Secretary of State Katie Hobbs was the early frontrunner among Democrats in Arizona’s gubernatorial race this year.
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Hobbs is well-known all around the country for rejecting claims of electoral fraud made by Trump, the previous president.
In a purple state that Democrats are hoping will turn blue in the forthcoming election, her role in the dismissal of a team member seven years ago has become a major liability for her campaign.
The issue of firing the only Black policy staff member arose in 2015, when Katies Hobbs was the Democratic Leader in the state Senate.
In a state that President Joe Biden won by less than 11,000 votes, Hobbs’ position and subsequent comments about it have produced friction among Black leaders in the state, risking her support from a vital constituency as she enters a challenging election year.
According to five Black leaders who talked with CNN, Arizona’s history of discrimination against voters of color has been exacerbated by Trump and his allies’ attempts to annul the ralliallies of the 2020 presidential election, making the case more poignant for the state.
This is the case even though Black people have traditionally been barred from holding several occupations.
What Exactly Did She Say About Racial Discrimination?
Katie Hobbs’ firing of an African-American policy adviser in 2015 drew criticism during her run for governor on the Democratic ticket. The attacks have gotten harsher, especially on social media, throughout the general election campaign.
However, Hobbs’ detractors falsely claimed he had “convictions,” was accused of criminal activity, and received millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies.
In the state senate, Hobbs was the leader of the Democrats in the minority at the start of 2015. She was elected as secretary of state in 2018.
Lawyer Talonya Adams was the sole person of African descent working as a policy advisor for the Democrats in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
In February 2015, Adams was let go in part because she complained about being underpaid compared to her white coworkers.
What Crime Did Katie Hobb Commit?
Hobbs was exonerated of all wrongdoing. There were no formal charges filed. Adams, in her role as her attorney in federal court, would file and win two civil claims alleging sex and racial discrimination.
The defendant in the lawsuit was the Senate of Arizona. Hobbs was not named as one of the accused individuals. Her chief of staff, Hobbs, as well as the leader of the Senate Republican team in charge of running Senate operations, testified against her.
The fact that Adams had to take an emergency leave of absence to take care of Hobbs’s child in another state was cited by Hobbs as a reason why she had “lost trust” in Adams during the second trial.
Taxpayers, according to the many critics of Hobbs, have forked over millions because of a judicial ruling.
Adams was granted $2.75 million in damages by a second jury last year after they found she was the victim of racial and sexual discrimination and retaliation. However, under federal law, damages may not exceed $30,000.
After taking into consideration Adams’ back pay and lost benefits, the judge awarded him $353,000 in compensation.
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