PHOENIX — With thousands in attendance, Katie Hobbs was ceremonially sworn-in as governor on Thursday.
The fifth female governor for the state of Arizona touted transparency during the campaign but how much each sponsor is paying to help fund the inauguration isn’t clear.
Under “Accountable Arizona” on her campaign website, she pledges to build a government that is “of, by, and for the people.” It goes on to say, “We will make your government more transparent, because people deserve to know what their leaders are doing with their money.”
On her inauguration website, a long list of sponsors ranges from APS, Phoenix Suns, major corporations like Amazon and Pepsi Co., credit unions, advocacy groups, and various associations.
However, the site doesn’t show how much each sponsor has donated.
On Tuesday, ABC15's Mark Phillips asked Hobbs in a one-on-one interview about why sponsors' donation amounts weren’t disclosed, Hobbs replied by saying, “All of the donors are on the website. I don’t even know why this is an issue. They’re all on the website.”
GOP Gov. Doug Ducey was inaugurated in 2018 where he sought inauguration funding help from supporters by selling front-row seats for thousands, according to reports.
Similar reports show Gov. Janet Napolitano followed her inauguration receptions with public disclosures about how the event was paid for.
Gov. Jan Brewer reported raising money for her own inauguration then using the remaining cast to renovate the Governor’s office on the 9th floor of the executive tower.
On Monday, Katie Hobbs was sworn in as the Governor with only a single pool camera in the room, no reporters. The ceremonial procedure was streamed through vertical video of someone’s phone on Facebook.
A member of Hobbs’ inauguration committee replied to a question on how much each sponsor gave, they replied saying they’re only aware of a list of organizations on the website.
Jenny Guzman with the democracy reform and government watchdog group Common Cause said she’s looking forward to Hobbs releasing her financial information, given it was a campaign promise.
“Campaign transparency and government transparency go hand in hand," Guzman said. "So when actually it’s time to disclose her donors and see who was the one fiscally responsible for sponsoring these events, it really comes down to decision making. That’s when Arizonans are going to take information and use their own judgment this was fair.”
We reached out to Hobbs' communication director asking if not disclosing specific inauguration donations amounts lives up to the accountable Arizona Promise and if the administration would disclose donors. We didn’t immediately hear back.
Given the inauguration committee is considered ‘incorporated’ there’s no requirement donation amounts will be disclosed. In our research, the practice of doing so has varied among previous Governors’.
