By John Ainley
Barry Graham wants us to believe he is Scottsdale’s anti-development candidate. His campaign finances tell a different story.
During his 2022 run, while presenting himself as a fierce opponent of development, Barry collected more than $20,000 from real estate and development executives. That pattern continues in this race.
When Barry voted against The Parque project, which Raoul Zubia supported, the CEO of Falcon Ventures, the company behind it, still wrote him a $5,000 check. Why? Because developers know that contrary to his anti-development rhetoric he’s actually on their side.
Barry has spent this campaign telling voters that developer money is corrupting Scottsdale. But he can’t make that argument while cashing developer checks. If developer donations are proof of influence, he needs to explain his own.
Voters should also ask about Barry’s judgment. He has endorsed Alex Kolodin who supported the Kraken lawsuit, a case born out of the violent January 6th insurrection that sought to overturn Arizona’s 2020 election results.
Scottsdale’s first responders — police and fire — put their lives on the line to keep this city safe. They deserve council members they can trust to stand behind them without reservation. Does Barry?
Voters should also compare his claims against the record. The Arizona Republic’s numerous fact-checks of Barry Graham show how dishonest he is.
Voters deserve candidates who get the facts right, especially when they’re attacking their neighbors.
Scottsdale deserves a council member who tells the whole story, including about his own campaign and the record shows that Barry Graham is not that candidate.
John Ainley is a Scottsdale resident
Discover more from Arizona Progress Gazette
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
