Arizona Republic:

A bitter behind-the scenes battle between Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Mark Brnovich could change election laws in Arizona.

Hobbs filed sweeping ethics complaints to the State Bar of Arizona in 2020 accusing Brnovich and several of his top attorneys of sabotaging election-related cases and misrepresenting her office. 

More than 14 months later, the agency responsible for licensing and regulating attorneys is still asking questions and seeking records. The allegations of misconduct include conflicts of interest, improperly using confidential information and publicly maligning election officials.

The case represents more than a squabble between partisan rivals. It goes to whether the attorney general has adequately represented the state’s interests, including those of an office with which it is fundamentally at odds.

The outcome could decide the winner in a tug-of-war between Republicans and Democrats over who controls election cases ahead of the 2022 midterms.