PHOENIX — A dispute between Arizona’s highest-paid school superintendent and a prominent Republican lawmaker has escalated into legal threats, public records battles and accusations of retaliation.

Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent Jeremy Calles has filed a defamation notice against Rep. Matt Gress, seeking $150,000 in damages. The filing comes as Gress accuses the district of obstructing legislative oversight by withholding thousands of pages of financial records unless he pays up to $28,000 in fees.

“It’s just disappointing that this superintendent has decided to obstruct our legislative process,” Gress said Thursday.

Gress submitted a public records request to the district seeking thousands of financial documents, including records related to its decision to help the

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