Key Points:

• Arizona Rep. Anna Abeytia fined $10,000

• Democratic lawmaker failed to file timely campaign finance reports

• Commissioners consider rule change to limit payments to family members for services

The Arizona Clean Elections Commission has issued a $10,000 fine to an Arizona lawmaker who failed to file timely campaign finance reports after accepting public funds. 

The commission voted Oct. 23 to accept a conciliation agreement for Rep. Anna Abeytia, D-Phoenix, who will now be required to pay $10,000 over the next 72 months and won’t be able to accept Clean Elections funding in any other election. If she defaults on the agreement, she would have to pay $101,000.

Abeytia told commissioners during the meeting that she was apologetic for her actions and acknowledged the mistakes she made during the election cycle.

“I wasn’t responsible during the election by reporting and I wasn’t doing my part,” Abeytia said. 

Clean Elections staff initially proposed a $5,000 fine for Abeytia in September, but commissioners felt that fine was too light considering she failed to both file multiple campaign finance reports and respond to multiple outreach attempts from Clean Elections staff.

Abeytia received $53,000 in Clean Elections funds during the 2024 election cycle. Commissioners are considering a potential rule change in response to her paying $48,000 to Gumption Consulting, which is owned by her fiancé, Ricardo Serna. 

Gumption Consulting shares the same address as Abeytia’s campaign committee and commissioners were alarmed that Abeytia appeared to give nearly $50,000 of public funds to her fiancé. However, a commission audit of Abeytia’s campaign expenses found she didn’t improperly spend any funds in accordance with state law. 

Commissioners are considering a proposed rule that would prohibit candidates from using public money to pay a spouse or a person who resides with them who shares household expenses.

“What I’m against is that we give somebody $52,000, and they write a check for $48,000 to their significant other,” said Commissioner Galen Paton. “Are we just funding a lifestyle or are we funding the election matters of this person?”

Another proposed rule commissioners are considering would limit payments to family members for election-related goods or services to not exceed the “fair market value” of those goods or services. 

Commissioners expressed some hesitation about a blanket provision of paying family members or people who live in the same household because of instances where those individuals are qualified to be an elections services vendor.

Commissioner Sam Crump said he opposed the proposed rule change because it could be a hindrance to a candidate for any election-related service that their spouse or household member might be qualified to do, including accounting or printing signs.

“Traditional candidates don’t have these restrictions. I think it’s harmful to Clean Elections candidates to place these on them,” Crump said. 

Commissioners approved moving the proposed rule on not paying family members more than fair market value to a 60-day public comment period, but they excluded the proposed rule on paying household members, as commissioners continue to consider that policy.