Mark Finchem

Strange bedfellows: Republican Sen. Mark Finchem, a former cop in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who was put on a “would not rehire” list, is attempting to abolish the quasi police force Arizona Rangers. After getting ahold of a bunch of documents from a rejected Ranger showing that the Rangers had compromised an actual undercover cop infiltrating a motorcycle gang, Finchem and fellow Republican Wendy Rogers are attempting to strip them of their legal status, the Republic’s Ray Stern writes in a piece that includes some fascinating history on why we even have an Arizona Rangers. (January 13, 2026)

Too easy to pass up: Arizona candidates are turning to AI for their campaign material, including Republican Sens. John Kavanagh portraying himself as a Ghostbuster and Mark Finchem creating an image of Secretary of State Adrian Fontes in handcuffs, Reagan Priest reports for the Capitol Times. The practice might repel anti-AI voters, but as long as the candidates disclose that the images were created by AI, they’re within the bounds of the law. (June 2, 2026)

No crypto for state coffers: The Senate killed GOP Sen. Mark Finchem’s SB1649, which would have created a digital assets and cryptocurrency reserve fund to be managed by the state treasurer. (June 10, 2026)

Who gets to talk?: GOP lawmakers said it would be “unprecedented” to censure Rep. John Gillette for spewing racist rhetoric at Muslims, saying the House Ethics Committee doesn’t police lawmakers’ speech. But as the Capitol Times’ Jakob Thorington points out, that’s not entirely true. Lawmakers are trying to censure Democratic Rep. Analise Ortiz for posting on social media about ICE raids. Last year, a House ethics panel said Ortiz and Rep. Oscar De Los Santos engaged in disorderly behavior by leading a chant opposing the state’s abortion ban. And in 2017, Sen. Mark Finchem filed an ethics complaint against former Rep. Mark Cardenas over a Facebook post. (September 22, 2025)

Go back to Plan A: Republican Rep. Quang Nguyen held a press conference to announce his plans in the upcoming legislative session to let chronic speeders keep their driving privileges if they install a speed-governing device, per the Republic’s Ray Stern. The companies that make the governing devices are stoked. Last year, Nguyen filed a bill to eliminate “legislative privilege” from speeding tickets after his seatmate, Sen. Mark Finchem, and Freedom Caucus leader Sen. Jake Hoffman both got out of speeding tickets thanks to legislative privilege. (October 29, 2025)