Senate DINO Committee Reveals DIFI Nominee's Discriminatory DEI Agenda, ROC Nominee's Heavy Influence from Labor Unions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                              

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Senate DINO Committee Reveals DIFI Nominee's Discriminatory DEI Agenda,

ROC Nominee's Heavy Influence from Labor Unions

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Troubling revelations uncovered during today's Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO), with two of Governor Katie Hobbs' appointments to lead state agencies, are reinforcing the critical role the committee serves as a check against radical, biased, and unqualified candidates.

Testimony from Barbara Richardson, director nominee for the Arizona Department of Insurance & Financial Institutions, revealed a history of participating in discriminatory Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programs, among other radical leftist ideologies. Richardson discussed her active involvement in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Special Committee on Race & Insurance, suggesting support for race-based policymaking within Arizona's insurance regulations. Additionally, her routine practice of evading the statutorily required administrative process, by issuing rules through informal edicts rather than bulletins reviewed by the Governor's Regulatory Review Council, oversteps the agency's authority and robs the public of both proper notice and participation.

"This director nominee from Katie Hobbs appears to either be misleading the committee on her views and activism during her time at DIFI, or is demonstrating a pattern of poor judgement and attempting to legislate from the executive branch," said DINO Chairman Jake Hoffman. "In Arizona, we have zero tolerance for discrimination in state government. Qualified candidates should be free from any partisan political agendas. Involvement with NAIC's racist DEI initiatives does not reflect that. We also expect directors to follow statutes, not find creative ways to evade them. Due to our concerns, the Committee is holding this nominee and will bring her back in two weeks for further testimony and consideration."

Testimony from Thomas Cole, director nominee for the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC), revealed he had minimal prior professional experience in the construction sector, prompting unease over his ability to effectively regulate an industry he has never worked in. He admitted to questionable actions of cold calling random small business owners, without any suspicion of licensure violations, to ensure compliance with regulations, fostering an environment of government surveillance. He also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Labor under the Biden Administration for the Wage and Hour Division, raising concerns over whether this MOU allows federal labor policies to influence Arizona contractor regulations. He also refused to acknowledge how his strong ties to labor unions could influence his decision-making.

"Thomas Cole is a huge improvement from the last ROC nominee Katie Hobbs irresponsibly put before us, which is a testament to the thorough vetting and tough questions the Committee is engaged in, on behalf of the citizens of Arizona," said Chairman Hoffman. "While the Committee recommended confirmation, we have major concerns over his ability to faithfully execute the duties of the ROC, free from influence and bias favoring labor unions, especially considering the majority of citizens support Arizona being a right-to-work state. I'm hoping to see the Executive address these concerns by implementing safeguards in some fashion. Additionally, we would like to see Mr. Cole withdraw from the voluntary MOU before the full Senate votes on his confirmation. Until then, I will not support his confirmation."

###

For more information, contact:

Kim Quintero

Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus

kquintero@azleg.gov