Arizona lawmaker gets court order against news reporter

State Sen. Wendy Rogers has obtained a court order against a reporter trying to confirm where she lives.

Rogers got Flagstaff Justice of the Peace Amy Criddle to issue the order Wednesday enjoining Camryn Sanchez, an Arizona Capitol Times reporter, from approaching her at her home. Rogers complained to the judge that Sanchez had gone to two of her houses, one in Tempe and one in Chandler.

Sanchez was checking reports Rogers was not living at the address she claimed in Flagstaff but at one of the other two sites, according to the newspaper.

Neither of the two properties is in Rogers’ legislative district.

Rogers told the judge she had previously told Sanchez not to approach her in the Senate.

A spokeswoman for Senate President Warren Petersen, Kim Quintero, said he approved the chamber’s sergeant at arms telling Sanchez not to go up to Rogers on the Senate floor.

But Quintero said Petersen has no intention of limiting the reporter’s activity or revoking the privileges reporters possess to be on the Senate floor.

She acknowledged that Petersen was the one who suggested Rogers seek an injunction because “she fears for her safety.’’

Neither Sanchez nor her editors would comment Thursday.

Rogers, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, issued a statement late Thursday in which she acknowledged she has two homes in the Phoenix area, both outside her legislative district. The Republican legislator also said she does not know Sanchez personally and “don’t know what she is capable of.’’

Also late Thursday, Petersen released a statement that could be read as essentially inviting other legislators, approached by reporters outside of the Senate, to seek similar court order.

“Everyone deserves privacy in their personal residences without worrying about reporters repeatedly showing up unannounced,’’ he said.

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Rogers, presenting what she said was doorbell camera footage, had asked Criddle to keep Sanchez away from her at all times and all places.

The judge only barred Sanchez from going to the senator’s home, though the order does not specify which residences that applies to.

According to the newspaper, Sanchez was looking into whether Rogers lives in a mobile home on West Historical Route 66, the address listed on her nomination papers, or was instead residing at one of the other two addresses.

That followed an investigation of public property records showing that Rogers and her husband bought a home in Chandler in January and signed a trust document saying she lived in Tempe.

Neither property is within Legislative District 7. The sprawling district runs from Williams through part of Flagstaff, east to Snowflake and then south through Payson, Miami, Apache Junction and all the way to San Manuel.

The newspaper said Sanchez went to the Chandler and Tempe residences in an attempt to speak with neighbors to find out whether Rogers lived at either address. The paper also said she wanted to ask Rogers why the document title she signed stated she resided in Tempe.

The possession of multiple residences is neither a violation of state election laws nor a finding that a legislator does not live where stated. Instead, courts routinely rely on statements from lawmakers of their “intention.’’

Rogers, in filing her nomination papers, said last year she had been a resident of the district for six years. A state constitutional provision says elected officials must be registered voters in the political division they represent.

Requirements to reside in the district aside, the question of where a lawmaker lives also has financial implications.

Under state law, lawmakers who live in Maricopa County are entitled to $35 a day for every day the Legislature is in session. That includes weekends and holidays.

But those from the other 14 counties get an allowance equal to what the federal General Services Administration lists as travel expenses for federal employees visiting Maricopa County. That is currently $151 a day for lodging and an additional $69 daily for meals and incidentals.

According to the Capitol Times, Rogers has been seeking reimbursement at the out-of-county rate.