John Fife Symington III (born August 12, 1945 in New York City) was the Republican governor of the U.S. state of Arizona from 1991 until his resignation in 1997.

Symington was convicted of bank fraud regarding financial statements and union pension funds, and resigned from office in 1997. He was the second Governor of Arizona to prematurely leave office in ten years, the first being Evan Mecham who was impeached in 1988. Mecham was eventually acquitted of all charges.

Symington was pardoned by President Clinton, and served no jail time. None of his inherited trust-funds were impacted by any restitution judgements. He is currently a pastry chef in Phoenix, Arizona.

Symington's wife is owner of the Ritz Carlton Hotel at the upscale Biltmore Fashion Square area of Phoenix. It is suspected Symington himself bought the ownership and put it under his wife's name before he filed for bankruptcy.

Symington is the cousin of Missouri Senator Stuart Symington.

He has expressed interest in running for Governor of Arizona in 2006.

See also

• List of Governors of Arizona

External link

• Pro-Symington website; tracks positive news coverage
• Different version of the government's investigation