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Attorneys in Maricopa and Pinal counties joined 10 of their Arizona colleagues in calling for the revocation of Governor Katie Hobbs’ executive order limiting prosecution in abortion-related cases.

And in a letter on Monday, they said they wanted her to do so by Friday, July 7 at the latest.

“Since its inception, the state of Arizona has had the duty and discretion of the county attorney to pursue criminal prosecutions for offenses of public service, unless the statute provides otherwise. As county attorneys, each of us, exercise such discretion every day,” wrote attorneys, including Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Micelle and Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer.

“The governor’s office should not interfere with the discretion of prosecutors performing their duties as elected officials.”

Twelve of the state’s 15 county attorneys said Mr. Hobbes’ order was “an unnecessary and unjustifiable violation of the duties and obligations of elected county attorneys in Arizona.”

Hobbes’ order, signed on June 22, authorizes Attorney General Chris Mays to handle attempted county prosecutions under the state’s abortion laws, and allows state officials to investigate alleged violations in other states. and prohibits the extradition of persons accused of abortion violations in other states. law.

“This executive order constitutes an exercise in powers that do not belong to the governor’s office. To suggest that the governor may strip local elected officials of prosecutorial discretion is grossly excessive.” Mitchell wrote in a letter.

Hobbes spokesman Christian Slater said the governor had no intention of revoking the order.

“Governor Hobbs will never stop fighting for reproductive freedom in Arizona,” Slater said in a statement.

“She will continue to exercise her lawful enforcement powers, keep chaos in check, and protect ordinary people in Arizona from extremists who threaten to prosecute women and doctors over reproductive medicine.”

Mitchell is a Republican, and Hobbes and Mays are Democrats.

Arizona now allows abortions up to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy under a 2022 law.

Last year, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that abortion doctors cannot be prosecuted under a law dating back to 1864 that criminalizes nearly all abortions.

This pre-state law has already been out of action for decades because of Roe v. Wade.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We invite our readers to submit their public opinion, pro or con, on this issue. Send an email to AZOpinions@iniusa.org.