Arizona Governor using COVID relief money for anti-mask grants

By Marcos Icahuate, Cole Johnson, The Associated Press

November 5, 2021 7:22 AM

Published November 5, 2021 6:56 AM

Governor Ducey going against U.S. Treasury Department

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY/AP) - Arizona Governor Doug Ducey is going against a demand to stop using COVID-19 relief money for other purposes.

The federal Coronavirus relief money was meant to fund education needs regarding COVID, but Governor Ducey used the relief for school programs that don't follow mask mandates.

The U.S. Treasury Department sent Ducey's staff a letter telling him to use the money appropriately but Jason Mistlebauer, a Ducey aide, responded by saying the relief is being used to help schools that are not being harmed by mask mandates.