Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s Republican candidate for treasurer Elijah Norton and the Arizona Republican Party are criticizing Democratic nominee Nick Mansour’s business record, pointing to nursing school disciplinary proceedings, student lawsuits, and a federal settlement involving a company where he previously worked.
In a post to X, Norton argued that Mansour’s record should disqualify him from overseeing Arizona’s investments. The Arizona Republican Party amplified the criticism, accusing Democrats of nominating someone who took advantage of nursing students.
An accompanying campaign advertisement calls Mansour a “con man,” accuses his nursing school of pocketing money intended for students, and invokes an $11 million Medicare case.
Public records document disciplinary action against Arizona College’s Tempe nursing program and an $11.4 million settlement involving Pacific Pulmonary Services. The nursing board terminated the program’s probation in February 2025, and the Justice Department described the company’s settlement as resolving allegations without a determination of liability.
Mansour’s campaign biography identifies him as a former chairman and CEO of Arizona College of Nursing. His campaign credits him with expanding the institution from one campus to 24 across 14 states.
The Arizona State Board of Nursing’s May 2022 consent agreement placed the Tempe bachelor’s degree nursing program on probation. It prescribed a minimum of 36 months, with eligibility for early termination after 30 months upon satisfying the requirements.
The board found that the program administrator lacked adequate control over decisions made by corporate officials. It documented the dismissal of 32 clinical faculty members approximately two weeks before the fall 2021 semester, despite concerns from the nursing program’s dean and faculty about replacing them.
The order also identified an incident in which 10 students were at a clinical site without clinical faculty supervision for approximately four hours. The assigned instructor had reported to the wrong building, and the error was not promptly corrected. Arizona College self-reported the incident to the board.
The agreement required outside evaluation, corrective measures and quarterly reporting.
In a Feb. 24, 2025, termination order, the board said it had reviewed the program’s compliance and determined that probation was completed. Its current program listing identifies the Tempe program as having full approval.
Addressing the nursing program’s probation and operational problems, Mansour said that the school made corrections and kept students informed.
“We were transparent with the students about it,” he said.
Student litigation has also become part of Norton’s criticism. In Caine v. Eduvision, students pursued claims against the operator of Arizona College of Nursing’s Dallas campus. The federal docket records the school’s motion to compel arbitration.
Students alleged overcharging, changes intended to cause program failures, and failure to distribute COVID-19 relief money. The report said the case was stayed and closed pending arbitration and that attempts to reopen it had been denied.
The Medicare allegation concerns a separate business. In an April 25, 2017, announcement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Braden Partners, doing business as Pacific Pulmonary Services, agreed to pay $11.4 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations against the company and its general partner, Teijin Pharma USA.
Federal authorities alleged that Pacific Pulmonary submitted claims for home oxygen equipment without required physician authorization beginning around 2004. They also alleged that certain patient care coordinators participated in a cross-referral arrangement with sleep clinics beginning in 2006.
The DOJ described an $11.4 million corporate settlement resolving allegations without a determination of liability. Its announcement does not name Mansour or identify any penalty imposed on him personally.
Mansour joined Pacific Pulmonary in late 2007 as vice president of business development. Mansour said he worked there for less than a year and that his role “never had anything to do with Medicare.”
Norton’s campaign has also launched a “Nurses Against Nick” website highlighting the school’s probation and litigation and urging voters to support Norton. The site identifies itself as paid for by Friends of Elijah Norton and authorized by the candidate.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
