For the third time in just a week, evidence of major accounting irregularities has surfaced in the Arizona Republican Party’s recent campaign finance reports.  The Arizona Guardian today reports that the Party owed $70,000 to the Tempe, Arizona-based political consulting firm Lincoln Strategy Group.  This unreported debt is in addition to the $50,000 that the Party is said to have owed to Strategic Fundraising and it comes on the heels of news that $50,000 from the Republican National Committee was not included in its required monthly filings to the Federal Election Commission.

An analysis of internal documents and the “AZ Republican Party” most recent post-general election report to the Arizona Secretary of State’s office revealed this glaring - and possibly illegal – omission.  While the exact amount still due to the firm has not been disclosed by either AZGOP officials or Lincoln Strategy, according to the Guardian, what is clear is that a troubling pattern of misreporting has emerged in Arizona Republican Party finances.

Randy Pullen needs to stand-up and be accountable to to the grassroots Republicans that elected him to the leadership.  He should have immediately done so when the scandal broke out last week.  For an accountant to remain this “unconcerned” with such gross financial irregularities is highly unprofessional: for the leader of Republicans in Arizona (and RNC Treasurer) to do so is simply unacceptable.