Publicly-Funded Campaigns Getting Lobbyist Support on the Side:
According to Arizona state law, organizations can actively support candidates through independent expenditures. In order to do this, the law requires candidates to remain separated from efforts by these independent organizations. The law also requires that independent committees file with the state, and report any plans to spend money on the behalf of a candidate.
Our investigation has revealed more questionable activity by Sen. Gray, who has received more than $180,000 in tax payer money to fund her campaigns through Clean Elections. While running as a “clean candidate,” she has also been engaging personally in fundraising activities to support her 2010 campaign, through an organization that does not appear to be following the letter of the law on independent expenditures.
On April 22nd 2010, Mr. Alan M. Immerman, a lobbyist, sent a letter soliciting funds for his organization, Arizona Chiropractic Society (ACS). Sen. Linda Gray assisted the lobbyist with raising these funds and was the featured speaker at the event. Listen for yourself:
to a caller ask about helping Sen. Gray through ACS.
Mr. Immerman tells the caller, who recorded the conversation, he supports Sen. Gray and that because she was running with public funds, a person cannot give money to her directly, but could give money to his organization ACS and the money would be used to help Sen. Gray.
Sen. Gray’s running mate in 2008, Doug Qualland, was found guilty of a violation of public funding rules and was removed from office.
Sham Candidates Funded to Fool Voters:
In 2010, a series of unusual circumstances were discovered surrounding newly registered “Green” candidates. Further research revealed unethical and deceptive behavior by some elected officials in Arizona, as evidenced by what clearly appears to be an organized effort to use taxpayer money in a deliberate attempt to deceive Arizona taxpayers and voters.
These suscpicious circumstances involve 14 sham “Green” candidates
linked through deceptive and unethical activity, including:
- Nearly all filed as Green candidates on the same day and within hours, showing a coordinated effort
- Ten changed party registration from Republican to Green a few days before filing
- All of these candidates are OPPOSED by official members of the Green Party.
- Hear for yourself:State legislative staffer John Mills, who is paid by Arizona taxpayers, is linked to and helps coordinate the election hoax. During this taped phone call by an interested voter, the sham candidate Gail Ginger refers the caller to Mills and Sen. Weiers.
- Hear for yourself: Sham “Green” candidate Christopher Campbell is registered to vote at the address of Rep. Jim Weiers ’daughter, claims close ties to Sen. Linda Gray, and Campbell admits to being a sham candidate in this taped phone call by an interested voter.
- Former Rep. Mays admits to recruiting homeless men to be candidates for election, reported in NY Times. "Meet sham candidate Benjamin Pearcy, a homeless man who talks about his criminal background on this video interview."
Questionable Elected Officials Involved:
Exactly how far-reaching this organized effort extends remains to be seen. But the evidence is overwhelming and, in at least one legislative district (LD 10), there is history of precisely this kind of political high-jinx. There is overwhelming evidence that directly ties these elected officials.
Today, it appears that history is repeating itself in Legislative District 10 and across the state. Just prior to the registration cut-off for the primary election, two sham “Green” candidates with ties to Sen. Linda Gray, Rep. Jim Weiers and Legislative staffer entered the race in Legislative District 10
Both were registered Republicans until the day they filed as
“Green” candidates .
The Arizona Republic article reported that the candidates admit to having ties to Rep. Jim Weiers and a State Legislative staffer Jim Mills. In the same article, both candidates contradict reports of their
taped conversations admitting to being enticed to run by Republican incumbents with the only goal being to aid in the defeat the incumbent’s opposition, a Democrat.
Two years ago, this strategy worked in Legislative District 10. After the election, news reports made a clear case showing that Representative Jim Weiers"(a privately funded candidate), Sen. Linda Gray and Fmr. Representative Qualland, who was ultimately forced out of the legislature for illegal campaign activity, were involved in wrongfully using taxpayer money provided through Clean Elections to launch a mudslinging effort against Democratic Candidate Jackie Thrasher, a former teacher.
Read how taxpayers money has been used to fund their efforts.
Former Rep. Steve May, once again a candidate for the legislature, has been recruiting Benjamin Pearcy, a homeless man to run as a sham “Green” candidate for the effort, along with others.
Meet Benjamin Pearcy for yourself
The lessons learned in 2008 have been expanded for the 2010 elections.
*Larry Gist is listed because he is opposed by the Green Party. In addition, his finance report with the Secretary of State shows a debt of over $12,000, which appears to violate the donation limit by an individual of $410.00. While Mr. Gist followed the appropriate process of gathering signatures to be added to the ballot, Truth Az questions the nature of the debt that financed the collection of those signatures.