Democratic Party Board Member Uncovers Shocking Financial Irregularities

An executive member of the Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) is pushing for an independent audit of party finances. This comes amid allegations against Treasurer Rick McGuire for engaging in “self-dealing,” reportedly billing the party $66,000 over the last two years for financial inquiries.

Chair Yolanda Bejarano responded to these allegations, asserting that they are “defamatory” and the concerns raised are misguided, especially in light of existing public financial reports.

In a letter dated January 10, ADP Vice Chair Will Knight claimed that McGuire had unethically compensated himself for his role in answering finance-related questions from party members. He urged Bejarano to commission an independent audit to address these concerns.

Bejarano confirmed that the party paid McGuire $36,000 in 2023 and another $30,000 this year, categorizing these payments under “Treasurer Training and Support.” She maintained that McGuire’s compensation was legitimate as an independent contractor, separate from his voluntary duties as Treasurer.

According to her, McGuire’s consulting role involved aiding county parties and legislative district committees that faced fines due to avoidable mistakes. In 2024 alone, he reportedly addressed nearly 4,000 inquiries from various party officials.

Party bylaws prohibit ADP officers from simultaneously serving as party employees but do not restrict them from consulting roles. Bejarano herself utilized a similar payment structure when she began receiving compensation in 2023.

Despite this, Knight alleges that McGuire’s contractor role went unreported, and his attempts to review party financial records were obstructed. “I am unaware of any authorized contract that would justify the Treasurer paying himself $100,000 or more,” Knight stated in his letter, expressing frustration over the lack of transparency.

Knight, who was elected vice chair in January 2023, has been trying to obtain financial documents since the budget presentation in February but faced refusals tied to security concerns. Although McGuire initially offered to share the documents, he later labeled them as confidential.

Throughout the year, Knight sought to address the matter of party finances in meetings and proposed forming a financial committee, to no avail. Bejarano directed him to public filings for any financial oversight.

In the lead-up to the 2024 budget, Knight confirmed that McGuire was compensated for his contractor work and planned to charge the party an additional sum for ongoing services.

He also indicated that McGuire had acknowledged similar financial arrangements in prior years. Patricia Socarras, the party’s communications director, stated that the payments appeared in filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and were part of a consistent contractual practice under previous leadership.

Knight, in a letter sent last Friday, has formally requested that Bejarano engage an independent accounting firm with no connections to the party for a thorough review of finances over the past decade. Bejarano, however, dismissed the idea of an audit.

“The Party does not have extra resources to placate unreasonable claims,” Bejarano wrote, questioning what an independent audit could reveal that is not already covered by publicly available documents.

She insisted that all contracts were duly reported and rigorously checked by multiple layers of oversight. Bejarano urged Knight to retract the “self-dealing” accusations, labeling them as potentially damaging to both the party and McGuire’s reputation.

Knight chose not to comment further on the matter. Meanwhile, Socarras reiterated that the Arizona Democratic Party adheres to strict reporting requirements mandated by both federal and state laws, asserting that Knight’s claims are unfounded distractions from the party’s focus on upcoming challenges.