PHX Reporter

Phoenix - In response to claims made by Attorney General Kris Mayes, State schools chief Tom Horne has asserted that the Department of Education did alert the Attorney General's office to potential fraudulent activities involving former Arizona Department of Education employees.

Horne emphasized, "The Attorney General is not telling the truth when she states that the alleged criminal activities of former ADE employees did not raise flags in the department. In fact, the opposite is true. Our office did alert the Attorney General’s Office to concerns we discovered regarding Dorrian Jones and Jennifer Lopez."

He revealed that a credit union had also become suspicious of another former employee, Delores Sweet, leading them to reach out to the Attorney General’s Office. Horne highlighted his commitment to rooting out fraud and abuse, stating, "I have absolutely zero tolerance for criminal activity on the part of any employee, contractor or vendor."

Horne further detailed the proactive measures taken by his office to address potential fraud, including hiring experienced personnel and referring instances of suspected fraud to the Attorney General's Office. Despite challenges and criticism, he emphasized his department's dedication to combating fraudulent activities.

In conclusion, Horne pointed out that incidents of fraud are not unique to the Department of Education, citing reports of fraud across various government entities over the past three decades.