State Rep. David Cook (R, LD-8) is accused of misconduct and conflict of interest over his alleged relationship with a lobbyist.
Cook is accused of having an affair with a lobbyist and stopping the seizure of her property due to delinquent taxes and other conflicts of interest
PHOENIX – House Speaker Rusty Bowers issued the following statement today after the Arizona House of Representatives’ temporary special select Ethics Committee released its counsel’s investigative report concerning two ethics complaints against Representative David Cook.
“The investigation began in February after the complaints were filed with the House. The temporary select special Ethics Committee charged with the complaints has been chaired by Representative John Allen, the former majority leader who currently serves as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. I asked Chairman Allen to lead these ethics proceedings because I was confident that he would do so judiciously, impartially, and independently. He has, and I am grateful to him for his hard work.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations, the Committee retained the law firm of Ballard Spahr LLP to conduct a thorough, fair, apolitical, and independent investigation of the complaints. Chairman Allen charged the Committee’s outside counsel with a simple and straightforward goal: to assist the Committee to secure all available information to determine whether the allegations have merit. To that end, I understand that the Committee’s outside investigators have conducted 14 interviews and reviewed several thousand pages of documents. The report released today is the fruit of their labors.
“Now, it is for the members of the Committee — and, perhaps, the House as a whole — to exercise their independent judgment to determine whether further action on these complaints is warranted. They and Chairman Allen have my full confidence and continued gratitude.”
According to the investigative report, it is evident – in Cook’s own words – that Cook had an affair with AnnaMarie Knorr, an owner of Knorr Farms and lobbyist for the Western Growers Association. Knorr was terminated from her position with the Western Growers Association after the publication of love letters from Cook was made public and allegations were made that she used her romantic relationship with him to favor issues of interest to her and her employer.
Cook, who represents central and eastern Pinal County and southern Gila County, is a member of two committees that hears bills affecting the agriculture industry Knorr had represented. The report also stated Cook convinced Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb to call off a planned seizure of assets associated with Knorr Farms due to an unpaid tax bill that still has roughly $140,000 outstanding. After calling Sheriff’ Lamb, the sheriff decided to call off the seizure.
Cook sent numerous messages and cards to Knorr professing his love, advising he needed to find a “bird and bee” card and admitted coveting another man’s wife.
Knorr’s estranged husband, Robert Knorr, and her father, cattle lobbyist Bas Aja, have both confirmed the affair.
The report also stated Rep. Cook appears to have issues with alcohol. Cook was convicted of a DUI in September 2018 and multiple witnesses have described meetings with Cook during work hours where he engaged in erratic behavior and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. The report adds that Cook has consistently attempted to “thwart” the investigation against him and has obstructed it by withholding relevant documents.
Cook has denied the allegations against him and said he didn’t even know what the “birds and the bees” meant until told to him by his lawyer.
Dennis Wilenchik, an attorney representing Cook, said the ethics investigation was flawed and said it was simply a weapon to go after a political opponent.
“There are no ‘ethics’ involved in this matter,” Wilenchik wrote to the committee. “Rep. Cook has done nothing that will ever be proven to have effected his sacred role as the people’s representative. There is no collusion, there is no bribery, there is no abuse of power. There is no ‘drunken’ acts that could possibly be proven to have (affected) anyone. There (are) only acts of kindness, compassion, and assistance to an old friend that is no one else’s business, that has been twisted and warped by an ex-husband and father who has an agenda.”
Cook is running for re-election and the August primary also includes state Sen. Frank Pratt running for the House seat against Cook as well as Neal Carter.
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