Yes.
On June 5, 2024, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney ruled that Gov. Katie Hobbs acted illegally in appointing deputy directors as “de facto” directors of state agencies.
Hobbs, a Democrat, appointed 13 “executive deputy directors” to state agencies after the Republican-led Senate—using a newly minted “Committee on Director Nominations” specifically created to vet Hobbs’ picks—denied several of her nominees for cabinet directorships.
It is the responsibility of agency heads, not the governor, to select deputy directors. The lawsuit says Hobbs nominated an interim director to each of the 13 agencies to assume the role, hire deputies and then resign from the directorship. Nominees are acting directors pending their senate confirmation.
The deputies took on tasks typically assigned to directors, a workaround that unlawfully circumvented the Senate approval process, the judge ruled. Hobbs is appealing the ruling.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
Sources
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Under Advisement Ruling Arizona State Senate v. Katie Hobbs
- Arizona Office of the Governor, Governor Katie Hobbs Pulls Nominees from Partisan Political Circus Created by Extremist Jake Hoffman
- Arizona Legislature, 38-211. Nominations by governor; consent of senate; appointment
- Arizona Legislative Council, Arizona Legislative Manual 2003 Edition
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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
