In response to questions raised about actions taken and not taken by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Arizona Speaker of the House Ben Toma announced the formation of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Executive Oversight to scrutinize the practices of Mayes and other state officials, specifically to investigate allegations of the abuse of power, dereliction of duty, and/or malfeasance.
The new committee is tasked with developing recommendations for potential legislative action and other measures to promote the rule of law and deter partisan abuse and weaponization of the office of Arizona Attorney General or other state offices.
“The Arizona House of Representatives has an inherent obligation under the Arizona Constitution to conduct appropriate oversight of officers in the Executive branch to protect the rule of law and the separation of powers,” said Toma. “I established this Committee because the public and members of the House have raised serious concerns suggesting that Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has engaged in a pattern of malfeasance in office. It is critical that this Committee fully investigate those allegations, thoroughly review Arizona laws, and solicit more information as necessary to advise the House on any and all appropriate measures that should be taken.”
Toma has appointed Representative Jacqueline Parker, an attorney, to serve as chairman of the Committee, a role she will undertake in addition to her current position as the chair of the Committee on Municipal Oversight and Elections.
“Attorney General Mayes has refused to defend state laws in court, harassed parents who have elected to use the ESA program to educate their children, threatened elected county officials with illegitimate prosecutions, and diverted funds and resources of her office to serve her own partisan purposes that are not authorized by the Legislature or state law,” said Parker. “These are among the allegations that I expect the Ad Hoc Committee will thoroughly investigate.”
The Committee comprises eight members: Republicans Jacqueline Parker (Chair), Austin Smith (Vice Chair), John Gillette, Neal Carter, David Marshall, and three Democratic members, yet to be named.