Former chief of election integrity unit preps $2 million suit against AG Mayes

PHOENIX – Former Arizona assistant attorney general Jennifer Wright is seeking $2 million from the office of current AG Kris Mayes, claiming she was defamed by comments used in a news article in January.

Wright claims Mayes and her office told The Arizona Republic she was “fired” and reported it in an article Jan. 5.

Wright claims she resigned and was not fired before Mayes assumed office. The claim also says Mayes and her office violated rules that limit what state agencies can say employees or former employees.

“A full week after the newspaper article was published, the Arizona Republic finally issued a modest and incomplete correction to the false story, but by then the damage to my professional reputation had already been done,

“At all times, you or your office know or should have known that the statements that I was fired or that an ultimatum was given was false,” the claim continues.

Wright was hired by former Attorney General Mark Brnovich to run the election integrity unit. She is currently representing Abe Hamadeh, who lost the race for Attorney General to Mayes in 2022, in his bid to overturn the election.

Wright claims the impact the statements made to the Arizona Republic in January limits her, “…ability to woo clients, associate with a firm, apply to be a judge, or otherwise use the skills of my profession …”

Since the allegations Wright are raising occurred in an article Jan. 5, state law dictates the claim must be made within 180 days of the “cause of action.” The state entity then has two months to respond before a claim can be filed with a court.

Among the claim’s most significant damages estimates include $1.14 million in 10 years gross estimated lost earnings, $450,000 in punitive damages and $250,000 in reputational damages.

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