PHOENIX, AZ – The Arizona Republican Party today condemned the latest revelations in Attorney General Kris Mayes’ ongoing criminal investigation into Governor Katie Hobbs’ improper ties to a major state contractor and political donor. Arizona Republican Party Chairman Sergio Arellano called Hobbs’ actions a blatant example of pay-to-play politics that puts Arizona families and vulnerable children at risk.
According to the Arizona Republic, investigators from the Attorney General’s office formally requested an interview with Governor Hobbs regarding her administration’s decision to award a special $4 million annual pay hike to Sunshine Residential Homes, a longtime Department of Child Safety (DCS) contractor, shortly after the company funneled over $400,000 in donations to the Arizona Democratic Party and Hobbs’ inaugural fund. Internal DCS records reportedly show staff explicitly considered the company’s political support for Hobbs before recommending the unprecedented increase.
“This is not leadership; this is corruption,” said Chairman Arellano. “Governor Hobbs has spent years lecturing Arizonans about ethics while her own administration was allegedly steering millions in taxpayer dollars to a generous donor. The fact that her campaign manager was dining with the contractor’s CEO as the deal was finalized only adds to the stench of a pay-to-play scheme that puts special interests ahead of Arizona’s most vulnerable children in state care. Hobbs owes the people of Arizona full transparency and cooperation with this criminal probe, not more stonewalling and self-serving denials.”
The Arizona Republican Party has long warned that Hobbs’ mismanagement of DCS has left children in group homes exposed to substandard care while politically connected contractors reap windfalls. Despite repeated calls for reform, Hobbs’ office initially refused to comment on the investigation before insisting she “did nothing wrong.” This is a familiar refrain from an administration plagued by scandal.
“Arizonans deserve better than a governor who treats state contracts like personal favors for donors,” Arellano continued. “This investigation is not a distraction, it is a long-overdue reckoning. The Arizona Republican Party will continue fighting to restore integrity to state government, protect our children, and hold accountable those who abuse the public trust for political gain.”
The Arizona Republican Party urges Governor Hobbs to immediately cooperate with investigators and calls on the Attorney General to pursue the facts without political favoritism. Republicans remain committed to delivering real solutions for Arizona families in the 2026 elections.”