by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 22, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A scheduled confirmation hearing for Karen Lee Peters, Governor Katie Hobbs’ nominee to lead the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), was abruptly postponed on Wednesday by the Senate Director Nominations Committee.
Committee Chair Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) announced the delay just hours before the hearing was set to begin, citing unresolved questions about certain aspects of Peters’ background that surfaced during the vetting process.
“Based on possible discrepancies with information relating to items we vetted, further clarification is necessary prior to holding Ms. Peters’ confirmation hearing,” Hoffman said in a written statement. He did not specify the nature of the discrepancies, nor whether they pertained to Peters’ previous professional experience or policy positions.
The postponement also came as the Arizona Senate worked to advance the state budget, which Hoffman noted was straining staff capacity.
“Given the Senate attempting to move the state budget today, our staff is stretched thin, and it is best to simply table the nomination for now,” Hoffman said. “I have communicated to Hobbs’ staff that we will reschedule her hearing soon.”
Peters’ confirmation is one of several being closely watched, as the Republican-controlled Senate continues to scrutinize the Democratic governor’s nominees for key state agencies.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 11, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen on Thursday defended the work of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO), highlighting the committee’s progress and reaffirming its role in ensuring transparency and competence in executive branch appointments.
In a statement issued from the Arizona State Capitol, Petersen said the committee — established in February 2023 and comprised of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers — is functioning as intended to uphold a constitutional check on the governor’s appointment powers.
“In an effort to establish a clear system of checks and balances over state agency directors, I created the bipartisan Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO),” Petersen said, noting the panel is currently led by Chairman Jake Hoffman (R) and includes Senators T.J. Shope (R), John Kavanagh (R), Flavio Bravo (D), and Analise Ortiz (D).
According to Petersen, the DINO Committee has reviewed 20 executive nominations since its creation. Of those, 14 nominees have been confirmed by the full Senate, two have been rejected, and three are pending final Senate votes. An additional seven nominations were withdrawn by the Governor’s office before hearings were held.
“The DINO Committee is working as I intended it to, and as a result, we are receiving better quality candidates from the Executive Branch to lead these state agencies,” Petersen said, adding that four nominees are currently awaiting hearings and that two new nominations are needed to replace recently withdrawn candidates.
Some Democrats and political observers have raised concerns that the panel is being used to block or delay nominees over ideological differences rather than qualifications. Petersen rejected that characterization, stating, “We are… weeding out unqualified, highly partisan, incompetent, or corrupt individuals who should not be holding any sort of leadership roles within the State of Arizona.”
In his remarks, Petersen also pushed back on public criticism of the Senate’s rejections, calling media attention to political tensions a distraction from the committee’s overall effectiveness. “The fact is we have confirmed the vast majority of the nominees,” he said. “The process is simple. If the Governor sends us qualified, non-partisan nominees, they will be confirmed.”
Governor Hobbs’ office has not yet publicly responded to Petersen’s latest remarks. Her administration has previously defended its nominees and criticized the Senate for what it describes as politicized obstruction.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 3, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs announced Wednesday that two of her top health officials, AHCCCS Director Carmen Heredia and Department of Health Services Director Jennie Cunico, have resigned after it became apparent that the Republican-controlled state Senate would not confirm their appointments.
The resignations come amid a broader struggle between the governor’s office and the state Senate’s Director Nominations Committee, chaired by Republican Senator Jake Hoffman. The committee has become increasingly assertive in vetting Hobbs’ executive agency nominees, and in recent weeks signaled it would reject both Heredia and Cunico. Hobbs’ office said the resignations were necessary due to the Senate Majority’s unwillingness to confirm them.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the important work being conducted on behalf of the citizens of Arizona by the Senate Committee on Director Nominations. I’m pleased Katie Hobbs saved herself, and AHCCCS Director Nominee Carmen Heredia, from the embarrassment of advancing her through the scheduled hearing this week,” said Senate Director Nominations Committee Chair Jake Hoffman. “Under Heredia’s direction, AHCCCS mismanaged the procurement process and improperly awarded contracts for healthcare services for thousands of elderly and physically disabled individuals enrolled in the Arizona Long Term Care System. A judge described the process as ‘arbitrary and capricious’ and recommended a full reset. Instead of responding to the feedback appropriately, Heredia basically told the judicial system to pound sand and moved forward with the contracts. Her refusal to provide transparency in this matter displayed nothing more than arrogance.”
“What’s even worse, Arizona is in the middle of a monumental Medicaid fraud crisis with a loss of more than $2 billion in taxpayer dollars,” continued Hoffman. “Under Katie Hobbs’ leadership, Heredia’s response has been incredibly disturbing, to say the least. Patients in sober living homes were evicted from facilities overnight after AHCCCS poorly executed suspensions of more than 300 providers. Many of these patients were mid-treatment, detoxing, or severely mentally ill and were dropped off on the streets with no identification or transportation. Legitimate providers were caught up in the mess without AHCCCS providing explanations or due process. Some are still waiting to be reinstated or reimbursed. We are left with a broken system due to Heredia’s mismanagement, and our vulnerable populations are caught up in this collapse.”
“Since its inception, the Committee on Director Nominations has been committed to honestly, thoroughly, and accurately vetting Katie Hobbs’ nominees. We have served as Arizonans’ last line of defense against incompetent, unqualified, and highly partisan picks to lead state agencies. We will continue to do the hard work the citizens of Arizona expect of us and will only approve competent, non-partisan individuals to serve in these critical roles,” stated Hoffman. “We look forward to Katie Hobbs sending us a sensible leader that will be able to rein in the abuse that has occurred at AHCCCS.”
Heredia, who led the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) since early 2023, was credited by Hobbs with implementing sweeping reforms that led to nearly $1 billion in Medicaid fraud recoveries and savings over three years. She expanded access to care for working-class children, oversaw transitions to employer-sponsored insurance, and spearheaded behavioral health initiatives such as the Housing and Health Opportunities program.
However, Heredia’s leadership was the subject of fierce criticism from Senate Republicans. Senator Hoffman accused her of mismanaging Medicaid contracts and overseeing what he called a “broken system” during Arizona’s recent Medicaid fraud crisis. The Senate committee never formally held a confirmation hearing for Heredia, but it became clear she lacked the votes needed.
In her resignation letter, Heredia said, “It has become increasingly difficult to carry out this mission in good faith under the current political climate… Political theater has begun to outweigh sound policy.”
Cunico, a career public servant who transitioned from the Ducey administration also became ensnared in the Senate’s broader dispute over executive appointments. “It is clear to me that there is no path forward to confirmation,” Cunico said in her statement.
The latest resignations reflect a deepening power struggle between the Democratic governor and the Republican-led Legislature. Hobbs condemned what she called an “unprecedented politicization” of the confirmation process, warning that the climate in the Capitol is deterring qualified public servants.
“These resignations were not due to a failure in governance, but a failure in politics,” Hobbs said. “The people of Arizona deserve leaders who are judged by their performance, not their party.”
As the governor seeks replacements for both roles, it remains unclear how future nominees will fare in a process increasingly shaped by ideological divisions.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 24, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
One of the Arizona Governor’s chief nemeses will be returning for duty in the upcoming legislative session.
Last week, it was reported that Senator Jake Hoffman would be reprising his role as the Chairman of the Arizona Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO).
“We’ve seen the tragic fallout from Katie Hobbs’ fake director scheme and its impacts on Arizonans in recent months, including the death of a child in DCS custody and a major $2 million fraudulent transfer of taxpayer dollars from DOH,” said Chairman Hoffman. “These heartbreaking or otherwise incredibly serious incidents could have been avoided had she followed the law and taken the Senate confirmation process seriously. When her illegal ploy didn’t work, she spent millions of dollars trying to flip control of the Legislature to get her radical nominees approved by Democrats and failed miserably. The committee invites Katie Hobbs to come to the table with sane, nonpartisan, qualified nominees, and we will approve them. What we won’t do is rubberstamp unqualified radicals.”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen told AZ Free News, “I formed the DINO committee to make sure nominations are competent and nonpartisan. In the past, we have seen Governor nominees get approved with very little vetting. With a thorough review of each nominee, we will assure that our citizens have the best directors possible.”
On February 2, 2023, Petersen announced the formation of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations, tasking this panel “with gathering information and evaluating qualifications on the governor’s executive appointments in order to recommend a course of action for the Senate to take on each individual.” The Senate President appointed five members to serve on the committee – three Republicans and two Democrats.
Over the next several months, the committee held multiple hearings for Hobbs’ nominees. Although Hobbs was upset that not every one of her nominees received a passing grade, Petersen reminded observers that the process chosen by the Senate had “approved 70 percent of her nominees,” adding that “we are not a rubber stamp.”
In September 2023, Hobbs sent a letter to Petersen, informing him that she would “withdraw all director nominations that remain pending before the Senate and pursue other lawful avenues of ensuring State government can continue to function for Arizonans.” The governor blamed Senate Republicans for not “fulfilling (their) statutory obligations in good faith.”
After receiving Hobbs’ correspondence, Petersen stated, “This move by the Executive Branch showcases another prime example of an elected official who believes they’re already above the law and will go to extreme measures to bypass the requirements of the law when they don’t get their way.” Petersen also warned of the consequences of Hobbs’ unprecedented actions, saying, “Without directors fulfilling these obligations, the legality of every decision made by these state agencies is dubious, and litigation against the state would surely prevail.”
It didn’t take long for Petersen’s warning to come to fruition. One day after his statement, Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee held a Board of Investment Meeting and refused to recognize “employees from the Department of Administration or the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions as legally participating members.”
The Arizona State Senate then filed a lawsuit in the Maricopa County Superior Court against Hobbs in December 2023 over her refusal “to nominate agency directors, bypassing the Senate’s advice and consent processes.” The lawsuit asked the Court to declare that the Governor has violated state law and to require her to nominate directors to any of the agencies missing Senate-confirmed heads.
Earlier this year, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott A. Blaney issued a ruling in the lawsuit, concluding that the Governor “has improperly, unilaterally appointed de facto directors for these 13 agencies, [and] must comply with the procedures and deadlines in ARS 38-211 (B) & (C) for appointment of the agency directors.”
In his ruling, Judge Blaney wrote, “It is also not lost on the Court that the Executive Deputy Directors are the same individuals that the Governor previously nominated and forwarded to the Senate for review, but withdrew when she grew frustrated with the Senate…Under Arizona law, directors run the respective administrative agencies and are appointed to their important positions through a statutorily defined process. That process requires oversight by the legislative branch. Here the Governor willfully circumvented that statutory process and eliminated the Legislative branch from its oversight role.”
Judge Blaney also asserted that “if the Court were to agree that the Governor can side-step applicable statutes in this manner to arrive at her desired end state, it would render meaningless [all statutes governing this process].” The judge stated that “the Court therefore cannot arrive at any statutory interpretation that results in elimination of the Senate’s consent role from the statutory scheme.”
Blaney ended his ruling by expressing his desire for both the Governor’s Office and Senate Republicans to come together to resolve the matter between them. He wrote, “The Court will set a separate evidentiary hearing or oral argument for a date in late July or early August 2024. This will give these co-equal branches of government an opportunity to meet and confer in an attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of this dispute.”
Both sides were able to reach an accord soon after the court decision. In August, Arizona Senate Republicans announced that “Governor Katie Hobbs admit[ted] she violated state law through her scheme to circumvent the Senate confirmation process for director nominations and has agreed to submit new candidates for consideration, as required by law.”
Many of those new nominees from the Governor’s Office are expected to be sent to the Arizona Senate at the start of the 57th Legislature in January, setting up potentially contentious battles over their qualifications with legislative Republicans.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Feb 18, 2023 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Katie Hobbs’ reign as governor of Arizona is off to a rough start. She was booed at the Phoenix Open this past weekend. She looked foolish in an interview before the Super Bowl with Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream—who called out Hobbs for opposing school choice even though she attended a private school. And her pick to lead the Arizona Democratic Party, Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo, was rejected.
That’s not a good look for a governor who’s been in office just over a month. And it’s probably why, at this point, Hobbs has chosen to rule by executive action. But her latest failure may be her worst to date.
Earlier this week, Hobbs’ pick to lead the Department of Health Services (DHS), Dr. Theresa Cullen, failed miserably when the Senate rejected her nomination…
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