♪♪ >> Ted: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON" IT'S THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE AND A LOOK AT THE STORIES INCLUDING A BUDGET BATTLE WITH THE GOVERNOR.

THAT'S NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE AND JOINING US IS JIM SMALL AND MARY JO PITZEL FROM THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC AND AZCENTRAL.COM AND CAMRYN SANCHEZ.

HOLY SMOKES, IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEK.

JIM, WE'LL START WITH YOU AND LET'S START WITH THE BUDGET BECAUSE THIS USUALLY TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET BUDGETS OUT.

MY GOODNESS, SO FAST.

>> SO FAST, AND AS QUICKLY AS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE.

THIS IS NOT A BUDGET IN THE TYPICAL SENSE, RIGHT.

THESE TAKE A LONG TIME AND HAMMERHAMMERED OUT AND DEVISED TO TRY TO GET 16 VOTES FROM THE SENATE AND 31 VOTES FROM THE HOUSE AND THE GOVERNOR ON BOARD AND THAT IS NOT GOING ON THIS TIME.

WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE DOING IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, THEY'RE BASICALLY TAKING THE CURRENT BUDGET, OR THE ONGOING PORTIONS, STRIPPING OUT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, THREE BILLION DOLLARS OF CURRENT SPENDING AND POSITION AING THATPOSITIONAND PASSINGTHAT ALONG THAT GOVERNMENT DOESN'T SHUT DOWN IN JUNE WHICH IS A TELL THAT SAYS WE DON'T INTEND ON NEGOTIATING A BUDGET.

WE THINK WE'LL HIT A POINT WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO SHUT THE GOVERNMENT DOWN, WHICH IS AN ODD STANCE TO TAKE IN JANUARY, WHICH IS WHEN THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING TOWN IN JULY.

>> Ted: NO INPUT FROM THE DEMOCRATS OR GOVERNOR?

>> NO.

IN THE COMMITTEE, AT LEAST IN THE SENATE, THE DEMOCRATS COULD, WELL, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS FROM A LOT OF THE POINTS JIM JUST MADE.

IT'S TWEAKED AND NEGOTIATED BY A GOVERNOR NOT IN OFFICE AND NEGOTIATED BY A LOT OF LAWMAKERS WHO AREN'T AROUND ANYMORE.

IT DOESN'T REFLECT THE CURRENT REALITY WHERE WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR WHO HAS DIFFERENT IDEAS THAN HER PREDECESSOR.

>> Ted: SO, BASICALLY, GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CALLED THIS IS A "HOLLOW POLITICAL STUNT."

>> IT'S A GOOD GAME TO PLAY AND SENT UP A BUDGET THAT WOULD KEEP GOVERNMENT RUNNING, BARE BONES AND SHE KILLS IT AND IF AND WHEN THE GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN, WE GAVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE IT AND FIX THINGS AND IN YOUR COURT AND YOU LET IT DIE, KNOWING SHE HAS TO VETO IT AND SHE'S NOT IN FAVOR AND WE ALL KNOW IT.

>> Ted: IS IT SMART TO VETO THIS SO THAT IT DOESN'T EXIST AS A BACK-STOP?

>> WELL, PROBABLY BECAUSE IF YOU GO AHEAD AND SIGN IT, THEN THERE'S -- YEAH, THERE'S 1.$8 BILLION THAT YOU CAN NEGOTIATE AND IT HAS ITEMS THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT.

>> Ted: AS OPPOSED TO LETTING IT DRAG ON AND SAY NO RIGHT OFF THE BAT, RIGHT?

>> THERE'S A TIME FRAME FOR SIGNING THE BUDGET AND I THINK IT'S FIVE DAYS.

>> IN RESPONSE TO ONE QUESTION SHE SAID SHE WOULD CONSIDER OR ONE OF HER SPOKESPEOPLE SAID SHE WOULD CONSIDER USING THE LINE ITEM AND KEEP A SMIDGE.

I DON'T KNOW.

>> Ted: WHAT DOES THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DO HERE, JIM?

>> I THINK THEY'LL SEE VERY VETO IT OR WHOLESALE, THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.

PART OF THE GAME HERE IS THAT IF SHE WERE TO SIGN THIS BUDGET, IT WOULD TAKE AWAY ANY INCENTIVE FOR REPUBLICANS TO NEGOTIATE ANY OF THE REMAINING 1.5, $1.8 BILLION IN SURPLUS.

THAT THERE WOULD BE IN REASON FOR THEM TO DO THAT AND BASICALLY JUST WALK AWAY FROM THE TABLE AT THAT POINT AND THEY'RE INCENTIVIZED NOT TO AND YOU NEGOTIATE EVERYTHING TOGETHER, RIGHT?

YOU HANDLE ALL OF THE THE SPENDING FROM THE BIGGEST PART OF GOVERNMENT TO THE SMALLEST PART AND HAMMER OUT A DEAL.

THAT WAY, EVERYBODY HAS TO GIVE A LITTLE TO GET A LITTLE.

>> Ted: WILL THE ICE THAW HERE ANY TIME SOON?

>> MAYBE SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN IN LATE JUNE.

SHUTTING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, IS NOT A POPULAR THING WITH THE PUBLIC AND AS WE'VE -- WE HAVEN'T HAD A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN ARIZONA, BUT WHEN IT'S HAPPENED ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE BLAME OFTEN GOES TO THE CONGRESS, YOU KNOW, TO THE LEGISLATIVE BODY NOT TO THE EXECUTIVE.

SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT, WE'RE FOUR WEEKS INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST SEE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE AND DEMOCRATS LIKE BOXERS IN A RING JUST PRANCING AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE OPPONENT AND IT WILL TAKE AWHILE.

>> Ted: DO YOU THINK THE ICE COULD THAW AND USING THAT ANALOGY?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE AWHILE BEFORE SOMEONE SWALLOWS THEIR PRIDE.

YOU CAN DO IT AND NO, YOU CAN DO IT AND HOBBS SAYING I HAVE AN OPEN POLICY AND COME AND TALK TO US AT OUR DON'T AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH DOOR IT IS.

[ Laughter ] >> AND POINTING AT THE GALLERY AND LEGISLATIVE LIAISON, WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU DOWN HERE.

COME AND NEGOTIATE WITH US.

I DON'T KNOW WHOSE FAULT IT IS.

I HUNG OUT WITH A LIAISON ALL OF THE TIME AND NO ONE IS COMING TO THE TABLE.

>> Ted: REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING, NO, WE HAVEN'T HAD DEMOCRATIC INPUT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T INPUT ANYTHING.

>> LET BE HONEST, THIS WHOLE THING, THIS WAS ANNOUNCED BEFORE -- THIS WAS THEIR PLAN BEFORE THE GOVERNOR RELEASED THE BUDGET IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SESSION.

THE DAY BEFORE THEY CAME OUT AND TRIED TO TRUMP HER ANNOUNCEMENT AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO SEND YOU SOMETHING AND WE'LL HANDLE IT THIS WAY.

THEY TELEGRAPHED WHAT THEY WOULD DO AND, MINE, I MEAN, TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT HOW WILL THEY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WORK, I DON'T KNOW.

HONESTLY, AT THIS POINT, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE LOCKED IN THESE, YOU KNOW, REALLY SHARP ELBOWS, THE REPUBLICANS AND LEGISLATURE ARE THROWING SHARP ELBOWS AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE GOVERNOR HASN'T RESPONDED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND TAKING A WAIT-AND-SEE APPROACH TO LETTING THE LEGISLATURE DO WHAT IT WILL DO AND I DON'T KNOW YET EXACTLY HOW THEY'LL RESPOND TO POINT IT.

>> THE GOVERNOR HAS RESPONDED BY BRANDISHING HER VETO STAMP AND CONTINUING TO REPEAT WHAT SHE'S BEEN SAYING SINCE THE DAY SHE WAS SWORN IN.

SEND ME A LEGISLATION THAT DEALS WITH REAL ISSUES AND LET'S NOT DO THIS MONKEY BUSINESS AND I'M NOT TRYING TO LOOK LIKE THE ADULT AND EVERYBODY IS CLAMORING TO GET SOMETHING DONE RIGHT NOW.

TO THE POINT HOW THE REPUBLICANS CAME OUT WITH THIS CONTINUATION BUDGET BEFORE THE GOVERNOR PRODUCED HERS, CONTRARY TO WHAT I HEARD A FEW STATE SENATORS SAID, THE GOVERNOR A OBLIGED TO PUT OUT A BUDGET AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OFFICE, BUT THEY WERE DISMISSING IT BEFORE THEY SAW IT.

>> Ted: INTERESTING.

SO WE GOT THE TWO BOXERS CIRCLING THE RING AND THEN WE COME TO THE NOMINATIONS FOR AGENCY HEADS AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS AND OH, MY GOODNESS, HOW WE SEEING HAY MAKERS AND REPUBLICANS AT THE STATE CAPITOL SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE RULES TO MAKE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SAY IT THAT WAY, BUT IT COMES OFF THAT WAY AND THIS WEEK, WE FOUND OUT -- ACTUALLY YESTERDAY, WE WERE CHANGING THE SENATE RULES AGAIN.

THE SENATE IS THE GROUP THAT HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THE GOVERNOR'S NOMINATIONS AND THE FOR HAS TO GONE HAS GOVERN HAS TO POINT AND THEY WANT THOUGH NOMINATIONS TO COME TO THEM AND NOT CLEAR WHAT THEY'LL DO ONCE WE GET THEM, BUT THEY ARE SAYING HOBBS HAS BEEN DRAGGING HER FEET AND THEY'VE GOTTEN TWO OR THREE NAMES SO FAR.

YOU HAVE TO OFFICIALLY SEND THEM TO THE SENATE.

IN THE PAST, THOSE NOMINEES ARE HEARD IN THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE AND THE EXAMPLE I USED WAS, I THINK, THE WATER AND ENERGY COMMITTEE BECAUSE ADWR MAKES SENSE AND A NEW COMMITTEE, THE DINO, DIRECTOR OF NOMINATION COMMITTEE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE CHAIRED BY JAKE HOFFMAN WHO DOESN'T REALLY LIKE HOBS AND THAT IS STARTING NEXT WEEK.

>> Ted: THIS IS A BRAND NEW COMMITTEE WHERE THERE ONCE WAS NONE AND STANDING COMMITTEES TOOK THIS, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

THAT'S THE WAY IT'S WORKED AND IN THE MODERN POLITICAL AIR ERA AND IT'S TO FORCE ALL OF HOBBS' CABINET APPOINTEES TO GO BEFORE THIS ONE SINGLE COMMITTEE THAT IS, AS CAMERON SAID, LEAD BY A FIERCE AND VOCAL OPPONENT OF KATIE HOBBS.

INSTEAD OF PARSING THIS WORK OUT TO BUSY DOING OTHER WORK AND HEARING LEGISLATION AND CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS SOLELY ON DOING THIS ONE TASK AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL COME OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE HEARINGS, ONCE THEY VET THESE NOMINEES SHOULD BE GOOD WATCHING FOR ALL OF US AT THE CAPITOL.

>> I'M CURIOUS HOW THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S BEEN TRADITIONALLY DONE.

SENATE STAFF DOES DO SOME BACKGROUNDING ON THESE PEOPLE.

I MEAN, THE NOMINEES SENDS IN BASIC INFORMATION OR A CV.

MEDIA IS DOING BACKGROUNDING ON THIS, AS WELL, AND GOOD TO VET THEM AND THE QUESTION OF WHAT WILL THIS -- WILL THIS BE A PROCTOLOGY EXAM.

>> Ted: IS THIS SOMETHING WE DUE DURINGSAW DURING THE DUCEY ADMINISTRATION?

>> THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT IS THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOREVER.

I DON'T REMEMBER EVEN WRITING ABOUT IT LAST YEAR BECAUSE THIS IS A PERSON, THEY SEEM FINE AND GREAT, WE'RE DONE AND THIS YEAR, I EXPECT IT TO BE MORE, LIKE, WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THE JUSTICE, K KETANJE BROWN-JACKSON AND WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THIS?

>> Ted: THIS CAN SWIRL IN WAYS -- WHAT DO WE EXPECT?

>> I THINK THEY'LL BE CONTENT JUST, BY AND LARGE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL GOVERNOR HOBBS' APPOINTEES THAT HAVE RAISED THE HACKLES OF STATE LEGISLATURES AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS ONE, CORRECTIONS AND DPS ARE OTHER ONES THAT REPUBLICANS IN PARTICULAR ARE CONCERNED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THOSE ROLES.

AND I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, AS MARY JO SAID, THERE WILL BE VERY IN DEPTH QUESTIONING AND TO CAMERON'S POINT PULLING IN NEWS OF THE DAY TO GET THEM ON THE RECORD FOR PURELY POLITICAL REASONS.

>> Ted: GIVE US THE SCHEMATICS AND THE FIRST HEARING IS NEXT THURSDAY AND WHAT HAPPENS?

LET SAY THAT I WANT TO BE THE HEAD OF THE PUPPY'S AND KITTEN'S COMMITTEE AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

DOES THE COMMITTEE SAY NOPE, WE'RE VOTING THEM DOWN?

OR DOES THE GOVERNOR TAKE HER SWEET TIME IN COMPLYING?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE COMMITTEE WILL DO THIS THURSDAY.

IT'S FIVE MEMBERS, THREE REPUBLICANS AND TWO DEMOCRATS AND THEY'LL HAVE TO SET UP A PROTOCOL.

THEY'LL SCHEDULE AN AGENCY NOMINEE, A, B AND C AND THEY'LL BE A CHANCE FOR THE PERP PERSON TO INTRODUCE HIM OR HERSELF.

AND THE COMMITTEE THEN WILL VOTE UP OR DOWN.

IF THEY DON'T GET PASSED THE COMMITTEE, THEY'RE NOT ADVANCING.

HOWEVER, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT ANY AGENCY APPOINTEE CAN STAY FOR UP TO A YEAR WITHOUT SENATE CONFIRMATION.

AND THEN, FRANKLY, THE GOVERNOR COULD REAPPOINT THEM IN EARLY 2024 IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THAT GAME.

>> Ted: THERE'S A CHANCE THAT SOME NOMINEES COULD BE VOTED DOWN AND NEVER MAKE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE.

>> VERY POSSIBLE.

>> THE QUESTION IS, WHY?

I MEAN, YOU WANT QUALIFIED PEOPLE RUNNING STATE AGENCIES.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S GOT TO VET THEM.

WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE IF ANYBODY IS REJECTED AND IF AN AGENCY DIRECTOR IS REJECTED AND THE BASIS.

THERE'S DEFERENCE TO THE EXECUTIVE WHO MAKES THESE APPOINTMENTS.

>> Ted: JIM, LET'S MOVE ONTO THE INAUGURATION FUND AND MONEY MISSING FROM THE INITIAL ONE.

>> MONEY UNACCOUNTED FOR IN TERMS OF THE TOP LINE RAISED REMEMBERVERSUS 200 SOME ODD THOUSAND -- 270.

>> $270,000 THAT IS SO FAR UNACCOUNTED FOR IN TERMS OF WHO GAVE IT AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM.

THE RECORDKEEPING ON THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE BEEN -- THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN THE I'S DOTTED AND T'S CROSSED CONTINUING TO TAKE WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A ONE OR TWO-DAY STORY IN WEEK FOUR OR FIVE AND HAVING ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.

>> AND SPREAD OUT OVER THREE OR FOUR COMMITTEES AND STACIE WAS TOLD THAT THE DEADLINE FOR A REPORT NOW ISN'T DUE FOR MONTHS.

AND SO MAYBE THERE WILL BE A DISCLOSURE IN THAT AND SO SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GET THE NUMBERS TO ADD UP.

IT CAME UP TO, THOUGH, $1.9 MILLION FOR THE HOBBS' INAUGURATION.

THERE'S LEFTOVER MONEY.

>> Ted: DIDN'T IT COST A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

>> YOU HAVE OTHER PURPOSES AND THINGS THAT YOU COULD USE THE MONEY LEGALLY.

>> Ted: WHY THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT STARTS OFF LIKE A SMALL STORY AND JUST BECOMES MORE AND MORE OF A THINGS AND HOBBS SAID THIS WEEK, SHE JUST DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT AND THAT WON'T WORK WITH US.

WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND SHE WOULDN'T TELL US WHO GAVE WHAT MONEY AND NO, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AND WE GOT A LIST AND NOT THE WHOLE LIST AND THIS WEEK, SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ON THE LIST DIDN'T ACTUALLY GIVE OR SAY THEY DIDN'T.

AND THEN THE QUESTION OF WHAT SHE DOES WITH THIS MONEY.

THE SENATE LEADERS, THE REPUBLICAN LEADERS AND LEGISLATURE WANT THE PAWN MONEY TO VARIOUS PROTOCOL FUND.

>> Ted: SEEMS LIKE AN UNFORCED ERROR, JIM.

IT'S UNNECESSARY.

>> YES, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THERE'S A WAY THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN HANDLED IN THE PAST AND KIND OF RELIABLY HANDLED AND THIS MONEY DOES GO INTO THE PROTOCOL FUND AND PARKED IN A 501C4 ENTITY THAT CAMPAIGN AIDS MADE AND THOSE ARE THE GROUP TAZ AREGROUPSUSED FOR DARK POLITICS AND INCLUDING CAMPAIGNING TOWN THE ROAD.

CAMPAIGNING DOWN THE ROAD.

>> Ted: YOU WOULD WANT TO BE AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE.

LET'S TALK THE SIGNATURES THAT SEEM TO BE ON THE INTERNET?

WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> WELL, SECRETARY FONTES IS WASTING NO TIME DELVING INTO HIS NEW JOB AND WAS PICKING UP ON DISCLOSURES BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE ABOUT TEN DAYS EARLIER, WHERE THERE WAS, I GUESS, A CONSULTANT WHO CAME IN AND SCRUTINIZED A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THE MARICOPA COUNTY DATA FROM THE 2020 ELECTION.

SHE GOT ALL OF THE DATA FROM THE SENATE WHICH RECEIVED IT BECAUSE OF THEIR WHOLE AUDIT AND THEY WERE THROWING UP ON THE SCREEN, YOU KNOW, THE SAMPLES OF VOTER SIGNATURES AND SHOWING THESE THINGS ARE MISMATCHED.

FONTES SAYS YOU CANNOT MAKE PUBLIC VOTER SIGNATURES.

WELL, IT WAS SENATE COMMITTEE, IT'S BEEN RETWEETED AND KARI LAKE PICKED IT UP AND HE SORT OF PICKED MISS LAKE AS A GREAT CHANCE TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE AND CAN'T SHARE THIS INFORMATION PUBLICALLY.

SENT IT TO ATTORNEY GENERAL MAYES AND I'M SURE WE WON'T HEAR ANYTHING FOR AWHILE.

>> Ted: AGAIN, WE SHOULD NOTE THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS A DEMOCRAT, KARI LAKE NOT A DEMOCRAT.

>> VERY DECIDEDLY NOT A DEMOCRAT.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM MAYES AND NOT 100% SURE WHAT SHE'LL DO AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT, AND THEY BALLOTED OUT THE ADDRESSES AND YOU CERTAINLY COULDN'T SEE WHO THE PEOPLE WERE VOTING FOR AND I WAS, LIKE, THOSE ARE NAMES AND VOTERS.

THOSE ARE SIGNATURES.

>> Ted: THEY ARE AND WHAT, TWEETED BY THE LAKE CAMPAIGN AND WHOEVER IS DOING THE TWEETING FOR HER.

>> KARI LAKE TWEETED THEM OUT AND TOOK THE IMAGE AND TWEETED IT OUT AND TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, HERE IS EVIDENCE AT THE ELECTION MALFEASANCE AND WHAT WAS FASCINATING TO ME IS THE FACT THEY GOT THIS ADVOCACY GROUP, GOT THIS INFORMATION FROM THE SENATE.

>> YES.

>> IF WE CAN REMEMBER ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE REMEMBER OF 2021, WHEN THE SENATE SUBPOENAED MARICOPA COUNTY FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION, THE COUNTY FOUGHT IT AND WENT TO COURT AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT IN COURT WAS THAT THE INFORMATION WAS GOING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WOULD BE CONFIDENTIAL AND THE JUDGE LETTING THE SUBPOENA GO FORWARD AND THE SENATE HAD TO GUARANTEE THAT CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WOULD NOT BE SHARED AND NOT GO BEYOND THE SENATE AND PEOPLE LEGALLY AUTHORIZED TO SEE IT.

WILL, IWELL, I DON'T KNOW THIS GROUP THAT GOT THE DATA WAS AMONG THOSE PEOPLE.

THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN TERMS OF WHY DID FORMER SENATOR KAREN PHANN GIVE THIS OUT TO A GROUP PEDALING ELECTION CONSPIRACIES AND VERY MUCH NOT ABOVE THE BOARD ACTOR HERE.

FOR TWO YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE OF THE DIFFERENT IDEAS AND REASONS WHY THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED AND STOLEN AND GIVING ANYONE WHO WAS OUTSIDE OF THE SENATE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CONTRACTORS THIS DATA SHOULD BE A PROBLEM FOR THE COURT AND I THINK THIS IS KIND OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THE COUNTY HAD ON ITS MIND, THINGS LIKE THIS.

WHEN THEY DRUG THEIR FEET AND REFUSED TO TURN THIS DATA OVER.

>> Ted: A LOT OF PEOPLE ED THIS PEOPLE HAD THAT ON THEIR MIND.

>> FOR THE SIGNATURES FONTES IS TAKING EXCEPTION, IT WASN'T JUST LAKE, BUT IT'S ALL OVER TWITTER.

SO YOU WONDER, ARE THERE MORE REFERRALS TO COME?

>> Ted: YES.

>> IF YOU MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF ANYBODY, YOU PICK A HIGH PROFILE PERSON.

>> I HAVE SCREENSHOTS ON MY PHONE.

>> WATCH OUT, CAMERON, WE NEED YOU ON THIS PHONE.

>> Ted: WE'LL MISS YOU WHILE YOU'RE GONE.

WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THIS BEFORE, CUTTING MARICOPA COUNTY AND IT'S BACK AND REARED ITS HEAD AGAIN AND IS THIS GOING ANYWHERE?

THE OTHERS DIDN'T.

>> IT WAS HOFFMAN WHO WANTED TO SPLIT OFF MAYOR KOA MARICOPA AND IT WAS RUSTY BOWERS AND IT DIED QUICKLY AND WE ALL MOVED ONTO OTHER THINGS.

IT CAME BACK THIS YEAR AND IN TWO BILLS, TWO BILLED, ONE BILLS, ONE IN THE HOUSE, ONE IN THE SENATE AND MOVING ALONG FASTER THAN THE OTHER ONE AND I DON'T BELIEVE HOBBS WOULD SUPPORT THIS AND THE ACCUSATION FROM DEMOCRATS, I THINK, THIS IS RETALIATION FROM MARICOPA COUNTY BEING LIBERAL AND/OR AGAINST THE ELECTION STUFF.

>> Ted: MARY JO, IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT?

THE ARGUMENTS THAT YOU'RE A PARTY OF SMALL GOVERNMENTS.

>> THE ARGUMENT IS THAT THE SMALLER GOVERNMENTS ARE DIFFERENT IN THE BE BEHEMOUTH OF MARICOPA.

IF YOU NOTICED IN 2020 AND 2022 WANT2022, THEY REJECTED AND THIS LEAD TO SECRETARY OF STATE AND AG VICTORIES FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

>> Ted: THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS LOOKING TO EXPAND AND THEY HAVE EIGHT TO 16 AND IS THIS AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF MARICOPA COUNTY?

>> YOU CAN MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT FIVE SUPERVISORS FOR A COUNTY DECIDES IS TOO FEW.

IT'S NOT RESPONDTIVE.

RESPONSIVE.

IF YOU LIVE IN A COUNTY ISLAND OR INCORPORATED AREA, IT'S MORE.

THE VAST MAJORITY LIVE IN A MUNICIPALITY AND SO, I THINK THEY'RE GENERAL POINT OF CONTACT ISN'T MARICOPA COUNTY AND THAT WOULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE TO DOING THIS.

I DON'T THINK IT GETS AT THE POINT WHERE MARY JO IS TALKING ABOUT.

THIS PLAN, IT COULD CARVE OUT, BASICALLY, THREE REPUBLICAN COUNTIES AND ONE DEMOCRATIC COUNTY.

I'M SURE THEY JUST SCRIBABLED SCRIBBLED THINGS ON THE MAP.

WE HAVE A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AND IT IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TIED UP IN THAT WITH PROPERTY TAXES AND EVERYTHING.

YOU WOULD HAVE ONE COUNTY IF YOU SPLIT THIS UP TO GET THAT AND THE OTHER THREE WOULD LOSE A LOT WHICH WOULD MEAN RAISING TAXES TO FUND BASIC COUNTY SERVICES.

>> Ted: SOUNDS LIKE TAXES WOULD GO UP AND AS JIM MENTIONED, YOU HAVE TO DIVI THINGS UP TO MAKE THE SEPARATION, WHO WILL GET WHAT?

>> WE'RE NOT SURE.

THE IDEA IS CONDENSING THIS INTO A LITTLE TINY BLUE PHOENIX AND THEN SCOTTSDALE REPUBLICAN COUNTY IN WHATEVER THAT BIG ONE IS OVER THERE COUNTY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE DIVID UP THE DANGER OF DEMOCRATS.

>> Ted: LAST POINT, WILL THIS GO ANYWHERE, DO YOU THINK?

>> IT'S A DIFFERENT LEGISLATURE.

THIS YEAR, THERE'S NO RUSTY BOWERS AND YEAH, I THINK IT COULD GO FAR GIVEN THE MAJORITY, THE MAKEUP OF THE MAJORITIES.

BUT IT WILL PROBABLY NOT GET FAR UP ON THE NINTH FLOOR.

>> Ted: GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.