Two Arizona state lawmakers have filed a complaint with the state’s attorney general requesting an investigation into the legality of the Phoenix City Council’s June 28 approval of a plan to donate hundreds of unclaimed firearms in the city’s possession to the National Police of Ukraine.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Quang Nguyen and committee Vice Chairwoman Rep. Selina Bliss, both Republicans filed the complaint on Aug. 21.
On Aug. 4, the city manager signed a contract with broker DT Gruelle to receive and ship 599 unclaimed firearms as a donation to Ukraine’s national police under the terms of the agreement. The agreement listed the Phoenix Police Department’s Property Management Bureau as the “donation point” for unclaimed firearms.
Rep. Nguyen said the cache had an estimated $300,000 to $350,000 in street value and included AR-15s, AK47s, and other semi-automatic weapons that were seized by police or turned over by residents.
A list of the firearms obtained by The Epoch Times included 9 mm pistols made by Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Glock, and other top-brand manufacturers. Also on the list were shotguns and various carbine rifles using military-grade ammunition.
On July 3, Reps. Nguyen and Bliss sent a letter to council members objecting to the city ordinance, saying it violated a state law that prohibits the donation of unclaimed firearms.
Two weeks later, the city responded, confirming it would move forward with the donation to Gruelle under the signed agreement.
The broker was responsible for weapons delivery to Ukraine, duties, and transportation costs.
“Tellingly, the city made no effort to address any of the state laws identified in our letter or the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision in the city of Tucson,” Reps. Nguyen and Bliss wrote.
In August 2017, Arizona’s high court ruled that Tucson had to stop destroying thousands of unclaimed confiscated firearms and to sell them instead to licensed firearms dealers.
Arizona is a constitutional carry state, meaning a law-abiding citizen without a felony record has the legal right to carry a firearm either concealed or in the open.
Phoenix city officials claim the donation of unclaimed firearms is similar to former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s contribution of humanitarian equipment to Ukraine in 2022, an argument that Rep. Nguyen and Bliss refute.
“The city’s willful ignorance of state law is not only troubling; it places the city in a precarious position should this issue be litigated,” they wrote.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has 30 days to respond to the request for an investigation under SB1487.
“Yes, our office will fulfill its statutory obligations related to this 1487 complaint. No conclusions have yet been made,” spokesman Richie Taylor in an email to The Epoch Times.
In the meantime, Rep. Nguyen said the donation of firearms essentially takes money out of the state general fund for public use.
“When [the firearms] go off to the Ukraine, you have no idea who will get ahold of them. It’s Fast and Furious Number 17. We should not be doing this at all. There is no reason.”
Rep. Nguyen stressed that his objection to the ordinance and weapons transfer is “not about the politics of the war.”
“This city ignores state law to do the feel-good things they want to do,” he said. “Why not pull the guns out and send over food? We’re spending billions of dollars over there. Why must we send 600 firearms to the [Ukraine] national police?”
Rep. Nguyen put it in terms of domestic infrastructure needs.
“How many potholes can you fill with $350,000?”
