By Staff Reporter |
Republican lawmakers are investigating Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs for allegedly securing a unique rate increase from the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) for one of her top donors, Sunshine Residential Homes, a group home operator.
Sunshine Residential Homes, its CEO Simon Kottoor, and his wife Elizabeth contributed more than $500,000 to Hobbs and the Arizona Democratic Party.
Attorney General Kris Mayes cleared Hobbs of wrongdoing last month.
Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) has called on Mayes to release the documents from her investigation.
Arizona Senate Republicans claim that “the underlying evidence remains hidden” in Hobbs’ case.
Hoffman said that the evidence presented so far has created a clear appearance of pay-to-play corruption. Hoffman accused Mayes of having a political alliance with Hobbs that compelled her to decline to charge the governor of wrongdoing.
“The money, the favors, and the secrecy form a pattern that cannot be ignored,” said Hoffman. “The confluence of events here renders these allegations extremely credible and worth investigating.”
Lawmakers have subpoenaed materials concerning donations to Hobbs’ inaugural or legal defense funds by Sunshine Residential Homes, the Kottoors, or any executive of the group home operator.
Sunshine Residential Homes and both Kottoors were also subpoenaed, along with Abi Saifi, the director of programs at Sunshine Residential Homes.
They also requested materials concerning contracts or agreements between any state agency and Sunshine Residential Homes, and changes to compensation or reimbursement rates, formulas, or amounts paid by any state agency to Sunshine Residential Homes.
The Senate Government Committee also subpoenaed:
- Christian Slater, Hobbs’ communications director;
- Nicole DeMont, Hobbs’ campaign manager;
- The Katie Hobbs Inaugural Fund; a
- The Katie Hobbs Legal Defense Fund;
- Dan Barr, Mayes’ chief deputy attorney general;
- Bill Mundell, Mayes’ chief deputy of police and administration;
- Nicholas Klingerman, Mayes’ criminal division chief;
- Michael Faust, former director of DCS and current city manager for the city of Peoria;
- Shalom Jacobs, former deputy director for DCS and current director for CGI;
- Alex Ong, deputy director for DCS;
- Matthew Stewart, Hobbs’ nominee for DCS director;
- Robert Navarro, former deputy director for DCS; and
- David Lujan, former DCS director.
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