Republicans Spread Misinformation, Voted to Defund the Police
PHOENIX — Recently, the Arizona GOP have ramped up efforts to promote, rather than denounce, right-wing lies, Qanon conspiracy theories and misinformation to influence competitive elections in our state. Multiple Democratic legislative candidates including LD18 State Representative Jennifer Jermaine, LD4 Representative Dr. Gerae Peten & LD8 Representative Barbara McGuire have all become targets of misleading, false information.
This election cycle, Republicans have pushed lies about Democrats wanting to defund the police. However, the GOP’s supposed support for police contradicts its past actions when Senators Kate Brophy McGee, then-Speaker J.D. Mesnard, Paul Boyer and Vince Leach and Representatives Anthony Kern, Jeff Weninger, Kevin Payne and former State Representative Brenda Barton all voted for HB2540 - a bill to defund the police by stripping $1.6 million of gang-enforcement funding from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in 2017.
“For years, Republican candidates have pushed lies, conspiracy theories and spread disinformation, and this dangerous trend is accelerating ahead of the November election. Now, they’re obscuring their own voting records. These efforts have three main goals: to create fear and deeper divisions among Arizonans, boost extreme right-wing candidates, and suppress the vote,” said Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Charlie Fisher. “These baseless attacks on our candidates show exactly why Democrats are poised to make big gains in November.”
Background
Bill History for HB2540
Legislative Analysis for HB2540
AZ Family: GOP lawmaker: Budget cuts send a message to Democratic sheriff
Arizona Republic: Arizona lawmakers vote to strip gang-enforcement funding from Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Phoenix Times: They Didn't Treat Sheriff Joe Like This: MCSO's Penzone Calls State Cuts Partisan
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