Katie Hobbs issues apology to former legislative staffer in discrimination case

PHOENIX — Arizona Secretary of State and governor candidate Katie Hobbs released a video Wednesday in which she apologized to a former legislative staffer who was awarded millions in a discrimination case stemming from a firing during Hobbs’ tenure as the Senate’s Democratic leader.

Hobbs said she was “truly sorry” for the harm caused to Talonya Adams, a Black woman who was awarded $2.75 million in November, and promised to take steps to avoid a similar situation in the future.

Hobbs has been the clear front-runner among Democrats in the race for governor, but came under fire for her response to the case.

After the November decision, Hobbs released a two-page response but did not acknowledge discrimination took place, a step she took Wednesday.

 

“I know that the disappointment felt by many Arizonans didn’t start with the verdict in this case,” Hobbs said in the video. “What Ms. Adams experienced is yet another example of the systemic inequities and racism that have long permeated every aspect of our lives, too often in ways that are invisible to people like me.”

Adams said she was fired from her job as a policy adviser for state Senate Democrats in 2015 because of discrimination based on her race and gender.

Hobbs was not named as a defendant but was involved in the decision to fire Adams and testified in both trials.

Adams was awarded $1 million in 2019 and got her job back, but a federal judge ordered a new trial last year.

Hobbs said during the trial she had “lost trust” in Adams, citing in part the policy adviser’s emergency leave to care for her son out of state, and she wished she had been a “better ally” for Adams.

She repeated that sentiment in her apology video.

“I need to be more than an ally, I need to be your advocate,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs said she would continue to recruit, hire and elevate women and people of color to leadership positions.

She added that if elected governor, she would revamp the Office of Equal Opportunity and employ a chief equity officer to oversee changes.

Adams said after the second trial verdict she will campaign against Hobbs if asked to do so.

“I do not believe she is fit to serve,” Adams said. “I do not believe she’s a person that should be bestowed the power or the authority to govern the citizens of Arizona.”

Ben Petersen, a Republican Party spokesman, said Hobbs’ video “smacks of pandering and desperation.”

“This is too little, too late,” Petersen said. “Hobbs may be staying in the race, but her campaign is doomed.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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