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A Republican Arizona state senator who was indicted earlier this year for allegedly attempting to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election has accused the state’s three public universities of illegally selling student data to Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
But The Arizona Daily Star reported Monday that the universities and their governing board, the Arizona Board of Regents, believe state Senator Jake Hoffman’s claims are baseless and that they did nothing wrong by providing information that allowed the Harris campaign to send texts urging thousands of students to vote for her.
“I wanted to remind you that the deadline to register to vote in Arizona is Monday, Oct. 7,” read the text messages in question. “Tim Walz and I are the underdogs in this election, but student voters could make the difference. We need your support to win.”
The text also reminded recipients that they can register and vote using their on- or off-campus address, which is a provision another lawmaker unsuccessfully attempted to limit back in 2020, according to the Daily Star.
The universities said handing over the information was in compliance with federal law, which requires institutions to make such information public unless students opt out—something only a small percentage of students have done.
Hoffman, who pleaded not guilty to charges related to his alleged role in the fake elector scheme designed to obstruct the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s election, said he plans to open “a full Senate investigation immediately.”
