Phoenix's newly rehired city manager Ed Zuercher gave a misleading account of how he handled the city's fake-gang protester scandal, minimizing his early resistance to an outside investigation

ABC15 Arizona reported on October 2, 2025 that during the contentious September 17, 2025 city council meeting that narrowly (5-4) rehired him, City Manager Ed Zuercher told the council he 'initiated the investigation' and 'hired the outside law firm' that probed Phoenix police and prosecutors for colluding to invent a fake gang and falsely charge protesters as gang members. Records and a recording obtained by ABC15 show Zuercher initially resisted hiring outside counsel and wanted county prosecutors to lead the review, with the investigation's scope only expanding to include the gang-charging allegations after ABC15's reporting pressured the city.