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Arizona Democratic Party Leaders Fight Over Alleged Financial Wrongdoing

January 19, 2025

By Staff Reporter |

The Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) faced accusations of financial wrongdoing from one of its leaders, days before the party’s convention and officer elections. 

The accusations come from ADP Vice Chair Will Knight. In a letter to Chair Yolanda Bejarano last week, Knight accused their treasurer, Rick McGuire, of “self-dealing” and the party of improper reporting. Knight requested an audit of the party’s finances. Bejarano denied the request. 

Bejarano called the allegations “defamatory” as well as “false and damaging” in response to the letter, per reporting by the Arizona Capitol Times. The chair said that McGuire received the $66,000 over the course of two years for work done as an independent contractor “beyond his voluntary role as Treasurer.” 

Specifically, Bejarano said that McGuire provided consulting services for ADP umbrella organizations that often incurred “substantial fines” from finance errors, namely county parties and legislative district committees. As noted by the Capitol Times, party bylaws don’t prohibit ADP leadership from working as contractors (though they may not work as employees of the party).

The payments to McGuire were for handling finance questions from party members — described as “treasurer training and support” in public reporting — and they were disclosed with the Federal Election Commission and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, says Bejarano. 

“The Party does not have extra resources to placate unreasonable claims,” said Bejarano. “What exactly would a costly independent audit show that a review of publicly available information would not?”

ADP paid McGuire $36,000 in 2023 and $30,000 last year. In addition to handling ADP finances, McGuire has worked as an executive producer at Health & Medical Multimedia. 

Bejarano said that she, along with ADP’s staff, an attorney specializing in state campaign finance, and compliance firm, all reviewed and found there to be no problems with McGuire’s contracts or their reporting. 

Knight, an attorney and decriminalization director of the National Homelessness Law Center, alleged that his efforts to investigate the payments to McGuire were refused. Knight requested financial documents in early 2023 following a budget presentation shortly after his election to the vice chairmanship.

ADP communications director Patricia Socarras explained McGuire’s ongoing payments were a continuation of similar agreements arranged by prior party leadership. 

“The Arizona Democratic Party is held to very high reporting standards by both federal and state law, which we enthusiastically meet because we believe all Arizonans should have that transparency from their local parties,” said Socarras. “Mr. Knight’s claim is baseless and a distraction from the hard work that we have ahead to ensure Democrats are prepared to win in 2026.”

The infighting emerged as ADP headed into the election of its next slate of officers during its convention. 

Bejarano faced several opponents: Robert Branscomb, an insurance agent, president of the Phoenix Chapter of the National African American Insurance Association, member of Sen. Mark Kelly’s African American Advisory Board, and ADP vice chair; Cathy Ransom, 2022 Democratic candidate for State House District 1; and Dave Braun, an attorney and long-time state committeeman.

During the meeting on Saturday, Democrats rejected Bejarano and elected Branscomb as party chair. McGuire was also ousted as treasurer in favor of Greg Freeman.

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