By Andrew Oxford | Arizona Republic
An agricultural trade association said Wednesday it no longer employs a lobbyist at the center of an ethics investigation into alleged conflicts of interest at the Arizona Legislature.
Related: OPINION: Rep. David Cook sent love letters to lobbyist and she is out of a job. How is that fair?
The state House of Representatives is looking into two complaints regarding Rep. David Cook, R-Globe. The first involves an allegation that he carried on a romantic relationship with the lobbyist, AnnaMarie Knorr. Another complaint alleges Cook intervened to stop the local sheriff from seizing property from her family’s farming business to pay for back taxes.
Cook and Knorr have denied they had a romantic relationship, and the Pinal County sheriff has said there was nothing inappropriate about the lawmaker raising concerns about his office’s handling of property tax issues.
Still, the allegations cast scrutiny on legislation that Cook sponsored and Knorr backed, including measures favored by the agricultural industry she represents and a particular bill that might have helped family farms like hers pay off delinquent property taxes.
