Treasurer Kimberly Yee has more to worry about than her next career move after losing her race for superintendent of public schools.
Elijah Norton, the Republican candidate defeated in the race for Yee’s open seat, plans to sue Yee for defamation next week. Norton told reporters that Yee, among other Republican operatives, made false and defamatory allegations about his sex life.
Norton alleged that Yee falsely accused him of dating a cross-dressing male and having sex with a male assistant. Norton alleged that the latter rumor was told to a former U.S. ambassador who employed the male assistant in question.
“She said I had a ‘boyfriend that wore a dress’ (false) and accused me of sleeping with my male personal assistant (who is married with children — also false). And many other lies. The damage is the millions that the primary election cost based on her lies,” posted Norton on X.
On Friday, Norton called out Yee for not issuing a public statement conceding her race after it was called.
“Why can’t you do the decent thing and concede?” said Norton. “Probably because you are not a decent person. Or maybe you are deleting all of your messages (a crime) in anticipation of the lawsuit I’m about to file against you…”
Additionally, Norton said he will be suing Katherine Haley, his primary opponent; Lisa James and Kim Owens, Haley’s political consultants; and Cathi Herrod, former Center of Arizona Policy president.
According to Norton, Yee conspired against him with Haley, Herrod, James, and Owens. Yee allegedly attempted to recruit four candidates prior to Haley entering the contest.
Norton said Yee was partly to blame for Republicans’ massive losses in Arizona, pointing out that he spent $2 million, much of it funded by him, to finance his primary election. The Arizona legislature will have a Democratic majority in both chambers of the legislature for the first time in 60 years. Democrats also flipped two congressional seats and other major statewide seats in addition to the treasurer’s office.
“Part of the reason Republicans underperformed in Arizona is because Kimberly Yee is a selfish, terrible person, and she did this, ran this smear campaign, and it caused me to have to divert funds that could have gone to helping Republicans get elected to running a primary against someone that was totally unqualified to be state treasurer,” said Norton.
Norton promised to post a video of Yee’s reaction to getting served the lawsuit. Norton also pledged to spend his own funds to prevent Yee from taking public office in the future. He called Yee an “evil” woman.
“Kimberly Yee is a despicable, vile woman, and she should never, ever be allowed to run for office, ever again. I don’t say this word lightly: I think she is evil,” said Norton. “If she ever runs for office, ever again, I will spend whatever resources I have – and I do have the resources – to ensure she is defeated,” he said. “I will spend $10 million if I have to, to make sure that that nasty, vile [woman] is never elected to office ever again.”
Another outgoing elected official, Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-01), was previously sued by Norton for similar false and defamatory speech. Norton sought to unseat Schweikert in 2022. During the primary race, pro-Schweikert political action committees and consultants published physical and online content implying that Norton was in a gay relationship. Schweikert ultimately settled with Norton.
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