PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona attorney general will review an unusual request by Arizona House Speaker David Gowan to investigate whether Gowan broke the law by seeking travel reimbursements and payments for days he did not work, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Gowan’s request came two months after the Arizona Capitol Times published an analysis of the Sierra Vista Republican’s use of rented state vehicles and his claims for daily per diem payments.
The issue has become campaign fodder as Gowan runs in a crowded Republican primary for an open 1st Congressional District seat.
Gowan repaid the state more than $12,000 after reviewing his expense requests following the news report. His letter to state Attorney General Mark Brnovich says the reports created the false impression that he knowingly sought improper payments.
“I recognize that my request is unusual if not unprecedented,” Gowan wrote in the letter sent Tuesday. “However, it is justified in order to preserve public trust in the House of Representatives as an institution and in me as the speaker.”
Brnovich spokeswoman Mia Garcia said the office’s criminal division is reviewing the letter and allegations against Gowan. The criminal division has the resources for such investigations and a referral doesn’t necessarily mean the office believes it is a criminal matter.
Gowan said he believes any conclusion reached by Brnovich would be unimpeachable and would put the allegations to rest. He is particularly concerned about reports he may have committed a misdemeanor criminal violation.
Gowan offered to provide access to any House personnel or documents and a memo summarizing a review of his business travel completed after the Capitol Times report.
“Although Speaker Gowan’s request is unusual, his commitment to full cooperation is helpful with any investigation this office may be conducting,” Garcia said.
She declined to say if an investigation has been launched or if one was already underway. She confirmed Brnovich was previously aware of the allegations.
The Capitol Times reported that Gowan appeared to have used rented state vehicles for travel as he campaigned for Congress, sought reimbursement for personal vehicle mileage while using a state car, and sought per diem reimbursement for days he wasn’t doing state business.
Gowan repaid money after a review he ordered found “mistakes” in his use of state vehicles and how he sought reimbursement.
“The errors were errors and nothing more,” Gowan wrote in the letter. “None of the over-reimbursements reflects any nefarious intent, despite the cynicism that pervades some of the newspaper accounts.”
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