Two Arizona prosecutors are conducting independent investigations into Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) regarding an alleged pay-to-play scheme, with both accusing the other of having a conflict of interest.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (R) are both investigating Hobbs for alleged criminal conduct, but each are telling the other prosecutor to stand down from their investigation because of potentially improper motivations.
Last Friday, Mayes opened a criminal probe into corruption allegations involving Hobbs and donations from a group home business.
Mayes notified the state legislature that she had received a criminal referral from a GOP lawmaker involving allegations with Sunshine Residential Homes.
“The Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office is statutorily authorized to investigate the allegations and offenses outlined in your letter. To that end, the Attorney General’s Office will be opening an investigation,” Mayes wrote.
The announcement came after The Arizona Republic reported that the group home business that cares for vulnerable children was approved for a 60% rate hike after it donated about $400,000 to Hobb’s inauguration and the state Democratic Party.
Sunshine requested the rate hike to address financial hardships amid the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, the newspaper reported.
State Sen. T.J. Shope (R) requested the probe following The Arizona Republic report. “I have to believe that they, at the very least, see the allegations the same way that I do, which is troubling at best and possibly worse,” Shope said.
The senator referred the allegations to Mayes, Mitchell, and the state auditor general.
Hobbs’ office said in a statement regarding the probe, “Just like past investigations instigated by radical and partisan legislators, the administration will be cleared of wrongdoing.
“Governor Hobbs is a social worker who has been a champion for Arizona families and kids. It is outrageous to suggest her administration would not do what’s right for children in foster care.”
As Mayes took up the investigation into Hobbs, she asked the Maricopa County attorney to stand down from investigating the same allegations. “It would not be appropriate or in the best interest of the state to conduct parallel investigations into the same matter,” the attorney general wrote.
However, while Mayes is investigating Hobbs, some Arizona House Republicans called for her impeachment just last month over her alleged abuse of power.
The Arizona House Committee on Executive Oversight, which was created by House Speaker Ben Toma in March, wrote a report last month on Mayes’ actions as attorney general and recommended that she be impeached.
“The Committee concludes that Attorney General Mayes has committed impeachable offenses,” wrote Rep. Jacqueline Parker (R), who chaired the committee. “The Committee recommends the House adopt a resolution impeaching Attorney General Mayes and appointing a board of managers to prosecute her at a Senate trial.
“Moreover, the House should carefully scrutinize all appropriations made to the Attorney General’s Office, continue to exercise oversight over Attorney General Mayes’ abuses of office, and consider legislation in the next legislative session to strengthen and clarify Arizona laws aimed at preventing further weaponization of the Attorney General’s Office,” Parker continued.
The report concluded that “Mayes abused her power and committed malfeasance in office” by threatening “the Mohave County Board of Supervisors in November 2023 with personal criminal and civil penalties if they voted contrary to her unsolicited legal opinion.”
