By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
Officials of two organizations known for anonymous spending on political campaigns filed suit late Thursday to keep Arizonans from voting on a measure that would make the practice illegal.
The lawsuit charges that some of the paid circulators for the “Stop Dirty Money” campaign did not register ahead of time with the Secretary of State’s office as required by law. Attorney Kory Langhofer also said that out-of-state residents who were carrying petitions also failed to register.
Langhofer claimed several other violations of initiative requirements, including that some circulators were convicted felons who had not had their civil rights restored. That, he said, makes them ineligible to gather signatures.
Among the plaintiffs are Scot Mussi, executive director of the Free Enterprise Club, and Andrew Clark, state director of Americans for Prosperity. Both organizations have made repeated expenditures in Arizona elections both to support candidates of their choice and oppose others.