of Fontes' speech. "Two times in your life you don't learn anything: One, when your mouth is moving. And two, when you only listen to people that agree with you," Penwell said. The Memorial Day ceremony saw numerous musical renditions of patriotic classics like "God Bless America," the folding of the U.S. flag, the pledge of allegiance and a prayer dedicated to veterans. The music was performed by the 108th Army Band, with vocals by Steve Brining. A flyover by the Phoenix Stearman Guys, piloting three propellor planes, drew admiration from the crowd just before the Army Band performed the National Anthem. Randy Heard, director of the cemetery, extended the honor to all those buried at the cemetery, each of whom had a flag placed at their gravesite for the weekend. "We have over 109,000 veterans and family members interred here. I'm happy to report we adorned every gravesite with an American flag. This is due to the tremendous support we have from the community," said Heard. Before the memorial ended, Rick Romley, a Marine veteran and former county attorney who was the event's emcee, said after more than 10 years of hosting, the 2025 Memorial Day ceremony would be his last. Romley's final words on stage were to honor a veteran who died in service. Wounded while serving in Vietnam in 1969, Romley said he joined the service alongside his best friend, David, who died during the war. Romley named his first son after his friend. Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@ Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: U.S. military cemetery in Phoenix hosts hundreds for Memorial Day
New York Times
20-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Dismantles Government Fight Against Foreign Influence Operations
The Trump administration is targeting government officials who had been flagging foreign interference in U.S. elections, despite ongoing concerns that adversaries are stoking political and social divisions by spreading propaganda and disinformation online, current and former government officials said. The administration has already reassigned several dozen officials working on the issue at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and forced out others at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, they said. The cuts have focused on people who were not only combating false content online but also working on broader safeguards to protect elections from cyberattacks or other attempts to disrupt voting systems. In last year's election, the teams tracked and publicized numerous influence operations from Russia, China and Iran to blunt their impact on unsuspecting voters. Experts are alarmed that the cuts could leave the United States defenseless against covert foreign influence operations and embolden foreign adversaries seeking to disrupt democratic governments. Arizona's secretary of state, Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, warned in a letter to President Trump that the cuts were comparable to shutting down the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ahead of hurricane season. 'This decision undermines Arizona's election security,' he wrote, 'at a time when our enemies around the world are using online tools to push their agendas and ideologies into our very homes.' Mr. Trump and other officials have said that in the guise of fighting misinformation and disinformation, the government had infringed on free speech rights of Americans. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at D.H.S., said that the cybersecurity agency 'is undertaking an evaluation of how it has executed its election security mission with a particular focus on any work related to mis-, dis-, and malinformation,' and that while that is continuing, personnel who had worked on those issues 'have been placed on administrative leave.' Acting on one of Mr. Trump's first executive orders, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Feb. 5 shut down a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force that had been formed after Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential election and reassigned several dozen officials and agents who had been involved, the officials said. CISA has also forced out more than a dozen officials who had been monitoring foreign influence operations targeting the nation's elections. They were among the more than 130 positions eliminated in total at the agency, according to a department statement. On Friday, an internal memorandum from the agency's acting director, Bridget E. Bean, announced the suspension of funding for a program that coordinated election security on the federal, state and local levels. Even before Mr. Trump returned to the White House, Republicans on Capitol Hill had refused to renew the mandate for the State Department's Global Engagement Center, the most prominent government agency fighting propaganda from Russia and China. It shut down in December. Many of its staff of 125 have since been reassigned, while others have left or not had their contracts renewed, officials said. In recent years, many Republicans have been skeptical of warnings about disinformation campaigns. They accused Democrats of demonizing political views with which they disagreed as 'Russian propaganda,' and they viewed warnings about 'disinformation' as a way to pressure social media companies to censor speech supporting Mr. Trump's views. In one of his first major foreign policy speeches as vice president, JD Vance said that the Biden administration had 'bullied social media companies to censor so-called misinformation.' Republican supporters of Mr. Trump had telegraphed many of the administration's steps ahead of his election. But the breadth and speed of the efforts to abolish the teams put in place to fight malign activity online have surprised those involved, including engineers at companies like Google and Meta, who have for years regularly exchanged information with government officials, including during Mr. Trump's first term. CISA has already removed a 'Rumor v. Reality' page on its website, which had provided tips to dispel disinformation about the reliability of the voting process. The internal memorandum from Ms. Bean, first reported by Wired, said that the agency would also conduct a review to correct 'any past activities identified as past misconduct by the federal government related to censorship of protected speech.' The new director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has made repeated promises to depoliticize the spy agencies. American officials briefed on her plans say that will include a review of the work done by the office's Foreign Malign Influence Center, which was established by Congress in 2022. That office, along with the F.B.I. and the cybersecurity agency, regularly disclosed foreign influence operations during last year's presidential campaign, including one from Iran that targeted Mr. Trump, which officials said was trying to prevent his re-election. Many of the officials involved with the efforts to warn the public about foreign influence campaigns at the time emphasized that the work was nonpartisan, and that they had avoided calling out Americans who amplified foreign narratives because of the right to free speech. A recent report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish research organization in Washington, credited the government effort for blunting the impact of foreign influence ahead of November's election by informing voters, for example, that numerous videos being spread online were created by Russia and showed fake people. 'The U.S. government should continue to treat foreign malign influence as a national security issue,' the report said, calling for the agencies to receive 'the proper funding to continue their work.' Instead, the new administration has followed the recommendations of Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for restructuring the federal government from which Mr. Trump sought to distance himself during the presidential campaign and has now embraced. Project 2025 called for the closing of the election security unit at CISA, as well as the F.B.I.'s task force. Republicans in Congress and several states have also waged a legal and political campaign against what they claimed was a sweeping 'censorship industrial complex' under the Biden administration. 'I think that they may have drunk their own Kool-Aid in terms of believing that there is this kind of censorship industrial complex that all these people were involved in,' Lawrence Norden, a vice president at the progressive Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, said, referring to the officials now shutting down the teams. 'I'm not sure that they fully understand who everybody is and what they do.' Lance Hunter, a professor at Augusta University in Georgia, said that eliminating defenses against foreign influence campaigns would leave the United States more vulnerable to them. 'Foreign influence operations are often conducted to attempt to increase the appearance of government ineffectiveness and instability in the country,' he said. 'They are also carried out to disrupt elections and increase division and polarization in the country.' During his visit to Europe last week, however, Mr. Vance belittled the idea that a foreign adversary like Russia could sway an election in a strong democratic nation, referring to accusations that resulted in Romania overturning the first round of voting in its election. 'If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousands of dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country,' Mr. Vance said, 'then it wasn't very strong to begin with.'
