Latest news with #TurningPointAction
Axios
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Mesa City Council recall heats up as challenger jumps in against Spilsbury
The recall campaign against Mesa City Councilmember Julie Spilsbury is heating up. The big picture: Spilsbury now faces a challenger, Dorean Taylor, who filed to run in the Nov. 4 election and must collect 246 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot in District 2. Why it matters: The race could test the power of far-right grassroots campaigns — and whether moderate Republicans can still hold ground in conservative suburbs. Catch up quick: Critics on the right launched their recall effort against Spilsbury in January, citing her votes to raise councilmember salaries, increase utility rates and approve homeless housing in a Mesa hotel. The salary and utility votes were unanimous, while the housing vote was 4-3. Recall organizer JoAnne Robbins also said she opposed Spilsbury, a Republican, because she endorsed Kamala Harris over now-President Trump last year. The campaign, backed by the conservative organization Turning Point Action, collected more than 5,200 signatures to put Spilsbury on a recall ballot. What she's saying: Spilsbury defended her record, saying she's always voted her conscience. "I did what I did with my eyes wide open. I knew it wasn't going to be popular," she told Axios of her Harris endorsement. She said she expects Turning Point to support Taylor. The other side: Taylor said in an email to Axios that she decided to run because Mesa needs "principled, honest, common sense leadership on the City Council," while Spilsbury voted for "woke, big government policies that violate our deeply held community principles." She volunteered for the recall effort, collecting about 30 signatures, per the Mesa Tribune. The intrigue: Turning Point hasn't made any decisions yet about supporting candidates, but "it's safe to say we'll educate people on Julie," Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer told Axios. Turning Point supported volunteer efforts during the recall process and has "lots of hands available" in the lead-up to the election, he said, adding he expects the number to increase because the group is hiring for the Salt River Project board elections in April 2026. Between the lines: Spilsbury said the race could have a similar political dynamic as another election in Mesa, the 2011 ouster of then-Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce. Challenger Jerry Lewis, whose campaign Spilsbury volunteered for, won with a coalition of support that included moderate Republicans, independents and Democrats. However, she said her district may the city's most conservative. Spilsbury told Axios that elected Democrats like U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, whom she endorsed, have reached out to offer their support.
The Herald Scotland
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Trump team's handling of Epstein case? Poll shows most disapprove
Just 17% of registered voters gave the Trump administration a thumbs up when asked about the Epstein fallout versus 63% who gave them a thumbs down. The president is working overtime to smother the divide, expressing bewilderment and anger at his supporters' fixation on the Epstein case. "I don't understand it, why they would be so interested," Trump told reporters on July 15. "He's dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don't understand what the interest or what the fascination is. I really don't." On July 16 the president lashed out on Truth Social over what he called the "Jeffrey Epstein hoax," railing at "my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bulls***,' hook, line, and sinker." The Quinnipiac poll shows an almost even split among GOP voters, however, with 40% approving compared to 36% disapproving, with another 24% saying they don't have an opinion. Democrats and independents overwhelmingly have expressed displeasure, with 83% and 71% disapproving, respectively. Bondi takes more of the Epstein blame The idea that there was a massive cover up of child sex trafficking involving powerful people in the Epstein case, became an article of faith among Make America Great Again figures that Trump and his closest associates stoked. "I am on every list, except the Epstein list, we haven't heard anything about that one in a while," Donald Trump, Jr. said at a Turning Point Action event last year. "It's almost like they're trying to protect those pedophiles for some reason, I can't imagine why," he added. But now MAGA voices are turning their skepticism toward Trump officials, questioning their motives and demanding more disclosures in a case steeped in misinformation and conspiracy theories. "There's a debate going on about who's pure MAGA, it's a sort of a purity test and when you have a lot of extremists in the coalition they're going to demand that someone - a major player, a major faction or wing of the coalition - is also pure or true to the cause," Matthew Dallek, a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University, told USA TODAY. There has been a particular anger among right-wing activists at Attorney General Pam Bondi. Asked how Bondi is handling her job, 32% of voters said they approve compared to 53% who disapprove, the Quinnipiac poll found. Other officials close to the fallout aren't seeing the same type of backlash. FBI Director Kash Patel, for instance, has about 36% of voters approving of his job versus 47% who disapprove while Dan Bongino, the bureau's deputy director, has 34% approval rating compared to a 41% disapproval rating. Patel and Bongino, prior to joining the administration, were voluble in their uncompromising view that Epstein had trafficked minors to elite figures and that there was a cover-up. Both have now insisted the case is closed. But Bondi has been under an intense microscope after the attorney general indicated there was an Epstein client list and invited right-wing influencers to the White House to get more information on the convicted sex offender.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
How do voters feel about Trump team's handling of Jeffrey Epstein case?
Republicans are evenly split as the White House copes with MAGA demands for more disclosures from the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case. Voters aren't happy with how President Donald Trump's team is dealing with the controversial Jeffrey Epstein case as the MAGA family feud over the deceased financier's sordid past continues to divide Republicans. A new Quinnipiac University survey released on July 16 shows almost two-thirds of voters disapprove of the administration's handling of the case a week after the Justice Department and the FBI released no new files and concluded that the convicted sex offender died by suicide in his jail cell. Just 17% of registered voters gave the Trump administration a thumbs up when asked about the Epstein fallout versus 63% who gave them a thumbs down. The president is working overtime to smother the divide, expressing bewilderment and anger at his supporters' fixation on the Epstein case. "I don't understand it, why they would be so interested," Trump told reporters on July 15. "He's dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don't understand what the interest or what the fascination is. I really don't." On July 16 the president lashed out on Truth Social over what he called the "Jeffrey Epstein hoax," railing at "my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bulls***,' hook, line, and sinker." The Quinnipiac poll shows an almost even split among GOP voters, however, with 40% approving compared to 36% disapproving, with another 24% saying they don't have an opinion. Democrats and independents overwhelmingly have expressed displeasure, with 83% and 71% disapproving, respectively. Bondi takes more of the Epstein blame The idea that there was a massive cover up of child sex trafficking involving powerful people in the Epstein case, became an article of faith among Make America Great Again figures that Trump and his closest associates stoked. "I am on every list, except the Epstein list, we haven't heard anything about that one in a while," Donald Trump, Jr. said at a Turning Point Action event last year. "It's almost like they're trying to protect those pedophiles for some reason, I can't imagine why," he added. But now MAGA voices are turning their skepticism toward Trump officials, questioning their motives and demanding more disclosures in a case steeped in misinformation and conspiracy theories. "There's a debate going on about who's pure MAGA, it's a sort of a purity test and when you have a lot of extremists in the coalition they're going to demand that someone − a major player, a major faction or wing of the coalition − is also pure or true to the cause," Matthew Dallek, a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University, told USA TODAY. There has been a particular anger among right-wing activists at Attorney General Pam Bondi. Asked how Bondi is handling her job, 32% of voters said they approve compared to 53% who disapprove, the Quinnipiac poll found. Other officials close to the fallout aren't seeing the same type of backlash. FBI Director Kash Patel, for instance, has about 36% of voters approving of his job versus 47% who disapprove while Dan Bongino, the bureau's deputy director, has 34% approval rating compared to a 41% disapproval rating. Patel and Bongino, prior to joining the administration, were voluble in their uncompromising view that Epstein had trafficked minors to elite figures and that there was a cover-up. Both have now insisted the case is closed. But Bondi has been under an intense microscope after the attorney general indicated there was an Epstein client list and invited right-wing influencers to the White House to get more information on the convicted sex offender.
USA Today
17-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Attorney General Pam Bondi vows to preserve religious freedom against 'emerging threats'
Attorney General Pam Bondi vows to preserve religious freedom against 'emerging threats' Some critics worry the commission lacks a diversity of thought, and a small number of people walked out of the attorney general's speech in protest. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump tells Christians they won't have to vote after this election The GOP presidential nominee delivered the comments during a keynote speech at Turning Point Action's Believers' Summit. President Donald Trump created the Religious Liberty Commission with a May 1 executive order. The commission met for the first time at the Museum of the Bible on June 16 in Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON −U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said religious liberty has 'come under attack' in the nation during the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission. The commission met at the Museum of the Bible and Bondi referenced Trump's May 1 executive order, which established the panel and said Americans must work to 'preserve (religious freedom) against emerging threats.' 'The federal government became complicit in sheltering these threats, becoming the greatest threat itself,' Bondi said before listing events under former President Joe Biden's administration. She mentioned the nearly two-dozen anti-abortion activists whom Trump pardoned in January and claimed Biden 'marked Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian calendar, as Transgender Day of Visibility.' As USA TODAY previously reported, the latter commemoration has long been celebrated on March 31, and Easter also landing on that date in 2024 was coincidental. Bondi said the administration has dropped cases that stemmed from the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, under which anti-abortion activists have been arrested, and has supported the 'rights of parents to protect their children from transgender books" in public schools. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on a case involving the latter issue. Bondi's message didn't sit well with Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons of Interfaith Alliance, who was one of a half dozen people who left the museum's theater during what he described as Bondi's 'very extreme' remarks. 'To see the attorney general use her short remarks to just act aggrieved was disturbing, but expected,' he said. Graves-Fitzsimmons was already skeptical of the commission before June 16, and he found the meeting affirmed his suspicion by having 'very little diversity of thought.' A theme among numerous speakers was a belief that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment doesn't prevent the government from promoting religion and that it can and should do so. South Texas College of Law professor Josh Blackman said posting the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom, for example, does not violate the clause. Mark David Hall, a Regent University professor who served as a witness at the meeting, said the founders didn't believe religion must be 'scrubbed from the public square.' Such sentiments reflect what Graves-Fitzsimmons described as the commission's 'misuse of religious liberty.' 'I think most Americans believe separation of church and state is good for both, and their voices aren't being heard at all by this commission,' he said. Rabbi Meir Soloveichik supported what he described as the Supreme Court's shift to a 'more accurate' understanding of religious freedom in recent years. Several speakers referenced legal concepts and court cases that they hoped would be revisited in the years to come. Alliance Defending Freedom President Kristen Waggoner, for example, supported challenges to the so-called Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches from getting involved in politics. Bondi, who previously led the inaugural meeting of the 'Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias,' said the Department of Justice will use 'every legal and constitutional tool available' to uphold religious liberty. 'Let this commission serve as a reminder – elections have consequences,' Bondi said. 'And this president and this administration are fully committed to restoring and defending religious liberty for all Americans.' The commission's next meeting will be held in September. BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former GOP state Rep. Austin Smith, a Turning Point leader, indicted for forging election documents
Rep. Austin Smith, R-Surprise, on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives on April 17, 2024. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror Former Republican state legislator Austin Smith has been indicted on 14 misdemeanor and felony counts for allegedly forging voter signatures on his petitions for reelection last year. Former member of the state legislature's far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus Smith dropped his reelection bid last spring after he was accused of personally forging more than 100 petition signatures to get on the 2024 Republican primary ballot. Around the same time, Smith resigned from his position as senior director at Turning Point Action, the political advocacy arm of Turning Point USA, a far-right organization based in Phoenix that aims to mobilize young conservatives. But according to Smith's Linkedin and X accounts, he was rehired in January as Turning Point Action's strategic director. Smith made his X account private, blocking his biographical information — including his job title — on the morning of June 10, after the news of his indictment was made public. A Maricopa County grand jury indicted Smith on June 2 on four felony counts, for presenting documents he knew were forged to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, and 10 misdemeanor counts for personally forging the names of electors on his reelection petitions. The felonies each come with a 1-2 year prison sentence; the misdemeanors come with a six-month imprisonment. When the allegations of signature fraud became public in April 2024, Smith vehemently denied them, calling them 'ludicrous' and accusing Democrats of creating a 'coordinated attack' against him. However, 100 of the signatures on his petition to get on last year's Republican primary ballot, along with corresponding addresses, obviously look like they were all written by the same person. And some of the people whose names were on the petition told the court that they never signed it. Smith took no accountability for the allegedly fraudulent signatures and said that he dropped out of the race because didn't want to spend tens of thousands defending himself in the civil elections challenge — as well as a possible criminal case for forgery. Ironically, Smith was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee, where he decried unproven election fraud in Maricopa County, and has even made jokes accusing county officials of mail-in ballot signature fraud on social media. 'Signature verification in Maricopa County is a joke,' Smith wrote on Twitter in May 2023. Smith was one of the many Arizona Republicans who falsely claimed without evidence that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from President Donald Trump. 'What happened on November 3rd, 2020 in Maricopa County continues to be a national disgrace and embarrassment,' Smith wrote on his website. 'Not only that, Austin believes it was criminal and will fight every day in the State Legislature to hold those responsible to account.' Multiple audits, including a highly partisan review orchestrated by Arizona Senate Republicans, found no discrepancies in the election. Fraud allegations made in court in the days and weeks following the 2020 election were all rejected because there was no evidence backing up the claims. Neither Turning Point USA Action nor Smith immediately responded to a request for comment. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
