President Pro Tem Shope Condemns AG Mayes' Election-Year Cover for Governor Hobbs' Pay-to-Play Scandal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 24, 2026
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Arizona Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope is condemning Attorney General Kris Mayes' election-year cover for Governor Katie Hobbs' pay-to-play scandal and challenging Mayes to publicly support the reforms her office ignored while Hobbs vetoed them twice.
Mayes called for legislative action after declining to prosecute Hobbs in the Sunshine Residential Homes investigation. Her announcement does not end scrutiny of the governor. A separate investigation led by the Arizona Auditor General, with assistance from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, remains open, along with an independent investigation commissioned by the Arizona House.
Shope requested the original investigation after Sunshine Residential Homes and individuals connected to the company made $580,840 in political contributions benefiting Hobbs, her inaugural fund, her legal defense fund, and the Arizona Democratic Party. Hobbs' administration later approved two rate increases for Sunshine, ultimately making it the state's highest-paid group-home provider per child.
Internal DCS communications reported during the controversy acknowledged Sunshine's political connections and discussed keeping its special rate increase quiet from competitors. Hobbs nevertheless refused to sit for an interview with investigators and submitted two written statements through her attorneys.
"For two years, Kris Mayes had every opportunity to support meaningful pay-to-play reforms, and she chose silence," said President Pro Tem Shope. "She allowed Hobbs to avoid questioning, ignored the growing trail of political contributions, and then cleared her fellow Democrat after a two-year investigation. Only after the Legislature adjourned did Mayes suddenly discover that reform was necessary. That's not leadership. It's political damage control."
Hobbs vetoed SB 1612 in 2025 and SB 1186 in 2026. Both measures, sponsored by Shope, required companies seeking or holding state contracts and certain grants to disclose political donations and other items of value connected to the governor and affiliated political organizations. The legislation also required state agencies to preserve records used to evaluate contract proposals.
"Katie Hobbs took the political money, her administration approved the rate increases, she refused to answer investigators' questions, and then she vetoed the reforms designed to prevent this from happening again," said President Pro Tem Shope. "Now her political ally wants Arizonans to believe the matter is closed. It isn't."
Shope will reintroduce the legislation next session and invite Mayes to testify publicly on the reforms she now claims are necessary.
"If Mayes is sincere, she can endorse the legislation, appear before lawmakers, and demand that Hobbs sign it," said President Pro Tem Shope. "If she refuses, Arizonans will know her call for reform was nothing more than election-year cover for the governor. The other investigations must continue without interference, and their complete findings must be made public."
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus