Over the past decade as the Fiesta Bowl worked to maintain its elite position as one of the top postseason college-football games, employees made contributions to politicians friendly to the bowl, including some donations that may violate campaign-finance laws.

Past and present Fiesta Bowl employees have told The Arizona Republic they were encouraged to write checks to specific candidates and were reimbursed by the bowl.

Such reimbursement would violate state and federal laws that prohibit funneling corporate campaign contributions through individuals. Participants could be charged with misdemeanors and felonies.

"If employees are giving contributions and they were being reimbursed, it's illegal, and it's something we definitely would review," said Amy Bjelland, state elections director.

John Junker, the Fiesta Bowl's chief executive, said employees never were reimbursed and the bowl did not orchestrate donations.

More than $38,000 in campaign contributions have been made since 2000 by 14 Fiesta Bowl employees.

Those contributions come on top of the $4 million the Fiesta Bowl spent during the same period on lobbyists, trips, dinners and golf retreats to build relationships with athletic officials who control the Bowl Championship Series and to garner support from politicians.

As the youngest of the four BCS bowls, the Fiesta Bowl doesn't take its position for granted. Officials are concerned that other bowls, most notably the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, could knock the Fiesta Bowl out of the BCS. To maintain its coveted position, the Fiesta Bowl has developed relationships and support among the coaches, athletic directors and conference officials who make up the tight-knit world of college football. The bowl also has forged ties with local, state and federal politicians who may provide support to keep the Fiesta Bowl in the BCS and to ensure use of University of Phoenix Stadium.

Spending on trips, dinners and golf retreats is perfectly legal and is the way the game is played among bowl organizations jockeying for position. The Fiesta Bowl is widely known in college football for the red- carpet treatment given to teams who play in the game.

Dan Beebe is commissioner of the Big 12 Conference, one of the six conferences that determine which bowls stay in the BCS. Beebe said the organization and customer care from Fiesta Bowl officials is "second to none."

The Fiesta Bowl brings top-tier teams and their fans to the Valley for a game with an annual economic impact of roughly $231 million. As one of the four BCS sites, the Fiesta Bowl is in a rotation to host a national championship game, which generates tens of millions of additional tourist dollars.

This year's Fiesta Bowl is Jan. 4, between Texas Christian and Boise State.

Repayment alleged

The Arizona Republic, acting on a tip that Fiesta Bowl workers were reimbursed for campaign donations, pulled 10 years of local, state and federal campaign-contribution records and contacted 10 past and present employees who have had high-level positions with the bowl.

Five said employees made contributions at the urging of Junker and were reimbursed a few weeks later. The reimbursements, they said, came in the form of bonus checks.

Three of the five said they received bonuses after making contributions to specific candidates. Records show those donations were made. One said a bonus was provided after making two contributions, but The Republic could not confirm them in the records.

A fifth person who made a contribution, which The Republic did confirm, would not say if repayment occurred. However, that person, like the others, said the practice of making contributions and being reimbursed was widespread among employees at the director level or higher.

The five sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they fear retribution. They were unable to provide bonus records but said the checks never made reference to campaign contributions. They said the bonuses often were increased to cover state and federal income taxes. In some instances, they said, reimbursements were combined with other bonuses not related to campaign contributions.

Five other employees acknowledged they made contributions but said they were not reimbursed.

The Fiesta Bowl declined The Republic's requests to examine its bonus records, citing privacy and other legal concerns.

Junker said reimbursements never occurred because that would be illegal.

"I don't know of any time in my employment that I have gone to someone and asked them to make a contribution and said, 'We will reimburse you,' " Junker said, who started working at the bowl in 1980.

Alan Young, bowl chairman, said bonuses are given for merit. He believes the accusations are false.

Junker said he personally makes campaign contributions because it helps the Fiesta Bowl's business. Junker said there was no pressure placed upon employees to give, and neither he nor others at the Fiesta Bowl coordinated efforts to raise money for candidates.

The employees who claim reimbursement occurred said fundraising efforts were coordinated and the money was delivered to politicians through lobbyists.

Most of the contributions went to local politicians, Arizona legislators and members of Congress who had the ability to vote on legislation that could affect the Fiesta Bowl. While the total amount exceeded $38,000, the money directed to specific candidates typically was a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, small amounts in most candidates' total fundraising.

The Republic reviewed campaign-finance reports since 2000 and found 12 occasions where similar contributions from three or more Fiesta Bowl employees were recorded on the same day and given to the same candidate.

In many instances, records show, Junker and Chief Operating Officer Natalie Wisneski gave to the same candidate on the same day.

On March 8, 2007, for example, Junker, Wisneski, their spouses and Wisneski's secretary each gave $2,100 for a combined $10,500 to John McCain's presidential campaign, records show. A McCain spokeswoman said the senator's campaign had no knowledge of any alleged wrongdoing and would never condone any violation of campaign-election laws.

In eight instances, Junker had a contribution recorded the same day with at least two other Fiesta Bowl employees for the same candidate.

In 10 instances, Wisneski had a contribution recorded the same day with at least two other employees for the same candidate.

Gary Husk is a registered lobbyist paid by the Fiesta Bowl. Husk said he has "never gone to the Fiesta Bowl and picked up checks and delivered them to a candidate."

Husk said he could not address how Fiesta Bowl employees delivered checks to candidates nor respond to the question of why clusters of Fiesta Bowl employees are recorded to have made similar contributions to the same candidates on the same day.

When told records appeared to show a pattern of coordinated giving, Junker denied it occurred and said, "I have no information on the manner by which employees provided checks to particular candidates."

Wisneski said it was her "personal choice" to make contributions and did not know why other staff members, including two who directly worked for her, made contributions to the same candidates as her.

Junker and Wisneski are the bowl's two highest-paid employees, and they made the largest political contributions. Junker contributed at least $10,936 since 2000. Wisneski contributed at least $6,366 to various campaigns.

Junker said he made personal contributions to Arizona legislators to "protect" the bowl, which has had long-running disputes with the Arizona Cardinals. More recently, the bowl has had disputes with the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, which operates University of Phoenix Stadium and is the new home of the Fiesta Bowl. The sports authority is currently suing the Fiesta Bowl to recover more than $400,000 it says it is owed for prior game-day expenses.

Arizona legislators the past few years have sided with the Fiesta Bowl in those disputes.

In August, for example, seven legislators chastised the sports authority for giving a concessions contract at the stadium to the Cardinals.

The letter came after the Fiesta Bowl complained it was kept out of the negotiations. The letter threatened more legislative oversight if the stadium operator ignored lawmakers' concerns.

Rapid growth

The Fiesta Bowl, operated through four non-profit organizations, generated nearly $27.3 million in revenue for fiscal 2008, with most of the money coming from game tickets and sponsorships. Sponsors include national and local companies. The Arizona Republic has been a longtime sponsor, and Republic President and Publisher John Zidich is on the Fiesta Bowl board.

Having federal tax-exempt status means the bowl pays no taxes on revenue.

That exemption, however, comes with IRS restrictions. Among them, non-profits like the Fiesta Bowl cannot make political contributions.

Employees are free to give, but it's a violation of federal law to reimburse employees for campaign contributions.

Denise Roth Barber is research director for the National Institute on Money in State Politics based in Helena, Mont. Also noting reimbursing employees is illegal, Barber said it's common for businesses to bundle campaign contributions but uncommon for non-profit organizations.

Being a non-profit also means some financial records are open to the public.

The Fiesta Bowl's tax returns show it has spent heavily to entertain college coaches, athletic directors and conference officials who decide which bowls remain in the BCS, which currently includes the Fiesta, Rose, Sugar and Orange bowls.

The Rose Bowl had the first bowl game in 1902, while the Sugar and Orange bowls each started in 1935.

Fiesta Bowl officials have said they are concerned they could get bumped out of the top-four tier mix in favor of the Cotton Bowl, which began in 1937 and is playing in a new stadium and lobbying to get into the BCS.

It was in 1991, with its reputation and finances growing, that the Fiesta Bowl, which began in 1971, was invited to join the Bowl Coalition, precursor to the BCS.

"The thing that is different about the Fiesta Bowl," Big 12 Commissioner Beebe said, "is that it was a relatively latecomer to the bowl scene. . . . But it carved out a niche and made its way."

To remain in the BCS, the Fiesta Bowl spends heavily to court conference officials.

Since 2000, for example, the Fiesta Bowl has spent $2.6 million hosting the Fiesta Frolic, an annual golf retreat at a Phoenix-area resort for college officials. In fiscal 2008, the Fiesta Bowl spent a record $387,421 on the frolic, according to its tax returns.

The Fiesta Bowl also entertains some conference officials and sponsors at the Whisper Rock Golf Club in Scottsdale.

As membership is open only to individuals, the Fiesta Bowl provided two bowl executives, including Junker, interest-free, non-secured $120,000 loans earlier this decade to become members of the golf club. The loans have been repaid.

Political connections

The Fiesta Bowl also spends money to win and maintain support with Arizona legislators.

Since 2000, records show, the Fiesta Bowl has spent nearly $1.5 million on firms registered with the Arizona Secretary of State as lobbyists for the bowl.

Much of the money has gone to Husk Partners, which, records show, began working for the bowl in 2000. Husk Partners hired Chuck Coughlin, another registered lobbyist, who has worked on behalf of the bowl since April 2005. Coughlin also is an adviser to Gov. Jan Brewer.

As a non-profit, the Fiesta Bowl can be required to pay taxes on money spent for lobbyists. In its tax returns, the Fiesta Bowl indicates it does not engage in lobbying. Junker said the firms are consultants.

"We don't think that having consultants and advisers help us communicate our story to opinion leaders and political leaders is lobbying by the IRS definition," Junker said.

The IRS declined to comment on Junker's distinction between lobbyist and consultant.

On the bowl's behalf, the registered lobbyists offer lawmakers free tickets to the Fiesta Bowl and since at least 2004 have coordinated out-of-state trips for legislators, according to interviews and public records. The trips include airfare, hotel and food, and they have cost the Fiesta Bowl more than $4,000 per trip, according to Secretary of State lobbying records. It's legal to pay for trips and offer free Fiesta Bowl tickets.

Fiesta Bowl officials say the trips educate lawmakers about college football and provide a chance for legislators to encourage school and conference executives to keep the Fiesta Bowl in the BCS.

The Republic contacted officials with the Rose, Sugar and Orange bowls. No other BCS bowl takes their state lawmakers on football trips. The Orange Bowl hosts an annual golf retreat for college officials, but the Rose and Sugar bowls do not.

One Arizona lawmaker who has taken these trips is Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa.

"I go to help," Pearce said. "Every four years we run the risk of losing the (BCS) championship game, and I do everything I can to keep the Fiesta Bowl viable. . . . It means millions of dollars for the state."

Reach the reporter at craig.harris@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8478.