Sedona AZ (July 17, 2018) – A federal judge declared a mistrial today in the bribery case that involved the former Chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission Gary Pierce, and a prominent lobbyist and the owner of Johnson Utilities. The defendants were accused of engaging in an illegal scheme of money for votes, where George Johnson paid the wife of the former Commissioner a salary in exchange for favorable votes to raise rates on Johnson Utilities customers, as well as to pass on Johnson’s personal income tax burden to his customers.

The jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict that the activities between the parties rose to the level of illegality. A retrial decision will be made by prosecutors before August 13, 2018.

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