Blackman Wants Answers from DCS

State Representative Walt Blackman (R-7) is demanding accountability from the Arizona Department of Child Services (DCS) after they supposedly failed to act in time to save Rebekah Baptiste, a 10-year-old girl who died from abuse and neglect in a post to X (formerly Twitter).

Baptiste died on July 30th after being found unresponsive with injuries consistent with physical and sexual abuse. Her father, Richard, had previously been under investigation by DCS for harming Rebekah and her brothers, but Richard denied the allegations.

"Ten-year-old Rebekah Baptiste is dead—malnourished, bruised, and showing signs consistent with torture—despite 12 separate reports made to Arizona's Department of Child Safety over the past year," State Rep. Blackman said in his post mourning Rebekah's death, adding... READ MORE

Governor Katie Hobbs: I have declared a State of Emergency in La Paz County after the Oxbow Bridge collapsed into the Colorado River following severe wildfire damage. The state is working with local, federal, and Tribal partners to support response to the disaster, prioritizing protecting the environment and downstream infrastructure by removing debris from the Colorado River. The safety of Arizonans is my top priority, and we’ll continue to support La Paz County.

AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes: Mobile homes heat up incredibly fast. These conditions aren’t just dangerous – they’re deadly. And I won’t stand by while landlords take advantage of mobile home tenants by failing to provide a habitable living environment.

State Senator Eva Diaz: Endorsement Alert! I am proud to have the support of @VoteMamaPAC. As a mom of young twins, I bring a unique perspective to the State Capitol as I advocate for childcare, public education, and economic opportunity. I'm running for re-election to keep up the fight.

State Senator Jake Hoffman: It’s CRIMINAL what the governments of California are doing to Malibu homeowners who lost everything due to BIG GOV failures during the fires! With red tape & regulation they’re adding $3-5M, in some cases $50M, in EXTRA COST to rebuild. This is criminal LAND GRAB!

State Representative Nick Kupper: Washington DC shouldn’t need cleaned up because it shouldn’t have any residents except POTUS, VP & their families. DC should only be federal buildings & all residential buildings should be part of Virginia or Maryland.

State Representative Julie Willoughby: Spending time with students is always interesting. The questions and ideas they come up with keeps me on my toes. I love being The Majority Whip!

Blackman Demands Accountability from DCS After Child's Death from Abuse, Neglect— By Cactus Politics' Grayson Bakich

Ansari Introduces Bill to Prevent Malicious AI Impersonation of Federal Officials— By Cactus Politics' Grayson Bakich— Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) has introduced legislation to counter the malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI) to impersonate federal officials.

Rep. Eli Crane Says Inflation Report Confirms Strength of Trump-Era Economy— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Arizona Representative Eli Crane celebrated Tuesday's inflation report as proof that President Donald Trump's economic policies are delivering results for American families, particularly in rural communities like those he represents.

Gallego Criticizes Trump's DC Federal Takeover Following DOGE Employee Attack— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Senator Ruben Gallego has criticized President Trump's decision to federalize Washington, DC's police force, pointing to what he sees as inconsistent treatment of law enforcement situations.

Sen. Gallego Denies 2028 Possible Presidency, Urges Focus on 2026 During Iowa Visit— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Senator Ruben Gallego just finished a two-day strategic trip to Iowa, which was his first major political appearance since he was elected to the Senate in 2024. Appearances at the Iowa State Fair were part of the tour, which ended with a town hall meeting in Davenport that drew around 180 Democrats.

AG Mayes Steps In as Mobile Home Park Fails to Provide Life-Saving AC During Deadly Heat Wave— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— During Arizona's hot summer, people of a mobile home park in Tucson have been living without dependable electricity or air conditioning. Attorney General Kris Mayes of Arizona has offered to provide relief.

Gillette Condemns Fontes' New UOCAVA Directive— By Cactus Politics' Grayson Bakich— State Representative John Gillette (R-30) condemned Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes' recent directive for the tabulation of Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ballots.

Hamadeh Heads to Syria to Discuss Stabilization— By Cactus Politics' Grayson Bakich— Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) made a historic visit to Syria to meet with its new President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani to discuss the country's new path forward with the United States.

Governor Hobbs Tells Phoenix Students: 'No Kid Should Learn Hungry,' Announcing 10 Million Free Lunches— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— As part of a new state budget that eliminates costs for reduced-price school meals, Arizona will give away 10 million free lunches to students this year.

Governor Hobbs Visits San Simon as Desert Community Faces Second Water Crisis in a Year— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— On August 7, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs visited San Simon, a small town in eastern Arizona, to announce $1.5 million in state assistance for a new well after the community was experiencing its second significant water outage in less than a year.

The Snakebite is written by Grayson Bakich and Javier Manjarres