First Amendment Archives

Fountain Hills Council Declines to Advance Skillicorn’s Sharia Ban

October 22, 2026 8:50 amOctober 22, 2026 8:51 am

The Fountain Hills Town Council declined to advance Councilman Allen Skillicorn’s proposed ban on Sharia law Tuesday night, following a meeting during which Muslim community members questioned the need for the ordinance and pleaded for greater understanding of their faith....

Senator Kelly’s War With Secretary Hegseth Escalates With Latest Call for Firing

October 14, 2026 11:51 amOctober 16, 2026 6:51 am

The long, bitter feud between Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reached a new level of acrimony on Friday with the lawmaker’s call for the firing of Hegseth after the latter’s controversial announcement that...

Dysart School Board Cuts Public Comment Time in Half

October 13, 2026 9:36 amOctober 14, 2026 7:29 am

Dysart Unified School District (DUSD) reduced the public speaking limit from three minutes to one and a half minutes for the second time at the October 5, 2026, board meeting. Board members did not formally discuss or vote on the...

Deer Valley Censures Board of Education Member Over Mistimed “Nazi Salute”

October 9, 2026 7:59 amOctober 12, 2026 10:09 am

Deer Valley Board of Education voted to reprimand board member Kim Fisher over an offensive hand gesture she made during a meeting earlier this year. At the May 26, 2026, board meeting, Fisher used a Nazi salute as a way...

EXCLUSIVE: Councilman Moving Forward On Ordinance To Ban Sharia Law From Fountain Hills

September 23, 2026 1:15 pmSeptember 24, 2026 11:56 am

During the future agenda items section of September 15 meeting, which also proclaimed Sept. 17-23 “Constitution Week,” Fountain Hills councilman Allen Skillicorn requested a “Florida-style ordinance banning Sharia law” from the town. Councilmembers Hannah Larrabee and Rick Watts supported the...

Kavanagh Demands AG Investigation into City Speech Violation

September 18, 2024 5:00 amOctober 24, 2024 7:57 am

AZ Senator John Kavanagh (R-LD3) is demanding that AG Kris Mayes formally investigate the City of Surprise over the arrest of a resident for criticizing the city council. The Arizona Globe first reported on this on September 4, 2024, after...