EXPOSED: The secret dark money groups funding Katie Hobbs’s inauguration

PHOENIX — Are these the dark money groups secretly funding Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’s inauguration? Public records filed last month suggest that they could be.

Hobbs took office on Monday but will attend a public inaugural ceremony later today. Although her inaugural committee, comprised of lobbyists and campaign donors, have been planning the event since November, the Democrat quietly acknowledged over the weekend that she will not disclose who is funding the events surrounding it.

Records at the Arizona Corporation Commission might hold the answer.

On December 10, five days before Hobbs declared victory in the gubernatorial race, Nicole DeMont — the Democrat’s campaign manager — quietly filed articles of incorporation for a 501(c)(4) nonprofit entity called “An Arizona for Everyone.” (This phrase will be the theme of the inauguration, according to obtained documents.) On December 13, still two days before Hobbs declared victory, DeMont then filed articles of incorporation for another 501(c)(4) nonprofit entity called “Katie Hobbs Inaugural Fund,” which presumably speaks for itself.

The “known place of business” listed on both entities’ corporate records is the address of Coppersmith Brockelman PLC, a politically-tied law firm that has represented Hobbs on election cases in her capacity as secretary of state. Roopali Desai, a former partner at the firm, was the judge who administered the Democrat’s oath of office on Monday.

The financial connection between these two dark-money groups and Hobbs’s inaugural events, such as her ceremonial ball, remains to be seen. But their identities may serve as helpful guidance for oversight activities by legislators — whom she already has antagonized — who want to determine whether any public funds have been transferred between the two groups and state government.

In addition, some of the known ‘sponsors’ of Hobbs’s inauguration, like the Arizona Education Association (teachers union), are similarly structured as 501(c) nonprofit entities. Such sponsors may be forced to disclose any grants that they make (including specific dollar amounts) to “An Arizona for Everyone” and “Katie Hobbs Inaugural Fund” on future tax filings with the Internal Revenue Service, a version of which will be available to the public.

Katie Hobbs refuses to disclose donors secretly funding her inauguration events

PHOENIX — Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs quietly acknowledged over the weekend that she will not disclose who is funding the events surrounding her inauguration.

The Democrat’s inaugural committee (“a roster that includes lobbyists and campaign donors”) has been planning the event, scheduled for January 5, since November. Hobbs requested a “celebratory ball” in addition to the ceremonial swearing-in but has “refused to disclose which people or corporations are paying for the party.” She also “has been unwilling to share how much each is paying” to sponsor the ceremony itself, according to Capitol Media Services.

The Arizona Republic’s editorial board wrote this morning that the Democrat has “failed” to “set the tone for Arizona government” by continuing to hide the information from the public, with popular radio host James T. Harris adding that the opacity could be “an indication of what’s to come.”

Hobbs was formally sworn-in Monday during a closed-door ceremony, which she banned reporters from attending. Although the event was private, a video obtained by StopKatieHobbs.com revealed that Hobbs was “unable to take the oath of office without stammering and laughing.”

Thursday’s ceremony will mark only the second public event that the she has attended since the general election. Hobbs most recently attended the Western Governors’ Association’s annual winter meeting, where she accidentally fell asleep on stage.

James T. Harris: Katie Hobbs controversial swearing-in “an indication of what’s to come”

PHOENIX — Popular radio host James T. Harris said Tuesday morning that Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’s controversial swearing-in could be “an indication of what’s to come.”

Harris, host of “The Conservative Circus,” noted that the Democrat’s swearing-in this week was conducted behind closed doors — “not open to the public” or to the press — and described the lack of transparency as “an indication of what’s to come.”

He also commented on the widely-seen video of Hobbs being “unable to take the oath of office without stammering and laughing.”

“On Monday morning, a group of adults gathered on the Ninth Floor of the Arizona State Executive Tower — and then there was Katie Hobbs,” Harris said on the air. “Katie, unlike all of the children in attendance to see their parents get sworn into office, couldn’t contain herself.”

The Democrat’s public inauguration, which being planned by “a roster that includes lobbyists and campaign donors,” is scheduled for Thursday, January 5.

You can listen to “The Conservative Circus” on News Talk 550 KFYI.

‘Stop Katie Hobbs’ video of controversial swearing-in featured on One America News Network

PHOENIX — The video obtained by this website of Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’s controversial swearing-in was featured on One America News Network (OANN) Monday afternoon.

Hobbs had been sworn into office during a closed-door ceremony that morning.

Although the event was private, a video obtained by StopKatieHobbs.com revealed that the Democrat had been “unable to take the oath of office without stammering and laughing.” That video appeared on OANN’s national television network hours later, with the anchor describing her as controversially “bursting out laughing while being sworn-in as Arizona’s governor.”

Hobbs went on a hiring spree in order to fill out her administration ahead of Monday’s event. The public inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, January 5.

You can see part of the OANN segment below:

Katie Hobbs stammers, laughs while taking oath of office, bans reporters from ceremony

PHOENIX — Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs was sworn into office Monday in downtown Phoenix but was unable to take the oath of office without stammering and laughing.

The ceremony took place on the ninth floor of the Capitol Executive Tower. Hobbs was joined by Arizona’s other recently-elected statewide officials — including Adrian Fontes, Kris Mayes, and others — in taking the oath of office.

Stacey Barchenger, a reporter at the Arizona Republic, said that the newspaper “asked repeatedly to be allowed in, but the Hobbs admin is allowing only a single photographer from [the Associated Press].”

Questions have swirled around the capitol since the November election about Hobbs’s hostile posture toward the legislature and whether she can adequately perform the duties of the job.

The Democrat went on a hiring spree last month in order to benefit from a filled-out cabinet and staff ahead of Thursday’s inaugural ceremony, which is being planned by “a roster that includes lobbyists and campaign donors.”

You can see a video of the incident below:

Katie Hobbs goes on hiring spree ahead of swearing-in

PHOENIX — Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs has continued to fill her incoming administration with new staff and cabinet members ahead of Monday’s swearing-in.

Hobbs named four “key hires” on December 23: Jennifer Loredo and Director of Community Engagement; Rebecca Beebe as Legislative Director and Deputy Director of Public Affairs; Sophia Solis and Deputy Director of Communications; and Whitney Walker as Civil Rights Policy Advisor and Deputy Director of Policy.

The Democrat named her “health and human services cabinet members” on December 27: Carmen Heredia as Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Angie Rodgers as Director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Matthew Stewart as Director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety, Theresa Cullen as Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, and Joan Serviss as Director of the Arizona Department of Housing.

She also named her “environmental and natural resources cabinet members” on December 28: Karen Peters as Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality; Tom Buschatzke as Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources; Cynthia Zwick as Director of the Residential Utility Consumer Office; Tom Torres as Director of the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management; Bob Broscheid as Director of Arizona State Parks and Trails; and Ty Gray as Director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Finally, she named her “public safety cabinet members” on December 29: Dana Allmond as Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services; Kerry Muehlenbeck as Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs; Ben Henry as Director of the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control; and Doug Sargent as Director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections.

Hobbs made several “key senior hires” earlier this month, including a Human Resources manager tasked with promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) throughout her administration, and named Assistant Secretary of State Allie Bones as chief of staff in November. Her transition team — comprised of “at least 9 members who built up Hobbs’s campaign war chest” — were tasked with identifying personnel for the administration.

The Democrat will be sworn into office on January 2. The inauguration — planned by Hobbs’s inaugural committee, “a roster that includes lobbyists and campaign donors” — is scheduled for January 5.

UPDATE (1/3/23): The day after her private swearing-in ceremony, Hobbs named Bo Dul as general counsel; Jason Chaves as tribal affairs director; Marisol Flores-Aguirre as southern Arizona director; and Tonya Hamilton as director of the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith, and Family.

Cochise County sheriff slams Katie Hobbs on open borders: “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it”

PHOENIX — Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels slammed Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs this week for rubber-stamping the Biden administration’s dangerous open-border policies.

Tulsi Gabbard interviewed Dannels on Tuesday’s episode of “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

“The Biden administration has ordered Arizona to stop using these large shipping containers that they’ve put up as a means to try to keep illegal migrants out,” Gabbard said. “Governor-elect Katie Hobbs has also said she’s going to stop using these containers.”

Dannels responded that the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border “is the worst I’ve ever seen it.” He accused President Joe Biden of creating “an open border by design” and criticized the administration for suing Arizona, which only wants “to protect the citizens of this state.”

Earlier this month, Hobbs called for the lifting of Title 42 and expressed solidarity with the Biden administration over its lawsuit against Arizona.

“Governor Ducey has stepped up,” Dannels continued. “For the last eight years, Governor Ducey has made his priority public safety in the state of Arizona to protect Arizonans, and I commend him for that.”

Katie Hobbs at-odds with high-profile Democrats after endorsement of Steve Gallardo

PHOENIX — Still a week out from her inauguration, Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs has already managed to marginalize herself in the race for state party chair.

Hobbs endorsed Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo as the next chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party earlier this month. But, according to a new report, other Democratic officials across the state aren’t happy about it.

AZ Free News reported this week that Hobbs has been “attempting to gin up greater support for Gallardo,” whose chairman bid is believed to be on life support after a number of high-profile Democrats — ranging from Mark Kelly and Adrian Fontes to Greg Stanton to Ruben Gallego, among many others — endorsed Yolanda Bejarano, currently the party’s vice chair, as chairwoman instead.

Gallardo was named as a member of Hobbs’s transition team in November.

Laurie Roberts: Katie Hobbs will veto 2,000+ bills next year

PHOENIX — Three local political journalists predicted Friday that Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs might need more than one veto pen during the upcoming legislative session.

Arizona PBS host Ted Simons asked his guests during the most recent taping of “Arizona Horizon” how many vetoes they believe Hobbs will issue in 2023, and the answers suggest a contentious battle brewing between the governor-elect and Republican lawmakers:

  • Laurie Roberts, columnist at the Arizona Republic: “Two-thousand-one-hundred-and-forty-three. The record, I believe, is Janet Napolitano, the Democratic governor who had a Republican legislature, and I think her record was 58, so I’m going to go with 59 just because Hobbs is going to want to do things just a little better.”

  • Jeremy Duda, reporter at Axios Phoenix: “I’m going to say 30, which would be more than any governor except for Napolitano — she had three years, I believe, that exceeded that — but I think because the Republicans’ majorities are so narrow they might have some trouble getting some of these bills to her desk in the first place.”

  • Howie Fischer, reporter at Capitol Media Services: “I’m more in line with Jeremy in the sense that I think they’re going to try to figure out: ‘How do we work with her rather than just sending things to her for the sake of her vetoing it?’ Even if there are going to be some election bills, I think it’s going to be more in the neighborhood of two dozen.”

Hobbs appears ready to meet their predictions. The Democrat has threatened on several occasions since the November election to veto Republican bills and impose her policy agenda “without legislative approval,” both of which have contributed to increased tensions with the state legislature.

Christine Jones, the former general counsel and executive vice president at GoDaddy, warned on television earlier this month that Hobbs should avoid gaining a reputation as “the ‘no’ governor,” which is “not helpful” to anyone.

Katie Hobbs calls for lifting of Title 42: It’s “not working”

PHOENIX — Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs is doubling-down on her call to lift Title 42 and remove the shipping containers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

During a December 17 interview with MSNBC, Hobbs acknowledged “the real issues that we’re going to see when Title 42 is lifted next week” but insisted that it should happen anyway, adding, “I’ve been saying all along that Title 42 is not working.”

However, the Democrat has repeatedly changed her position on Title 42 over the past year. In early April, she told 3TV that “Title 42 is not working.” She reversed three weeks later, telling the Arizona Republic that the Biden administration should “reverse this rash decision” to lift Title 42. Another reversal came in October when she told Telemundo that “Title 42 is not immigration policy” and that “I am not sure what issue it’s trying to solve.” Then, earlier this month, she warned 12 News about the influx of illegal immigration “we’re going to face when Title 42 is lifted.”

Alex Witt, the MSNBC anchor, also asked Hobbs for her thoughts about the federal government’s lawsuit against Arizona in response to the state’s placement of shipping containers along the southern border as a stopgap security measure. The governor-elect expressed solidarity with the Biden administration (her longtime position on the issue), calling the containers “a liability for the state” and citing “environmental concerns.”

“We need a real action from Congress to address comprehensive immigration reform,” Hobbs concluded.