Arizona Free Enterprise Club Files Criminal Complaint Over Prop 140 Fraudulent Signatures

Arizona Free Enterprise Club Files Criminal Complaint Over Prop 140 Fraudulent Signatures

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Today, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club filed a criminal complaint with Attorney General Kris Mayes and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell over the nearly 40,000 duplicate signatures that were discovered during the petition review on Proposition 140, which had taken place last year before the November General Election. Proposition 140 sought to enact a California-style election scheme built around ranked choice voting and jungle primaries. It was soundly defeated by Arizona voters at the ballot box.

Of the nearly 40,000 duplicates that were included when the Prop 140 Committee submitted their signatures to the Arizona Secretary of State, it was uncovered that 253 people had signed petitions five or more times. One individual had signed 15 times.

“Double or even triple-signing the same initiative petition over the span of several months may well evince merely carelessness or forgetfulness. Signing one’s name five, ten, or even fifteen times, however, is not susceptible to that excuse,” said Scot Mussi, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “There is certainly, at the very least, ample reason to believe that the individuals identified in Exhibit A knowingly violated Arizona law. I accordingly request that your respective offices open an investigation and pursue all appropriate criminal charges.”

Read the complaint here. See the exhibit of duplicate signatures here.

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Trump’s EOs to Unleash American Energy and End the Climate Cult Fantasy Are a Big Win for Americans

Trump’s EOs to Unleash American Energy and End the Climate Cult Fantasy Are a Big Win for Americans

President Trump’s historic victory in the November election gave him a clear mandate from the American people. And so far, he hasn’t wasted any time getting to work. In his first month back in office, Trump signed 45 Executive Orders (EO) in an effort to put America first and undo much of the damage created by the Biden administration. And that’s especially true with his executive actions to unleash American energy.

Ending the Net Zero Climate Cult Fantasy

For four years under President Biden, the American people were forced to endure an administration that was hellbent on pursuing a net zero agenda. Across the country, they pushed these radical and costly climate action plans to fundamentally transform and restrict the energy options available to consumers. Along with this came calls from the Left to ban gas stoves, gas cars, gas-powered lawn equipment, and hundreds of other draconian ideas to limit the freedom of the American people.

If the high cost of these plans wasn’t enough, they have also proven to be unreliable. States and countries that have committed to energy sources like solar and wind as part of this net zero fantasy have experienced rolling blackouts, continually demand that their customers use less, and eventually have to make haste to open reliable sources of generation they had closed down. Isn’t that right, California?

But Trump’s Executive Order 14154 unleashes fossil fuel production and use in America while unwinding much of the damage caused by the Biden administration. Under Trump, the government will promote the production, distribution, and use of reliable domestic energy supplies, including oil, natural gas, and biofuels. And it will also eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate in order to promote consumer choice across the country.

On top of this, a recent memo directs federal agencies to eliminate anything approved under the Biden administration that references climate change; greenhouse gas emissions; racial equity; gender identity; “diversity, equity, and inclusion” goals; environmental justice; and the Justice 40 Initiative. This is a big win for America, but there is still more work to do.

Next Step: Rolling Back the Administrative State

Trump’s executive actions were the critical first step in freeing the country from this net zero madness, but the pushback can’t stop there. The Trump administration must begin the difficult work of stripping the administrative state of their ability to coerce states into adopting Green New deal policies through brute bureaucratic enforcement.

Just look at how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been weaponizing their ozone rules to force states into adopting California’s net zero agenda. We’ve seen it right here in Arizona.

According to the EPA, Maricopa County is an ozone nonattainment area under the Clean Air Act. As a result of this determination, they are threatening heavy sanctions against the state unless we adopt “control measures” to deal with the problem. And it just so happens that those control measures align perfectly with the goals of the radical climate cult lobby—banning gas cars, stoves, leaf blowers, and all gas-powered industrial equipment that make our economy function.

But here’s the thing. Arizona and, more specifically, Maricopa County, doesn’t even have an ozone problem. Current levels of ozone in the region are lower today than they were 20 years ago.  And it turns out that most of the ozone we do have in the atmosphere doesn’t even come from anyone in the county—it is either naturally occurring or comes from international sources, primarily China and Mexico.

Other states across the country have the exact same problem, yet the EPA doesn’t care because it’s not really concerned about where the ozone comes from. They just want to use it as a cudgel to beat states into submission.

This sort of bullying from the administrative state must be stopped by the Trump administration. It is critical for the federal government to curb and repeal any agency rules designed to force states to adopt Green New Deal policies like banning gas cars and gas stoves. And we certainly should not be allowing any federal agency to punish U.S. citizens and businesses for pollution coming from China and Mexico. In his second term, our 47th President has shown a knack for fixing some significant problems in the government. Now, the Club is excited to get to work with his administration to fix this problem—and take the next step in unleashing American energy.

Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network

Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!

Join our FREE Grassroots Action List to stay up to date on the latest battles against big government and how YOU can help influence crucial bills at the Arizona State Legislature.

Arizona Free Enterprise Club Statement on SB 1013 Senate Passage

Arizona Free Enterprise Club Statement on SB 1013 Senate Passage

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Yesterday, the Arizona Senate passed SB 1013, which protects hardworking taxpayers in counties, cities, and towns from those jurisdictions raising taxes and fees that a supermajority of the relevant local officials did not approve. The proposal was sponsored by Senate President Warren Petersen.

“For over three decades, Arizona voters and their elected officials in the state legislature have expressed their strong preference to keep taxes and fees as low as possible,” said Greg Blackie, the Director of Policy for the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “With Proposition 108 and Proposition 132, voters have time and again voted to prevent the state and themselves from raising taxes or fees without a supermajority in support. Despite this, many counties, cities, and towns continue to extract taxes and fees from citizens through edicts by faceless bureaucrats. Thankfully, legislators realize the importance of protecting the financial interests of the men, women, and children they represent by applying to the same standard to all jurisdictions.”

Despite counties, cities and towns protesting these proposals, complaining that the legislature is cutting local funding, these jurisdictions are flush with increasing financial revenues. Just this past year, cities alone have benefited from $315 million of new revenue from the collection of online sales tax.

In 1992, Arizona voters passed Proposition 108 to prevent the legislature from increasing taxes without a two-thirds majority.

In 2022, Arizona voters passed Proposition 132 to require a sixty percent threshold on voter initiatives to approve any tax increase on the ballot.

There is also a referral – SCR 1008 – moving through the Arizona Legislature at this time. SCR 1008 sends the policy of SB 1013 to Arizona voters for an up-or-down vote in the November 2026 General Election in the event that Governor Hobbs vetoes a bill sent to her Office. This ballot measure will be considered by the Senate Government Committee this week.

Help Protect Freedom in Arizona by Joining Our Grassroots Network

Arizona needs to have a unified voice promoting economic freedom and prosperity, and the Free Enterprise Club is committed to making that happen. But we can’t do it alone. We need YOU!

Join our FREE Grassroots Action List to stay up to date on the latest battles against big government and how YOU can help influence crucial bills at the Arizona State Legislature.

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club Is Committed to Stopping the Hobbs Agenda

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club Is Committed to Stopping the Hobbs Agenda

In the last two years, Katie Hobbs has failed to make good on any of her top priorities, and after spending millions to flip the legislature, she was only left with more Republicans in both chambers and being called the “biggest loser” of this last election. Back this year with new goals outlined in her State of the State address and budget proposal, the legislative majority must ensure that, once again, the Hobbs agenda is stopped dead in its tracks. The Arizona Free Enterprise Club is committed to helping lead the fight to block all of Hobbs’ priorities.

Reckless Spending & A Broken Budget Proposal

First and foremost is Hobbs’ budget proposal. Last year, the legislature crafted a budget that finally slowed the spending growth in the state, but now Hobbs is proposing a $1 billion+ spending increase, representing 7.5% growth in spending over last year. If that wasn’t bad on its own, Hobbs’ proposal is a broken deficit budget. Hobbs failed to account for any formula growth in the Medicaid program, which is completely unheard of. Once included, the Hobbs budget proposal results in a $192 million deficit in 2027, growing to a staggering $390 million deficit in 2028.

Housing Costs

Included in her broken budget is one of Hobbs’ top priorities: extending and expanding the state level low-income housing tax credit, a program that is rife with fraud and abuse and comes with a $600 million price tag. Hobbs is the one who unilaterally shut down single family house development last year because of a manufactured water crisis and took illegal actions late last year to further limit homebuilding in the state, for which she is being sued. Hobbs has only added to the rise in housing costs, and her “solutions” will only continue to drive them up further. They should receive no consideration by the legislature.

Attacking School Choice

Hobbs, unsurprisingly and predictably, is back again attacking the widely popular universal ESA program, continuing to spread the lie that the program is “bankrupting the state.” The ESA program has resulted in savings for taxpayers as more and more students benefit from the program, evidenced by the fact that the state once again has a surplus. Last year she tried (and failed) to regulate the program out of existence, and this year her plan is to place income caps to kick more than 12,000 students currently benefiting from ESAs off and force them back into government schools. Hobbs calling for “accountability” in the program is especially hypocritical considering that, just a week after her State of the State address, a public school district went into state receivership for a $12 million budget shortfall after running up a debt of $28.5 million. Hobbs should start with cleaning up fraud in the public school system before taking shots at the ESA program.

Border

Though Hobbs talked tough on the border in her State of the State address, just days later she vowed not to assist the federal government in deporting illegals. This is not shocking considering that last year she vetoed the Border Security Act, which would have empowered local law enforcement to apprehend and deport individuals who enter our country illegally outside of a lawful port of entry. But the voters spoke. After being vetoed, the legislature placed it on the ballot, where it was overwhelmingly approved in November.

Hobbs’ priorities should be a nonstarter for the legislature. Her number one enemy, the ESA program, is not bankrupting the state, but her broken budget proposal certainly would. Her handout to developers by extending the low-income housing tax credit program won’t lower housing costs, but abandoning her manufactured water crisis would. And her border proposals won’t protect Arizona, but working with the Trump administration would.

Help Block the Hobbs Agenda

The Katie Hobbs Agenda should be entirely dead on arrival at the legislature.

Please SIGN THIS PETITION to urge the legislature to stand firm against the Hobbs agenda entirely!