Fact Check: Katie Hobbs did not step down as governor of Arizona
Hobbs #Hobbs
Arizona governor Katie Hobbs did not step down from her position, contrary to claims shared online following a brief visit by Hobbs out of state. Arizona treasurer Kimberly Yee was temporarily serving as acting governor in line with Arizona state constitution which requires the transfer of power while a governor is out of state.
On Sept. 27, Hobbs visited Washington D.C. briefly for meetings. Arizona legislature requires those next in line of succession, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and State Attorney General Kris Mayes respectively, to assume duties while the governor is out of state. Both Fontes and Mayes were also in D.C. according to a local report by AZ Central. This prompted Yee to serve as acting governor in their absence.
“I have been notified that I will be serving as Acting Governor beginning later this evening until mid-morning tomorrow,” Yee, a Republican, said in a Sept. 27, 2023 statement.
A Facebook post sharing the claim reads, in part, “BREAKING: Katie Hobbs NO LONGER Governor Of Arizona, Republican Taken Over.”
The claims surfaced after Fox News published a report on Sept. 28, 2023, with the headline, “Arizona governor mysteriously steps down for one day.” The headline was updated later that day to: “Arizona governor steps down in short absence as state treasurer temporarily fulfills role.”
The contents of the article were also updated to clarify that Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee was serving as acting governor during a short absence from Hobbs.
Christian Slater, communications director for Hobbs, said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, “I can’t believe this has to be explained but: ‘Hobbs didn’t disappear. She was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for a meeting about border issues with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.’”
The meeting was covered by news reports. Hobbs returned to Arizona on Sept. 28, 2023, and gave a speech at the Tempe Center for the Arts.
Hobbs’s website and official X account show that she is actively serving as governor.
False. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs did not step down from her role.
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