Sen. Anthony Kern accused of using campaign cash for Jan. 6 travel

A Democratic voter and a liberal group accuse conservative state Sen. Anthony Kern of campaign money abuse in his trip to Washington in January. 6 of 2021, where he was photographed among the Capitol riots.

“I am frustrated by the lack of accountability for people who participated in a plot to subvert our elections,” said Josh Gray, who filed the complaint with the help of Opportunity Arizona. Gray said his concerns have increased now that Kern is running for Congress.

Kern jokingly told the Arizona Republic that he is “thankful for the free publicity.”

Kern is a conservative, hard-line state legislator who embodies Arizona’s involvement in the attempts of former President Donald Trump and allies to cancel the 2020 election. being at the US Capitol More than riots in 2021, is one of 11 people who falsely claimed in documents sent to then-Vice President Mike Pence that they were legitimate Trump voters. Trump lost the election in Arizona by 10,457 votes.

State Attorney General Kris Mayes is currently conducting an investigation into Kern’s actions and the other 10 fake voters in Arizona, who so far have not faced any federal penalties.

Kern served as a state representative in 2019 and 2020, but lost his bid for re-election. Following the 2021 redistricting process, voters elected the former El Mirage code enforcement officer to the state Senate last year.

Democratic Arizona lawmakers sent a formal complaint to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2021 to protest the involvement of Kern and other Republicans, including then-legislator Mark Finchem and Congressmen Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar.

Gray told X after filing the complaint that “only one end is guaranteed“for the alleged violation.

The timing of the complaint, which the Secretary of State’s Office acknowledges it received on October 30, coincides with the launch of Kern’s official congressional campaign. The Glendale Republican hopes to fill the starting 8 seat^th District US Rep. Debbie Lesko, who announced this month that she would not run for another term in 2024.

Kern’s campaign announcement on X followed statements on a local radio show that indicated he intended to jump into the race. Republican Abe Hamadeh, who narrowly lost the race for state Attorney General in November, also announces his candidacy for the position of Lesko.

“I have had the privilege of serving the people of AZ throughout my career in public service as a law enforcement officer, representative and senator. It is now my honor to continue to fight for the our people as their representative in Congress.” Kern said in his statement on X.com.

Allegations

Gray’s three-page complaint against the Kern notes reported a transfer of $5,935.23 from his failed 2020 House campaign to his state Senate campaign in January. 1, 2021. That came before Kern officially could become a candidate under state law. In addition to his non-candidate status, he also used the money for personal reasons in violation of campaign law, the complaint says.

The 2021 Kern Cumulative Report shows expenses of $980.96 in January. 4. 2021, for “travel – accommodation;” an expense of $478 in January. 5, 2021, for an airline ticket; and $436.74 in January. 11, 2021, for “travel accommodations” at “Hyatt Hotels,” with an address of “Manhatton (sic), New York, AZ 11111.”

“Mr. Kern’s presence at the event is well documented by both their social media accountand from subsequent media reports,” the complaint says.

Gray and Opportunity Arizona — which spent nearly $27,000 in 2020 trying to unseat Kern — want Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to find that Kern violated state campaign finance law by “spending campaign funds for personal purposes.” which involved a violent insurrection aimed at overturning legitimate elections. results in the United States Capitol.”

If Fontes determines the complaint is valid, it would be up to Mayes’ office to apply the potential penalty.

Daniel Marans of the Huffington Post noted Kern’s January. 6, 2021 related expenses and wrote an article about them last January. The story included a quote from a Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee spokeswoman calling on GOP leaders to condemn Kern’s actions.

Kern is a former El Mirage code compliance officer who was fired in 2014 after supervisors found he was false about reimbursing the city for a lost computer tablet. While a state legislator, Kern trying to pass a bill which created a path for officials to appeal their inclusion in the so-called Brady list in Arizona. The list is a file of officials considered false, which has been listed. The bill was passed and signed into law, but not before it was rewritten to deal with animal cruelty.

Kern listed no income in his 2023 financial disclosure report, but he owns a family trust and is a partner in a private investigation firm.

Halfway through his two-year term, Kern said he has not yet decided whether he will resign from office to run for Congress, or stay through the 2024 legislative session. State law requires officials to resign before submitting nomination papers for another office, but granted an exception for those who are in the last year of office, which Kern will be next year.

Sen. Anthony Kern accused of using campaign cash for Jan. 6 travel

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