In a move poised to spark debate, a new legislative proposal in Arizona seeks to empower citizens to take legal action against local governments that allegedly misuse public funds in electoral matters. This proposal comes as a shift from the current law, which restricts such lawsuits to the state attorney general or county attorneys.
The bill, introduced by Republican State Senator John Kavanaugh, aims to broaden the scope of who can initiate legal proceedings in these cases. If passed, any individual could file a lawsuit, and successful plaintiffs would be entitled to compensation from the government involved.
“It’s fine letting AGs and county attorneys do it. The problem is that ordinary people, if they think there’s a problem — and AGs and attorneys won’t do it — have no avenue to have a court review it,” Kavanaugh said.
Under the terms of Kavanaugh’s proposal, a victorious citizen in an election-related lawsuit could receive a $5,000 payment from the local government. This aspect of the bill is designed to incentivize public vigilance and accountability in the use of taxpayer money during elections.
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