Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who is up for reelection next year, garnered backlash Tuesday after vetoing a bill aimed at preventing China from buying up land next to strategic assets, such as military bases.
Arizona state Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp said the "politically motivated veto" was "utterly insane," blaming Hobbs for being "an obstructionist against safeguarding our citizens from threats."
However, Hobbs said the bill, S.B. 1109, was "ineffective at counter-espionage" and did not "directly protect" American military assets in the state.
Chinese investment in land near military bases has become an increasing concern for national security hawks. Shamp, in her efforts to get the now-vetoed bill passed, cited recent Chinese attempts to lease buildings alongside Arizona's Luke Air Force Base, where the military trains fighter pilots.
"Governor Hobbs’s veto of SB 1109 hangs an 'Open for the CCP' sign on Arizona’s front door, allowing Communist China to buy up American land near critical assets like Luke Air Force Base, Palo Verde nuclear power plant, and Taiwan Semiconductor’s growing fabrication footprint," said Michael Lucci, the CEO and founder of State Armor Action, a conservative group with a mission to develop and enact state-level solutions to global security threats.
"Allowing Communist China to buy up land near our critical assets is a national security risk, plain and simple, and Governor Hobbs is substantively and completely wrong when she says that SB 1109 ‘is ineffective at counter-espionage and does not directly protect our military assets,’" Lucci added.
It's worth noting that this was NOT a partisan bill.
It passed the AZLEG with bipartisan support and after an extensive amendment process that incorporated Democrat amendments.
Gov. Hobbs is on the wrong side of history on this and we WILL hold it against her next year.
This veto is SO egregious, I think it's worth asking if Katie Hobbs is a Chinese asset.
After all, we already know she allowed herself to be bought off in the pay-for-play scandal. Who else has she sold out to?
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PAID FOR BY WENDY ROGERS FOR AZ SENATE
Wendy Rogers is a retired member of the Air Force. Use of military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or the Department of Defense.
