{"id":914531,"date":"2026-07-05T17:08:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T17:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/914531\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T17:08:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T17:08:20","slug":"dark-money-barbs-volleyed-before-scottsdale-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/914531\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Dark money\u2019 barbs volleyed before Scottsdale primary |"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some in Scottsdale are crying \u201coutside influence\u201d and \u201celection shenanigans!\u201d<\/p>\n

To which historians might shrug and mutter, \u201cwhat\u2019s new?\u201d<\/p>\n

Making his entry into politics some 2,000 years ago, a debt-riddled Julius Caesar, according to biographer Philip Freeman, \u201cborrowed even more money to lavish bribes on the electors who would choose the chief priest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eighteen hundred years later, during a 1758 run for the Virginia House of Burgesses, according to history.com<\/a>, \u201cCandidate George Washington plied potential voters with 47 gallons of beer, 35 gallons of wine, 2 gallons of cider, 3 1\/2 pints of brandy and a whopping 70 gallons of rum punch.\u201d<\/p>\n

He won the boozy election, nearly two decades before whipping the Brits in the Revolutionary War \u2013 setting the table for current celebrations of America\u2019s 250th birthday party.<\/p>\n

Scottsdale, which recently celebrated its 75th birthday as a city, is now the stage for charges and countercharges of election roguery.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Axon Question\u201d is not on the ballot, yet looms over the July 21 Primary Election. In just over two weeks, a field of eight candidates gunning for three Scottsdale City Council seats will be trimmed.<\/p>\n

One, two or even three of the candidates could win outright, topping the minimum 50% of the total Scottsdale votes divided by six.<\/p>\n

Those in favor of and against a planned Axon development are crying \u201cdark money\u201d \u2013 insisting the other side refuses to reveal financial backers.<\/p>\n

One of the big debates of this election goes back to 2020, when Axon purchased 74 acres of state land on Hayden Road south of the Loop 101. Axon then signed a development agreement with Scottsdale to facilitate its plans for a spaceship-themed office \u2013 and office only.<\/p>\n

Three years later, the Taser-maker \u201cshocked\u201d neighbors by unveiling a plan for the office \u2026 plus a hotel and upwards of 2,500 apartments.<\/p>\n

A year of controversy followed, with Axon\u2019s ambitious plan batted around by side-eyed commissions. Ultimately, in November 2024, Scottsdale City Council approved Axon\u2019s rezoning request to allow for 1,900 units.<\/p>\n

Councilwoman Solange Whitehead joined the majority in approving the plan; representatives Barry Graham and Kathy Littlefield \u2013 the only other two still on council \u2013 voted against it.<\/p>\n

While Kathy Littlefield is reaching the end of her maximum three terms, Whitehead and Graham are running for reelection.<\/p>\n

Even as the 5-2 votes were being tabulated Nov. 19, 2024, an insider in the back of City Hall\u2019s forum muttered, \u201cYou watch \u2013 there\u2019s going to be a referendum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Bob Littlefield was already hatching a challenge plan. The husband of Kathy Littlefield is a former three-term councilman himself and currently running to return to council.<\/p>\n

Days after the Axon vote in 2024, Littlefield launched Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions, with the snarky acronym \u201cTAAAZE.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within six weeks, TAAAZE collected 25,000-plus signatures \u2013 more than enough to demand a referendum on the rezoning Axon required for its plan.<\/p>\n

For more than a year, Axon founder Rick Smith and company president Josh Isner alleged TAAAZE was backed by \u201ca California union.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a Jan. 12, 2025, Progress story noted, \u201cThough he continues to refuse to name the group\u2019s financial backers, Littlefield said a Jan. 15 filing with the city will show \u2018there\u2019s no union behind it.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said union members \u201ccollected I think 700 signatures \u2013 out of 27,000. Hardly makes a difference.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Eighteen months later, Axon representatives and acolytes continue to challenge the source of TAAAZE\u2019s \u201cdark money.\u201d Bob Littlefield is sticking by his story.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Bob Littlefield, Graham and fellow City Council candidate Michelle Ugenti-Rita are howling Axon is secretly funding attacks on them.<\/p>\n

The trio points to the month-old political action committee Better Together, which is paying for ads on the Progress website, social media and elsewhere. The Better Together messages: \u201cBye Bye Barry,\u201d \u201cBackwards Bob Littlefield\u201d and \u201cMichelle Ugenti-Rita is Trouble.\u2019<\/p>\n

Better Together, TAAAAZE and other Arizona political action committees are required to file second-quarter financial reports in mid-July.<\/p>\n

In a Facebook post on the Graham-Axon battle, Better Together commented with another dig: \u201cBarry Graham is an unethical mess.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Progress asked if the PAC would reveal its funding source.<\/p>\n

David Leibowitz, treasurer of the PAC, provided a copy of the Better Together finance report, showing $335,000 in contributions from National Horizon, a Virginia-based PAC.<\/p>\n

“Better Together is not funded by dark money at all,” Leibowitz said. “National Horizon is a federal super PAC. It is required to disclose its donors. They have until July 15 to file that campaign finance report. We simply chose to file our report early.”<\/p>\n

According to opensecrets.org<\/a>, “National Horizon is a conservative, Republican-aligned super PAC … It frequently operates as an independent expenditure committee to influence key federal and state races.”<\/p>\n

From May 3 through June 30, Better Together reported spending $264,000 — with $200,000 going to Red Eagle Media, also based in Virginia.<\/p>\n

As its financial disclosure shows, the new political action committee Better Together has spent tens of thousands in ‘attack ads’ targeting Scottsdale City Council candidates Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Bob Littlefield and Barry Graham.<\/p>\n

“The money in this report was spent because Barry Graham, Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Bob Littlefield have records that have repeatedly raised concerns about their judgment, ethics, honesty and leadership,” Leibowitz said. “Scottsdale voters deserve to know that before Election Day.”<\/p>\n

The Scottsdale PAC states $52,000 went to Solange Whitehead’s “Solange for Scottsdale” reelection campaign.<\/p>\n

Though the identity of donors who contributed to National Horizon specifically for the Scottsdale activity may not be revealed, Leibowitz insisted Better Together does not meet the legal definition of “dark money.”<\/p>\n

“Dark money is funding from a 501(c)(4) non-profit,” Leibowitz added, “which can keep its donors a secret. That’s what TAAZE did when they used the so-called Arizona Public Integrity Alliance to hide the source of its donations.”<\/p>\n

TAAAZE<\/strong><\/p>\n

As of this edition’s deadline, TAAAZE had not yet filed its second quarter report, due later this week.<\/p>\n

In May, TAAAZE reported income of $50,374, with 95% coming from the Mesa-based \u201cdark money\u201d conduit Public Integrity Alliance. TAAAZE expenses were $49,640 \u2013 most in operating expenses.<\/p>\n

The only individual listed as contributing more than $500: Paul Ganther, a Scottsdale resident who wrote a $2,500 check to TAAAZE.<\/p>\n

Bob Littlefield has been listed as the TAAAZE chairman since its founding, but according to a June 23 press release, Littlefield was stepping down as chairman of TAAAZE, for strategic reasons:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will provide our group with the flexibility to support or oppose candidates,\u201d according to the TAAAZE release.<\/p>\n

The Progress responded to the email by again asking Littlefield to reveal TAAAZE\u2019s financial backer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe major source of funding for TAAAZE has always been the Public Integrity Alliance, run by Tyler Montague,\u201d Bob Littlefield replied.<\/p>\n

The Morrison Institute and others refer to Public Integrity Alliance as a “dark money” nonprofit \u2013 meaning it is not legally required to publicly disclose its individual or corporate donors.<\/p>\n

Asked to name individual donors funneling money to TAAAZE through the PAC, Littlefield replied:<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Progress asked Montague if Littlefield \u2013 chairman of TAAAZE for some 18 months \u2013 would have access to the identities of the Public Integrity Alliance donors funneling money to TAAAZE.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know that he knows \u2013 I know he doesn\u2019t fully know,\u201d Montague answered. \u201cHe\u2019s not pulling your leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montague said Axon\u2019s actions justify keeping donors anonymous: \u201cLook at how they\u2019ve been behaving. Look at what they\u2019re apparently doing to people who opposed them,\u201d the Public Integrity Alliance leader said.<\/p>\n

Montague called the $3 billion Taser maker \u201ca large entity with a lot of money and some level of vindictiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n

How did Bob Littlefield and Montague\/Public Integrity Alliance become allied in the first place?<\/p>\n

\u201cI volunteered,\u201d Bob Littlefield said, somewhat cryptically.<\/p>\n

Montague said he was fuzzy on the genesis of the relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was approached and made aware of it,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I said, \u2018Yeah, this is something that fits our integrity mission.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

As a very-different Scottsdale City Council was passing the Axon rezoning in November 2024, \u201cI remember having a conversation with Michelle Ugenti-Rita at the time and Bob Littlefield at the time,\u201d Montague said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a couple conference calls at the time \u2013 then we got going raising money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montague also confirmed Public Integrity Alliance\u2019s funding of TAAAZE hardly stopped at the signature drive.<\/p>\n

With a referendum scheduled for November 2026, Axon countered by successfully lobbying state legislators \u2013 who largely ignored the protest testimonies of Graham and Ugenti-Rita.<\/p>\n

Senate Bill 1543, signed last year by Gov. Katie Hobbs, nullified the referendum and took away Scottsdale\u2019s power to monitor the Axon development via inspections and review boards.<\/p>\n

TAAAZE countered that by filing a lawsuit against the state (with the city also named) challenging the constitutionality of \u201cthe Axon bill.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the TAAAZE lawsuit pending at Maricopa Superior Court, Axon reached an agreement with a very different Scottsdale City Council early this year.<\/p>\n

In a last-minute, behind-the-scenes negotiation, Mayor Lisa Borowsky secured Isner\u2019s agreement \u2013 after Isner publicly displayed a text that he said showed TAAAZE agreed to a deal \u2013 to reduce the Taser maker\u2019s plan from more than 1,800 apartments to 600 apartments and 600 condos.<\/p>\n

With Graham, Kathy Littlefield and Jan Dubauskas opposing and Borowsky, Whitehead, Adam Kwasman and Maryann McAllen in favor, City Council approved the Axon-Scottsdale \u201cmemorandum of understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

TAAAZE then filed another lawsuit, claiming the MOU is illegal.<\/p>\n

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Herrod ruled on the older lawsuit, rejecting the claim of unconstitutionality \u2013 but not quite slamming the door on the first TAAAZE lawsuit.<\/p>\n

Herrod also heard arguments on the MOU lawsuit, but has yet to issue a ruling.<\/p>\n

Though TAAAZE is looking like the Brits in the Siege of Yorktown, Montague said the legal war is not over.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in it till the end,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Is a truce possible?<\/p>\n

Montague said negotiations could lead to \u201cimprovements to the project that could happen that would make people feel OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

If that doesn\u2019t happen, he reiterated, \u201cWe\u2019re in it for the long haul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montague was asked how much Public Integrity Alliance has spent on the double-barreled TAAAZE lawsuits.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know off the top of my head,\u201d he answered. \u201cBut lawyers aren\u2019t cheap,\u201d he added with a chuckle. \u201cI\u2019ll say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montague again countered Axon\u2019s statements that a California union is funding TAAAZE.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe \u2013 Public Integrity Alliance \u2013 have not taken any money from unions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Littlefield previously told the Progress union members \u201ccollected I think 700 signatures \u2013 out of 27,000. Hardly makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Better Together<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the Progress reported last year, Axon Enterprises and Smith each contributed $500,000 to Arizonans for a Better Future. Isner, the Axon president who has publicly battled and even belittled\u00a0 Graham, chipped in $100,000 to the political action committee.<\/p>\n

The Axon\/Smith-funded PAC put some of that money to use in TV ads attacking Graham in 2025.<\/p>\n

Arizonans for a Better Future spent $582,000 \u2013 with $170,000 to Signal Research, $165,000 to Trailhead Strategic Communications and $16,000 to David Leibowitz \u2013 through the first quarter of this year, according to Transparency USA.<\/p>\n

As former Progress managing editor Wayne Schutsky reported in an April KJZZ story, the Axon-backed PAC gave contributions of between $500 and $5,000 to 52 Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the Arizona House and Senate who voted for SB 1543.<\/p>\n

Topping the bill was a $5,000 contribution to Rep. Tony Rivero (R-Peoria), who sponsored the bill.<\/p>\n

Now, according to its website that mirrors Arizonans for a Better Future, \u201cBetter Together is a political action committee committed to keeping our communities moving forward with practical, politically wise solutions that rise above partisanship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Better Together\u2019s Facebook site claims it is \u201cCutting through the clutter of politics to enhance the economy, public safety, and individual freedom. A voice for common sense in a world of screaming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Better Together filed with the state June 5.<\/p>\n

Chris Baker is its chairman; he is also listed as an Axon lobbyist.<\/p>\n

Leibowitz, who as recently as May 14 responded to a Progress question as its spokesman, is listed as Better Together\u2019s treasurer.<\/p>\n

Baker and Leibowitz were also listed as chairman and treasurer of Arizonans for a Better Future.<\/p>\n

As the Progress reported, Graham, Bob Littlefield and Ugenti-Rita wrote a letter to Axon\u2019s board of directors, complaining company executives were working with Better Together \u201cto influence the 2026 City Council election\u201d by attacking them.<\/p>\n

Leibowitz told the Progress, \u201cAxon is not \u2018officially\u2019 or directly involved in the Scottsdale Council races.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isner\u2019s public statements closely align with the messaging from Better Together PAC \u2013 including hammering Graham over an independent panel finding last summer that the councilman violated Scottsdale\u2019s code of ethics.<\/p>\n

On June 27, Graham posted the link to a story on the election, commenting the story was about \u201cAxon\u2019s interference in Scottsdale\u2019s City Council election.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isner reposted Graham\u2019s tweet, with his own commentary: \u201cSomeone pls tell\u00a0 @BarrySGraham to keep retweeting articles that outline his ethics conviction and his sidekick\u2019s history of alleged sexual harassment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The last part of the post was apparently a dig at Ugenti-Rita. According to one of the Better Together ads in the Progress, \u201cUgenti-Rita was investigated for sexual harassment and was accused of intimidation and making threats.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three days before that post, Isner accused Graham of cringy self-promotion using fake accounts:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea of Barry logging into all his burners to like and retweet his own posts,\u201d Isner posted on X June 24, \u201cwill never not be amusing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Progress asked Isner a series of questions, including if he is involved in the Better Together strategy\/messaging \u2013 and if he and\/or Smith have donated to Better Together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t be participating in Mr. Littlefield and Mr. Graham\u2019s latest attempt to use our brand as a political prop and vilify our team,\u201d Isner responded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are not serious people and cannot be trusted, as evidenced by Mr. Graham\u2019s ethics conviction. We are focused on supporting public safety and positively contributing to a community that Axon has been a part of for over 30 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Echoing others who oppose the Taser and police body camera maker\u2019s expansion plan, Montague insists he is not anti-Axon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Axon\u2019s a good Arizona company. And I\u2019m not necessarily opposed to what they want to do \u2013 I have some process problems,\u201d Montague said. \u201cTo me they were doing a bait and switch, sneaking apartment complexes into the back door.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then the voter referendum was put out and they sidestepped that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuckling at the understatement, Montague summarized the Axon-TAAAZE siege:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a scrappy battle.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some in Scottsdale are crying \u201coutside influence\u201d and \u201celection shenanigans!\u201d To which historians might shrug and mutter, \u201cwhat\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":914532,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5131],"tags":[179695,5229,5643,359089,1587,166900,166898,189881,183858,138901,241100,270103,1589,183906,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-914531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-phoenix","tag-adam-kwasman","tag-america","tag-arizona","tag-axon-enterprises","tag-az","tag-barry-graham","tag-bob-littlefield","tag-josh-isner","tag-kathy-littlefield","tag-lisa-borowsky","tag-michelle-ugenti","tag-michelle-ugenti-rita","tag-phoenix","tag-rick-smith","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116868475056772818","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/914531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=914531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/914531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/914532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=914531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=914531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=914531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}