The Arizona Attorney General’s office dismissed a complaint that accused a Department of Education employee of using his official authority to influence political action. The Coalition to Recall Diane Douglas filed the paperwork Sept. 8.

An attorney general’s office investigator said in a letter Friday: "Based on a on a review of all information provided to our office, along with applicable statutes, it has been determined that this office will not initiate a criminal investigation in this matter."

Max Goshert is chairman of the Coalition to Recall Diane Douglas, the group that filed the complaint.

“We’re thankful the attorney general and his team looked into it and spent their time to make sure that no laws were broken," Goshert  said. "We still believe that this action was inappropriate by Michael Bradley and it’s not appropriate for him to be attempting to intimidate any organization.”

Goshert is referring to an email sent by Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas’s Chief of Staff Michael Bradley. He sent a note from his personal account to the Arizona Alliance of Black School Educators inquiring why its website had information about the recall effort and asked if the organization intended to support it. 

The Coalition to Recall Diane Douglas has until the end of the year to collect more than 366,000 valid signatures to force a recall election.