On Tuesday May 14, 2024, the body of Legislative District 3 censured AZGOP CD1 Member at Large Merissa Hamilton and demanded she resign that position immediately. The censure referenced the below evidence that Hamilton committed a felony bribe, acting as the broker in an illegal document titled the “LD3 Peace Accord” proposing the creation of two separate legislative districts in violation of  A.R.S. §16-823.  Legislative district committee; organization. Hamilton and former AZGOP Chair Jeff Dewit (who has since resigned) both attempted to push for and offered a felony bribe, violating A.R.S. Title 13. Criminal Code § 13-2602. Bribery of a public servant or party officer. Hamilton admitted to that crime in the below audio recording. The below censure demands that Merissa Hamilton resign from her position as AZGOP MAL immediately. Read the full censure below.

Audio Recording of Merissa Hamilton Admitting Her Crime:

 

Documented evidence including emails, draft agreement, audio recording, and first hand witness account prove AZGOP Chair Jeff Dewit has committed a class 4 felony and is openly violating Arizona Law in a bribery scheme designed to create more division of the Republican Party. This was corroborated by a first hand witness and admitted by Candace Czarny in an email.

Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13. Criminal Code § 13-2602. Bribery of a public servant or party officer;  classification

A. A person commits bribery of a public servant or party officer if with corrupt intent:

1. Such person offers, confers or agrees to confer any benefit upon a public servant or party officer with the intent to influence the public servant’s or party officer’s vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion or other action in his official capacity as a public servant or party officer; or

2. While a public servant or party officer, such person solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any benefit upon an agreement or understanding that his vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion or other action as a public servant or party officer may thereby be influenced.

B. It is no defense to a prosecution under this section that a person sought to be influenced was not qualified to act in the desired way because such person had not yet assumed office, lacked jurisdiction or for any other reason.

C. Bribery of a public servant or party officer is a class 4 felony.

On December 19, 2023 at 11:10:23 PM MST, AZGOP Member-at-Large Merissa Hamilton sent an email referencing a document titled the “LD3 Peace Accord”. Hamilton was acting as the broker in this deal, which AZGOP Chair later called by phone to push for and offer the bribe. That call was recorded.

Recording of Jeff Dewit Discussing Felony Bribe to Party Officers