Journalist’s Roundtable: Wendy Rogers censured

More from this show

Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic, Jeremy Duda of Arizona Mirror and Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services all join Ted to discuss the major topics of the week.

Here are today’s topics of the week:

  • Wendy Rogers Censured
  • Reaction to Rogers Censure
  • Ducey Not Running for Senate
  • GOP to Supreme Court: Stop Early Voting
  • Early Ballot ID Measure to Ballot
  • Defamation Suit vs. Dems

What was done about Wendy Rogers comments?

Twenty four members of the thirty member senate found Wendy Rogers comments unbecoming of a senator, in a very “bipartisan” vote.

Why was Rogers censured?

Pitzl: “A lot because of comments that she made the previous weekend at the America First Political Action Committee conference. She talked about hanging her enemies, bringing out new gallows to scare people, she called white nationalists ‘patriots’, made a lot of antisemitic references, and talked about her admiration of Nick Fuentes.”

Fischer: “The other piece of it had to do with… as they started talked censure, she sent out a message saying ‘I will politically destroy anyone who goes against me’.”

Was the antisemitic and other language even mentioned in the censure?

Duda: “No, and we saw an original draft of this censure resolution that Wendy Rogers put on social media that mentioned racial incitements to racial and religious bigotry and that was removed… this was more about the threats and incitements to violence and the threats of retaliation against her colleagues.”
Who is Nick Fuentes?
He is a white nationalist who was at the conference that Rogers was at.
Any additional action against Wendy Rogers?
Pitzl: “We have yet to see. I mean, she certainly has not backed down. In fact, she has become even more defiant since the censure. She has sent out a fundraising letter which got people all upset all over again and Senators are digging in to some of the work of Nick Fuentes, somebody that Rogers admires… there is a freedom of speech issue. She is showing up, she is doing her job, she is attending committee hearings and voting on the floor.”

Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona Republic; Jeremy Duda, Arizona Mirror; Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services

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