Gov. Katie Hobbs is cancelling more than $210 million in state contracts signed in the final days of former Gov. Doug Ducey’s administration as officials in the new administration argue the deals were “illegal.”

Two members of the Industrial Commission of Arizona who were recently outed as having requested excessive amounts of per diem reimbursements have resigned their positions, as has the agency’s executive director.

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 last-minute push to create the legal framework to reimburse recalled politicians for their campaign expenses died on the last day of session, after allies of former Sen. Russell Pearce failed to consolidate support behind the legislation.

The proposal could have paved the way for Pearce to get a reimbursement of more than $260,000 — the amount his campaign spent defending him last year, when he was ousted from the Senate in a recall election.

Allies of former senator Russell Pearce secured a critical step in pushing for legislation that creates the framework for reimbursing officials who face recall elections.

The proposal could pave the way for Pearce getting a reimbursement of more than $260,000 — the amount his campaign spent defending him last year, when he was ousted from the senate in a recall election.

Allies of ousted senator Russell Pearce aren’t giving up on the idea of reimbursing him for campaign expenses related to his November recall election.