Arizona Safety and Justice is a left-of-center PAC that was created to fund the unsuccessful campaign of Diego Rodriguez, the Democratic candidate for Maricopa County Attorney in 2016. The organization is the Arizona branch of the vast “Safety and Justice” network, a project of left-leaning billionaire George Soros that used a network of similarly named state-level PACs to finance the campaigns of progressive Democratic candidates for district attorney in more than a dozen of America’s cities.

Controversies

In October 2020, attorneys representing Republican Bill Montgomery, the incumbent Maricopa County Attorney at the time, filed a complaint with the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office against Arizona Safety and Justice, alleging that the organization had failed to provide 24 hours’ notice to Montgomery’s campaign about an impending campaign as the law requires.¹ According to the Associated Press, the organizations chairperson, Whitney Tymas, denied the allegation and called it a “groundless attempt to distract voters.”¹ It is not clear whether the allegation was upheld or refuted.

Leadership

Arizona Safety and Justice is led by its chairperson Whitney Tymas, who serves as the head of the widely dispersed “Safety and Justice” network.² Tymas also served on the board of the Civic Participation Action Fund (CPAF).

1. “Soros Group Is Accused of Violating Arizona Election Law.” AP NEWS. Associated Press, October 22, 2016. https://apnews.com/article/5bfc373e1a3349e59c19f60d3f6ca082.
2. “Candidate Search.” Candidate Information. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://recorder.maricopa.gov/campaignfinance/candidateinfo.aspx?candidateid=1001855.