Ahmed stated in his invoices that he met with Sheriff Jewell Williams seven times in 2017. Williams spokesperson Barbara Grant initially declined to comment on whether Williams recalled meeting with Ahmed last year. Presented with the dates Ahmed said he met with Williams, Grant said in an email: "The sheriff and Mr. Ahmed have been friends for more than 30 years so it would not be unusual for them to meet. The sheriff confirms he met with Mr. Ahmed about PPA and other topics over the course of last year."