GOP lawmaker faces calls to resign, drops out of primary election after fraud allegations
The campaign to elect Democrats to state legislatures nationwide is calling on Rep. Austin Smith to resign, joining others who are urging the lawmaker to step down after legal complaints that he forged signatures on his nomination petitions.
Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman, a Republican, called for the first-term Republican lawmaker's resignation Thursday. He cited Smith's unfounded claims of election fraud and contrasted that with allegations that Smith himself committed fraud by forging signatures.
On Friday, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee chimed in.
"Despite publicly posturing himself as a so-called defender of election integrity, these allegations reveal a more sinister picture of the lengths he was willing to go to remain in office," Abhi Rahman, the committee's communications director said in a statement.
Rahman called Smith, R-Wittmann, "unfit" for office, given the seriousness of the forgery issues outlined in a court filing.
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The complaint against Smith details pages of voter signatures that closely match Smith's own handwriting. The comparison is easy to make since each petition page in question has Smith's signature at the bottom as the circulator.
It is against the law to forge petition signatures. Anyone found guilty of doing so, or of knowingly allowing forged signatures, is immediately kicked off the ballot and is barred from seeking public office for five years.
After the complaint was lodged, Smith decided to quit rather than fight in court. He withdrew as a House candidate for Legislative District 29, which covers much of far northwest Maricopa County.
It is unclear if he quit his post as a senior director for Turning Point Action, the political arm of Turning Point USA. The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported Smith resigned.
Neither Smith nor Turning Point officials replied to queries about his employment status.
Although Smith did not outright deny the allegations, he cited the cost of fighting the charges in court and concern that a judge would rule against him as reasons to bow out of the July 30 primary election.
Two Democrats who live in Legislative District 29 submitted sworn affidavits that they did not sign Smith's nomination petition, although their names are on there.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes forwarded the complaint to the state attorney general for investigation. Fontes described that as a routine move with such challenges.
Republican Party officials have been mum about Smith's situation. Calls to the state and county parties were not returned. Rep. Teresa Martinez, the majority whip in the state House, also did not reply to a request for the GOP caucus' stance on Smith.
Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Austin Smith: Dems call for representative to resign over allegations
