EXCLUSIVE: Arizona Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Katie Hobbs has only showed up to her state office 19 days in the past six months, records reveal.
Between April 1 and Oct. 14, Hobbs has swiped her security badge at the Arizona state Capitol Building, which houses the secretary of state’s office, a total of 19 days, according to documents obtained through a public records request and shared with Fox News Digital.
Just last week, Hobbs told local radio host Barry Markson that she is “actively involved” with her office while she continues to campaign for governor.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs speaks at a roundtable event in Phoenix on Sept. 19, 2022.
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
“My day starts before 8 and ends well after 5,” she said. “In addition to the campaign trail I am also still secretary of state and actively involved with my office.”
At the time of that interview on Oct. 13, Hobbs hadn’t visited her office in nearly a week, the records showed.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs speaks to the media before dropping off her primary election ballot in Scottsdale on July 21, 2022.
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Some of Hobbs’ absences from her office have lasted weeks. She didn’t enter the Capitol building for nearly a month in April and again in August, the records showed.
DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR ARIZONA GOV IS LATEST TO SUPPORT NO LIMITS ON ABORTION
“Secretary Hobbs and many of the dedicated staff of the SOS have been working remotely the way many Americans have since the pandemic,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital in an email Thursday. “It is not reflective of the amount of time she dedicates to the office. Secretary Hobbs is committed to her responsibilities as Secretary of State.”
Arizona gubernatorial candidates Katie Hobbs, left, and Kari Lake
(Reuters)
The news comes one day after Hobbs announced that her office had since corrected a voter registration error that led to as many as 6,000 Arizona voters getting incorrect ballots.
Hobbs’ Trump-endorsed Republican opponent, Kari Lake, has previously called on Hobbs to “recuse herself” from overseeing the midterm elections while she is on the ballot.
Hobbs has refused to debate Lake ahead of the November election, claiming it would cause a distraction.
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Jessica Chasmar
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