Arizona Senate Republicans have announced the cancellation of a Senate Committee on Director Nominations hearing on Tuesday in order to better focus on and determine Governor Katie Hobbs’ “future intentions to further act beyond her authority” amid her recent enactment of an executive order regarding abortions.
Last week, Hobbs signed an executive order “centralizing all abortion-related prosecutions with the Attorney General, directing state agencies to not assist in abortion-related investigations, and declining extradition requests.”
“A key component of the Executive Order from Governor Hobbs centralizes authority over abortion-related prosecutions in the Attorney General’s office, ensuring differences in interpretation or application of the law by different county attorneys do not chill, deter, or restrict access to lawful abortion care,” Hobbs’ office explains.
In response to Hobbs’ executive order, state senate Republicans wrote in a press release, “The concerning executive order issued last week attempts to strip county attorneys of their ability to deal with abortion-related prosecutions and bans state agencies from assisting in those investigations.”
State Senate Committee on Director Nominations Chairman Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) also sent a letter to Hobbs requesting an immediate meeting to “address this flagrant abuse of power and to discuss future legally questionable overreach her office intends to issue, requiring complicity from Executive Directors.”
“Katie Hobbs’ reckless abuse of power and willful disregard for the separation of powers established by the Arizona Constitution sets a dangerous precedent that will not be tolerated by the Republican Majority within the Legislature,” Hoffman said in a statement. “The Senate Committee on Director Nominations was created to honestly, accurately and thoroughly vet directors appointed by the Governor to critical state agencies so that only highly qualified, non-partisan individuals seeking only to serve the best interests of our citizens within the confines of these roles are confirmed. Their duty is to follow statute as prescribed by the Legislature.”
“We are now forced to redirect our attention, from confirming directors and creating good policy for the people of Arizona, to examining the fallout of Hobbs’ unconstitutional maneuver, as well as the likelihood of future overreaches of her authority,” Hoffman added.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network.
Photo “Jake Hoffman” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo “Katie Hobbs” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Arizona State Capitol” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.
