The election for governor of Arizona last year was won by Democrat Katie Hobbs. She defeated former news anchor and Republican candidate Kari Lake 50.3% to 49.6%. Hobbs took the oath of office on Monday, January 2, which instantly infuriated some in the press.
At ten in the morning, Hobbs was sworn in at the state Capitol. The event formally introducing the new governor to office was presided over by federal judge Roopali H Desai, who was recently confirmed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Hobbs granted access to one Associated Press media pool reporter to cover the event. However, she forbade other media representatives from entering the room.
New year, new leadership in Arizona, new stakeouts because reporters aren’t allowed into the 10 a.m. swearing in of incoming Gov. @katiehobbs. Here’s @Adrian_Fontes arriving for the joint swearing in. pic.twitter.com/ArWf8aWWfE
— Stacey Barchenger (@sbarchenger) January 2, 2023
The press lockdown was discussed on Twitter by Stacey Barchenger, a reporter for Arizona Central and USA Today who covers the governor’s office. She claimed that despite their persistent requests, officials would not let them into the office to watch the ceremony.
The Arizona Republic journalist Laurie Roberts penned an article titled “Gov. Katie Hobbs is sworn in while hiding from reporters.”
The reporter mockingly said that no one would have known it happened unless they were Facebook fans as she criticized the new governor for her choice to forbid the press from attending the ceremony.
She noted the irony that Hobbs promised to be transparent but then refused to let them watch it happen. Evidently, the new state government includes being a hypocrite.
On Monday, the ceremony was closed to the media, but on January 5, there was a different occasion. Special interest organizations have stirred up yet another issue by failing to reveal the price they paid for that incident.
The swearing-in ceremony signaled the conclusion of a contentious contest marred by controversy and allegations of fraud. Kari Lake’s legal actions to overturn Hobbs’ victory were unsuccessful.
