Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, who stole the 2022 election from Kari Lake, has come under scrutiny once again over state contract decisions after her Office of Tourism awarded a $700,000 contract for a new state logo to a company with close ties to the agency’s director.
And the logo is terrible. Not only does it not make sense or have any of the colors typically associated with Arizona or the state flag–copper, red, yellow, navy blue–but it’s just hideous.
Here’s what taxpayers in Arizona paid $700,000 for:
The logo is part of a woke initiative to incorporate “American Indian/Native American/Indigenous customs, traditions, values, beliefs and culture.”
This is not the first time Hobbs has come under fire for her unethical and potentially illegal use of tax dollars.
As The Gateway Pundit reported earlier this year, questions arose about an apparent bribery scheme involving large donations made to the Democratic Party and a dark money group that was used for Hobbs’ inaugural events. This appears to have influenced Hobbs on awarding state contracts to the highest bidder in unrelated contributions.
Per State Senator Jake Hoffman:
AZ Democrat @KatieHobbs approved illegally shelling out $700,000 for a new state logo
Hobbs’ fake director of tourism has been caught funneling MASSIVE contracts to her own brother.
@realTomHorne is wrapped up in this scandal too
As reported by the Arizona Agenda, @GovernorHobbs‘ “Office of Tourism shelled out $700,000 to create a new state logo this year.”
“And of all the artists in the state who could have drafted that logo, the contract just happened to go to one who has close ties to the Office of Tourism Director Lisa Urias” — her brother.
…”Now, the state tourism department is working with an $8 million budget to persuade people to come here, and tourism spending is a huge driver for Arizona’s economy.”
“The appointment seems to have been an economic driver for Urias Communications as well.”
“More than a year after Urias became the tourism director, the Arizona Department of Education approved a $250,000, five-year contract with Urias Communications.”
Now why would the Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, be hiring an illegally installed Katie Hobbs’ fake director’s brother as his quarter million dollar, NO BID, marketing vendor??
Katie Hobbs continues to exploit her office, break the law, and take advantage of the people of Arizona.
This is what it looks like when Democrats are in control of your government.
KATIE HOBBS CORRUPTION EXPOSED
AZ Democrat @KatieHobbs approved illegally shelling out $700,000 for a new state logo
Hobbs’ fake director of tourism has been caught funneling MASSIVE contracts to her own brother.@realTomHorne is wrapped up in this scandal too
As reported… pic.twitter.com/yI6RyWbLxq
— Jake Hoffman (@JakeHoffmanAZ) November 21, 2024
Hoffman took a poll on X, asking, “Do you think taxpayers should have forked over $700,000 for this logo?” As of writing, 97% of the 1,171 respondents voted “No! Waste of money & ugly”
Let’s take a poll on @KatieHobbs’ new logo
Do you think taxpayers should have forked over $700,000 for this logo?
— Jake Hoffman (@JakeHoffmanAZ) November 21, 2024
More from Arizona Agenda:
The Office of Tourism spent the $700,000, which came from federal pandemic relief funds, on 57 in-person and digital listening sessions across the state, not to mention the $27,500 that went to the brother of the CEO of Urias’ marketing agency. He helped work on the logo with a separate graphic design company.
And Urias Communications has another state contract.
“It’s clearly an ethical violation. Whether or not it’s a legal violation is another issue,” Sen. John Kavanagh said after we briefed him on the situation.
But even if she isn’t involved with the day-to-day operations of the company that she founded, Urias seems to be financially benefiting from the state’s contract with her company at the same time she is pulling a salary from the state.
It is unlikely the corrupt Democrat Attorney General, who also stole her election, will do anything about this.
This is a developing story.
Jordan Conradson, formerly TGP’s Arizona correspondent, is currently on assignment in Washington DC. Jordan has played a critical role in exposing fraud and corruption in Arizona’s elections and elected officials. His reporting on election crimes in Maricopa County led to the resignation of one election official, and he was later banned from the Maricopa County press room for his courage in pursuit of the truth. TGP and Jordan finally gained access after suing Maricopa County, America’s fourth largest county, and winning at the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Conradson looks forward to bringing his aggressive style of journalism to the Swamp.
You can email Jordan Conradson here, and read more of Jordan Conradson’s articles here.