PHOENIX — Questions about campaign contributions in gubernatorial and other state legislative elections involve a man seeking to close a business in Graham County.
The Republic of Arizona reported that donations to two political action committees listed California donors who refused to donate.
Put Arizona First PAC claimed to have received $2 million from California’s SPH Medical, but its owner denied making the donation or knowing anything about the Arizona gubernatorial election. That money was spent on ads supporting Republican candidate Kari Lake and attacking fellow Republican Karin Taylor-Robson.
Put Arizona First’s treasurer is Youssef Khalaf, whose son George is behind the initiative to stop Bayacan from growing medical-grade cannabis in Bonita’s former NatureSweet greenhouse. Youssef Khalaf is also listed as the treasurer of the Kari Lake campaign.
A second political action committee, Securing Arizona, claimed it received money from California’s Yellow Dog Estate Sales for an ad attack against incumbent Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers. The owner of Yellow Dog Estate Sales also declined the donation.
Securing Arizona spent most of its money on Resolute Group, a far-right consulting and polling business owned by George Calaf.
Complaints will be investigated by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. However, it should be noted that George Calaf is a campaign adviser to current Attorney General Mark Brnovic, who is seeking the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate election.
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