PHOENIX — A veteran Republican lawmaker wants Attorney General Kris Mayes to investigate whether Katie Hobbs illegally used state resources to raise money in the name of paying inaugural expenses when most of the cash actually went into a fund that can be used for political campaigns.
Rep. David Livingston said research he already did during the session while exploring potential legislation to restrict the use of inaugural funds shows evidence Hobbs, while still governor-elect, used a state website to raise money for both the inaugural ceremony at the Capitol on January 5 and a separate inaugural ball two days later at Talking Stick Resort.
But the Peoria lawmaker said the records he has been able to obtain show not all the money raised went to pay for expenses. In fact, he said, the most recent information he has been able to get shows that the committee that collected the money still has more than $868,000.
