Guest: Merissa Hamilton, Fernando Dona
Former Arizona Legislator Launches SwampTracker to Monitor Special Interests
In a significant development for Arizona politics, former state legislator Marissa Hamilton announced the launch of SwampTracker.org, a new initiative aimed at tracking legislative bills and the special interests behind them at the Arizona State Capitol.
Exposing Special Interest Influence
The platform, set to debut next week, will provide unprecedented transparency into the legislative process by:
Identifying "swampy" elements within bills
Exposing lobbyist connections and special interest backing
Tracking campaign finance patterns
Monitoring committee appointments influenced by special interests
Hamilton revealed concerning allegations about lobbyist influence in recent House Committee leadership selections. "It was rumored and reported by Garrett Lewis, and now confirmed, that Steve Montenegro had a too-friendly relationship with lobbyists and the political class, who had a hand in choosing House Committee leaders," Hamilton stated.
Voter Engagement Features
SwampTracker will offer several tools for citizen engagement:
Bill-by-bill analysis pages
Direct legislator contact capabilities
Text message alerts about pending legislation
Assistance with the Request to Speak system at the Capitol
Options to report concerning bill elements
Election Integrity Updates
Hamilton provided updates on recent election integrity efforts:
A successful lawsuit requiring transparency about 218,000 voters needing citizenship verification
Ongoing litigation involving all 15 county recorders regarding federal-only voters
Department of Homeland Security citizenship status checks
New oversight under incoming Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap
Looking Ahead to 2026
The discussion touched on Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs' political positioning:
Released statement claiming $12 million raised for reelection
Facing potential primary challenge from Secretary of State Adrian Fontes
Struggling with border security stance amid 60% voter support for enforcement
Limited legislative accomplishments despite record spending
Conservative Coalition Building
Hamilton highlighted strengthening conservative infrastructure:
Expanded grassroots networks
Turning Point USA's enhanced voter outreach
Coordination among 20+ conservative organizations
Strategic focus on upcoming state elections
The initiative represents a new phase in Arizona political oversight, promising increased transparency in state governance and legislative processes.