A staffer at the Attorney General’s Office who volunteered as a fundraiser for Tom Horne’s re-election campaign resigned over what she called violations of campaign law within the office.

The governor’s reach in enforcing laws doesn’t extend to community colleges or other political subdivisions, said an attorney defending Maricopa County Community College District’s policy of providing in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill intended to prevent the Citizens Clean Elections Commission from regulating traditionally funded candidates, potentially sparking a lawsuit against it.

Reaching the same conclusion as the Secretary of State’s Office, the Clean Elections Commission today (April 24) tossed out a complaint against Horne alleging that he should have listed legal expenses he incurred while fighting the Arizona Public Integrity Alliance as a campaign expense in his Jan. 31 report.

Horne took a victory lap on Wednesday, sending out a campaign email trumpeting his exoneration from charges that he illegally coordination with an independent group four years ago.

Administrative Law Judge Tammy Eigenheer gave Attorney General Tom Horne’s campaign something it hadn’t gotten in a long time — good news.

Consultants and other observers said the ultimate question remains to be whether Brnovich can effectively compete, and how bruising the GOP primary proves to be for Horne.

The Attorney General’s Office said it will continue funding patrols by Mohave County deputies of the polygamous enclave of Colorado City, despite Gov. Jan Brewer’s decision to line-item veto a $500,000 appropriation for those patrols.

An administrative law judge recommended the dismissal of the campaign finance allegations against Attorney General Tom Horne and a key aide, giving the embattled attorney general a shield against some of the most damaging criticism he faces as he fights for reelection.

An administrative law judge is expected to issue a ruling early next week on whether there's enough evidence to conclude Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne illegally coordinated campaign spending with an aide running an independent group during his 2010 campaign.