It did not take long for Arizona’s new Gov. Katie Hobbs to show her true colors.
And it took even less time for Republican lawmakers to show theirs.
As one of her first acts, Hobbs signed an executive order directing the Department of Administration to prohibit discrimination in matters of hiring, promotion and pay based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Same with all new state contracts.
In other words, the governor wants to make sure the state puts into practice the idea that all Arizonans are “created equal,” a truth our founders believed to be self-evident. Although, apparently not to Republicans in the Legislature’s so-called Arizona Freedom Caucus.
Is the U.S. Constitution ‘woke’?
The newly formed group announced that it will sue Hobbs over this executive order and others.
Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman railed against “Katie Hobbs’ radical woke agenda” and in a press release from the group said, “We’re seeing a new breed of Democratic Fascism take hold of the governor’s office.”
I’m not sure from what history or civics class Hoffman came to believe that extending equal protection under the law to all citizens is “woke,” since that would make the U.S. Constitution “woke.”
I also don’t believe Hoffman quite understands what is meant by “fascism.” Although he should, since he has actively tried to institute it.
In December of 2020, Hoffman was among a group of prominent Arizona Republicans, including the party’s chair, Kelli Ward and current state Sen. Anthony Kern (also a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus), who signed an illegitimate document declaring themselves the state’s electors, in an attempt to keep losing presidential candidate Donald Trump in office.
Defining fascism by looking in a mirror
Fascism, by definition, is a form of government not decided by democratic elections, but one ruled by a dictator, which is what Hoffman and the others tried to make out of Trump. Hoffman’s buddy Kern was at the U.S. Capitol the day the insurrectionist mob tried to overthrow the government.
I’m also not buying their disdain for executive orders.
The man Kern and Hoffman tried to keep in the presidency, even after he lost the election, happened to be a big proponent of executive orders. During his four years in office Trump issued 220 of them, almost as many as Barack Obama did in the previous eight years.
I don’t recall any of these Arizona Freedom Caucus members complaining about that.
Using democracy to attack democracy
Hoffman and Kern and their pals still push the big lie about the 2020 election. They happily accept the results of their own elections but were perfectly willing to eliminate the democratic process and reinstall their Dear Leader as dictator.
Essentially, they’re now using democracy to attack democracy.
That’s why they’re comfortable suing Hobbs and why they’re angry with her for being against discrimination. They don’t believe in freedom and equality for all, but just for some.
To that extent, they could have called themselves the Arizona Fascist Caucus.
I don’t blame them for not doing so, however.
Not because people might have misinterpreted their intent. But because they would not have.
Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GOP extremists suing Gov. Hobbs for being against discrimination
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