Arizona Republican Scandals | Updated List of GOP Scandals in AZ

Scandal Categories

Arizona Republican U.S. Congress Member & Candidate Scandals

  • Rick RenziRick RenziFmr. U.S. Representative
       
    10/28/13
    Strongarmed leaders of a copper mining company into purchasing a large tract of land from a business associate who owed him money in exchange for him sponsoring legislation that would be favorable to the company, even once explicitly telling those involved "no Sandlin Property, no bill" and then failed to pay taxes on the $733,000 he received from the sale once the deal went through
    2/22/08
    Funneled $400k in insurance premiums from a company he owned to his congressional campaign and then later transferred ownership of the company to his wife
    According to charging documents filed by federal officials
  • Trent FranksFmr. U.S. Representative
       
    12/08/17
    Pressured a female aide to take $5 million to carry his child as a surrogate mother and strongly implied he wanted to impregnate her through intercourse since he was against invitro fertilization
    According to a firsthand account from former aide and reported on by the Associated Press

Arizona Republican Executive Branch Scandals

  • Kari LakeKari LakeGov. Nominee [R-AZ]Twitter iconInstagram iconFacebook iconTikTok iconTruthSocial iconGab icon3.9m
    11/17/24
    Defamed AZ County Recorder Stephen Richer (R) by baselessly accusing him of adding over 300,000 fraudulent ballots to Maricopa County's vote count in order to steal the election from her and then later admitted in court that she had no defense against his lawsuit and forfeited her right to a trial
    According to a civil lawsuit filed by the individual she defamed
    1/24/24
    Was accused of deceptively editing a leaked recording of a private conversation where AZ Republican Party Chair Jeff DeWitt appeared to offer her a bribe to drop out of the 2024 U.S. Senate race but which he says was "selectively edited" by Lake in order to get him fired from party leadership
    According to news reports from credible media outlets

Arizona Republican State Legislator Scandals

  • Frank AntenoriFmr. State Senator [R-AZ]
       
    7/21/16
    Unlawfully entered and hunted wild game on the grounds of a restricted military base in southern Arizona
    According to charging documents filed by federal officials
  • Steve MontenegroSteve MontenegroState Representative [R-AZ]Facebook iconTwitter icon12k
    2/22/18
    Engaged in an online affair with a Republican digital media coordinator and received a topless photograph of her while also being a married pastor who publicly professed to be a "leader of virtue"
    According to an exclusive report by AZ Central
  • Peggy JuddPeggy JuddFmr. State RepresentativeMAGA Enthusiast
    11/29/23
    Illegally delayed certifying her county's 2022 midterm election results for weeks by citing unfounded and baseless allegations of fraud and only allowed the certification to go through after a judge ordered her to
    According to charging documents filed by state officials
  • David StringerDavid StringerFmr. State Representative
       
    3/30/19
    Paid two teenage boys he met in a park $10 each to perform oral sex on them and then had them perform oral sex on him
    Had oral and penetrative sex with an underage boy as young as 13-years-old on ten separate occasions and got caught when the boy's father found out and reported him to the police
    According to an exclusive report by the Arizona Republic

Arizona Republican City Official Scandals

  • Randy Gene KaufmanRandy Gene KaufmanFmr. School Board Member Candidate
       
    10/18/22
    Pleasured himself watching videos in his truck within view of a busy road used by parents to pick up children from a nearby preschool after having spewed propaganda about wanting to protect children
    According to an arrest report filed by local police

Other Arizona Republican Scandals

  • Tom CrosbyTom CrosbyCounty Commissioner [R-AZ]
       
    11/29/23
    Delayed certifying the results of his county's 2022 midterm election by citing baseless allegations of supposed voter fraud
    According to charging documents filed by state officials
  • Joe ArpaioFmr. Sheriff [R-AZ]
       
    7/31/17
    Blatantly disregarded a new law that prevented the targeting of people of Latino descent showing complete disdain for "law and order" while also having had espoused excessive over-the-top rhetoric that claimed the opposite and was found guilty of criminal contempt of court
    He was convicted of criminal contempt but was pardoned by Donald Trump before being sentenced