Arizona Republican lawmakers will investigate AG for alleged abuse of power against them
Republican lawmakers will investigate Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and other Democrats for allegedly abusing their power against them and their policies.
The state House established a new committee on Tuesday, led by Republicans, to look into Mayes in particular.
They allege that Mayes has engaged in “malfeasance” by opposing the private school voucher program, not defending laws she disagrees with, and threatening elected officials with prosecution, among other things.
House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) said the committee won’t limit its focus to Mayes, but it will start out focused on her because there have been “complaints.” He wouldn’t say who specifically made them.
“The initial [focus] is more on Mayes because there were specific allegations made, as I said in the press release, by members of the chamber and also by members of the public that she may have broken some laws, in which case that’s what they’re going to start to look at,” Toma said.
A grand jury indicted Cochise County Republicans earlier this year for refusing to canvass the 2022 election results.
Mayes is also investigating the case of so-called “fake electors” in Arizona who asserted that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election.
Two current Republican lawmakers are part of that group, but Toma said that this committee isn’t about that case.
Mayes called the committee a “political stunt” and added that she’ll continue to focus her attention and resources elsewhere.
Rep. Jacqueline Parker (R-Mesa) will chair the new committee on executive oversight.
Parker said in a statement that Mayes has “diverted funds and resources from her office to serve her own partisan purposes that are not authorized by the Legislature or state law,” but Parker declined to elaborate on her statement.
