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Michael Manning, co-chair of TruthAZ, asked for an investigation into Republican House staff member John Mills' involvement in recruiting "sham" Green candidates. (Photo by Evan Wyloge/Arizona Capitol Times)
A group claims a Republican House staffer was involved in recruiting Green Party candidates in an effort to siphon votes from Democratic challengers, and they’re calling for House Speaker Kirk Adams to launch an investigation.
TruthAZ, recently formed to oppose what it calls a slate of “sham” Green candidates, wants Adams to explore whether staffer John Mills used state resources to recruit Green candidates to help Republicans.
Attorney Michael Manning, co-chair of TruthAZ, said Sept. 15 that if Mills did use state resources, his actions may have violated campaign rules.
“We’re asking for an investigation to be done to find out whether taxpayers, through Mr. Mills’ salary, participated in this scheme,” Manning said.
In secretly taped conversations, Shawn Nelson, a TruthAZ member, first called Green candidate Gail Ginger, who at the time was a running a write-in campaign for the Senate in Legislative District 10.
Nelson, who masqueraded as a Republican, asked Ginger who he could talk to about helping the Green candidates in District 10, and Ginger recommended Mills.
“John Mills, down at the legislature,” Ginger reportedly said in a recording. “He works for, I want to say the House of Representatives. He’s familiar with (Rep.) Jim Weiers and the conservative group down there.”
When Nelson called Mills, Mills said that he would need to contact a Green Party member before discussing anything.
“I’m kind of leery when people call me up on the phone talking about this stuff that I don’t know,” Mills reportedly said in a recording released by the group. “I hope I don’t offend you, but I’m going to call (Ginger) and talk to her for a few minutes before I call you back.”
Mills declined to comment and referred calls to his attorney, who did not return phone calls.
“What we do know is that during office hours (Mills) talked very knowingly about this scheme as if he was an architect of it,” Manning said. “It is at least enough to put that man on administrative leave to find out if taxpayer money was part of this scheme.”
LD10 is one of the most hotly contested races in the state, with incumbent Republican Sen. Linda Gray trying to fend off a challenge from well-financed Democrat Justin Johnson.
Ginger lost the write-in vote in the primary to Green candidate Chris Campbell, who later dropped out of the general election contest amid allegations that he was recruited by Republicans to help draw votes from Johnson.
Campbell admitted in a recorded phone call that his motive was to take votes away from Democrats, and a judge found that Campbell was recruited by Weiers’ daughter.
The Arizona Democratic Party and Arizona Green Party filed two lawsuits seeking to kick 11 Green candidates off the ballot. Judges in both cases declined to remove the candidates from the ballot.
Seven of the 11 candidates have since dropped out on their own, mostly after a Sept. 9 hearing in federal court.
Adams could not immediately be reached for comment. House spokesman Paul Boyer said he did not know whether Adams would open an investigation into Mills’ alleged role.