PHOENIXÂ â Gov. Katie Hobbs calls comments by Attorney General Kris Mayes about possible dangers from confrontations between citizens and law enforcement officers "inappropriate.''
"She should retract them,'' Hobbs said Thursday of her fellow Democratic elected official.
"It is the responsibility of every elected official to turn down the temperature and do everything we can to be very careful with our language about ramping up the potential for violence,'' the governor said. "We are seeing across the county people's fear increasing and the potential for violence.''
Hobbs' comments come as Republican state senators voted Thursday for a resolution calling for Mayes to "retract her dangerous rhetoric" and to resign "because she has lost the trust of law enforcement officers.'' Democrats voted against the resolution in a 17-13 vote in the Arizona Senate.
Hobbs and the senators were reacting to remarks made by Mayes last week that the Trump administration has allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to act in ways designed to lead to dangerous encounters.
"When armed, masked agents force their way into the homes of U.S. citizens without warrants, the risk of dangerous and volatile situations rises dramatically,'' Mayes told Capitol Media Services. "The Trump administration must start acting within the bounds of the Constitution so we can ensure public safety in Arizona and across the country.''
What caused a firestorm of criticism was that Mayes pointed out that Arizona is a "stand your ground'' state .
"That says that if you reasonably believe that your life is in danger and you're in your house or your car or on your property that you can defend yourself with lethal force,'' she told Brahm Resnik of KTVK-TV.
Mayes also said Arizona law allows any adult to carry a concealed weapon.
"We're a gun culture in this state,'' she said. "It's kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks." She said that's why it's important for police to have uniforms and be easily identified.
Hobbs said none of that justifies the attorney general making the comments she did.
Law enforcement officers "have a really, really hard and dangerous job," Hobbs said. "And we have to do everything we can to make sure that that job is as safe as possible."
The governor's comments drew a quick response from Mayes' press aide, Richie Taylor. He said that Mayes, in subsequent interviews and a video message she put out last week, has "repeatedly clarified her comments.''
"She obviously does not believe it's legal to shoot a peace officer,'' he said. Mayes has not rescinded her original comments.
Taylor said Hobbs is focusing on the wrong issue.
"The actions of Donald Trump's federal agents are endangering public safety and putting local and state law enforcement and the public in danger,'' he said. "And that is what should concern the governor.''
Meanwhile, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1036, approved by Republicans, said Mayes' rhetoric concerned "the use of deadly force against federal, state, and local law enforcement officers.'' The vote came after extensive floor speeches by several GOP legislators lashing out not just at the attorney general but at other Democrats, in Arizona and elsewhere.
"Her continuance as attorney general will offer support to those using her misstatements as a defense when charged with using deadly force against law enforcement officers,'' the resolution states.
There's a partisan political component. Senate President Warren Petersen, who is seeking to unseat Mayes in November's election for attorney general, seized on her comments to boost his own candidacy. He said in a statement released by his campaign that the comments were "reckless, dangerous, and disqualifying.''
