SNAKEBITE— 8.14.25— Mayes Stands Up for Army Vet— Hamadeh Secures New Air Force Equipment— Lake, Ansari, Gallego, Much More...

SNAKEBITE— 8.14.25— Mayes Stands Up for Army Vet— Hamadeh Secures New Air Force Equipment— Lake, Ansari, Gallego, Much More...

Southwest Desert's Scorching Political News Read

Grayson Bakich
Grayson Bakich
August 14, 2025

Mayes Stands Up for Army Vet

Arizona Attorney General (AG) Kris Mayes applauded the recent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decision to give full education benefits to the retired Lieutenant Colonel Paul Yoon.

LTC (Ret.) Yoon served in the Army for 24 years, making him qualified for the Post-9/11 GI and Montgomery GI Bills to receive 48 months of education benefits based on the length of his service.

However, Yoon claimed that the VA denied him the ability to transfer the benefits to his daughter, which flies in the face of Rudisill v. McDonough.

AG Mayes joined a bipartisan coalition of every Attorney General in the Union under the banner of Virginia's AG Jason Miyares to demand that the Yoons receive the full measure of benefits.

"Veterans put their lives on the line in service to us and to our country," said AG Mayes... READ MORE

Cactus Politics

Senator Mark Kelly: Trump can’t hide what Americans see every day: his tariffs and agenda are hurting our economy. Firing the person who writes the jobs report, or canceling it, won’t change the facts or help families who are struggling right now.

Senator Ruben Gallego: Like Gabe, small business owners across Arizona are worried about staying afloat because of Trump’s reckless tariffs. Prices are already too high. Now the people powering our economy have to fight just to keep their doors open.

Representative Andy Biggs: The Judge is in. President Trump and Judge Pirro are restoring law and order.

Representative Eli Crane: For decades, Uniparty politicians have prioritized their political careers over fiscal responsibility. This is entirely unsustainable and threatens our national security. We have a moral responsibility to cut waste, fraud, and abuse before it’s too late.

Representative Juan Ciscomani: The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers for hard-working Arizonans across AZ06. I’m grateful for the diverse group of stakeholders who joined me today to discuss how their industry benefits from this historic new law – farmers, ranchers, small business owners, seniors, & builders.

Representative Greg Stanton: Trump and his EPA chief are gutting the office that keeps our air & water safe, and helps us better prepare for wildfires. These cuts endanger our future, especially here in Arizona. Joined my colleagues to push back, because Americans deserve science-based environmental protections—not political games.

Representative Yassamin Ansari: No one should have to choose between putting food on the table or keeping their air conditioning on in hot Arizona summers. My Heating and Cooling Relief Act will lower energy costs across the board so you can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Cactus Politics

Mayes Helps Secure Education Benefits for Previously-Denied Veteran— By Cactus Politics' Grayson Bakich

Hamadeh Secures Replacement Armor for Airmen After Reports of Malfunction— By Cactus Politics' Grayson Bakich— Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) has announced that new personal protective equipment (PPE) for Air Force Reserve Defenders has been secured after reports suggested previously-purchased gear was found defective.

Gov. Hobbs Declares State of Emergency After Wildfire Destroys Oxbow Bridge to Rural Arizona Community— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Governor Katie Hobbs declared a state of emergency in La Paz County on Tuesday following the collapse of a critical bridge that connected the rural community of Cibola to California after it was destroyed by wildfire.

Kari Lake Pledges to Crackdown on Non-Citizen Media Workers— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Former television news anchor and senatorial candidate, Kari Lake oversees Voice of America and similar government-funded broadcasting services that send American news around the world. However, Lake is making significant changes to how these operations work.

Congresswoman Ansari Condemns ICE Operations Near Valley Schools— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari is speaking out against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations taking place near schools, calling the federal agency "rogue" after recent incidents that left children witnessing their parents being detained while walking to class.

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego Advocates for Detained Restaurant Owner Kelly Yu— By Cactus Politics' Ericka Pinon— Senator Ruben Gallego met with the family of Kelly Yu on Tuesday, an Arizona restaurant owner currently held in ICE detention, and issued a public statement calling for her release.

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

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.

The Snakebite is written by Grayson Bakich and Javier Manjarres

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Grayson Bakich

Grayson Bakich

Florida born and raised, Grayson Bakich is a recent recipient of a Master’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Central Florida. His thesis examined recent trends in political polarization and how this leads into justification of violence.

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