Senate contracts... there are a few
I requested all third party contracts from the Arizona Senate this year.
As a taxpayer (that’s all of us here)1 it’s important to have some checks and balances on elected officials –– and the government in general –– to see how, exactly, our hard earned dollars are being spent.
Each year during budget time we can see where billions of dollars are going down to each line of the budget docs, but we don’t always know exactly how that money will be spent unless you ask (you won’t always get an answer) or if there’s an audit. Or you can wait for annual reports which usually delve into the nitty gritty, but unless you know exactly what you’re looking for or how to read those reports it can be pretty grueling.
This is where I come in.
An easy and fun public records request I’ve sent to many government entities is information on how certain dollars are being spent. For example, third-party contracts.
If you’re new here you may have missed these following contract stories:
Fontes gives exclusive government contract to his top political consultant
I have since sent out similar requests on contracts within that respected agency and first up is the Arizona Senate.
As seen at the link above, the Senate and its fringe leaders agreed to pay an election denier $15,000 per month to advise on the Elections Committee. That contract would be null and void if Gina Swoboda “perform[ed] any other work related to Arizona Elections.”
Swoboda allegedly sent public records requests to several Arizona counties about absentee ballots on behalf of the Voter Reference Foundation. The Senate claims it wasn’t actually Swoboda.
Regardless, her contract did in fact end in April and was not renewed, but the Senate did have additional contracts with some law firms in 2023 –– the only year I requested.
It partnered with law firm Gallagher & Kennedy for an election-related lawsuit. The Senate paid the firm $11,852 for its work.
The Senate also had contracts with top law firm Snell & Wilmer, but did not pay them according to the Senate. It also once again contracted with Kory Langhofer of Statecraft PLLC and paid them $1,350 to help with Governor Katie Hobbs and her cabinet nominations.
In retrospect, it’s not a lot of money on attorneys (at least this time around), but it’s still important to know where your money is going.
I don’t believe I have any uber-wealthy subscribers (or delinquents) who don’t pay any taxes.