Senate Republicans said they would continue to approve Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’ nomination for state agency chief, just weeks after her approval was put on hold in response to the presidential election. was broken presidential decree Republicans argued that they had gone too far.
But Senate Republicans, Mr. Hobbes, and the chairman have all kept quiet about when. Senate Nominating Committee Hearings for Mr. Hobbs’ director nominees will be resumed.
Senate Republicans quietly announced they would continue to approve “eligible candidates for the board” as the fourth item in a congressional update emailed to media outlets on Monday.
Three Republicans on the Senate Nominating Committee (Chairs Jake Hoffman, TJ Shop, and Sain Kerr) announced on June 26: Suspend all nomination hearings This is in response to a Hobbes order that effectively barred county attorneys from prosecuting doctors for violating Arizona’s abortion law. The order instead left these cases in the hands of Democratic Attorney General Chris Mays, who adamantly endorsed the choice.
Republican members of the committee wrote to Ms. Hobbes saying they would not resume hearings until they met with them to discuss what the administration called her abuse of power.
Senate Republicans said Hobbs instead met with Senate President Warren Peterson on Friday and said the meeting went well.
“While there will be consequences for excessive executive action, we are optimistic that we will find a way forward in a bipartisan fashion that benefits Arizona as a whole,” Senate Republicans said in a statement.
Hobbes declined to comment on the meeting or the possibility of resuming director nomination hearings.
A Senate Republican press secretary did not respond to questions about when or if the Senate nominating committee will resume activity, and no future meetings of the committee are on the list. Senate official calendar.
Twelve of 15 Arizona county attorneys wrote to Hobbes asking him to reverse an executive order that prevented him from prosecuting abortion providers. But Hobbes refusedleaving the possibility that the county attorney may challenge the order in court.
The Board Nomination Committee was scheduled to meet on June 27 to consider Hobbes’ appointment of Barbara Richardson as Director of Insurance and Financial Institutions.
“Katie Hobbs’ reckless abuse of power and willful disregard for the separation of powers enshrined in the Arizona Constitution sets a dangerous precedent unacceptable to the Republican majority in Congress,” Hoffman said in a June 26 statement. It happened,’ he said.
Hoffman said the commission, which was set up earlier this year, is intended to “honestly, accurately, and thoroughly scrutinize the directors the governor appoints to important state agencies,” and is composed of qualified, nonpartisan individuals. It said it aims to ensure that only the head of a state agency approves it.
But previous nomination hearings have not been bipartisan. The committee’s purpose is to review 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 department. Her candidate for administrative director also Hold Because of the candidate’s views on abortion.
