A former candidate for the Arizona Senate, Larry Herrera, has been indicted by a Grand Jury on 34 felony counts including Attempted Fraudulent Schemes and Practices, Forgery, and Perjury.
According to the Arizona’s Attorney General’s Office, Herrera, also known as Lorenzo U. Herrera, attempted to qualify for Clean Elections Funding in 2018. Herrera allegedly offered or presented forged Citizens Clean Elections Commission Qualifying Contribution forms to the Secretary of State’s Office and that on each of those forms he perjured himself by falsely asserting that he had obtained $5.00 qualifying contributions from individuals.
Herrera is accused of taking the identities of sixteen individuals with the goal of attempting to obtain money from the Citizens Clean Elections Fund.
From AZ Clean Elections:
QUALIFYING FOR CLEAN FUNDING
STEP 1. APPLYING TO BE A PARTICIPATING CANDIDATE
Candidates who wish to participate in the Clean Funding program must file an Application for Certification before July 28, 2020 (the end of the qualifying period). The application is generated in the Secretary of State’s Campaign Finance Reporting System and the candidate must file the original, notarized application directly with the Secretary of State. The Clean Elections Commission will notify candidates within 7 days if their application is approved.
STEP 2. COLLECTING $5 QUALIFYING CONTRIBUTIONS
Candidates can collect $5 Qualifying Contributions during the qualifying period (August 1, 2019 – July 28, 2020). Only a qualified elector, who is properly registered to vote in the district of the office a candidate is seeking, may give a $5 Qualifying Contribution. A candidate can receive a $5 Qualifying Contribution from a qualified elector regardless of the contributor’s party affiliation. Candidates must collect a minimum number of qualifying contributions, depending on the office they are seeking. The Commission recommends you collect 20% more than the required amount.
$5 Qualifying Contribution forms will be disqualified if:
- they are unsigned
- they are undated or incorrectly dated
- the contributor is not registered to vote on the date the form is signed
- the contributor is not registered to vote in the district on the date the form is signed
- the original signature is not submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office
County Recorder Offices may have public terminals available for candidates to verify registration information. Candidates can also use the E-Qual system to collect contributions electronically.
STEP 3. APPLYING FOR CLEAN FUNDING
Candidates apply for funding at the Secretary of State’s Office. When applying, they must file the following documents:
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Application for Funding (found in the SOS campaign finance reporting system);
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List of All $5 Qualifying Contributors (make sure you have entered the $5 qualifying contributions into the SOS campaign finance reporting system);
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Original $5 Qualifying Contribution Forms (sorted by county if your district has more than one county or you are running for a statewide office);
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A single check made payable to the Clean Elections Fund for the total amount of the $5 qualifying contributions you are submitting (Please wait to fill in the check until the SOS staff gives you the official number of $5 qualifying contributions submitted);