Ducey responds to Don Shooter’s claims of ‘suspicious’ state contracts

PHOENIX — Shortly after former Arizona state Rep. Don Shooter was expelled by his peers following a long-winded sexual harassment report, the disgraced lawmaker attempted to shift attention to someone else: Gov. Doug Ducey.

Shooter, according to The Arizona Republic, claimed his ousting was “politically motivated” due to what he saw as “suspicious” state contracts awarded to companies with ties to Ducey or other state officials.

But in an interview with KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac and Gaydos, Ducey said Shooter is an individual “with no credibility” who was expelled by his peers after 10 women gave accusations against him.

Related: Yuma County board picks replacement for former Rep. Don Shooter

“[Shooter] needs to stop looking at others and look in the mirror and stop pointing fingers,” Ducey said.

“He waited until his expulsion was over to bring up these claims. He doesn’t have any credibility, he was just swinging on the way out.”

Ducey, who previously supported the Legislature’s decision to vote Shooter out of office after he was found to have broken sexual harassment policies, said he still believes lawmakers did the right thing.

The Republican governor also touched on several other issues, including an Arizona Senate bill that would address teen suicide in the state, an Arizona father who was granted a deportation stay to take care of his cancer-stricken son and a report that found a foster child was placed in the home of a sex offender.

Eighty-five percent of children who committed suicide had previously reached out for help, Ducey said. “It’s up to friends, parents, teachers, counselors to be aware if someone who says they’re depressed.”

As for the case of Jesus Berrones, who was granted the stay shortly after seeking refuge at a Phoenix church as he was set to be removed from the country again, Ducey said his case should push Congress to sort out issues with immigration.

“I would like to see decisions and certainty on the DACA situation,” Ducey said. “They need to make a decision. This is one of the consequences of Congress not doing its job for the last 10 years.”

And Ducey vowed to look into the Arizona Department of Child Safety after a $15 million legal claim alleged a foster child spent 12 years in the home of a man later convicted of child sex crimes.

The claim — a precursor to a possible lawsuit — alleged the department failed to investigate reports of abuse and neglect inside the home of David Frodsham, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of child sexual abuse and pornography in 2016.

The foster child who filed the claim was one of the victims in the case.

“We take this very seriously. I was alarmed by this news,” Ducey said. “I’m going to look into it. [DCS] has been a broken agency for years. Let’s get to the bottom of this.”

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