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Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is holding a press conference this morning to announce the findings of an eight-month investigation into elected officials who received gifts from the allegedly corrupt Fiesta Bowl organization.
It’s unclear what Montgomery will announce — the Arizona Republic reports he’ll propose a plan to ban lawmakers from accepting gifts.
Regardless, here’s what we know about former Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker’s allegedly using the organization’s coffers as his personal ATM machine:
Junker was booted from the organization in March after an internal investigation revealed how he was spending the organization’s money.
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Junker, the report from the investigation shows, racked up a nearly $5 million bill on the company’s credit card over a 10-year period by doing things like picking up the $1,200 tab at a strip club for a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant, holding a $33,000 Pebble Beach birthday party for himself, and spending $110,000 at a charity auction for a golf trip — all on the company’s dime.
Read the full report on Junker here.
Many Valley politicos benefited from Junker’s (ahem) generosity with the Fiesta Bowl’s money — including Junker’s best customer, former Senate President Russell Pearce, who took nearly $44,000 from the organization in trips and tickets to sporting events..
Below are the names of elected officials who allegedly reaped the benefits of Junker’s misdeeds.
Republican state Senator Carolyn Allen, the Arizona Republican Party, AZ Wins, Secretary of State Ken Bennett, Governor Jan Brewer, state Senator Scott Bundgaard, one-time candidate for treasurer Ted Carpenter, former state Senator Christopher Cummiskey, Congressman Jeff Flake, former state Representative Mike Gardner, former TV pitchman JD Hayworth, former state Representative Laura Knaperek, Maricopa County Supervisor Andrew Kunasek, Senator Jon Kyl, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane, former Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross, Phil Martin, Senator John McCain, former Congressman Harry Mitchell, Navarro for City Council, former state Senate President Russell Pearce, Pete Rios, former Congressman John Shadegg, state Representative James Weiers, and Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox.
It’s also alleged that Natalie Wisneski, the former chief operating officer for the Fiesta Bowl, tried to cover up illegal campaign contributions by bowl employees, and that she filed false financial records.
According to a nine-count federal indictment, Wisneski solicited campaign contributions from Fiesta Bowl employees for various federal, state, and local political candidates. She then reimbursed the employees with Fiesta Bowl money.
Wisneski’s also accused of filing false tax returns on behalf of the Fiesta Bowl when she denied that the organization had any lobbying or political expenditures.
The county attorney says this morning’s announcement will be about a “criminal investigation of elected officials” who benefited from the alleged Fiesta Bowl scandal — so some Valley politicos could potentially be in some hot water.
We’ll be at Monty’s press conference to get all the details — check back for updates.
