Regulators reject GOP candidate Ralph Heap’s bid to settle Clean Elections dispute

The Citizens Clean Election Commission voted unanimously Thursday to reject a proposed settlement with Republican state Rep. Ralph Heap, a candidate for Arizona utility regulator, that would have let him exit the public funding program without admitting wrongdoing in exchange for dropping any legal challenge to commission rules. The commission has been investigating a complaint since June that Heap failed to report campaign spending on signs.

Executive Director Tom Collins told commissioners the settlement offer amounted to a threat to sue if the investigation didn't stop, and said he received the requested financial documents only a day before the meeting, five days after flagging them as missing. Heap's attorney countered that Collins was legally required to negotiate rather than recommend rejection, and disputed the claim that documents were withheld.

Heap has skipped required primary and general election debates, a violation that carries a $500 fine under program rules, and had twice tried to withdraw from Clean Elections after the investigation began, requests the commission denied as untimely.

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