In response to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs’ refusal to go toe to toe with Republican candidate Kari Lake, the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday to discuss options.
Hobbs is refusing to participate in the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s traditional debate. Earlier this year, Hobbs claimed a case of Covid prevented her from participating in the Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s Democratic Party Primary debate. However, she was on the campaign trail again less than three days later, prompting many in both the Democratic and Republican parties to speculate that she was ducking her primary opponent.
As part of avoiding Lake, Hobbs has proposed instead what she describes as a “townhall” in which both candidates would not appear on stage together and would merely be interviewed separately.
On Wednesday, Lake advised the Commission in a letter that she would not be willing to participate in the townhall format that Katie Hobbs proposed last week. Lake said it was “not a debate, but a safe space from any serious criticism or scrutiny” of Hobbs’ record. Lake wasn’t the only one critical of Hobbs’ demand.
Attorney Talonya Adams, a former Arizona Legislature staff member, who won legal judgements amounting to nearly three million dollars against Hobbs for racial discrimination, blasted her former boss.
Nonpartisan, anti-corruption, Arizona Clean Elections is having a virtual #SpecialMeeting tomorrow at 11:45 am to discuss #AZGov debate and #KatieHobbs special request for a free 30-minute commercial.
See agenda and dial-in here: https://t.co/jNnZcxxVaV 1/2 https://t.co/jVkcP1o6XH
— Talonya Adams 🇺🇸 (personal acct) (@TalonyaAdams) September 8, 2022
As Lake noted in her letter, the two women participated in the Arizona Chamber of Commerce event on Wednesday. While Hobbs left the event immediately after her 20-minute appearance, Lake remained and took questions from the press.
I attended the Arizona Gubernatorial Forum for candidates @KariLake and @katiehobbs hosted by @AZChamber
This is a picture of what ensued after the candidates finished their sessions. Lake stayed and took questions from media and attendees. Hobbs left the event early. pic.twitter.com/lZFkuB9fH3— Grant Botma (@grantbotma) September 8, 2022
Lake’s letter to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission dated September 7:
We are sorely disappointed, but not surprised, that Katie Hobbs is sabotaging the Clean Election Commission’s efforts to put together a gubernatorial candidate debate, as it has successfully done for years up until now.
As a former award-winning journalist, Kari Lake passionately believes that the voters of Arizona deserve at least one opportunity to see their two candidates side-by-side debating the issues of the day. That’s why she made it clear that she would accept the Commission’s invitation to debate with any format – with the reasonable expectation that Katie Hobbs would be on stage with her.
The townhall format that Katie Hobbs proposed last week is not a debate, but a safe space from any serious criticism or scrutiny of her record. Perhaps Katie Hobbs is worried that Kari Lake will bring up her record of convictions for racial and sexual discrimination on live television. She should be but facing criticism and taking responsibility for your record in front of the voters is one of the most basic qualifications of leadership. Hobbes is failing at it spectacularly.
Kari Lake will not take part in the townhall format that Katie Hobbs has proposed, and we call on the Commission to reject it as well. On September 7th, Lake and Hobbes are taking part in this style of “forum” put on by the Chamber Of Commerce with the Hobbs’ demanded set-up. Once again, this has highlighted how afraid and unsure Katie Hobbs is of her own positions and policies. The Clean Elections Commission is the only organization in the state that has the opportunity to put together a genuine debate between the two candidates for the people of Arizona. Kari Lake will not go along with Katie Hobbs’ attempt to sabotage it – and neither should the Commission.
We are calling on the Commission to schedule the debate as planned with two podiums on stage. Kari Lake will be there to answer any and all questions from the moderator. If it’s some point Katie Hobbs decides to show up, Kari Lake will be more than happy to share the stage with her. If she does not show up, that is a revealing fact that the voters of Arizona deserve to know as well. Hobbs’ strategy may be to avoid facing any real scrutiny from voters or the press for this entire campaign, but the Clean Elections Commission cannot allow itself to become a pawn in her game and set a dangerous new precedent that allows candidates to hide from the voters without any repercussions.
In addition, we are calling on Commissioner Amy Chan to recuse herself from the Commission’s deliberations and vote on this matter. Given that Chan currently works as a General Counsel in Katie Hobbs Secretary Of State office, her involvement evokes a clear conflict of interest that would taint the Commission’s decision.
We look forward to scheduling the debate with you and we sincerely hope that Hobbs ultimately decides to attend.
Thank you,
Kari Lake for Governor