Katie Hobbs dodges questions from the press
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs violated the law by circumventing the Arizona Senate’s Committee on Director Nominations to vet state agency directors, a judge has ruled.
“The Governor has improperly, unilateraly appointed de facto directors for these 13 agencies, despite the actual job tile she has assigned 10 each of them,” reads Judge Scott Blaney’s June 5 ruling.
As reported by The Gateway Pundit, Hobbs is also facing an investigation, stemming from significant donations made to a dark money group, which were used for Hobbs’ inaugural events, potentially influencing state contract decisions.
Hobbs’ ethical conduct was called into question by GOP State Legislators after she solicited donations of up to $250,000 using a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group for inaugural events and received $400,000 from a company, which later made millions in return.
Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes, who, like Hobbs, stole the 2022 election by 280 votes from Trump-endorsed Abe Hamadeh, will launch a criminal investigation into Governor Katie Hobbs over a pay-to-play scheme.
UPDATE: Arizona Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes to Launch Criminal Investigation into Gov. Katie Hobbs for Bribery and Fraud
Arizona Family reports,
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge says Gov. Katie Hobbs violated Arizona law when she appointed “de facto directors” to lead state agencies without Senate consent. However, the court will not be issuing an injunction at this time.
At issue is the governor’s battle with the Republican-controlled legislature over her nominees to run various state departments.
In February 2023, one month after Gov. Hobbs was sworn in, the state Senate broke tradition by creating a new committee to vet and confirm her nominees. A number of Democrats criticized the move, calling the Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO) a blatant attempt to stall or completely block the nominations.
In the days and months that followed, the governor submitted 22 nominations for director positions. According to court documents, only 11 nominees received a hearing before the new panel.
The Judge ordered that Hobbs’ appointments were made “in violation of Arizona law” and that a seperate evidentary hearing or oral arguments will occur in July or early August for the parties to “meet and confer in an attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of this dispute.”
Read the full ruling here:
Per the report, Katie Hobbs delivered the following statement in response to the ruling:
“Arizonans want sanity, not the chaos of indicted fake elector Jake Hoffman’s sham committee that he abuses to force his radical political agenda on Arizonans. Governor Hobbs stands ready to work with anybody in the Senate who is serious about putting the political games aside and delivering for everyday Arizonans, and as she’s said from day one, she remains open to a fair and timely process for confirmation of nominees.
“We believe the ruling is wrong on the law and will be appealing it. While the case remains pending, we will continue to ensure state agencies can perform their vital functions and serve Arizonans.”
Arizona Senate Republicans and Senate President Warren Petersen responded to the ruling highlighting the “disturbing trend of our Governor breaking our laws” and slamming the Democrats for “weaponizing Arizona’s government for their own political gain and to implement their radical left agenda.”
According to Petersen, the decisions made by Hobbs’ “fake directors” could possibly lead to a “myriad of lawsuits.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Court Rules Katie Hobbs Violated State Law by Failing to Nominate Directors for Senate Confirmation
Full Statement: https://t.co/LxPcX2138z pic.twitter.com/1TnrlZMEj4
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) June 5, 2024
Arizona Senate Republicans issued the following press release on Wednesday:
Court Rules Katie Hobbs Violated State Law by Failing to Nominate Directors for Senate Confirmation
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— After months of throwing Arizona’s critical state agencies into chaos and subjecting these entities to a host of potential legal challenges, while also creating confusion for the citizens of Arizona, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled today Katie Hobbs’ scheme to circumvent the Senate confirmation process for director nominations is unlawful and must be immediately reversed.
Consistent with the United States Constitution and the laws of states across this nation, Arizona law requires its agencies to be led by Senate-confirmed directors, under A.R.S. § 38-211. This requirement exists to preserve the liberties of Arizona’s citizens. Just as the Governor’s veto serves as a check on legislative power, Senate confirmation of agency directors serves as a necessary check on the Governor’s power.
In September of 2023, after a Senate committee recommended a nominee accused of plagiarism not be confirmed, Hobbs sent a letter to Senate President Warren Petersen notifying him that she was going to evade the senate-confirmation process for agency directors, mandated by A.R.S. § 38-211. Under her ill-advised plan, blessed by Attorney General Mayes, Hobbs withdrew 13 director nominations still pending before the Senate. She then re-installed these same individuals with a fake title of “Executive Deputy Directors.” Based on flimsy legal reasoning, which Hobbs’ own attorney later described as “strange,” Hobbs claimed these fake directors had the same power and authority as Senate-confirmed directors. After months of discussions, she continued to insist she was above the law. As a result, President Petersen sued Hobbs.
Today, the Honorable Scott Blaney confirmed Governor Hobbs violated state law with her illegal scheme. Under Judge Blaney’s order, Hobbs must submit nominees to fill the supposed “vacancies” created by her now-debunked strategy. The court rightly recognized that “the Governor willfully circumvented th[e] statutory process and eliminated the Legislative branch from its oversight role.”
“We’re witnessing a very disturbing trend of our Governor breaking our laws,” said Senate President Warren Petersen. “Contrary to what she may believe, she is not above the law, and the Legislature is fulfilling its role in serving as the constitutional check and balance against her abuse of power. This case is a prime example of Democrats weaponizing Arizona’s government for their own political gain and to implement their radical left agenda. Unfortunately, every decision made by these fake directors on behalf of our state agencies will be under a microscope, opening the door for a myriad of lawsuits. I’m disappointed with our attorney general once again supporting another unlawful order by the Governor, but I’m very pleased with the court’s rightful interpretation of our statutes. I look forward to the Governor’s cooperation so that we may reinstate sanity after this chaotic period she created for the entire state of Arizona.”
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