EJ Montini

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | EJ Montini

Masked federal agents are arresting asylum seekers who have followed immigration court procedures. The acting ICE director defends the use of masks by agents, citing safety concerns. Critics argue the masks are used to avoid accountability for potentially illegal actions and create an environment of fear. When it happened in Phoenix in late May, we almost looked at it as an anomaly.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | EJ Montini

Sports fans have favorites. We make no apologies. We have favorite teams. Favorite players. Favorite sports. And we love to make our case for the best player or team or game or play to fellow sports fans who (we say) lack our insight and discernment. It’s fun. With that in mind, the sports department at The Arizona Republic put together a bracket challenge for local fans in which the various rounds lead to a fan-selected “most iconic sports figure” in Arizona.

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | EJ Montini

Arizona Republic readers have narrowed the most iconic Arizona sports figure to Larry Fitzgerald or Pat Tillman. Tillman, who died in Afghanistan in 2004, is much more than a sports icon. He understood the politics of war and the reason for sacrifice. We need more people like him in the world today. Sports fans have favorites. We make no apologies. We have favorite teams. Favorite players. Favorite sports.

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | EJ Montini

Apache Junction police officer Gabriel Facio was shot and killed in the line of duty. Facio responded to a call about a man brandishing a gun and was shot on June 2, dying on June 8. Metro Phoenix is full of holy ground, often unnoticed by the public, where law enforcement officers have fallen in the line of duty. We walk each day on holy ground. We build houses on it. And schools. And gas stations. And fast-food restaurants. And strip malls. We cover it with asphalt and drive over it.

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | EJ Montini

The congressman, like other Republican members from Arizona, will go to bat for those he represents, but only if doing so is what Donald Trump wants. Arizona Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani voted for a bill he publicly opposed, mirroring a pattern of behavior among his GOP colleagues. Ciscomani, like Reps. Biggs and Schweikert, voted for the 'big beautiful bill' despite criticizing it, prioritizing allegiance to Donald Trump over constituent interests.