2001: Borrelli Pleaded Guilty To A Domestic Violence Charge After Police Arrested Him “For Allegedly Punching His Wife Multiple Times.” “Arizona Rep. Sonny Borrelli pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge in 2001 after police responded to repeated emergency calls at his Lake Havasu City home and arrested Borrelli for allegedly punching his wife multiple times.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli “Reportedly Struck His Wife In The Mouth Three Times And Shoved Her To The Ground During An Argument” And “Tried To Leave His Home With Some Of The Couple’s Children In Tow.” “The second-term Republican representative, who’s running for the Senate in Legislative District 5, reportedly struck his wife in the mouth three times and shoved her to the ground during an argument in March 2001, then tried to leave his home with some of the couple’s children in tow.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli’s Then-Wife’s Son “Told Police He Watched Borrelli ‘Punch His Mom (Redacted) In The Mouth/Face With A Closed Fist Three Times In Rapid Succession.’” “A young boy, Borrelli’s then-wife’s child, told police he watched Borrelli ‘punch his mom (redacted) in the mouth/face with a closed fist three times in rapid succession.’” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli’s Then-Wife’s Son Later “Recanted His Testimony,” Telling The Arizona Capitol Times “I Told The Police Officers Exactly What My Mother Instructed Me To Say To Them.” “Julie’s son—Borrelli’s stepson—was a witness to the event. But he’s since recanted his testimony. [...] After the Arizona Capitol Times wrote about the incident in 2016, the son—by then an adult and a Marine—penned a letter claiming his mother was unwell and had coached him in his responses to police. ‘At the time I told the police officers exactly what my mother instructed me to say to them,’ he wrote in a letter quoted by the Capitol Times.” [The Daily Beast, 03/01/23]
Borrelli Claimed That Pleading Guilty To The Domestic Violence Charge Was His “Best Course Of Action,” Because “It Ensured That His Finances Were Free To Fight To Retain Custody Of A Son From A Previous Marriage.” “Borrelli previously told Arizona Capitol Times that he never struck his wife, who he later divorced, and that the incident amounted to his wife undergoing a stress-induced ‘meltdown.’ Any injuries that his wife suffered during the incident must have been self-inflicted, a result of her ‘psychotic episode,’ he said. Pleading guilty to the domestic violence charge was Borrelli’s best course of action, he said, because it ensured that his finances were free to fight to retain custody of a son from a previous marriage, rather than fight off the misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge he pleaded guilty to.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/26/16]
Police “Observed That Borrelli’s Wife Had Dried Blood Around Her Mouth And A Bump On The Left Side Of Her Head, Apparently From Striking Her Head On The Video Poker Machine.” “Police observed that Borrelli’s wife had dried blood around her mouth and a bump on the left side of her head, apparently from striking her head on the video poker machine when Borrelli pushed her down. One officer reported she’d ‘been bleeding from the mouth and her lips were swollen and bruised.’” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli Claimed His Wife’s Wounds Were “Self-Inflicted” From A “Stress-Induced “Meltdown” And “Psychotic Episode.” “Borrelli disputes crucial details of that report. He claimed that the incident occurred because his wife had a stress-induced ‘meltdown,’ and the kids ‘got scared and called the police.’ Borrelli told Arizona Capitol Times that any wounds his wife suffered during the incident were self-inflicted, a result of her ‘psychotic episode.’” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli Claimed The Children Wrongly Called 911, Adding, “This Is Embarrassing For These Kids And Their Mother, And I Caught The Heat For It.” “‘She was having a breakdown, and the kids got scared. Mom’s having a breakdown. They’re thinking they’re calling 911, an ambulance. And I’m like, ‘Get off the phone, we don’t need an ambulance.’ And these kids, calling 911, they don’t understand they’re calling the police when they call 911,’ Borrelli said. ‘This is embarrassing for these kids and their mother, and I caught the heat for it.’” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli’s Stepson Said He “Watched Borrelli Punch His Mother Three Times” And That “Borrelli Ripped The Cord Out Of The Phone” When Police Called Back After Borrelli “Halted A 911 Call Placed By His Wife.” “Borrelli’s step-son told police he was babysitting his younger brother when the couple returned home and began to argue roughly 20 minutes later. The boy told police he looked out his bedroom door and watched Borrelli punch his mother three times, the report stated. Borrelli then halted a 911 call placed by his wife: ‘He took the phone from her hand and told the operator that everything was OK and hung up,’ the report stated. When police called back to the residence, Borrelli and the step-son both answered from separate phones, but Borrelli ripped the cord out of the phone his step-son picked up, the report stated.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borrelli’s Stepson Told Police That “Borrelli Pushed His Wife, Causing Her To Fall Into A Video Poker Machine In The Living Room” And Borrelli’s Wife Said “Borrelli Pushed Her To The Ground Three Separate Times.” “The boy told police that, as the couple continued to argue, Borrelli pushed his wife, causing her to fall into a video poker machine in the living room. Borrelli’s wife told police Borrelli pushed her to the ground three separate times. ‘His mom could not get up for a few moments and crawled across the floor,’ the report said.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
After Borrelli’s Wife Urged The Stepson To Run Into His Bedroom To Call The Police, “Borrelli Forced Open The Door, Damaging The Door Frame To Do So, And Ripped The Phone Out Of The Wall.” “At the urging of his mother, Borrelli’s step-son ran into his bedroom and locked the door to call the police. But Borrelli forced open the door, damaging the door frame to do so, and ripped the phone out of the wall, the report stated.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
When Police Arrived, They Found Borrelli’s Own Son, From A Previous Marriage, “Crying In The Garage Before They Observed Borrelli Trying To Get Into A Vehicle.” “Borrelli then tried to get his own son, a boy from a previous marriage, out of the house, according to the report. The first officers on the scene found Borrelli’s son crying in the garage before they observed Borrelli trying to get into a vehicle. Police stopped him as Borrelli repeatedly told officers that he was ‘just trying to get the f*** out of the house and that he had not done anything,’ the report stated.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Later, In 2014, Borrelli “Boasted That He Was Twice Elected To Office [...] In The Face Of Allegations On The Campaign Trail That He Beat His Wife.” “In the 2014 radio interview, Borrelli denied striking his wife, and boasted that he was twice elected to office – first to the Lake Havasu City Council, then the Arizona House of Representatives – in the face of allegations on the campaign trail that he beat his wife. ‘Now, I don’t beat my wife, and that’s very slanderous,’ Borrelli said in 2014. ‘You know what? That’s crazy. But that’s what the gossip hounds love to say.’” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
Borelli Has “Blamed Arizona’s Domestic Violence Statutes For His Legal Troubles,” Saying “Here’s The Problem With These DV Laws: He Who Calls 911 First Wins. And They Know They Got Power.” “As he did in the 2014 radio interview, Borrelli also blamed Arizona’s domestic violence statutes for his legal troubles. He further claimed that there was never a good reason for the court to issue a protective order against him in 2004, which his wife sought while they fought about her drinking habits, he said. ‘Here’s the problem with these DV laws: He who calls 911 first wins. And they know they got power,’ Borrelli said.” [Arizona Capitol Times, 07/25/16]
2016: Then-Rep. Borrelli Was “Caught On Tape Berating His Opponent's Supporters” In The Republican Primary For The Arizona Senate’s Fifth District, Against Ex-State Sen. Ron Gould. “The personal animosity emanating from a Republican primary in Arizona was brought to light after state Rep. Rep. Sonny Borrelli (R) was caught on tape berating his opponent's supporters. The recording, published by the Arizona Capitol Times, captures Borelli insulting voters backing ex-state Sen. Ron Gould (R), who is running against him to be the GOP candidate for the state Senate's fifth legislative district.” [Raw Story, 08/25/16]
Borrelli Said “If These Ignorant, C*cksucking Idiots Want To Vote For That F*cking Phony, Lying Piece Of Sh*t, They Can Get What They Deserve.” “‘If these ignorant, c*cksucking idiots want to vote for that f*cking phony, lying piece of sh*t, they can get what they deserve,’ Borelli can be heard telling businessman Ed McInerney.” [Raw Story, 08/25/16]
Borrelli Said “Another F*cking Senator, A Senator That Did Absolutely Nothing For This District Except Piss Everybody Off In Phoenix” And “How Is He Going To Act When He Goes Back To Phoenix With A F*cking Governor That He’s Already Called A F*cking Rino And A Liberal?” “‘Another f*cking senator, a senator that did absolutely nothing for this district except piss everybody off in Phoenix, to include the f*cking governor. And now how is he going to act when he goes back to Phoenix with a f*cking governor that he’s already called a f*cking RINO and a liberal?’” [Raw Story, 08/25/16]
Borrelli Claimed “He Was Only Insulting ‘Specific Voters.’” “Borrelli confirmed making the outburst, but said he was only insulting ‘specific voters’ McInerney mentioned during the conversation.” [Raw Story, 08/25/16]
Borrelli Was Responding To Gould Referring To Borrelli’s Domestic Violence Scandal, Claiming That Gould Called Borrelli’s Stepson “A Liar”—Even Though Borrelli Himself Had “Questioned His Stepson's Account Of The Incident.” "’Did I use colorful language against people that want to believe Ron Gould's lies? Yeah, I used colorful language,’ said Borelli. ‘It's no secret that I've lost all total respect for Mr. Gould [for] calling me names in the paper, implying that my stepson's a liar.’ The remarks were an allusion to Borelli's 2001 conviction on domestic violence. But according to the Times, Borelli also questioned his stepson's account of the incident, saying in a radio interview two years ago that his stepson was ‘repeating what his mother was saying.’” [Raw Story, 08/25/16]
2023: The Campaign For Accountability (CfA) Requested That Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes Investigate Sen. Borrelli For “Potential Perjury” After Documents Suggested He “Knowingly Lied During His 2017 Divorce Proceedings When He Told A Court There Was ‘No Evidence Domestic Violence Occurred In The Marriage.’” “Yesterday, Campaign for Accountability (CfA) sent a letter to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Mohave County District Attorney Matthew Smith requesting an investigation into Arizona Senate Majority Leader Joseph Borrelli for potential perjury. Documents suggest that Mr. Borrelli knowingly lied during his 2017 divorce proceedings when he told a court there was ‘no evidence domestic violence occurred in the marriage.’” [Campaign for Accountability, 03/01/23]
CfA Said Sen. Borrelli’s Statement “Appear[ed] To Be Untrue” Since Borrelli Was “Charged With Domestic Violence Assault And Criminal Damage Related To A 2001 Attack On His Then-Wife,” And He Was The Subject Of Police Reports Related To Another 2004 Domestic Violence Incident. “This appears to be untrue as Mr. Borrelli was, indeed, charged with domestic violence assault and criminal damage related to a 2001 attack on his then-wife, Julie Borrelli. Police also filed reports in 2004 regarding another domestic violence incident also involving Ms. Borrelli.” [Campaign for Accountability, 03/01/23]
CfA Obtained Documents Revealing The “Serious Incident” In 2004, Which Was Not “Previously Reported Publicly.” “The specifics of the 2001 assault are detailed in CfA’s letter, press accounts, and the original police report released by the Lake Havasu Police Department. Documents obtained by CfA reveal an additional serious incident in 2004, that has not been previously reported publicly but is also described in CfA’s letter. Borrelli apparently felt emboldened to obscure the facts about these events in official court filings, which CfA is now asking prosecutors to investigate.” [Campaign for Accountability, 02/28/23]
Following The 2001 Incident, Police Reports Indicated Borrelli “Assaulted His Wife Again” In 2004, When He Told Police “His Wife Had Assaulted Him With A Knife,” Although Police Observed Borrelli’s ‘Minor Injuries Did Not Appear To Be Consistent With His Statements’ Describing Ms. Borrelli As The Aggressor.” “Police reports indicate Mr. Borrelli assaulted his wife again on August 22, 2004. When the police arrived at the Borrelli’s home on that date, Mr. Borrelli claimed his wife had assaulted him with a knife. The officer noted his ‘observations’ that Mr. Borrelli had a ‘small puncture in the palm of his right hand’ and that ‘on his chest were some vertical scratches that appeared to have barely broken the skin.’ The officer saw ‘no further injuries,’ and Mr. Borrelli ‘refused medical treatment.’’ Notably, the police officer reported that Mr. Borrelli’s ‘minor injuries did not appear to be consistent with his statements’ describing Ms. Borrelli as the aggressor.” [Campaign for Accountability, 02/28/23]
A Police Officer Who Interviewed Borrelli’s Then-Wife Identified Multiple Injuries, Including “A Large Amount Of Dried Blood Completely Covering The Lower Portion Of Her Face,” “A Noticeable Bruise/Swelling On The Right Side Of Her Neck,” And That Her “Top Right Front Tooth Was Obviously Out Of Place And Appeared To Be Darker Than The Rest.” “While one police officer was at the Borrellis’ residence taking Mr. Borrelli’s statement, a second went to the hospital to interview Mr. Borrelli’s wife, Julie Borrelli, the ‘victim of an assault.’ The officer reported: [T]he victim (later identified as Julie Borrelli) . . . had a large amount of dried blood completely covering the lower portion of her face. . . [and] had dried/smeared blood on her hands and arms as well. Julie Borrelli had a noticeable bruise/swelling on the right side of her neck (near her lower jaw). . .Julie Borrelli had an obvious laceration on the inside of her lower lip that may require stitches. The top right front tooth was obviously out of place and appeared to be darker than the rest. A small piece of damaged tooth with fresh blood was on the doctor’s equipment tray next to the bed.” [Campaign for Accountability, 02/28/23]
When Police Asked Borrelli’s Then-Wife What Happened, She Said Borrelli “Did It Again,” And He “Became Angry Toward Her And Started Hitting Her Several Times.” “When questioned about what had occurred, Ms. Borrelli stated her husband, identified as Sonny Borrelli ‘did it again.’ Ms. Borrelli explained that friends had come to visit and, after her husband refused to let her finish a sentence, she was bothered and ‘Sonny became angry toward her and started hitting her several times.’” [Campaign for Accountability, 02/28/23]
Borrelli’s Then-Wife Said He “Took One Of His Many Guns, Brought It Into The Backyard And Fired It.” “She also reported that he took one of his many guns, brought it into the backyard and fired it, at which time she drove herself to the hospital.” [Campaign for Accountability, 02/28/23]