Jim Small//May 23, 2011
The Fiesta Bowl shouldn’t expect to be receiving a check from U.S. Senator Jon Kyl any time soon, as he has rejected a request from the beleaguered bowl to return political contributions made by its employees.
An internal investigation made public in March revealed the bowl reimbursed employees who gave money to politicians, including Kyl, U.S. Sen. John McCain and Gov. Jan Brewer, in apparent violation of state law.
There was no indication the politicians knew the money they received was in fact coming from the bowl, a non-profit that is barred from making political donations.
Earlier this month, an attorney for the Fiesta Bowl sent letters to the politicians who had received the campaign contributions asking for the money back.
In a letter to Fiesta Bowl attorney Nathan Hochman obtained by Arizona Capitol Times, Kyl said he would not be returning the $3,000 his campaign had received from bowl employees, in part because he was unaware the money was being illegally refunded to the contributors.
Kyl also said the letter from Hochman gives him additional cause not to give the money back to the Fiesta Bowl, as it confirms the bowl acted illegally.
“I do not believe it would be appropriate to give money to the Fiesta Bowl, given its admission of improper conduct,” Kyl wrote.
The money will instead be donated to an unspecified charity.
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