UPDATE: Arizona Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes to Launch Criminal Investigation into Gov. Katie Hobbs for Bribery and Fraud

Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes, who “won” the 2022 election by 280 votes from Trump-endorsed Abe Hamadeh, will launch a criminal investigation into Governor Katie Hobbs over a pay-to-play scheme.

As reported by The Gateway Pundit, these allegations stem from significant donations made to a dark money group, which was used for Hobbs’ inaugural events, potentially influencing state contract decisions.

Hobbs’ ethical conduct was called into question by GOP State Legislators after she solicited donations of up to $250,000 using a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group for inaugural events.

Interestingly, the nonprofit used by Hobbs shares an address with Coppersmith Brockelman PLC, the Democrat law firm that represented her in Kari Lake’s lawsuit challenging the 2022 midterm election results.

Among the donors to Hobbs’ inauguration were Sunshine Residential Homes and its affiliates, who contributed significant sums only to later receive a rate increase for their youth group home services.

According to The Arizona Republic reporter, Stacey Barchenger, “DCS approved what amounts to a nearly 60% increase in the rate that Sunshine Residential Homes Inc. charges to care for a child for a day, meaning potentially millions of dollars more going to the company at taxpayers’ expense.”

Interestingly, no other standard group home provider was approved for any rate increase during Hobbs’ tenure.

Sunshine Residential Homes initially sought a 20% rate increase in December 2022 but was denied by DCS on February 6, 2023. Just three days later, Sunshine donated $100,000 to a dark-money fund created by Hobbs’ campaign. Notably, the company had only recently begun contributing to political campaigns in Arizona.

Sunshine made two six-figure donations totaling 200,000 to the Arizona Democratic Party when Hobbs was running for governor. Additionally, Sunshine’s CEO and his wife personally donated nearly the maximum amount, 5,000 each, to Hobbs’ campaign. After Hobbs’ election, the company donated another $200,000, half of which went directly to Hobbs’ inauguration fund through her dark money group.

Sunshine’s Director of Programs, who had previously worked for DCS for a decade before joining Sunshine in 2022, also donated $5,000 to Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign on the same day as his boss.

Republican Sen. TJ Shope, who leads the Arizona Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, has issued letters to both Attorney General Kris Mayes and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, urging them to launch an investigation into the “pay-to-play scheme” involving Governor Katie Hobbs’ Office, the Arizona Department of Child Safety, and certain political donors, according to KJZZ.

Sen. Shope suggested that these transactions might breach multiple laws, including those related to bribery and conflicts of interest.

Today’s article on @azcentral by @sbarchenger brings many legal questions that are both criminal and civil in nature. I call for @AZAGMayes and/or Maricopa County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell to investigate this matter. We must find the truth of what @GovernorHobbs knew and at what… pic.twitter.com/CVbyU6vnSs

— T.J. Shope (@TJShope) June 6, 2024

Now, the Arizona State Attorney General’s office has confirmed that it “will be opening an investigation” into these allegations, AZ Central reported.

“Thank you for your referral dated June 5, 2024, regarding 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,” wrote Mayes’ criminal division chief, Nick Klingerman.

She’s being investigated by the Democrat attorney general Kris Mayes pic.twitter.com/vgmjdUjLmP

— Nico Delgado (@NicoDelgadoAZ) June 7, 2024