KINGMAN – A post balloting battle has been quietly unfolding behind the scenes between two Dist. 1 Mohave County supervisor candidates who finished behind supervisor-elect Travis Lingenfelter in the Aug. 3 primary election.
Becky Foster filed an elections complaint on Sept. 2, alleging Jim Hamersley committed fraud and perjury involving claims of residency and campaign finance disclosure violations. In a press release and in her formal complaint Foster alleged Hamersley and his wife lived in their more upscale home in the Rancho Santa Fe subdivision at 1100 Rawhide Dr. in Dist. 4, while fraudulently claiming residency at their “modest” rental home at 1848 Davis Ave, which is in Dist. 1 to deceptively qualify his campaign for Dist. 1 supervisor.
“I feel betrayed and appalled that he would engage in such fraudulent and deceptive behavior,” Foster said a month ago. “He defrauded the 23,000 voters in Dist. 1 by falsely presenting himself as a candidate for Dist. 1 when he lives in Dist. 4.”
A law firm retained by Hamersley, San Francisco-based Gonzales & Poirier, said Hamersley and his wife vehemently deny all of Foster’s allegations in a formal response submitted with the Mohave County Elections Department on Sept. 29. It contends the Hamersley’s formerly lived at their Rawhide home, that their daughter lives there now, and that they relocated to their Davis residence in July, 2019.
The response includes attestation letters from Kingman Police Chief Rusty Cooper, city council member-elect Keith Walker and others. Cooper and Walker said they have visited the Hamersley’s more than once in the last year at their home on Davis.
“Mrs. Foster’s allegations that Mr. Hamersley committed fraud and perjury and deceit, is also ridiculous and libelous,” the response stated.
Parties agreed Foster’s allegation regarding finance disclosure violations were a secondary issue to the residency question. Foster alleged Hamersley violations included a number of statement omissions and disclosure failures.
“Hamersley failed to list one of his five homes in his Financial Disclosure Statement and, more importantly, he failed to note the source of his campaign funding, leaving it blank on his campaign reports,” Foster’s news release said.
Hamersley’s counsel also responded to that contention.
“He did not take any funding from anyone, so if he inadvertently neglected to complete a field on one of the forms, or check a box, he will gladly submit an amended form.”
Deputy county attorney Ryan Esplin said Foster now has additional opportunity to reply to the Hamersley response before the Elections Department considers dismissing the complaint or forwarding the matter for contemplation of possible enforcement action.
- Dave Hawkins
