BREAKING: Happy Holidays! Fmr. Senate Candidate Kelli Ward's Committee "Glitches", Over-Repays Her $15,000

Former Arizona Senate candidate Kelli Ward received a Christmas gift from her campaign committee that she is likely going to have to return. Arizona's Politics discovered the committee gave her $15,000 more in loan repayments than she was apparently entitled to. The committee is investigating the "glitch" and how to best correct it.

In addition, Ward and husband/fellow physician Michael, set up a company to manage the campaign's valuable fundraising lists, and paid them a New Year's Eve disbursement of an additional $3,112. These were part of the interesting details in campaign finance reports filed by the committee on Friday.

During Ward's 2015-16 primary run against the late Sen. John McCain, the physician lent her committee more than $100,000.  (She lent at least $15,000 more during her 2017-18 primary run to replace Sen. Jeff Flake.)  As of January 1, 2018, the Committee owed its candidate $100,039.

After losing the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to Martha McSally this past August, Ward continued to solicit donations - nothing wrong with that - and began to monetize the lists of donors and contacts she had amassed.

She repaid herself $32,000* in September. Then, as her pleas for funds and list rental business kicked into gear, she made weekly repayments in November and December. However, the payments on December 19th, 26th, and 31st ended up netting her $28,000 - $15,000 more than the Committee had said she was entitled to.

Arizona's Politics asked Dr. Ward and her committee for an explanation. After an extensive review of the loan history, Press Secretary Zach Henry tells Arizona's Politics that "there was a technical glitch with the compliance software. Once we hear back from the software's tech department, we will amend the report(s) to show the re-linkage and will correct it to make sure she wasn't overpaid."

Also on December 31, the committee paid Atlas Alliance $3,112 for "data management". Atlas Alliance** was formed in September 2018 by Kelli and Michael Ward and shares their home address. It was shortly after Atlas Alliance was formed that the committee began to receive healthy payment for her lists - approximately $13,000/month.

"Dr. Ward's lists are in high demand," Henry tells Arizona's Politics.

Ward is currently running to become the Chairperson of the Arizona Republican Party.

Posted below are copies of her year end reports from 2017 - showing the $100,039 owed - and 2018.

Arizona's Politics has asked Ward and the Ward campaign for an explanation and/or comment, but

*Interestingly, her initial report only indicated a repayment of $12,000; an amended report was filed Friday adding a $20,000 repayment.
**Not to be confused with Atlas Alliance CPAs and Advisors, who have offices in Arizona and other states.

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