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Legal documents: Indicted lobbyist’s ex-wife FBI informant in bribery case
The legal fate of a former utility regulator, the head of a utility and a lobbyist facing bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges could depend on whether jurors believe the lobbyist's former wife.
Pinal County residents file suit against indicted utility owner
Pinal County residents long frustrated with utility owner George Johnson are piggybacking on criminal charges against him and others in a civil suit filed Monday.
Indicted lobbyist’s ex-wife gave FBI documents
An attorney representing indicted lobbyist Jim Norton said in court today the lobbyist’s ex-wife provided more than 250 pages of documents to the federal investigation that also includes former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce, his wife Sherry Pierce and Johnson Utilities owner George Johnson.
U.S. attorneys want defense in bribery case to keep evidence confidential
Federal prosecutors are offering to tell defendants in the Corporation Commission bribery case who and what else they're investigating -- but only if they agree not to share that information with anyone else.
Corp Comm ethics code a long time coming as scandal swirls
The Arizona Corporation Commission is still without an ethics code, despite an initial pledge a year ago to come up with one and a federal bribery case casting a shadow over the regulatory body.
Ex-regulator, lobbyist, utility owner arraigned in federal bribery case
Former Arizona Corporation Commission Chairman Gary Pierce and Johnson Utilities owner George Johnson had nothing to say for themselves after pleading not guilty to federal charges in the U.S. District Court on June 7.
Bill banning per-signature payment for initiative campaigns advances
The legislation that Rep. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, is advancing is the top priority of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has made “reform” of the initiative process its top legislative priority in the wake of voter approval of increasing the minimum wage.
State agency shames workers by publicizing workplace arrests
Gary Phillips’ case was one of several involving publicized arrests of DES employees, including one in which the agency may have unlawfully disclosed the name of an employee who was a food stamp recipient.
Lawmaker will get probation for unlawful use of food stamps
Rep. Ceci Velasquez, D-Phoenix, pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of unlawfully using food stamps.
Rep. Velasquez reaches plea deal in food stamp fraud case
Rep. Ceci Velasquez, D-Phoenix, has agreed to a plea bargain to end a criminal case alleging food stamp fraud and allow her to keep her seat in the House.
Woman gets 28 years for faking cancer, 2 other convictions
An Arizona woman has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for faking a cancer diagnosis to get the state to pay for her mid-term abortion and for criminal convictions in two other cases.
Inaccuracies surface in DES arrest
The arrest Wednesday of a Department of Economic Security employee on suspicion of food stamp fraud is riddled with falsehoods about her criminal history, her housing situation and her likelihood to appear in court.
