Political newcomer Aaron Lieberman, a Democrat running for the House in Legislative District 28, far out raised the competition in just 30 days.

State utility regulators have a legal right to question company executives about whether they secretly funneled money into political campaigns, Attorney General Mark Brnovich said today.

To curtail the inappropriate influence of money in politics, Arizona law prohibits lobbyists from contributing to lawmakers’ campaign committees while the Legislature is in session.

Agents with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office had a sticky problem when they walked out of lobbyist Gary Husk’s office on Jan. 27, 2012, with documents and computer data seized as evidence.

A small group of lobbyists with Husk Partners met in an office in 2009 at the firm as allegations of a Fiesta Bowl scandal involving illegal political contributions swirled.

Lobbyists John MacDonald, Dana Paschke and Dean Miller made a pact of sorts as they looked over the statute outlawing reimbursement of contributions, according to a search warrant affidavit that provides details of an investigation into the firm’s recently indicted head, Gary Husk.

The lobbyist accused of orchestrating the Fiesta Bowl scandal was indicted Thursday on eight low-level felonies not associated with the bowl-game scheme.

Week notwithstanding, S Pierce led all lawmakers when it came to reported contributions.