The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Mark Finchem is an embarrassment to the people of Arizona. His conspiracy theory politics and association with radical right fringe groups resulted in his promoting baseless claims of voter fraud. Paid by Donald Trump’s campaign, he hosted a bogus hearing so Rudy Giuliani could promote Trump’s “Big Lie.” Then, using campaign donors’ dollars, he flew to Washington, D.C. and participated in “Stop the Steal” events which culminated in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that killed five people.
Finchem did not materialize cut from whole cloth. He has been financially supported by “respectable” members of our community. Behind closed doors, these movers and shakers may roll their eyes at his cowboy costumes, but they willingly wrote campaign donation checks because as one of the Republican candidates in Legislative District 11, Finchem was expected to support business-friendly legislation. Given that Finchem now rails against “oligarchs” and applauds interfering with “their game and their cashflow [sic],” perhaps they’ve been duped.
Fletcher McCusker, indefatigable downtown Tucson booster and chair of Rio Nuevo, donated $1,000 to Finchem. Did he really intend to support someone who is with the Oath Keepers, the radical right militia group that’s been implicated in the planning and organizing of the Jan. 6 insurrection?
What about Michael Kasser whose family name now graces the Tucson Museum of Art’s Kasser Family Wing of Latin American Art. He donated $1,000 to Finchem. Has that money gone to pay for the lawyer Finchem needed due to “the threat of criminal prosecution?”
We know Humberto Lopez of HSL Properties has greatly polished his reputation lately with major philanthropic donations to help Tucson’s homeless. But, as a board member of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation his legacy is being tarnished by his donation to Pinnacle West PAC which gave $3,000 to Finchem.
Finchem’s top funder is Earl Kendrick, owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Along with his wife Randy, the Kendricks donated over $10,000 to Finchem in 2019-2020. Oddly, they did this despite the fact that four years earlier, Randy donated money “to fund Republican opponents of Donald Trump and a political action committee that aimed to portray Trump as reckless, prior to the (2016) primary.” If they thought Trump was reckless four years ago, what about now? Why did they give money to Finchem, who has tried to keep Trump in power by what turned into violent means?
Finchem’s obsession with conspiracy theories would almost be laughable were it not for the clear and present danger they represent. From his early claims that Barack Obama was seeking to establish a “totalitarian dictatorship” to his endless repetition of Trump’s baseless election fraud lie, Finchem is an acolyte in the cult of conspiracies.
His radical right rhetoric should not be financially supported by individuals who claim to care about our community. Every reasonable and responsible citizen who gave him campaign funds should demand a refund, disavow Finchem and his Stop the Steal fantasies. Failure to do so, means that they either agree with Finchem’s seditious fantasies or they don’t care what Finchem stands for as long as he supports Gov. Doug Ducey’s business friendly agenda, including more tax cuts during a pandemic that has devastated many of their fellow Arizonans.
