Here’s what we’ve uncovered in our Arizona Watchdog Project so far

The Phoenix New Times' Arizona Watchdog Project uncovered several significant investigative stories, including revelations regarding data center development in Arizona. One key report detailed former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's controversial lobbying efforts in October for a large AI data center on Price Road in Chandler. Sinema, who had joined the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm Hogan Lovells after leaving office, pressured the Chandler Planning Commission and City Council to approve the project, even suggesting the Trump administration might intervene if they did not. However, Sinema failed to disclose her connection to Hogan Lovells during her public remarks. Her appearance ignited a strong wave of local opposition, with residents citing concerns over the project's power and water usage, particularly given Active Infrastructure's questionable water-saving promises. In December, the Chandler City Council unanimously rejected the data center proposal, with several council members seemingly changing their stance in response to the packed chambers of opposing residents. Additionally, the project shed light on the usually low-profile Salt River Project (SRP) leadership elections, which saw the intervention of the right-wing advocacy group Turning Point USA. This group, backing pro-industry candidates, actively campaigned against a "green energy" slate that expressed skepticism towards data center expansion and favored renewable energy. A pro-industry Political Action Committee, Arizonans for Responsible Growth PAC, partnered with Turning Point, leading to a significant ground game. Following this, Google, which had made a donation to the Arizonans for Responsible Growth PAC, requested to claw back its contribution and have its name removed from all PAC materials, reportedly due to concerns over Turning Point's "toxic politics."