Amish Shah repeatedly violated Arizona law in campaign

Amish Shah repeatedly violated Arizona law in campaign

Amish Shah repeatedly violated state law, illegally using government resources to campaign and doubling down even after the City of Tempe ordered him to stop.

"Lawbreaking liberal Amish Shah thinks he's above the rules and will do anything for power. Shah shamelessly doubling down on his illegal behavior despite being warned shows his contempt for the rule of law." - NRCC Spokesperson Ben Petersen

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Policing the candidates
Arizona Agenda
Hank Stephenson

The City of Tempe ordered congressional candidate Amish Shah to stop using a mailer depicting a Tempe cop in full uniform and service weapon.

But Shah isn't too worried about it.

Shah, the Democratic nominee in Arizona's super-competitive First Congressional District, has positioned himself as a moderate candidate to match the moderate, Republican-leaning district that spans from the Tempe border through Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Cave Creek and central Phoenix.

To that end, several of his mailers contain photos of him speaking to a white-haired police officer - alongside messages declaring Shah "stood up to his own party to crack down on fentanyl trafficking" or. that he "voted to increase funding for border security."

The mailers caught the attention of his opponent Republican U.S. Rep. David Schweikert.

While it's not uncommon for politicians to pose with police, it is uncommon for the police to be dressed in full cop garb, complete with a gun.

That's because state law says government entities, including police departments, cannot use city resources to influence the outcome of a campaign.

Same goes for firefighters or city departments - for obvious reasons, they don't want to be seen as involved in politics.

When the Schweikert campaign got wind of the first mailer, they sent it to the Tempe city attorney, who confirmed there's also a city policy against using the city's name or logo to endorse a campaign.

The white-haired officer in the photos retired nearly a decade ago, City Attorney Eric Anderson wrote, so no staff resources were used in the photo.

Still, the city takes the use of its logo seriously, he noted. That's city property and using it without permission is also against the law.

"Accordingly, my office has directed correspondence to both the former officer as well as Dr. Shah's campaign demanding that any such use be discontinued," he wrote back, adding that if the Schweikert campaign sees him use it again, they should tell the city "so further action can be considered."

But since the city contacted Shah, voters have received two more mailers using that same officer in the photo, Schweikert consultant Chris Baker said.

One landed just a few days after the city sent the letter, per Baker. The Schweikert campaign was willing to cut Shah some slack, thinking maybe it was already at the printer when he was told to knock it off, he said.

But then another mailer appeared a few days later. Baker said he notified the City of Tempe about the latest round of mailers on Tuesday.

Shah said he forwarded the city attorney's letter to his lawyer, and if his campaign screwed up, he'll change the ad. He farmed the ad out to a big national firm, he said, and both the advertising agency and the retired officer told him the photo would be "kosher."

"We're checking with our team and our lawyers to see if what they allege to be a violation, was indeed a violation," Shah told us. "And if we are found to be out of compliance, then we will take corrective action, meaning, blur it out."

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