AZ Briefing: Nonprofit with direct line to top Arizona…

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AZ Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Mon Jan 6 2025

Mark Jones | Digital Producer

Good morning, Arizona. Here’s what our reporters are working on and what you should know about what’s happening across the state before you start your day.

Who influences Arizona’s leaders? This nonprofit has a direct line to three top Democrats.

Katie Hobbs, Kris Mayes and Adrian Fontes have turned to States United amid intense distrust, lies, and conspiracies surrounding elections.

Best Phoenix restaurants 2025

Ribeye, with wild mushrooms, smoked demi and horseradish potatoes is one of the large plates served up at Barley & Smoke, a speakeasy located inside of Peoria Artisan Brewery.

Cheryl Evans/The Republic

Our guide to metro Phoenix restaurants is back with the first 25 of 100 essential spots for Mexican food, Italian, fine dining, pizza and burgers.

If you like our work, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Today in history

Here are just some of the events on this date in the past.

•	On this day in 1941: As the world watched Europe fall under fascism with the rise of the Nazi party, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt outlined his Four Freedoms in his State of the Union message to Congress. Feeling that the U.S. should no longer uphold its non-interventionism, Roosevelt proposed that the U.S. become more involved with helping its allies and promoted four fundamental freedoms that people “everywhere in the world” ought to enjoy: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.
•	In 1975: One of the most popular and longest-running game shows, “Wheel of Fortune,” premiered on NBC, with Chuck Woolery as its first host.
•	In 1975: Fans of rock band Led Zeppelin trashed the Boston Garden arena. As thousands gathered to wait overnight in freezing temperatures to purchase tickets for Zeppelin’s upcoming concert, a few unscrupulous fans broke into the seating area of the arena and caused thousands of dollars of damage. Boston’s mayor, Kevin White, banned the band from playing in the city for five years as a result.
•	In 1994: U.S. figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked and injured on her lower right thigh by Shane Stant at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Stant was hired by Jeff Gillooly, the ex-husband of Tonya Harding, Kerrigan’s rival. Harding initially denied her involvement in the attack but was later revealed to be part of the entire process and pled guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution in a plea deal.
•	In 2001: Following a lengthy legal battle, George W. Bush was certified as the winner of the 2000 Presidential elections by Congress and then-VP Al Gore, who was running against him.
•	In 2021: Supporters of President Donald Trump, believing in falsified and fraudulent reports of a “stolen election” and egged on by Trump himself, stormed and attacked the U.S. Capitol in Washington as Congress met to certify Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election. The rioters assaulted law enforcement as they forced their way inside, destroying, vandalizing and ransacking the complex for hours. Five people died as a result, including four police officers.