Shorter Tom Horne: “Just kidding”

by David Safier

Horne thought he'd hit on a great idea — the "840 Club," where anyone who gives the max $840 to his campaign for Attorney General gets special access. After all, Horne wants to talk to all Arizonans, but he can't, so why not let the people who really want to talk to him indicate their interest by raising their hands fistfuls of dollars?

But after the Republic exposed the pay-for-access brainstorm, Horne has changed his mind. Not that there's anything wrong with the idea.

Horne said Friday that he still believed the "840 Club" was a good idea but wanted to avoid any misunderstanding.

"No one gets any special favors from me," he said in a written statement. "Any implication to the contrary is wrong."
Horne, a Republican, would not say how many people have given $840 to his campaign. In an interview Friday, he said that he was not required to disclose that until next year under campaign-contribution reporting laws.

He said he did not believe anyone gave money based on the promised meetings.

"They gave to me because they believe in what I stand for," he said in an interview. "If anybody wants their money back . . . I will happily give it back."