Photo Credit: Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror

Republicans in the Arizona Senate are retaliating against Governor Katie Hobbs for last week’s executive order aimed at barring county attorneys from the country. prosecute abortion providers.

Three Republican members of the Senate Director Nominating Committee (Chairman Jake Hoffman, Sain Carr and TJ Shop) sent a letter to Mr. Hobbes on Monday, citing it until the Hobbes administration meets with them to discuss the content. He said he was canceling all future nomination hearings. Abuse of her power.

“You are in the office of governor of Arizona, not the office of a monarch,” the senators said in a letter to Mr. Hobbes, calling the executive order “a blatant disregard for the separation of powers.” called.

Hobbes, who is campaigning in support of the choice, signed the executive order on Thursday. The order is intended to prevent the state’s 15 county attorneys from prosecuting abortion providers by requiring that abortion violation cases be referred only to Attorney General Chris Mays. Efforts to protect access to abortion.

“Your office and the Attorney General are conspiring to circumvent the laws of this state and this country, and the two executive agencies currently responsible for enforcing the statutes will not allow your office to It has given Congress great concern about attempts to go beyond its powers,” Republican senators wrote in a letter to Mr. Hobbes.

After the constitutional right to abortion was recognized, Law vs Wade Although overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court last year, Arizona has had months of confusion and debate over which of the two abortion laws already enacted in the state should prevail. One was a near-total ban from 1864, decades before Arizona became a state. Or a 15-week ban will be signed in spring 2022.

Courts blocked the 1864 ban, leaving the new law in place, but doctors who violate it face felony charges and can lose their medical license.

“Mr Hobbes is gleefully circumventing Congress instead of cooperating with Republicans on issues of national importance such as catastrophic inflation, gas prices, housing costs, public safety and water security,” Schop said. said in a written statement. “We cannot, in good faith, become accomplices in her radical and illegal plans.”

In a statement, senators said Hobbes would put cabinet candidates in the intolerable position of choosing between following laws already in force in Arizona and his directives that conflict with the law. He said he was canceling all future director nominating committee meetings.

“Katie Hobbs’ reckless abuse of power and willful disregard for the separation of powers enshrined in the Arizona Constitution set a dangerous precedent unacceptable to the Republican majority in Congress,” Hoffman said in a statement.

A board nomination committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to consider Hobbes’ appointment of Barbara Richardson as director of insurance and financial institutions.

Hoffman said the commission was “established to honestly, accurately, and thoroughly scrutinize the directors appointed by the governor to important state agencies,” so that only qualified, nonpartisan persons are allowed to serve in state agencies. Said it would be approved by the chief.

But previous nomination hearings have not been bipartisan.the committee Newly created this yearwill review Mr. Hobbes’ appointment and recommend to the Senate what action should be taken. Until this year, executive candidates were vetted by the relevant Senate standing committees, which typically received little publicity.

Former Pima County Public Health Director Dr. Theresa Cullen, Hobbes’ first nominee for Arizona Health Services Director, endured a tough time. controversial hearings In it, Hoffmann blamed the rise in depression and suicide among children on choosing to close schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Hobbes later withdrew Mr. Cullen’s nomination as head of the division. Her candidate for Chief of Administration also Hold Because of the candidate’s views on abortion.

Congress normally closes after the budget is passed, but this year it closed on May 10. But the lawmakers, who are now on their fifth long vacation since January, plan to return on July 31, at least as part of the effort. This is to interfere with Hobbes’ ability to appoint government officials.

After the session ends, Hobbes can appoint directors without congressional approval, but they must be approved by the Senate within a year of their appointment.

Hobbes did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

post Senate Republicans have no plans to consider her nominee, first revealed after Hobbes’ order on abortion prosecution arizona mirror.