Kari Lake/Facebook
By Richard Ruelas |Arizona Republic
Someone or a group of some ones are paying Arizona state Rep. Jake Hoffman more than $2 million to help make Kari Lake the Republican nominee for governor. But it is not clear who is doing so. And campaign finance records filed last week only deepen the mystery.
Hoffman, through his company 1Ten, has produced $1 million worth of political propaganda promoting Lake, the former television news anchor, according to campaign finance records. His company has also produced $1.1 million worth of materials advocating the defeat of her main rival, Karrin Taylor Robson.
Both types of ads were ordered by a political action committee, Put Arizona First, which claims as its only donor a medical company whose owner denies making the contribution. Hoffman’s company was first contracted by Put Arizona First on May 6 with an initial payment of more than a half-million dollars.
In the 2020 election cycle, one of Hoffman’s companies was banned from Facebook after the social media company accused it of posting misinformation from phony accounts. Facebook said Hoffman’s company, Rally Forge, was working for Turning Point Action, the political arm of the nonprofit, Turning Point USA started by conservative personality Charlie Kirk.
Kari Lake, a candidate in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election, left, greets Milan Herrera, 9, right, during a Save America rally held by former President Donald Trump on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Florence.
California company denies making donation
In its campaign finance forms, Put Arizona First lists its address as a UPS Store in north Phoenix.
