For Immediate Release
Sunday, Oct. 23rd, 2022
Contact: Josselyn Berry, Jberry@azdem.org
REPORTER GUIDANCE: The Questions Kari Lake Needs to Answer Following Her CCEC Interview
PHOENIX – In the last month, Katie Hobbs has sat down for dozens of interviews with outlets ranging from Good Morning America, to Face the Nation, and even conservative press here in Arizona, while holding several media avails and taking hard-hitting questions from mainstream journalists. On the other hand, Kari Lake has often stuck to her ideological corner, prioritizing extremist, radical, far-right outlets like OANN and (now convicted felon) Steve Bannon’s podcast.
“Katie Hobbs successfully took on tough questions about her comprehensive policy plans to tackle the state’s challenges dished out by a nonpartisan moderator, unfortunately Arizonans can expect a softball interview on Kari Lake’s terms once again,” said Josselyn Berry, spokesperson for the Arizona Democratic Party.
As Arizonans prepare to watch Kari Lake’s interview on Sunday evening, here are the questions you won’t hear asked but that Arizonans deserve answers to:
- Your tax-raising economic “plan” was mocked by an economic expert as adding “jet fuel” to inflation and Republican mayors said it would require dangerous “cuts to police and firefighters across the state.” What is your response to them? Do you think forcing cities to cut police and fire is an acceptable consequence?
- Will you reconsider your unaffordable housing plan that an expert said would “increase” rent as a result?
- Your water plan has already been criticized by a leading water expert and Ducey appointee, saying it “would make the price of water drastically more expensive for water users” and “might price out most people.” How much will your pipeline of water from the Mississippi River to Arizona cost taxpayers and how long will it take to build?
- Your campaign has advocated for men to agree to a woman’s decision to get an abortion. Do you think men should have to give permission for a woman to have an abortion? If so, what about in cases of rape and incest?
- You have called women who seek abortions “murderers” and “executioners.” Murder obviously is a crime punishable by prison time and even the death sentence in Arizona. How many years is a suitable amount of time for women to go to prison for getting an abortion? Arizona legislators have advocated for the death penalty, so is a death sentence on the table for you if that bill came to your desk?
- Will you withhold funding from local police departments who refuse to investigate abortion providers, as your supporter and “Arizona’s leading abortion opponent” Cathi Herrod has demanded that “investigation[s] should be immediate”?
- Since you believe the territorial ban is a “great law,” in order to not go to jail, how will physicians and nurses prove a woman’s life is sufficiently in danger to perform an abortion? Will they need police witnesses or permission from politicians?
- Do you still intend to sign a “carbon copy” of Texas’ abortion law, which puts a bounty on every Arizonan’s head if they in any way aid a women in seeking an abortion? And if Arizona women leave the state to seek abortion care, do you think they should face legal penalties when they return?
- You have said you’ll only accept the results of this election if you win. Is there any circumstance under which you would accept the election results if Katie Hobbs wins? If you lose, how will you discourage supporters from harassing and intimidating election workers?
- Many are comparing you to Donald Trump. Donald Trump had experience as a chief executive running a business. You have no such experience. Why do you think you can manage a state with an $18 billion budget, or manage a workforce of over 23,000 state employees with no prior management experience?