A journalist for the Arizona Capitol Times was served an Injunction Against Harassment (IAH) order last week after Sen. Wendy Rogers became upset with the reporter’s efforts to verify if Rogers has committed fraud.
That journalist, Camryn Sanchez is assigned to cover the state Senate. It was as part of her job that Sanchez has sought in recent weeks to determine whether Rogers actually resides in Legislative District 7 which covers portions of Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Pinal counites.
Rogers and her husband Harold Kunnen own at least three residential properties, including a $750,000 property at Steller City Airpark in Chandler purchased in January. The Deed of Trust for that property lists the couple as residing another of their homes – this one in Tempe with a market value of $665,000.
Tempe is where Rogers lived for several years before she ran unsuccessfully several times for Congress as a Flagstaff resident out of Coconino County. The couple’s property in Flagstaff is a 700-square-foot, 36-year-old manufactured home on a small lot.
State legislators must live within the legislative district they represent, something Rogers has been under scrutiny for the last several years. Now, Sanchez and other journalists are once again looking into Rogers’ residency claim after the Deed of Trust for the Chandler home was filed with the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office in early February.
While it may turn out that voters in LD7 have been victims of a fraud by Rogers, it is also possible all state taxpayers have been duped as well. Since the current legislative session began Jan. 9, Rogers has claimed nearly $20,000 for travel and meal per diems based on her claim of Flagstaff as her residence.
This is far more than what she would be entitled to as a resident of Maricopa County.
Even more attention will be drawn to Rogers’ residency now that Justice of the Peace Amy Criddle issued the IAH order against Sanchez on April 18. The order was served on the reporter the next day at her home in Phoenix.
Harassment is defined under Arizona Revised Statutes 12-1809 as a “series of acts over any period of time that is directed at a specific person and that would cause a reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed or harassed.” The alleged conduct must also be found to serve “no legitimate purpose.”
For purposes of an IAH order, a current or former romantic, domestic, or familial relationship does not have to exist between the two parties, as is required with an Order of Protection.
Under state law, Criddle was required to review Rogers’ IAH petition along with “any other pleadings on file and any evidence offered by the plaintiff” to determine whether the injunction requested should be issued ex-parte, meaning without first hearing arguments from Sanchez.
In her petition, the senator alleges Sanchez was “verbally forbidden” in 2022 from approaching Rogers at the Arizona Senate. Then in February of this year, Sanchez reportedly “persisted with questioning” Rogers on the floor of the Senate.
After the senator “rebuffed” the reporter, Sanchez was purportedly told by Senate staff to not approach Rogers, according to the petition.
Rogers alleges Sanchez violated the Senate’s alleged “no contact” prohibition by showing up at two of the senator’s Chandler and Tempe properties on April 18. The visits were captured by doorbell video, screenshots of which Rogers later publicly shared.
At one of the homes, Rogers claims Sanchez asked a service worker about the whereabouts of Kunnen and the senator.
“It is at the urging of the Arizona Senate president that I submit this order of protection,” Rogers wrote in her IAH petition. “It is my request that Ms. Sanchez not be permitted access to the Arizona Senate, which is my place of work.”
In the end, Criddle barred Sanchez from going to “or near” Rogers’ “residence” although which residence(s) the order applies to is not shown on the public copy of the order, which is effective for one year.
Criddle also imposed a “No Contact” requirement which prohibits Sanchez from any in-person, written, email, or phone contact. The judge did not restrict Sanchez from the Senate property, nor has Petersen authorized any such prohibition.
Although the IAH order is currently in affect, Sanchez has the right anytime during the one year to demand a hearing at which to contest the order.
Rogers can be forced to testify under oath at the hearing, and one thing Sanchez’s attorney will likely focus on is a series of statements and social media comments the senator made after she publicized the IAH order.
In those statements, Rogers expanded on the reasons she sought the order.
“I don’t know this reporter personally, I don’t know what she is capable of, and I don’t believe anyone in their right mind would show up uninvited to my home at night,” the senator stated in a press release issued at taxpayer expense by the Arizona Senate. “Therefore, I don’t trust that this person wouldn’t lash out and try to physically harm me in some fashion.”
But Rogers made no such comments in the petition filed with Cripple about being fearful. Nor did she list Sanchez’s alleged “harassing” activities toward Rogers’ neighbors, whom the senator said in her post-order statements were “quite bothered by the attempted contacts.”
Those neighbors can also be forced by to testify. Which may provide Sanchez and other journalists with answers to the questions about Rogers’ residency.
Rogers was censured last year after stating that people she believed had “betrayed our country” should be put to death. She did not state those people should first be tried in a court of law.
Also last year, Rogers threatened to “destroy the career of any Republican” who opposed her agenda.
Rogers Brings Baggage And Limited Effectiveness Into LD7 Race