Republican Leaders Denounce Wendy Rogers For Dirty CD1 Campaign

Arizona State Senator Steve Smith, surrounded by law enforcement officers who have denounced Wendy Rogers' dirty campaign.

On Thursday, the Arizona Police Association hosted a press conference in which Congressman Andy Biggs, former Congressman Matt Salmon, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, and other political and community leaders, denounced her sleazy attack on her CD1 Republican Primary opponent, Arizona State Senator Steve Smith.

Rogers’ ads, which include radio, telephone, and direct mail falsely imply that Smith’s employer (Christian-based advertising/talent agency), is somehow linked to pornography and child exploitation.

Listen to Representative Bob Thorpe discusses Rogers’ dirty campaign tactics on the James T. Harris Show

Senator Smith pointed out that Rogers slyly makes no specific accusations (because there are no accusations), instead she is using innuendo and very loose associations to imply “links” to illicit activities, but that the inferences are completely deceptive, slanderous, and totally false. He unequivocally stated that the company where he has been employed for over ten years (which helps staff local TV and print advertising jobs and fashion shows from babies to seniors) has never in any way, contrary to Roger’s assertion, worked with any outlets dealing with adult or pornographic content.

Senator Smith said that “I am pursuing every possible avenue within the Arizona legal system in order to sue Wendy Rogers and her campaign to hold her personally accountable for her slanderous, libelous, and reckless behavior. The people of Arizona have elected me for 8 consecutive years to serve them in the Legislature and not one time has any Republican or Democrat opponent ever resorted to these attacks because they are so patently false, but leave it to Wendy Rogers and her usual dirty campaign tricks to sink to a new despicable and evil level”.

Justin Harris, President of the Arizona Police Association opened up the press conference, reiterating his organization’s continued support for Senator Smith, and denouncing the Rogers ads as “disgusting,” then going on to say “It’s deplorable and despicable, and Wendy Rogers should step down immediately out of this race, to save the Republican Party any further embarrassment.”

Ken Crane, President of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association reconfirmed his organization’s endorsement and support of Senator Smith, saying in part; “We are shocked and astounded by what we view as baseless inferences being leveled by the Wendy Rogers campaign.”

Congressman Andy Biggs said in a statement that “Steve Smith is a man of honor and integrity,” and went on to say that; the Rogers ad is “one of the most despicable ad’s in campaign history.” and added “There are already enough swamp creatures in Congress. Don’t send someone like Wendy, who apparently has already sunk to the depths of the DC swamp. She’ll say anything to get elected.” He concluded with a plea for voters to “send Mr. Smith to Washington.”

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery referred to the Rogers ads as “the worst kind of politics.”

Former Congressman Matt Salmon stated; “The politics of personal destruction should never be tolerated in our state.”

Cathi Herrod added; “I join others today in denouncing this attack ad as being false and without merit.”

Andrea Kadar, a former board member of an organization focused on exposing and preventing child sexual exploitation, and an outspoken advocate against sex trafficking said that the inferences in the Rogers ads were “totally unfounded and patently false.”

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