Court Rejects Plea to Bar Investigation of Loan to Mecham
The Arizona Supreme Court refused Tuesday to bar the attorney general from investigating Gov. Evan Mecham’s unreported $350,000 campaign loan and freed a state grand jury to resume its probe.
The court, in a strongly worded 5-0 opinion, rejected a claim by the Republican governor’s attorney that Bob Corbin’s investigation violated a confidential attorney-client relationship.
“The attorney general does not represent the governor when the governor is not performing official duties,” the court said in an opinion written by Chief Justice Frank X. Gordon Jr.
The grand jury plans to investigate Mecham’s failure to report the loan from Tempe developer Barry Wolfson, whether it was tied to any gubernatorial appointments and other undisclosed matters.
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