Camryn Sanchez
Arizona Capitol Times
Editor’s note: This story was published in print in our Aug. 25 Session Wrap edition, which reviewed and analyzed the 2023 legislative session.
This session, a new committee designed to vet Gov. Katie Hobbs’ nominees to lead various offices drew outrage from Democrats and was applauded as an effective strategy by Republicans.
“I think it’s very effective. So much so that I’ve told everybody that’s asked me that I don’t believe that a future Legislature will ever go back to the way it was,” Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, said.
He said the committee also functioned as a check on Hobbs.
Prior to this session, the Senate – which is tasked with approving the governor’s nominees to head various state agencies – would consider the candidates in existing committees. That’s still happening for appointees to other offices, but not prospective agency directors, who must face the Director Nominations Committee.
Hobbs, Senate, director nominees
Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek
Chair Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, is no friend of Hobbs, and in the committee’s first meetings he went after her picks aggressively.
“We committed to conducting a thorough, accurate and honest vetting of her nominees – a process that, when done properly, takes time. Unfortunately for the people of Arizona, Katie Hobbs failed to conduct a thorough vetting process, which has resulted in her having to fire or withdraw numerous nominees due to lack of qualifications or an inability to secure Senate approval. The simple fact of the matter is that Katie has proven she doesn’t make the wisest choices with state agency directors, so the Senate has been forced to step in to make sure we are properly vetting them for her,” Hoffman said.
