Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a passed legislation attempting to rename a highway after slain Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Associated Press reports.
The bill attempted to add Kirk, who was assassinated at Utah Valley University last September, to the name of Loop 202, a highway circling through the Phoenix area, before it was vetoed last Friday (March 27). The governor shared a veto message to state lawmakers denouncing political violence, but also suggesting Republicans inappropriately injected politics into a decision that should’ve been determined by a state board that names historic highways.
“I will continue working toward solutions that bring people together, but this bill falls short of that standard by inserting politics into a function of government that should remain nonpartisan,” Hobbs wrote.
Republican state Senate President Warren Petersen sponsored the legislation and claimed Hobbs was the one practicing politics by breaking with “a long-standing Arizona tradition” of recognizing residents who made an impact on society.
The veto “tells people that recognition now depends on political alignment, not contribution,” Petersen said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. “That’s not how Arizona has ever approached these decisions, and it’s a disappointing shift for our state.”
More than five dozen bills in more than 20 states have sought to honor Kirk since his death. Kirk was fatally shot in the neck during what was scheduled to be the first stop on his ‘American Comeback Tour’ on September 10.
Tyler Robinson was announced to have been in custody and publicly identified by police on September 12. Robinson’s attorneys argued that there’s “a discrepancy between the ballistic evidence and the weapon prosecutors say is connected” to him in the case this week, TMZ reported.
A federal investigation into Robinson reportedly showed he had no link to left-wing groups, three sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NBC News. Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization, at the age of 18 along with tea party activist William Montgomery in 2012. The political pundit gained notoriety debating liberal students, winning over conservative financiers.
Kirk enthusiastically supported President Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign and served as a personal aide to his son, Donald Trump Jr., during the campaign, while also gaining a regular presence on cable news.
Recent Comments