Katie Hobbs has placed multiple pride flags outside her office at the Capitol above the American flag and state flag to kick off “LGBTQI+ Pride Month.”
Hobbs pulled a similar political stunt as Secretary of State in 2019 when she hung a pride flag outside her office at the Arizona Capitol Museum.
Here are a few more photos from today’s historic event! pic.twitter.com/sGwwX5NcZ7
— Arizona Capitol Museum (@azcapitolmuseum) June 28, 2019
In another stunt, Hobbs later lied and claimed that Republican legislators had the flags removed.
UPDATE: Legislative Council, at the direction of the Senate President and House Speaker, removed the #Pride Flags from the @azcapitolmuseum. When I displayed the flags my goal was to highlight that Arizona is a state where all are welcome and respected. We still have work to do. pic.twitter.com/H07wLI8PKz
— Governor Katie Hobbs (@GovernorHobbs) June 28, 2019
The Arizona Mirror reported,
However, the leader of the agency that manages the Capitol building disputed Hobbs’ claims.
Mike Braun, executive director of Legislatvie Council, said he removed the flags because they were “nonconforming” and Hobbs did not go through the proper channels in order to display them on the building.
He said he was not directed to do so by Bowers, Fann or anyone else.
“I think the rules are pretty minimum,” Braun told the Arizona Mirror. “There is an easy way to display a banner of any kind.”
According to Braun, Hobbs broke multiple regulations by flying these banners without notifying legislative council or having them approved.
The two flags representing the gay and trans community were seen today flying above the American and Arizona Flags, with a Ukranian flag flying beside them at half-staff.
“@katiehobbs can put up as many flags outside the @9thFloorAZ as she wants. Arizonans will never take PRIDE in this divisive liberal ideologue masquerading as their Governor. These are the only two flags that matter to us,” Kari Lake War Room tweeted.
.@katiehobbs can put up as many flags outside the @9thFloorAZ as she wants.
Arizonans will never take PRIDE in this divisive liberal ideologue masquerading as their Governor.
These are the only two flags that matter to us. https://t.co/duJWf5sPbT pic.twitter.com/Wtu9eFeghs
— Kari Lake War Room (@KariLakeWarRoom) June 1, 2023