PHOENIX — On Monday, Arizona Republican Party Chairman Sergio Arellano sent a letter to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell requesting an investigation into possible felonious misconduct by Tammy Caputi, candidate for Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 4.
“I write to call your attention to apparent felony misconduct by Tammy Caputi, who is one of the Democratic Party’s nominees for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 4 in the impending general election. As set forth below, there is overwhelming evidence that Ms. Caputi fraudulently misrepresented her actual residence location on her voter registration and other written instruments, in willful violation of numerous laws, including A.R.S. §§ 16-182, 16-184, 16-1016(1), 13-2002, and 13-2702,” Chairman Arellano wrote County Attorney Mitchell.
“These allegations warrant a thorough investigation. I have asked County Attorney Mitchell to review the evidence and determine whether any laws were violated. I have confidence that her office will take these concerns seriously and ensure that Arizona’s election laws are enforced.”
According to Chairman Arellano’s complaint, Caputi updated her voter registration on or about February 22, listing a condominium on East Royal Palm Road in Scottsdale, within the boundaries of LD4, as her residence.
The following day, she reportedly filed nomination papers affirming, under penalty of perjury, that she had resided in the district for at least one year and was a resident at the time of filing.
Much of the complaint relies on reporting by The Arizona Republic, which obtained recent photographs of the condominium showing empty or nearly empty rooms, bare walls, vacant closets and cupboards, and a kitchen counter that appeared to contain only real estate marketing materials.
The Republic also reported that two Democratic donors own the condominium and each contributed the maximum amount permitted by law to Caputi’s campaign, with their combined contributions exceeding $10,000.
As previously reported by the Arizona Daily Independent, the owners subsequently listed the condominium for sale. The real estate listing reportedly made no mention of tenants occupying the property.
Under Arizona law, establishing legal residence generally requires actual physical presence combined with an intent to remain.
Chairman Arellano’s complaint argues that the condominium lacks the customary indications of an occupied residence, including personal belongings and utility accounts in Caputi’s name.
Taken together, the complaint contends, these circumstances “point inexorably” to the conclusion that Caputi never actually resided at the Scottsdale property.