AZ-03: More Lies Revealed in Lost Credit Card Caper

We began this bizarre tale with the news that one of GOP Rep. John Shadegg’s campaign credit cards was discovered on the floor in an Arizona Democratic Party office. The Shadegg campaign responded that the credit card slipped out of the pocket of a volunteer who purchased an Obama bumper sticker. The only problem? The Arizona Democratic Party has no record of the “volunteer” in question (who is actually Ryan Anderson, Shadegg’s deputy campaign manager and ex-lobbyist) purchasing a sticker. But they do have a record of the fake name and address that Anderson used on his disclosure form. Once again, here is the full press release from the Arizona Democratic Party:

Shadegg campaign staffer lied about identity in Democratic office

Democrats are demanding that Rep. John Shadegg fire his deputy campaign manager after learning that he accessed a Democratic Party office using a fake name and fake address.

Party officials believe that Ryan Anderson, who has claimed that he was at the party office to purchase a bumper sticker, provided the fake name and address. Anderson was only discovered because he left the Shadegg campaign’s credit card in the Democratic party’s office.

Records show that a person with the name “Bryan Anderson” filled out a contribution form, which is a legal document that the Arizona Democratic Party uses to report contributions to elections officials. The purchase of a bumper sticker is a contribution.

“Bryan Anderson’s” address is a near-match to Ryan Anderson’s. Every number in the street line of the address is one digit off. Democrats will not release Anderson’s home address.

Anderson, a veteran Republican operative, previously worked at a major Republican lobbying firm in Phoenix. He also worked on Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

“It appears as though this was an orchestrated attempt by Ryan Anderson to lie about his identity,” said Emily DeRose, spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party. “Why would Anderson need to lie if he was just there to buy a bumper sticker? Why would a Republican campaign operative go to a Democratic office to buy bumper stickers when they’re online? This story just doesn’t hold water.”