Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, already dogged by a string of controversies, is now facing a fresh investigation into allegations of a pay-to-play scheme tied to a major campaign donor.
As reported by WND, Hobbs tenure has been marked by a series of troubling episodes: state officials under her watch wired $2 million in taxpayer funds to scammers posing as a title company, her administration signed off on $700,000 in tourism logo and rebranding projects, she installed 13 agency heads without state Senate confirmation, and she oversaw a wave of high-level resignations while authorizing nearly $600,000 for a consultant and assistant. Now, attention has turned to a deal involving Sunshine Residential Homes, a company that operates group homes for children and youth in the foster care system, and which allegedly benefited handsomely after its executives poured money into Hobbs political efforts.
A report at RedState explained the core allegation: it purportedly involves swapping a very generous political donation for a big rate increase, making Sunshine the highest-paid operation of its kind in the state. The report said, The primary facts remain: Sunshine delivered on a big campaign donation, then was awarded a fat rate hike. Thats kind of hard for even a Democrat to just wave away.
The Arizona Senate has now escalated the matter by appointing former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould as special counsel in its probe of Attorney General Kris Mayes refusal to prosecute Hobbs over the alleged scheme. Both Hobbs and Mayes are Democrats, raising concerns among conservatives that partisan loyalty may be shielding the governor from accountability that would be swiftly demanded of a Republican.
According to the new investigation was announced by Arizona State Sen. Jake Hoffman. Hoffman said the corporations executives and others allegedly contributed more than $500,000 to benefit Hobbs, her political operations and various funds.
Following these contributions, Hoffman said Sunshine received per-child rate increases (a 56% hike), making them the highest-paid group home provider in Arizona, despite internal staff noting no increase was necessary, the report said. Political donations went in, taxpayer-funded rate increases came out, all to benefit a key donor to Katie Hobbs, said Hoffman, chairman of the Senate Committee on Government. What we have seen has every appearance of a pay-to-play corruption scandal at the highest levels of our state government.
A spokesman for Hobbs campaign dismissed the allegations as purely political, but the facts now under scrutiny suggest a pattern that should concern any taxpayer who believes government ought to serve the public, not well-connected donors. Hobbs has already been served with a subpoena ordering her to appear before the Senate Committee on Government later this month, ensuring that her administrations conductand the broader question of integrity in Arizonas Democratic leadershipwill remain under a harsh spotlight.
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