Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman’s probe into Katie Hobbs is a pay-to-play mess of its own

Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman set out to expose Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ alleged pay-to-play mess and instead stepped into a money-making scheme of his own.

Hoffman is now backpedaling subpoenas he issued last week against Hobbs, Attorney General Kris Mayes and others to appear before his legislative committee. He’s blaming the “crooked media” for pointing out that he’s pocketed more than $1.2 million to help defeat Hobbs.

On Monday, Hoffman practically called off his legislative hearing — or, more accurately, his government-sponsored show — that had been scheduled for Sept. 29.

Instead, he appointed former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould as “special counsel” and transferred the hearing to fellow Sen. David Farnsworth’s Appropriations Committee. No word yet when a new hearing will be scheduled.

“This transfer follows attempts by Governor Hobbs’ allies to discredit the investigation before a single witness testified or one subpoenaed record was produced,” Hoffman said in a press release.

No, he discredited himself by trying to use his government post to target the incumbent governor whom he’s getting paid handsomely to defeat in November.

Hoffman’s advertising company is on Turning Point USA PAC’s payroll to help Republican Andy Biggs defeat Hobbs.

Just a few days before Hoffman announced the subpoenas, his company received nearly $550,000 from Turning Point USA, according to The Arizona Republic.

Did he really think nobody was going to bring that up? Laughable, if not for the seriousness of the matter. 

At the heart of the issue are legitimate questions over Sunshine Residential Homes, a state contractor, getting a $4 million annual rate hike to provide care for foster children. 

That hike played out while company owner Simon Kottoor and others connected to his company gave $580,000 to Hobbs and the state Democratic Party.

Republicans, including Sen. T.J. Shope accused Hobbs of pay-to-play politics and demanded an investigation.

Attorney General Kris Mayes opened an investigation two years ago and recently concluded that there was insufficient evidence of a quid pro quo to charge Hobbs criminally.

Hobbs has maintained she wasn’t involved in awarding Sunshine Residential Homes a bigger contract. 

Separately, the state Auditor General’s Office, with help from Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, is investigating, too. And Republicans in the state House of Representatives have also hired a lawyer with Trump ties to investigate, but there is still no word on when they’ll release their findings.

I previously wrote that Hobbs may be cleared criminally, but politically and ethically, the Sunshine deal with the state still stinks.

Indeed, huge political donations that result in lucrative business for the donor stink and corrupt the political process, no matter how you look at it. 

What Hoffman did was to further expose the rot underneath Arizona elections and in doing so he has perhaps given Hobbs a pass.  

Sunshine Residential’s owner clearly donated a lot of money expecting a much bigger contract in return, and he got it.

But now, who’s the public going to believe?

Hoffman, who turned all this into a nasty circus to defeat political rivals using government’s resources while pocketing lots of money in the process?

I think not. 

Are they going to believe Senate President Warren Petersen, who has blasted Mayes’ decision while he’s trying to unseat her and letting Hoffman’s use his legislative powers to mount an attack against her?

I think not.   

Ultimately, what these Republicans accomplished was nothing more than to expose their desperation in a tough year for Republicans and expose their own rot.