Guests – Arron Reitz, Linley Wilson, Shelli Boggs, Jack Donna
Aaron Reitz on the Battle for Texas Attorney General
Aaron Reitz, a Marine Corps veteran, former senior Trump administration official at the Department of Justice, and ex-deputy to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is campaigning to become Texas' next top law enforcement officer. With Paxton stepping aside to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Reitz positions himself as the natural successor to continue aggressive conservative legal action.
Reitz described the Texas AG's office as "the largest red state law firm in the country," wielding immense influence over national jurisprudence. "Whoever has the keys to this office really has the ability to shape American jurisprudence, not just for Texas... but for the whole nation," he said.
His priorities center on partnering with the Trump administration for an "America First law and order agenda." This includes accelerating mass deportations of illegal aliens, holding Soros-funded district attorneys accountable for lax prosecution, and repelling litigation from blue states and NGOs meddling in red states.
Reitz highlighted Texas' unique challenges, including "mass influx of radical Muslims who are not interested in assimilating." He drew from his experience as Paxton's "offensive coordinator," suing the Biden administration 46 times and winning 85% of cases.
Looking ahead, Reitz anticipates the first two years aligning closely with Trump, leveraging his DOJ role where he was vetted and trusted. If a Democrat wins in 2028, "it's time to go to war against a rogue, leftist, anti-Texas, anti-American Democratic administration."
Reitz's background bolsters his credentials: Afghanistan war veteran, Marine Reserve major, chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, and head of DOJ's Office of Legal Policy under Trump, where President Trump called him "a true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the Constitution."
He emphasized fighting domestic enemies using "weaponized justice" and "lawfare" against constitutional values. "The antidote is having a battle-tested Attorney General who can defeat them," Reitz declared, bringing his "Marine fighting spirit" to the courtroom.
Reitz rejected compromise with those flooding the country with illegal immigrants or using taxpayer funds for gender transitions on children. "I'm interested in defeating you," he stated bluntly. "Once you're defeated, I can engage with well-meaning folks on the left."
Victory for Election Transparency in Pima County
Attorney Linley Wilson, formerly with the Arizona House Republicans and now at Holtzman Vogel, announced a major win for election observers in Pima County. After years of restrictions on political party observers during early voting, the 2025 Elections Procedures Manual (EPM) has been updated to ensure access.
The change eliminates ambiguous language that allowed county recorders discretion to exclude observers. Previously, Pima County was the only one barring observers, relying on vague EPM provisions.
Wilson explained Arizona law broadly allows party-appointed observers during any voting process. The update reinforces transparency: "Observation of voting and central counting places... is subject to the procedures described below."
This applies to early voting, emergency voting centers, and processing. "It's a huge win," Wilson said, crediting collaborative efforts with statewide officials who erred on the side of transparency.
The fix means Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly can no longer prohibit observers, aligning with the other 14 counties. Contributions from the Oversight Project, providing research on uniform practices statewide, proved compelling.
For voters, this enhances confidence starting with the March 2025 RTA election and continuing through primaries and midterms in 2026. Both parties benefit from observers, making it a transparency issue, not partisan.
Wilson noted ongoing challenges but praised resolving this without litigation—a "Christmas miracle" from a lawyer.
EVIT Dispute: School Districts Clash Over Accountability and Funding
Shelli Boggs, Maricopa County School Superintendent and former EVIT board president, addressed the escalating conflict between the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) and several school districts.
EVIT, a premier career and technical education district, offers intensive programs leading to certifications in fields like nursing, welding, culinary arts, and construction. Students attend high school half-day and EVIT half-day, emerging workforce-ready.
Boggs uncovered issues at EVIT years ago, ran for the board, and helped overhaul leadership to prioritize kids. Under new management, EVIT became a gold standard for workforce development.
The dispute stems from intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) governing satellite CTE programs on district campuses. EVIT approves and funds these but faced audits dinging outcomes from low-performing district programs.
Boggs pushed for accountability: districts must deliver strong results or EVIT oversees directly. Nine districts refuse customized IGAs, demanding uniform terms and suing instead, using taxpayer funds.
EVIT seeks individual agreements to tailor needs, like placing teachers on campuses (as done successfully with Mesa and Scottsdale). Refusing districts risk hurting students by avoiding accountability for poor persistency rates.
Boggs criticized the approach: "They're suing EVIT... It's hurting the kids. It's hurting our workforce development." Business leaders express confusion and frustration.
She stressed EVIT's excellence versus watered-down district electives (birdhouse vs. full house construction). Parents must choose quality programs, empowered by education savings accounts.
Boggs advocated letting districts focus on core academics while EVIT handles specialized trades amid skilled labor shortages.
Deep State Resistance: Polygraph Scandal at CISA
Retired Army Master Sergeant Jack Donna, an intelligence veteran from Sierra Vista, dissected a shocking incident at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala failed a polygraph arranged by career staff to access a highly classified special access program. Six staffers were suspended after DHS investigated for misleading him and bypassing protocols.
Donna called it a setup by unelected bureaucrats denying oversight to Trump's appointee. "You can't be in charge... unless you have access to all areas," he said.
The program, shared with another intelligence agency, required a counter-intelligence polygraph. Staff bypassed the chief of staff, claiming no need-to-know—despite Gottumukkala acting for the president.
Donna raised alarms: "What is the program they didn't want him to see?" It underscores resistance to cleaning house at CISA, infamous for declaring 2020 the "most secure" election despite emerging fraud evidence.
This reflects broader systemic issues: bureaucrats thwarting elected leadership. "Elections have consequences," Donna noted, urging exposure of hidden activities funded by taxpayers.
The incident highlights ongoing battles against entrenched interests undermining national security and election integrity.