The West Archives - The Minnesota Sun

Charlie Kirk and Tucker Carlson Kick Off Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2021 Conference in Phoenix

December 19, 2021 Rachel Alexander

Turning Point USA is holding their annual AmericaFest 2021 conference this weekend in Phoenix, where they are based. Founder Charlie Kirk and Fox News personality Tucker Carlson spoke Friday on opening night.

Kirk opened the event, hitting on a lot of social and cultural issues during his speech. He told the attendees not to let it bother them when the left calls them names for saying something true. He acknowledged that it’s so bad that if you speak out, “you might not be able to get a job in your field.”

Trump Endorsed Arizona Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Kari Lake Talks Poll Lead and Fake News

December 11, 2021 Julie Carr

Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Republican Arizona Gubernatorial Candidate Kari Lake to the newsmakers line to talk about her recent endorsement by Donald Trump, her goals, and the fake news.

Students Behind Viral Arizona State University Video Face Code of Conduct Charges, Faculty Say That Is Racist

November 22, 2021November 21, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Screen cap of student with a laptop that has a "Police Matter" sticker on it.

Faculty members are pushing back against Arizona State University for charging Code of Conduct violations against the female students who attempted to kick out two White men from the school’s Multicultural Community of Excellence Center earlier this year.

Campus Reform obtained a copy of the email asking faculty and staff to sign an “internal letter requesting that the University Administration revoke Code of Conduct violation charges against” the students behind the now viral video from September.

Leah Sarat, an associate professor of Religious Studies, sent the mass email, which was co-signed by 11 other individuals, on Nov. 2.

Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai to Hold Forum on Arizona Audit Findings

October 14, 2021October 14, 2021 Cooper Moran

Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, who wrote the portion of the Maricopa County ballot audit addressing the signatures on the return envelopes of mail-in ballots, is holding a forum on Thursday to discuss findings of the Arizona election audit.

When addressing the findings, Ayyadurai invited members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to answer any concerns over the procedures.

Arizona Senate President Warns State Could Take Control of Maricopa Election After Audit Red Flags

October 2, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Following the release of explosive findings by an independent forensic audit of the 2020 election in Arizona’s Maricopa County, the state may step in to assume direct control of election administration there before the next election, Arizona Senate President Karen Fann hinted Friday.

The long-awaited results of an outside audit of the county’s 2020 election process were announced Sept. 24. While confirming the rough accuracy of county vote tabulation giving Joe Biden a razor-thin victory in Arizona, the auditors flagged more than 50,000 suspect ballots for further investigation of issues ranging from people voting from addresses from which they had already moved to residents voting twice.

Brnovich Demands Maricopa County Freeze All Materials Related to 2020 Election

September 29, 2021 Rachel Alexander

In response to the report released last week about the Maricopa County ballot audit, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s Election Integrity Unit sent a letter to Maricopa County instructing the recorder and supervisors to preserve all records related to the 2020 election in preparation for litigation. He also sent a letter to the Arizona Senate requesting more information related to the audit.

“The Arizona Senate’s report that was released on Friday raises some serious questions regarding the 2020 election,” Brnovich said in a statement about the letters. “Arizonans can be assured our office will conduct a thorough review of the information we receive.”

Maricopa County Audit Results Reveal Someone Was Caught on Video Illegally Deleting Hundreds of Thousands of Election Files the Day Before the Audit Started

September 25, 2021September 25, 2021 Rachel Alexander

Arizona Senate Republicans issued the results of the independent ballot audit they conducted of the 2020 presidential and U.S. Senate election in Maricopa County on September 24 during a presentation, revealing findings that numerous election laws were broken and security measures breached.

The most startling finding came from Ben Cotton, the founder of CyFIR. He said hundreds of thousands of election files — which the Maricopa County Supervisors refused to allow the auditors to examine — were deleted the day before the audit began, a violation of federal law which requires federal election records to be retained for 22 months. Although the name of the account that deleted them was not tied to a specific election worker, Cotton said there is video of the person who accessed those servers at that time.

Arizona Attorney General Signals Readiness to Investigate Election Irregularities Uncovered Audit

September 24, 2021September 24, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich declared Friday he would take “all necessary actions” to investigate any irregularities uncovered by a state Senate-order audit of the November 2020 election in his state.

His comments on Twitter came as leaked copies of the draft audit flagged tens of thousands of ballots cast in the last election as suspect and requiring more investigation.

The drafts recommended the Republican attorney general take the lead investigating many of the issues, including a possible canvas of voters flagged as having problems.

‘The Numbers Are Skewed’: Colorado Officials Warn of Inflated COVID Death Statistics

September 20, 2021September 19, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Multiple public officials in Colorado are warning that the state’s official COVID-19 death count is skewed due to the practice of conflating patients who have died directly due to the disease with those who have merely tested positive for it prior to death.

Data experts and health officials have long struggled to separate out those two key data points in government tallies of COVID deaths, leading to accusations that the death rate for the disease is being inflated modestly or even significantly.

Multiple public officials in Colorado, meanwhile, told “Full Measure” host Sharyl Attkisson that they had personally observed death tallies that erred on the side of COVID, leading to death counts that were effectively misleading to the public.

Arizona Attorney General Says Tucson Vaccine Mandate Violates State Law

September 9, 2021September 8, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

A law mandating the COVID-19 vaccine among Tucson city employees is illegal, according to Arizona’s Attorney General.

“Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that his office (AGO) determined the City of Tucson’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for public employees does violate state law for purposes of S.B. 1487, and also is in direct conflict with the Governor’s Executive Order 2021-18,” a press release from Brnovich’s office said.

Texas Congressman Calls for Impeachment of Biden over Immigration Policy

August 5, 2021August 4, 2021 The Center Square

Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy is calling for the impeachment of President Joe Biden and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, citing their “reckless immigration policy” that many lawmakers argue is endangering the lives of Texans and Americans.

“Total encounters: 205,029. Total known getaways: 37,400. 1.3 million for 2021 so far. Largest monthly encounter number since 2000,” Roy tweeted.

Arizona Senate President Karen Fann and Audit Liaison Ken Bennett Confirm Bennett Will Remain as Senate Liaison, Pledge Bennett Will Have ‘Full Access’

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 Cooper Moran

Arizona Senate President Karen Fann released a statement on Friday that confirmed former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett will continue to serve as the Senate’s Liason to the ongoing audit.

Further, Fann promised that Bennett will be granted “full access” to all aspects of the forensic audit, after Bennett threatened to leave the post earlier this week.

Twitter Suspends Accounts Documenting Arizona Audit

July 29, 2021July 28, 2021 Corinne Murdock

Twitter permanently suspended several accounts dedicated to documenting the Arizona audit. The social media giant also permanently suspended other similar or affiliated accounts covering the audit or calls for an audit in Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

The suspended accounts were: @arizonaaudit, @AuditWarRoom, @AuditMichigan, @AuditWisconsin, @AuditNevada, @AuditGeorgia, @Audit_Arizona and @Audit_PA. The latter 7 accounts are associated with an Instagram account, @auditwarroom, that hasn’t been suspended from the Facebook-owned platform. That account notified the public that it joined GETTR, a social media platform created by former President Donald Trump’s aide Jason Miller.

Social Justice Group Tells White Dallas Residents Not to Send Kids to Ivy League Schools

July 27, 2021July 26, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

A letter sent from a social justice group called Dallas Justice Now asking white parents not to send their children to Ivy League or U.S. News and World Report Top 50 College is circulating the web.

“We are writing to you because we understand that you are white and live within the Highland Park Independent School District and thus benefit from enormous privilege taken at the expense of communities of color,” the letter says. “Whether you know it or not, you earned or inherited your money through oppressing people of color. However, it is also our understanding that you are a Democrat and supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement which makes you one of our white allies and puts you in a position to help correct these cruel injustices. We need you to step up and back up your words with action and truly sacrifice to make our segregated city more just.”

‘Global Health Threat’: Untreatable Fungus Spreading In DC, Dallas, CDC Says

July 26, 2021July 25, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

An untreatable fungus is spreading in health facilities in Washington, D.C., and Dallas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC issued an update Thursday regarding Candida auris, an emerging strain of fungus resistant to medication causing infections, fever and death. The fungus was detected in two hospitals in Dallas and a nursing home in Washington, D.C., the Associated Press reported.

Thousands Attend Trump Rally in Phoenix, Hosted by Turning Point Action and Featuring GOP Candidates

July 25, 2021July 25, 2021 Laura Baigert

PHOENIX, Arizona – The Star News Network Wire Service – The energy of the thousands of attendees of former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, hosted by Turning Point Action at the Phoenix Federal Theater, carried over to the constant stream of Republican politicians who appeared over the more than three hours of the event prior to the the former president taking the stage.

Trump took advantage of the “Protect Our Elections” theme to detail many of the November 2020 election irregularities in Arizona and other states, as well as to thank the “brave and unyielding warriors in the Arizona State Senate,” who initiated the forensic audit in Maricopa County.

Former President Trump Holds Rally in Phoenix, Highlights Election Security

July 24, 2021July 24, 2021 Laura Baigert

PHOENIX, Arizona – The Star News Network Wire Service – Former President Trump took the stage to thunderous applause at his rally in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, where he highlighted efforts across the country he said are needed to ensure the integrity of elections.

“Thank you to Charlie [Kirk] for that introduction which was so beautiful, and for your fearless leadership at Turning Point Action and Turning Point USA,” Trump told the crowd as he began his speech at 3:55 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

“Let me also express my appreciation to the thousands of bold, young, and proud American Patriots that are with us today. What a crowd, what a crowd … You are the pulse of our movement, you are the ones who will make America Great Again,” the 45th President of the United States added.

Former President Trump to Hold Phoenix Rally on July 24

July 10, 2021July 9, 2021 Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will hold a rally in Phoenix, Arizona to highlight election security efforts.

Trump is hosting the rally, dubbed “Rally to protect Our Elections,” in connection with Turning Point USA — the group’s founder Charlie Kirk announced in a tweet.

Arizona Secretary of State Requests Investigation into Former President Trump and Allies for ‘Election interference’

July 9, 2021July 8, 2021 Cooper Moran

Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Secretary of State who recently launched a bid for governor, sent a letter to Attorney General Mark Brnovich and requested that he open an investigation into former President Donald Trump and his allies over allegations of “election interference.”

“I urge you to take action not only to seek justice in this instance, but to prevent future attempts to interfere with the integrity of our elections. If your ethical duties prevent you from investigating this matter, I ask that you refer it to another enforcement agency,” Hobbs said in her letter to Brnovich.

Newsom Recall Election Date Set for September 14

July 4, 2021July 3, 2021 The Center Square

The recall election of California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been set for September 14.

Registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail whether they asked for one or not by mid-August.

“Gavin Newsom and his allies have tried every trick in the book to avoid this day of reckoning,” Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley said in a statement. Kiley, who has been asked by constituents to run for governor, said he will make an announcement about his own role in the recall “very soon.” He says the recall presents Californians with an opportunity “to turn the page on this era of corruption in California.”

Newsom’s campaign argues the election is “a naked attempt by Trump Republicans to grab control in California” and called on his supporters to “defend our state.”

Trump Pledges to Never Give Ducey His Endorsement

June 25, 2021June 24, 2021 Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump released a statement blasting Arizona Governor Doug Ducey for his lack of support in examining concerns of election security for the November 2020 election.

Additionally, Trump pledged to never give Ducey his endorsement, should Ducey elect to run for another office. The two-term Governor is prevented from running for re-election due to the state’s term limit rules.

Arizona Lawmakers Approve Mandated Investigations into Mismatched Ballot Signatures

June 23, 2021June 22, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

The Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives passed an amendment to an election integrity bill Monday that would require county attorneys or the state Attorney General’s office to investigate mismatched signatures on early voting ballots.

The amendment to SB 1241 by Rep. John Kavanagh (R-District 23) is meant to protect the integrity of early voting, and Arizona’s elections as a whole according to the representative.

Arizona Republicans Negotiate Budget, State Debt Paydown

June 20, 2021June 19, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Two Arizona lawmakers are attempting to make changes to the state’s budget bills, which held up the signing of the law last week.

“The changes include smaller tax cuts until actual revenue comes in above projections and a much larger paydown of state debt,” as reported by Fox 10.

GoDaddy Founder Bob Parsons Funds Tuition for Illegal Immigrant Students in Arizona

February 10, 2020February 11, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

A new scholarship from the founder of GoDaddy will cover tuition for illegal immigrant students at Arizona State University.

Opponents of Immigration Enforcement Suffer Another Loss at the Ballot Box

November 18, 2019November 17, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

A former GOP congressman declared victory in a Colorado mayoral election days after Election Day, marking yet another defeat for anti-ICE activists and other immigration enforcement opponents who failed to mobilize voters in 2019.

Bureau of Land Management Sells Over 660 Acres for $171 Million in Southern Nevada’s Las Vegas Valley

September 2, 2019September 1, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management sold more than 660 acres of public land for over $171.2 million, money that will go toward funding other projects on federal public lands.

Trump Jr. Speaks to Crowd Gathered for ‘Symposium at the Wall’

July 27, 2019May 21, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

The “Symposium at the Wall” continued Friday in Sunland Park, New Mexico with a number of panelists and speakers exploring the “burdens illegal immigration places on our country.”

Conservative Powerhouses Head to the Border for ‘Symposium at the Wall’

July 26, 2019May 21, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

A number of big names in conservative politics are heading to Sunland Park, New Mexico for the first-ever “Symposium at the Wall.”

Work Resumes on Private Border Wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Construction has resumed on the three-quarters of a mile private border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico, according to KOB. Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea backtracked on Thursday on his claim the wall violated city law and that it was too high. “Upon further investigation, we have determined this…

Arizona’s Tucson Border Chief Villareal: Drug Traffickers Using Migrant Crisis to Import Illicit Narcotics

May 27, 2019May 26, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins Border Patrol Tucson Sector Chief Roy Villareal broke down how drug traffickers are taking advantage of the immigration crisis at the U.S. southern border, a situation he said will continue without help from Congress. “This appears to be a growing trend — something that we experienced before, but…

More Local Governments in Colorado Pass Moratoriums on Oil and Gas Development Because of New Regulations

May 21, 2019May 20, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Derek Draplin Berthoud and Broomfield are the latest local governments in Colorado to implement a moratorium on oil and gas development following passage of new industry regulations signed into law last month. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the state’s regulatory body, issued “objective criteria” that will require…

Denver Teachers Strike Over Pay

February 12, 2019February 11, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Denver teachers went on strike Monday after failing to reach a deal with administrators on pay. The school district said schools will remain open during the strike and will be staffed by administrators and substitute teachers. However, the district has canceled classes for 5,000 preschool children because it doesn’t have…

Colorado State Senate Votes to Strip the People’s Voice in Presidential Elections

February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jay Whig Colorado, having cast its electoral votes for a loser in the 2016 presidential election, may not be content merely to be a one-time loser. The Colorado State Senate voted Tuesday – along party lines – to adopt Senate Bill 19-042, a bill to require that Colorado’s electors…

Martha McSally Will be Appointed to John McCain’s Seat

December 19, 2018December 18, 2018 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Henry Rodgers Arizona Republican Rep. Martha McSally will be appointed to John McCain’s former Senate seat after Republican Sen. Jon Kyl announced he is resigning from the U.S. Senate at the end of December. Gov. Doug Ducey, announced in a Tuesday statement that McSally will be taking the seat.…