Grand Canyon Times

President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope has strongly criticized a recent ethics complaint filed by Arizona Senate Democrats, labeling it as a desperate publicity stunt to gain favor with their base. Senator Shope expressed his disappointment in the actions of the Democrats, stating, "Shame on Arizona Senate Democrats for stooping so low in their desperate attempt to weaponize the Legislature's policies on ethics investigations." He also refuted the allegations, highlighting that neither he nor President Petersen had committed any ethical violations.

Senator Shope accused the Democrats of exploiting a sensitive issue for political gain, saying, "Democrats' actions are nothing more than a publicity stunt to cater to their radical Left campaign supporters." He further criticized the Democrats for their irresponsible behavior, noting that their motion had disrupted Senate proceedings and that a significant number of Democrat members were absent from work on the day of the incident.

In response to the Democrats' actions, Senator Shope raised the possibility of Senate Republicans filing ethics complaints against Senate Democrats, emphasizing, "If we mimicked their same logic, Senate Republicans would have grounds to file dozens of ethics complaints against Senate Democrats for a variety of reasons." He stressed that the citizens of Arizona expected their elected officials to focus on important matters and not waste time on theatrics and gamesmanship.

Senator Shope concluded by expressing his disappointment in the leadership of Senate Democrats, attributing their actions to selfish motivations. The conflict between the parties highlights the tensions within the Arizona Senate and underscores the challenges of bipartisan cooperation in the current political climate.