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GLORIA REBECCA GOMEZ
Arizona Mirror
Gov. Katie Hobbs resoundingly dismissed calls from a dozen county attorneys to withdraw an executive order that prevents them from prosecuting abortion providers.
Two weeks ago, Hobbs signed an executive order that made the state attorney general the sole figure responsible for prosecuting medical providers who violate Arizona’s abortion laws, effectively removing the ability of the state’s 15 elected county attorneys to punish actions that happen in their jurisdictions. Hobbs justified the move as an effort to “ensure equal and consistent application of the law across the State” amid differing stances on abortion among the state’s county attorneys and in recognition of the fact that Arizona still has a law on the books that threatens providers with a mandatory 2- to 5-year prison sentence.
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But county attorneys were outraged at the circumvention of their authority. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, a Republican who has said she would consider prosecuting health care providers if they violate Arizona abortion laws, spearheaded a letter with 11 other county attorneys urging Hobbs to rescind the order.
On Friday, Hobbs rejected that request.
