The race for Arizona State Treasurer has turned contentious as candidates Elijah Norton and Nick Mansour exchange accusations and counterclaims. Despite legal warnings, Norton continues to air ads that Mansour claims are misleading.
Earlier this month, Mansour’s campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to Norton, demanding an end to the ads. However, Norton replied with a detailed letter defending the truthfulness of his claims.
Norton, undeterred, accuses Mansour of dishonesty regarding both candidates’ records. Eric Chalmers, Mansour’s senior campaign adviser, labeled Norton as untrustworthy, saying, “The evidence is overwhelming that Elijah cannot be trusted to tell the truth, let alone oversee billions of taxpayer dollars.” Despite the heated rhetoric, Mansour’s campaign has no immediate plans for a lawsuit, but Norton has indicated readiness to countersue if necessary.
Both campaigns have been aggressive throughout the election cycle.
Norton’s Allegations of Medicare Fraud Against Mansour
Norton’s campaign has aggressively targeted Mansour with ads alleging that he was involved with Medicare fraud through a company he worked for in 2007, Braden Partners. While the company, which operates as Pacific Pulmonary Services, settled a Medicare fraud lawsuit in 2017, Mansour claims he had no involvement in Medicare dealings and left the company before any related incidents occurred. “Nick was once an employee at the company but did not control it,” Mansour wrote in a cease-and-desist letter.
Consumer Lawsuits and Business Practices Under Scrutiny
Mansour has criticized Norton, the head of Veritas Global Protection Services, for his past leadership of companies like RED Auto Protection and CarGuard Administration, which have faced over 100 lawsuits. Norton argues that such complaints are expected given the large number of clients served over the years. Mansour also highlighted Norton’s self-funding of his campaign, accusing him of attempting to “buy” the election by injecting over $4 million into it.
Contentious Claims About Nursing School
Norton’s ads have also accused Mansour of misconduct during his tenure as chairman of the Arizona College of Nursing, referencing a 2022 lawsuit by students over alleged overcharging and transfer issues. Although the lawsuit and a related complaint by the Arizona State Board of Nursing did not specifically name Mansour, Norton’s campaign uses these as part of its attack strategy.
Social Media Spats and Personal Attacks
The conflict has spilled over onto social media, with Norton posting a Venmo transaction by Mansour labeled “hookers and blow,” which Mansour claims was a joke. In response, Mansour accused Norton of a DUI in 2018. Norton replied, “You should know the difference between being charged and found guilty. I was innocent. You were found guilty for running a nursing school scam and a company you helped run paid committed Medicare fraud, fined 11 million, and raided by the FBI,” he posted on X.
Previous Legal Battles Over Attack Ads
In a past election, Norton sued an associate of a political opponent for distributing attack ads he claimed were defamatory. The ads implied Norton’s sexuality, which he argued was a smear tactic. The case was settled with the ally agreeing to pay over $50,000. More details on the settlement can be found here.
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