In the first Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Debate between Kimberly Yee and Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz, these were the Arizona Treasurer’s remarks on her role in Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) oversight.
“…And so, as I have supported school choice in the past, I’m also very well known at the State Capitol as a taxpayer watchdog. Over the years, I have made sure that we follow the money and make sure that it is accounted for because these are not our dollars; they are the taxpayers’ dollars.”
This is what Treasurer Yee said in her second debate with Dr. Ruiz about her role in ESA oversight last night, September 22.
“My opponent does not understand that the daily operational role of ESAs is done by the state superintendent of public instruction. Check Title 15, you’ll see it. And the state treasurer only holds the contract for which the financial platform exists for ESAs.
There is no day-to-day operation. You can check our court rulings as well, where we won that case against 12 News that showed that we do not have day-to-day operational authority for ESAs.
There is no day-to-day operation. You can check our court rulings as well, where we won that case against 12 News that showed that we do not have day-to-day operational authority for ESAs…”
Can we say doing a 360?
Somebody on the Yee Campaign must have cringed at her response on ESA oversight in the first debate and the subsequent Ruiz post highlighting all the headlines showing that if she was following the money and making sure every cent was accounted for, she was very bad at it.
Hence the 360 reversal.
Instead of facing reporters after the event to answer possible questions on her role in ESA oversight and other issues brought up during the debate, Yee avoided the journalists and left the building by way of, according to 12 News Craig Harris, the back door.
With Yee backtracking, Dr. Ruiz and her campaign took the political softball handed to them and responded accordingly.
Before and after Yee pulled her best Sergeant Shultz impersonation of “I know nothing,” Dr. Ruiz went after her incompetent management record, saying in the back and forth with her:
“Because as an administrator, as a treasurer, you administered the ESA program, and you watched while millions flew out the door…But you also watched. You knew this was happening. You should have been shouting from the rooftops and protecting taxpayer dollars, and instead you stayed silent until it was time to run for office, and you based your whole campaign on this…Again, you knew it was happening, and you did nothing to protect taxpayer resources while this money was flowing out the door.”
The Ruiz Campaign wasted no time crafting a social media post of this exchange.
Please click here to view.
The Democratic Nominee for Superintendent also responded to Blog for Arizona’s request for comment on Yee bolting from journalists after the debate, stating:
“The Treasurer, an administrator of the ESA program, refusing to answer whether she is receiving public dollars from the system she designed is concerning. But actively running from the question repeatedly should alarm all Arizonans. Taxpayers are owed transparency and accountability from those elected to represent them and that’s why I’ve answered the questions I’ve been asked.”
Please click below to watch the second Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction debate between Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz and Treasurer Kimberly Yee and decide who is the better person who should be in charge of the state’s schools.
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