Overview
- The 15‑second television ad that aired late Tuesday used stereotyped Chinese imagery and music to label state treasurer Kimberly Yee the “Empress of DEI,” and both Republican candidates have publicly condemned it as racist.
- Mandatory disclaimers list Arizonans for Election Integrity as the payer, and reporting shows the California‑based PAC bought multiple spots through Red Eagle Media with major funding from out‑of‑state group Conservatives for Effective Government.
- An attempted purchase with ABC15 was halted after the FCC found the sponsor had not provided sufficient information, while ad buys on 3TV and CBS5 ran as traced in FCC records.
- Yee has accused her GOP rival Tom Horne and his backers of being behind the spot; Horne denies any coordination, has asked for the ad to be withdrawn, and his past 2010 campaign‑finance controversies are part of why questions persist.
- The episode highlights how DEI messaging is being used as a partisan wedge, shows how intermediary ad‑buyers and dark‑money channels can obscure sponsors, and signals that further disclosure or enforcement actions could follow if regulators or news outlets unmask the ultimate funders.