Green Party candidates balk at records demands as they scramble to stall fraud investigation

Arizona's Citizens Clean Elections Commission is investigating Green Party nominees Risa Lombardo and Duwayne Collier, along with Republican Scott Neely, over allegations they falsified enough $5 qualifying contributions to collectively claim $4.7 million in public campaign funds. Six people listed as donors told the Arizona Mirror they never gave any money, and courts have twice rejected the candidates' attempts to block the investigation, most recently the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Despite their attorney telling a judge the candidates would cooperate, he separately emailed the commission's director the same day objecting to the subpoenas as overly burdensome and retaliatory, then never followed through on a promise to specify which parts were too broad. The commission voted unanimously to deny the request to quash the subpoenas and extended its investigation deadline given the noncompliance.

The Arizona Green Party itself has called Lombardo and Collier sham candidates with no real ties to the party but numerous Republican connections, including Lombardo's recent past as an elected GOP precinct committeewoman.

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