FBI examining $100M tax refund push by Arizona Gov. Ducey staffers after Arizona Republic/USA TODAY

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Arizona Republic

FBI examining $100M tax refund push by Arizona Gov. Ducey staffers after Arizona Republic/USA TODAY investigation
Craig Harris, Arizona Republic 6 hrs ago

The FBI's Public Corruption unit is investigating efforts by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's past and current staffers – including one who is now a federal judge – to push for a closed-door deal to issue tax refunds worth as much as $100 million to aid one of Ducey's campaign supporters.

Grant Nulle, former deputy director at the Department of Revenue, said an FBI agent contacted him in mid-July, shortly after an Arizona Republic and USA TODAY investigation uncovered how the Ducey administration had pushed the department to agree to refund sales taxes on fuel for mining companies, even though that tax had been in place for decades.

The companies that stood to benefit were represented by Texas tax firm Ryan LLC, founded by Ducey supporter G. Brint Ryan. The top three deputies in Ducey's administration left their government jobs and went to work for Ryan to push for the tax refund.

The men and others working for Ducey met with Revenue officials at least 16 times to insist that the department – which was under their oversight in the governor's office –agree to stop opposing Ryan and issue a tax refund to one fuel company. That, officials said, would have triggered refunds in all other similar cases, costing the state's general fund more than $100 million.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fbi-examining-dollar100m-tax-refund-push-by-arizona-gov-ducey-staffers-after-arizona-republic-usa-today-investigation/ar-AANWKsY?li=BBnb7Kz

[brush]

1. Uh-oh. Why this has the potential to turn AZ all the way blue.

Corruption is never good for a sitting governor and his party.

[lapfog_1]

2. This is so stupid

mining and drilling companies have never paid tax on certain fuels that are used at the site where the work is done (I think farms too). If you use diesel fuels at the work site for operating heavy equipment or drilling test shafts, etc you are allowed to purchase "red diesel" which is not taxed. Don't get caught using it in your vehicles to drive on the roads!

I worked for a mining operation in Arizona for a year... as a drilling planer and armature geologist... and this was stressed all the time.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/what-is-red-diesel-fuel/

it's simply not worth it to try an cheat the system.

I have no idea what ELSE Ducey and his goons were doing, but it has to be beyond this already significant tax break.

[2naSalit]

3. +1

[reACTIONary]

4. That was my thought also. nt

[OldBaldy1701E]

5. Govenor Doug Ducey!

Protecting the rights (wallets) of the citizens of Arizona (the ones that give him money)!

[ChazInAz]

6. I no longer live in Arizona.

I miss the desert.
I don't miss the political tomfoolery!
The GOP has had a stranglehold on the state for decades. They have become so arrogantly confident in their control that their corruption has become sloppy. AZScam, "alternate fuels" vehicles, Tucson's Rio Nuevo are just a few of the idiotic, obvious boondoggles that materialized out of their fever dreams. Nothing good ever resulted. At least, when I lived in Illinois, we knew that any project would take longer than expected, and cost more than projected because some Chicagoans needed to get richer...but at least things would get done.