♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," IT'S THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES INCLUDING ASU'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE 2022 GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE DEBATE.

JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE IS NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY, AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE, AND JOINING US TONIGHT, MARY JO PITZL OF "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC" AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

HOWIE FISCHER OF CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES AND JEREMY DUDA OF AXIOS PHOENIX.

JEREMY'S WIFE WORKS FOR ARIZONA PBS.

PANEL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

MARY JO START WITH THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, ACTUALLY THAT ROOM, YOUR PAPER, "ARIZONA REPUBLIC" WITH A STORY REGARDING THE DEBATE DEBATE.

WHY WAS THE STORY UPDATED.

WHAT DID WE LEARN?

>> IT CAME FROM MY COLLEAGUE, AND AFTER IN 2022 WHEN KARI LAKE DENIED OR DECLINED BEING ON THE DEBATE STAGE AT ASU IN A CLEAN ELECTIONS DEBATE BECAUSE KATIE HOBBS HAD SAID SHE'S -- EXCUSE ME, I GOT THAT BACKWARD.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY.

>> KATIE HOBBS SAID I'M NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN A DEBATE WITH KARI LAKE.

THAT LED TO -- AS WE LEARNED -- BEHIND THE SCENES MANEUVERING WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN HOBBS GETTING HER OWN HALF HOUR ON THE DEBATE STAGE ALL BY HERSELF AND KARI LAKE REFUSING A LATER OFFER TO GET THE SAME DEAL, BUT THIS WAS ALL PROMPTED BECAUSE JUST A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM BACK IN 2022 ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

TED: LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

DID WE GET MORE ANSWERS FROM THESE RECORDS THAT WERE FINALLY RELEASED BY THE UNIVERSITY?

>> HARD TO KNOW BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL ACADEMICIANS COMMUNICATING BY E-MAIL AND IT WAS MURKY.

I COMMEND STACY FOR DOING THIS, SAYING HOW DO WE GET TO A POINT?

REMEMBER CITIZENS CLEAN ELECTIONS WAS SET UP THAT EVERYBODY AGREES TO PARTICIPATE, AND THE GOVERNOR, WHO DIDN'T WANT TO DEBATE HER PRIMARY FOE EITHER IN 2022, PERHAPS THINKING, MAYBE I WOULDN'T DO SO WELL AGAINST KARI WHO IS A BIT OF AN ATTACK DOG, TO SIMPLY SAY, I WANT MY OWN TIME.

WELL, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, UNFORTUNATELY ALL THE WAY TO THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, PROBABLY A PLACE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE, AND YOU HAVE DECISIONS BEING MADE AND MEMOS ABOUT WHAT'S THE IMAGE AND WHAT'S OUR REQUIREMENT UNDER THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND EQUAL TIME?

AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT ADDED ANYTHING TO WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW, IT WAS A NICE PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAINS.

>> THE LAKE CAMP WAS THE CAMP THAT SAID THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T WANT TO -- KATIE HOBBS DID NOT WANT A DEBATE.

SOUNDS LIKE THE MESSAGES, THE UNIVERSITY WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT KARI LAKE WAS GOING TO SAY.

>> RIGHT, IN FACT, I THINK WE LEARNED SOMETHING NEW, IT'S VERIFIED WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE SUSPECTED, AFTER GETTING PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS FULFILLED TWO YEARS AFTER IT WAS FIRST FILED.

JUST FOR THE RECORD, PUBLIC RECORDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED PROMPTLY, UNDER THE LAW.

WHAT THIS SHOWED US IS ASU PRESIDENT MICHAEL CROW WAS CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD BE GIVING KARI LAKE A PLATFORM TO EXPRESS HER ELECTION DENIAL BELIEFS, AS WE KNOW, KARI LAKE WAS A VERY VOCAL PROPONENT OF THE THEORY THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS DENIED THE 202 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

SO THAT LED TO THEM DECIDING THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH THE CLEAN ELECTIONS FORMAT WHICH SAYS EVERYBODY IS INVITED, BUT IF YOU DECLINE, YOUR OPPONENT STILL GETS TIME.

THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN THIS CASE.

>> THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE IT SUGGESTED THAT SOMEBODY WAS THINKING NOT FCC RULES BUT THINKING ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW OUR STATION, ON THE AIR -- GOD, WHAT ARE WE 50 YEARS ON THE AIR HERE?

TED: MORE THAN THAT.

>> WOULD BE USED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES?

WELL, AGAIN, SHOULD NOT HAVE COME TO THAT LEVEL.

IT SHOULD NOT HAVE COME TO THE LEVEL WHERE SOMEBODY UP TO THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, UP TO THE VICE PRESIDENT, SAYING SHE'S GOING TO USE THIS TO DENY WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020.

SO WHAT?

IF, IN FACT, THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM, WHICH IT IS, SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THAT FAR.

TED: GO TO QUOTES HERE, THE GOVERNOR ASKED TODAY OR YESTERDAY, ABOUT ALL OF THIS, AND SHE SAYS THAT, QUOTE, DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT INTO ANY OF THE DECISIONS AROUND THAT DEBATE OR INTERVIEW.

KARI LAKE ASKED ABOUT THE NEW INFORMATION, AND SHE SAYS THAT ASU AND ARIZONA COLLUDED ME TO PREVENT ME FROM HAVING DEBATE FORUM BECAUSE KATIE HOBBS WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY ME, TRAMPLED MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, UNETHICALLY ILLEGAL.

THAT'S NEW TOO, I GUESS.

>> NICE TO HAVE THAT COMMENT FROM MS. LAKE.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE IT FOR THE FIRST VERSION OF THE STORY.

SHE DECLINED COMMENT.

TED: THIS RUPTURED NOT ONLY THAT PARTICULAR DEBATE SEASON BUT RUPTURED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CLEAN ELECTIONS.

>> THAT'S TRULY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IN ALL THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN COVERING POLITICS IN THE STATE, AND I STARTED COVERING THE LEGISLATURE IN '82, I DEPENDED ON DEBATES EVEN BEFORE CLEAN ELECTIONS EXISTED.

THERE WERE DEBATES ON CHANNEL 8, BY YOU, BY YOUR PREDECESSOR AND ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD FORMAT AND OPPORTUNITY FOR VOTERS TO SEE.

I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE CLEAN ELECTIONS DEBATES LAST TIME.

I DON'T THINK IT REALLY GOT BEHIND THE ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS TO BLOW SMOKE YOUR WAY, BUT YOU'VE GOT A WAY OF SAYING, YES, BUT YOU HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'VE FIGURED THAT OUT OF THE CLEAN ELECTIONS YET, EVEN IF THEY'RE WORKING WITH OTHER STATIONS.

TED: I APPRECIATE THAT AND MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW RUPTURED THE SITUATION IS.

I GUESS WE'LL FIND OUT BEFORE THE DEBATE SEASON STARTS.

ANYTHING TO ADD?

>> IT RUPTURED THE LONGSTANDING AGREEMENT ON DEBATES BUT THE FORMAT THAT CLEAN ELECTIONS CAME UP WITH ARGUABLY REACHES A LOT MORE AUDIENCES WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO PUBLIC BROADCASTING, BUT MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO ALL OTHER NEWS OUTLETS IF THEY WANT TO, MAYBE THEY CAN SHARPEN UP THEIR MODERATOR DIRECTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYTHING HAS CAVED, BUT THAT'S VERY INTERESTING TO HEAR THAT -- TED: PLEASE, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> I'M SAYING LET'S HOPE A BAND-AID IS ATTACHED AND ON WE GO.

AND ON WE GO, HOWIE.

>> DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT?

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE COME TO.

TED: WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS?

ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS FILES A LEGAL COMPLAINT AGAINST THE COUNTY RECORDER.

>> OH, WELL, JUSTIN HEAP WAS ELECTED COUNTY RECORDER, AND HE HAS DECIDED THAT HE'S BEING PICKED ON BY THE SUPERVISORS.

NEVER MIND THAT FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM ARE REPUBLICANS, THE SAME AS HE IS, BUT THERE'S ISSUES ABOUT SHARED SERVICES, PROGRAMS, ABOUT WHO GETS TO SEND OUT EARLY BALLOTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

WELL, WHAT STEVE GALLARDO IS SAYING THAT JUSTIN IS GOING BEHIND HIS BACK.

HE WAS EFFECTIVELY VIOLATING THE LAW BY GOING TO THREE OF THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHETHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH E-MAILS WHICH CAN BE A VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW, AND LIED SAYING GALLARDO WILL COME ALONG, AND STEVE HAD ENOUGH AND SAID, OKAY, LET'S DANCE.

LET'S FIND OUT IF, IN FACT, HE BROKE THE LAW.

TED: TWO OF THE TEXTS WERE SENT TO SUPERVISORS, AN INTERESTING THEORY AS TO THE THIRD SUPERVISOR BECAUSE GALLARDO SAID HE SAID IT WAS ME, AND WASN'T ME BUT HE SAID IT WAS ME.

>> I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD CONVINCE JUSTIN HEAP THAT STEVE GALLARDO WOULD WANT TO GO ALONG WITH HIS PLANS FOR THE OFFICE OR HOPES AND DREAMS FOR WHAT KINDS OF AUTHORITY MIGHT BE RESTORED IN THE OFFICE BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT IF THE THREE OF THEM, SUPPOSE THE THREE OF THEM, SUPERVISOR GALLARDO, LESKO AND STEWART COMMUNICATED AMONGST THEMSELVES SAYING LET'S DO THIS FOR JUSTIN HEAP.

THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW.

JUSTIN HEAP, WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, I DON'T KNOW THAT HE IS, SOMETHING SUPERVISOR GALLARDO WANTS TO IS IF HE'S SOLICITING THE VIOLATIONS, TRYING TO GET THREE SUPERVISORS EVEN THOUGH HE ONLY TALKED TO TWO OF THEM, WE SAW IN PREVIOUS TEXTS FROM PREVIOUS COMPLAINT TO THE A.G.'S OFFICE, I HAVE DONE ARM-TWISTING BEHIND THE SCENES WITH GALLARDO AND GALLARDO'S RESPONSE WAS KEEP MY NAME OUT OF YOUR LYING MOUTH.

TED: THAT WAS FRIDAY'S ROUNDTABLE.

THAT WAS LAST WEEK.

THIS IS THIS WEEK.

WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE?

>> SEE WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE DOES WITH THIS, IF ANYTHING.

WE HAVE THE LAWSUIT THAT'S IN PROCESS.

WE HAD JUSTIN HEAP SUE THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OVER THE AGREEMENT HOW TO DIVIDE UP ELECTION DUTIES.

THE COUNTY COUNTERSUED, THE SUPERVISORS AND CONSOLIDATE THE CASES AND WILL SHOW UP IN MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT AND MOST PARTIES AGREE, ALL THE PARTIES AGREE, LET'S GET TO SETTLE.

LET'S FIGURE OUT WHO DOES WHAT AND GET A LEGAL RULING ON IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN MURKY.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE SHOW FOR A LONG TIME WOULD REMEMBER WHEN HELEN PURCELL WAS MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER, SHE DID EVERYTHING.

THEY DIDN'T DIVIDE IT BETWEEN ELECTIONS AND RECORDER, SHE DID EVERYTHING, THOUGH THE LAW BASICALLY SAYS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT SEPARATE.

>> THAT'S THE POINT, WE'VE OPERATED BY THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS, THE RECORDER, WELL, YOU'RE KEEPING TRACK OF WHO'S REGISTERED TO VOTE, GETTING THEM TO REGISTER AND MAYBE, MAYBE SENDING OUT EARLY BALLOTS BUT THE REST OF IT IS WITHIN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR APPOINTS AN ELECTIONS DIRECTOR THERE.

NEEDS TO BE CLARIFICATION, I HAVE A FEELING THIS ENDS UP IN THE SUPREME COURT AND THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO SAY, I THINK YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.

TED: WHO ARE THEY GOING TO TELL IS DOING IT WRONG?

>> I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TELL THE SUPERVISORS THEY'RE DOING IT WRONG IN THE SENSE THE SUPERVISOR SAYING WE WANT IT ALL BACK.

IT'S TRICKY BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TITLE 11, THE LAW IN GOVERNING COUNTIES IN TITLE 16, THE LAW GOVERNING ELECTIONS AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS MATCH.

TED: YEAH, YEAH.

>> WE GOT A LITTLE REPRIEVE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ELECTIONS COMING UP, ACTUALLY THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR CD7.

THEY HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT IN RELATIVELY SHORT ORDER BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT HANGING OUT THERE BY THE BIG PRIMARY NEXT YEAR WHEN WE DON'T KNOW WHO HAS AUTHORITY OVER WHAT.

>> THE PRIMARY NEXT YEAR IS AUGUST 4.

TODAY IS AUGUST 8.

LESS THAN A YEAR AWAY.

TED: IT'S COMING.

STAYING WITH YOU MARY JO, SENATE PRESIDENT WANTS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION, A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION?

FELLOW STATE SENATOR?

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

>> PRESIDENT WARREN PETERSEN WAS OFFENDED BY SENATOR ANALISE ORTIZ'S SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCACY SAYING I'M GOING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO I SEE I.C.E.

IN THE COMMUNITY.

I'M GOING TO POST THAT AND TELL PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY SO THEY DON'T GET CAUGHT UP BY I.C.E.

PETERSEN SEES THAT AS INTERFERING WITH THE DUTIES OF FEDERAL AGENTS, FEDERAL LAW.

WE TURNED TO THE U.S. ATTORNEY FOR ARIZONA AND MADE THE REQUEST, WHICH APPARENTLY HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED, AND WE'LL SEE IF SENATOR ORTIZ IS GOING TO COME UP UNDER PROSECUTION.

IN HER DEFENSE, SHE SAYS WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU POST SOMETHING ON NEXTDOOR, WATCH OUT FOR THIS HOO-HA ON SAW ON THE DOORBELL AND LETTING THEM KNOW IN OTHER APPS IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> IT'S BROADER THAN THAT.

ON MY CELL PHONE I HAVE AN APPLICATION CALLED WAZE, LIKE GOOGLE MAP US AND GET DIRECTIONS.

HI, I WANT TO MAKE IT TO THE ASU STUDIO, BUT LET'S PEOPLE GROUP SHARE WHERE THEIR RADAR GUNS, THE DPS OFFICERS STANDING ON THE SIDE.

OKAY, YOU ARE REPORTING, IS THAT, IN FACT, INTERFERING, OBSTRUCTING A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL?

THIS IS CLEAR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS HERE.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT, I HAVE A RIGHT TO SAY THAT PHOENIX POLICE ARE HERE, LET'S TAKE IT DOWN THE LOGICAL PATH.

IF I'M A JOURNALIST DOING A LIVE BROADCAST OF AN I.C.E.

RAID, HAVE I INTERFERED BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE MAY SEE THAT AND COME DOWN?

WHAT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE IS THAT SENATOR PETERSEN IS A LAWYER, NOT VERY LONG, HE SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

TED: AND THAT BRINGS UP WHAT COULD BE AN INTERESTING ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE NEXT YEAR.

>> SURE, AND KRIS MAYES, WHOSE JOB WARREN PETERSEN WANTS, DID NOT WASTE TIME TAKING SHOTS AT HER PROSPECTIVE OPPONENT.

THE PRIMARY ELECTION WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH FIRST.

SHE TWEETED I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T BEEN A LAWYER VERY LONG, BUT NEED TO TAKE CLASSES ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT LAW.

GOING BACK TO HOWIE'S POINT FOR A SECOND.

THERE'S AN APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ON YOUR PHONE WHERE PEOPLE REPORT I.C.E.

ACTIVITY.

SENATOR ORTIZ IS FAR FROM THE FIRST PERSON THIS YEAR SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA WARNING PEOPLE.

THIS IS A COMMON THING, NOT WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS BUT THIS IS A COMMON THING.

TED: THERE'S VEHICLES THAT HAVE AN INSTALLED DEVICE THERE'S RADAR CAMERA AHEAD, SLOW DOWN.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

IN SOME STATES THEY'RE ILLEGAL, NOT THIS STATE.

IT GOES SO FAR BEYOND THAT BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE JAKE HOFFMAN, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A DEFINITE TRUMPER, SAYING OKAY, EVEN IF THE FEDS WON'T TAKE ACTION, I AM FILING AN ETHICS COMPLAINT WANT AND HER EXPELLED FROM THE LEGISLATURE.

AGAIN, I ASKED THE GOOD SENATOR SO EXACTLY HOW IS THIS OBSTRUCTING?

AND ALL HE SAID IS THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO FREE CRIMINALS.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS THOUGHT THIS ONE.

>> I THINK PETERSEN SAID SHE'S LUCKY THE LEGISLATURE ISN'T IN SESSION RIGHT NOW.

>> HE DID HINT THERE WOULD BE REPERCUSSIONS IF SHE DID THIS TWO MONTHS AGO, WHICH COULD BE AN ETHICS INVESTIGATION.

>> IT WILL GO NOWHERE.

THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, WEIGHTED WITH REPUBLICANS, COULD CERTAINLY DECIDE, YOU NEED A TWO-THIRDS VOTE TO EXPEL.

I'M SORRY.

THE DEMOCRATS AND PROBABLY A FEW REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO SAY, I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THIS PATH WHERE I PUT SOMETHING OUT ON THE WEBSITE.

IF I POST SOMETHING ONLINE, PUT SOMETHING ON X THAT SUDDENLY SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BRING CHARGES OF OBSTRUCTION.

TED: ALL RIGHT, JEREMY, WHO IS MILEY BIGGS AND DOES SHE WANT TO RUN?

I DON'T KNOW.

>> SHE PRESUMABLY WANTS TO RUN, FILED TO RUN.

SHE IS A CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST.

THE LAST NAME IS NOT A COINCIDENCE, THE DAUGHTER OF CONGRESSMAN AND POTENTIAL FUTURE GOVERNOR ANDY BIGGS.

RUNNING FOR THE STATE SENATE IN THE EAST VALLEY IN THE GILBERT AREA.

I BELIEVE THAT IS SENATOR PETERSEN'S SEAT ACTUALLY.

WHAT THE "PHOENIX NEW TIMES" LEARNED IS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, SHE MADE KIND OF EYEBROW RAISING COMMENTS ON A PODCAST TALKING ABOUT HOW SHE DOESN'T THINK WOMEN SHOULD HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE WHICH IS CURIOUS, AND SHE IS RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, AND WITH NO OPPOSITION AND POTENTIALLY NO OPPOSITION AT ALL.

TED: SHE IS -- THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH INSURED OF THAT DISTRICT, AREN'T THEY?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

HAVEN'T WE HEARD RUMORS JUSTINE WADSACK IS MOVING TO GILBERT AND ALSO A REPUBLICAN, WITH AN EYE TOWARDS RUNNING.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A LOCK, BUT LOOKS LIKE A CLEAR PATH.

THE BIGGS NAME IS GOLD IN THAT DISTRICT.

>> THERE IS SOMETHING THERE, EVERY SO OFTEN, I APPRECIATE, THIS IS A SAFE RED DISTRICT.

>> YEAH.

>> WE'VE HAD A HISTORY BEFORE, A FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER WHO GOT KNOCKED OUT FOR SOMETHING STUPID HE DID WHICH HAD TO DO WITH VEHICLES AND -- >> ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

>> ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

WHEN YOU'VE GOT NOT ONLY A WOMAN SAYING I DON'T THINK WOMEN SHOULD BE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, BUT I'D LIKE MY LITTLE 9:00 TO 5:00 THING AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING AND GOING HOME.

I'M SORRY THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT A 9:00 TO 5:00 JOB.

TED: WOMEN SHOULD RUN THE HOME, HOLDING OFFICE IS A MAN'S POSITION.

IN THAT DISTRICT, DOESN'T THAT HURT YOU?

>> IT COULD POTENTIALLY HURT YOU, BUT HARD TO SEE HER FACING A SERIOUS PRIMARY CHALLENGER.

EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS HER, THE TRUMP WING, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS, TURNING POINT CROWD, EVERYONE IS GOING TO LINE UP BEHIND HER.

I CAN'T SEE SERIOUS REPUBLICAN SAY I WANT TO -- MAYBE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT, GENERAL SELECTION A SURE THING FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.

MAYBE IT COULD.

I'VE HEARD A LOT OF CANDIDATES SAY A LOT OF BIZARRE THINGS IN THE JOB.

I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD A WOMAN CANDIDATE SAY I DON'T THINK WOMEN SHOULD BE IN OFFICE.

>> SHE WASN'T A CANDIDATE WHEN SHE MADE THAT STATEMENT A YEAR AGO.

I'M CURIOUS -- PLEASE CALL ME -- TO EXPLAIN, TO UNDERSTAND WHY WAS THERE A CHANGE -- OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A CHANGE OF HEART.

SHE HAS FILED, AS JEREMY NOTED.

MAYBE A LIGHTBULB WENT OUT.

SHE'S YOUNG, SHE'S 25.

TED: HOW DOES SHE SQUARE THIS?

>> WE'D LOVE TO KNOW.

TED: HOWIE, EX-LAWMAKER DAVID STRINGER IS BACK IN THE NEWS.

WHO IS DAVID STRINGER AND WHY IS HE BACK IN THE NEWS?

>> DAVID STRINGER IS A PRESCOTT ATTORNEY, WHO'S BEEN IN THE NEWS, WHEN A FEW LAWMAKERS REMOVED FROM THE LEGISLATURE AFTER THEY FOUND OUT HE ACTUALLY BEEN INVOLVED AND ESSENTIALLY CONVICTED OF HAVING SEX FOR MONEY WITH A TEENAGE BOY BACK IN BALTIMORE.

THERE WAS QUESTIONS WHETHER HE LIED TO HIS COLLEAGUES, THE ETHICS COMMITTEE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

HE WAS GONE, EVERYONE ASSUMED HE HAD A LITTLE E-WEBSITE OUT THERE.

IT IS PUBLISHING CARTOONS ABOUT ANOTHER LAWMAKER FROM PRESCOTT NAME OF QUANG NGUYEN, AND INCLUDES A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING A CARTOON OF NGUYEN, WHO IS VIETNAMESE, EATING A DOG.

THERE'S A CERTAIN POINT IN THERE, THERE'S A FIRST AMENDMENT LINE -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE LINE IS, BUT NOW MR. NGUYEN IS VERY UNHAPPY.

HE'S USING THE ONE TOOL HE HAS BECAUSE THE FACT STRINGER IS AN ATTORNEY, GONE TO THE STATE BAR OF ARIZONA AND SAID HE VIOLATED ETHICAL RULES OF CONDUCT FOR LAWYERS BECAUSE CAN'T DISMIN HIM AT THE LEGISLATURE, HE'S GONE FROM THERE, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S FIRST AMENDMENT BUT MAYBE THIS IS A WAY TO GET AT HIM.

TED: THESE ARE A.I.-GENERATED CARTOONS, ONE FIGURE EATING DOGS AND THE OTHER CLAIM NGUYEN DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH.

NGUYEN SAYS THEY ARE INHERENTLY DISHONEST AND DECEITFUL TO PUBLISH.

DISBARMENT, IS THAT A THING?

>> HE HASN'T BEEN DISBARRED YET.

HE HAS A LOT OF ISSUES.

ALLEGED SEX CRIMES FORCED HIM TO RESIGN FROM THE LEGISLATURE A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT'S WHAT HE'S MOST KNOWN FOR.

BEFORE HE'S KNOWN FOR BARRAGE OF RACIST COMMENTS, THAT WAS ENOUGH TO GET HIM OUT OF LEGISLATURE AND KEPT HIS LICENSE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE FILED A COMPLAINT.

THESE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS AGAINST HIM AND IT'S A MURKY PROCESS IN TERMS OF -- >> AND THE FACT THIS WAS DONE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A PUBLICATION, ALL PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT OUR FRIEND, YOU'RE RUNNING INTO FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES.

I DON'T THINK THE STATE BAR WANTS TO BE DECIDING THAT A CARTOON PUBLISHED IN A NEWSPAPER OR IN AN E-MAGAZINE CROSSES THE LINE.

I THINK THE IDEA THE BEST ISSUE WHEN DEALING WITH FREE SPEECH IS MORE SPEECH.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE APS WANTS TO MAKE A SPEECH ABOUT HOW IT IS LOOKING AT GREEN ENERGY OR RENEWABLE ENERGY OR WHATEVER THE HECK THEY WERE DOING BEFORE WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW?

>> REMEMBER, GOING BACK TO 2018, THERE'S A BIG CLEAN ENERGY MEASURE ON THE BALLOT.

THEY WERE FORCING 100% CLEAN ENERGY BY 2030.

APS THROUGH MILLIONS OF MILLIONS TO DEFEAT THIS.

A YEAR AND A HALF YEAR LATER, THEY SAID BY 2050, 100% CARBON FREE CLEAN ENERGY, NO CARBON EMISSIONS AT ALL.

LOOKED GOOD, RIGHT?

WELL, THIS WEEK, THEY INSIDE QUARTERLY EARNINGS CALL, THE CEO SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO CARBON NEUTRALITY, OFFSET CARBON EMISSIONS WITH CLEAN ENERGY BUT THE CARBON FREE 100% BY 2050 IS OUT THE WINDOW.

TED: DO WE KNOW WHY IT'S OUT THE WIND?

>> THEY THINK IT'S UNFEASIBLE AND SLOW DOWN THE GROWTH OF THE ENERGY SUPPLY TO GET MORE ENERGY COMING FROM WIND, POWER AND SOLAR.

TED: SPEAKING OF WIND, IS THE WIND BLOWING IN A DIRECTION THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO MAKE THIS DECISION?

>> COMES DOWN TO THE POLITICS OF IT.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO LOVES CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL COAL.

WE HAVE A NEW NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMING INTO ARIZONA THAT ALL THE UTILITIES ARE LOOKING AT, AND THEY'RE SAYING DO WE WANT TO TAKE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND SAY NO, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD MORE SOLAR CELLS, ASSUMING WE CAN GET THEM IF THEY'RE COMING FROM CHINA IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I THINK THEY'RE DOING ONE OF THESE AND SAYING USING WIND POWER.

IT'S NOT BLOWING OUR WAY ANYMORE.

TED: MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

THE FEDERAL LEFT SHIFT AWAY FROM THAT BACK TOWARDS NATURAL GAS WHICH THEY'RE REINVESTING IN NOW.

BIG PIPELINE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE COMING ONLINE IN 2020, RAISES CONCERNS, I SPOKE WITH A COUPLE OF FORMER CORPORATION COMMISSIONERS, ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES AND SAID HERE'S THE THING ABOUT THIS, THIS COMES DOWN TO THE BOTTOM LINE.

IF YOU'RE BUILDING GAS PLANTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU NEED RATE HIKES WHICH MEANS MORE MONEY FLOWING.

APS SAID WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING GASWISE UNTIL AFTER 2029.

AFTER THAT.

WE'LL GO THROUGH THE NORMAL RATE HIKES.

TED: DOES THIS SHOW WHO IS GOING TO RUN AND WIN CORPORATION COMMISSION SEATS?

>> IT'S TRICKY, REPUBLICANS PROBABLY IN AGREEMENT WITH A LOT OF THIS, SAYING WE WANT CHEAP, RELIABLE POWER, AND WHEN PEOPLE GET THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS OF 300, 400, $500 A MONTH, THEY SAY IS IT BECAUSE WE'RE SUBSIDIZING SOLAR OR WIND?

THEY SAY, YEAH, I CAN BREATHE SOME OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE, CARBON MONOXIDE, SULFUR IT AND ALL OF IT, IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HAVING CLIMATE CHANGE.

PEOPLE SAY THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD.

PEOPLE LOOKING AT BILLS NOW, IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT REAL HARD TO SAY WE NEED MORE RENEWABLES.

>> I REMEMBER THE 2018 BALLOT MEASURE, THE ENERGY GOT ABSOLUTELY STOMPED AND, OF COURSE, $30 MILLION AGAINST IT.

THE VOTERS MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR THERE.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE BILLS.

I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO DISREGARD THE POST-2029, EFFECTIVE BRINGING IN A NEW PIPELINE.

>> WE'LL SEE IT THEN.

>> THERE'S ONE OTHER OPTION, THEY'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT AND TRUMP IS OKAY WITH, SMALL COMPACT NUCLEAR PLANTS, AND NOTHING REALLY HAPPENED SINCE THREE MILE ISLAND, IT POISONED THE WELL, BUT THERE IS TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE THAT IS COMPACT.

DOESN'T DO AS MUCH WATER WHICH IS REALLY THE ISSUE IN THE DESERT.

DOESN'T USE AS MUCH FUEL, FEWER FUEL RODS TO BURY IN THE GROUND FOREVER, SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE NEXT STEP, AND IF YOU CAN DO THAT, AND THAT'S TRUE CARBON FREE EMISSIONS, YOU CAN GET A LONG WAY TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.

TED: YOU HAVE APS, SRP AND TUCSON POWER TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A NEW NUCLEAR PLANT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PALO VERDE WENT ONLINE.

>> THE QUESTION WOULD BE HOW BIG THAT PLANT WOULD BE AND HOW PORTABLE -- NOT PORTABLE, ECONOMICAL IT MIGHT BE.

>> AS OPPOSED TO TO THE SMALLER PLANTS.

>> WE SAW IT IN TUCSON WITH THE ISSUE OF A.I., THESE ARE HUGE USERS OF WATER AND ENERGY, AND FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THE REASON THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED 7-0, THEY SAID WAIT A SECOND, WE DON'T WANT US TO HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE MORE WATER, MORE ENERGY AND RAISE OUR OWN BILLS.

>> STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.