Bodycam footage from a 2020 traffic stop involving Alexander Kolodin, a Republican state representative running for Arizona secretary of state, has been released. The video captures Kolodin's detention by Scottsdale police after officers reported seeing him throw an object from his car window.
Police initiated the stop because the vehicle Kolodin was a passenger in lacked visible license plates. While following the car, officers stated they observed a "shiny object" being ejected from the window, which they suspected could be contraband or alcohol. Kolodin was subsequently pulled over and issued a citation for criminal littering.
Kolodin, who was not yet an elected official at the time of the 2020 incident, denied throwing a drink container, asserting he had only tossed ice from the window. He later stated that the matter was resolved as a civil littering violation rather than a criminal offense.
During the traffic stop, officers found an open bag containing a firearm on the front seat of the vehicle. Kolodin, who appeared surprised when questioned about the gun, stated it did not belong to him. Authorities later determined the weapon belonged to the driver, identified as Kolodin's friend.
This incident occurred the same year Kolodin helped file a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results, which a federal judge dismissed. Kolodin was admonished by the State Bar of Arizona for filing lawsuits without sufficient evidence and was sanctioned, ordered to pay a fine, and complete an ethics class.
Despite these past controversies, Kolodin was elected to the Arizona Legislature and is now campaigning for secretary of state. He has emphasized his legal and political background, describing the role as crucial for overseeing elections in a key swing state.
