Wendy Rogers (politician)

Wendy Rogers
Rogers in 2023
Member of the Arizona Senate
Assumed office
January 11, 2021
Preceded bySylvia Allen
Constituency6th district (2021–2023)
7th district (2023–present)
Personal details
Born (1954-07-24) July 24, 1954 (age 70)
Fort Knox, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Hal Kunnen
(m. 1978)
Children2
RelativesHarry Lovejoy Rogers (great-grandfather)
EducationMichigan State University (BSW)
University of Alabama (MSW)
California State University, San Bernardino (MS)
WebsiteCampaign website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1976–1996
Rank Lieutenant Colonel

Wendy Rogers (born July 24, 1954) is an American far-right politician of the Republican Party. First elected in 2020, she is the Arizona State Senator representing Legislative District 7.

Rogers was an U.S. Air Force officer from 1976 to 1996. Before winning election to the state Senate, she unsuccessfully ran for various state and federal offices between 2010 and 2018. In 2020, Rogers mounted a successful primary challenge against incumbent State Senator Sylvia Allen and went on to defeat the Democratic nominee in the general election. Rogers was initially elected to represent Legislative District 6, later re-elected to represent Legislative District 7 due to redistricting.[1]

As a candidate and member of the Arizona Senate, Rogers has courted controversy with inflammatory rhetoric, support for Donald Trump and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and her embrace of white nationalism including various antisemitic and racist conspiracy theories. She is a member of the Oath Keepers, an anti-government militia group whose members took part in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

In March 2022, Rogers received a rare censure by the Republican-controlled Arizona Senate for her remarks to the white nationalist America First Political Action Conference, and was the subject of an ethics investigation after suggesting that the 2022 Buffalo shooting was a U.S. government false flag operation.

Early life and education

[edit]

Rogers was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky, on July 24, 1954.[2] She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Michigan State University, a Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama, and a Master of Science in National Security Studies from California State University, San Bernardino.[2]

Military career

[edit]

Rogers served in the United States Air Force from 1976 to 1996, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.[2] One of the first 100 female pilots in the Air Force, Rogers earned her flight wings in 1981 and went on to fly the C-141 Starlifter heavy military transport aircraft and C-21 "Learjet" transport.[3][4] Rogers was later stationed in Europe.[3]

Political career

[edit]

Beginning in 2010, Rogers ran unsuccessfully for public office five times.[5] In 2010, Rogers ran for the Arizona Senate in the 17th legislative district, losing to Democrat David Schapira in the general election.[6] In 2012, she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona's 9th congressional district, losing the Republican primary to Vernon Parker.[7] In 2014, she ran again for the 9th district and won the Republican nomination, but lost to incumbent Democratic congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema.[8] During that campaign, Rogers used footage of the beheading video of American journalist James Foley by ISIL terrorists in a campaign ad seeking to attack Sinema as weak on national security. Democrats condemned the ad as a "reprehensible" smear tactic, while Rogers's campaign defended it.[9]

In 2016, Rogers unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Arizona's 1st congressional district; she was one of a five-person field, along with Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, former state Senator and Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, rancher and businessman Gary Kiehne, and businessman Shawn Redd.[10] During her primary campaign, Rogers was the sole candidate to support Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico.[10] She also supported increasing the number of U.S. military personnel deployed to foreign conflicts.[10] Rogers lost, coming in third place behind Babeu, who won the nomination, and Kiehne, the runner-up.[11] In 2018, Rogers ran again and won the Republican nomination for the 1st congressional district, but lost to incumbent Democratic congressman Tom O'Halleran.[12]

State Senate election and tenure

[edit]

In 2020, Rogers ran for the Arizona Senate in the 6th legislative district, which encompasses Rim Country and the White Mountains, and extends from Flagstaff to the Arizona–New Mexico border.[13] Rogers unseated longtime Republican incumbent Sylvia Allen in a bitterly contested primary election,[14] and defeated Democratic nominee Felicia French in the general election.[15] During the campaign, Rogers made few public appearances, did not participate in debates, and avoided taking positions on local political issues, such as forest management, education funding, or Arizona's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] Dark money organizations on both sides spent large sums to support and oppose the two candidates.[15] Rogers raised $1 million in campaign contributions, a record for the district.[15] As a candidate and official, she has espoused far-right views and cultivated ties to far-right political causes.[16][17][18][19]

Rogers took office in January 2021.[20] Now serving her second term, she currently serves as Chair of the Arizona Senate Elections Committee, Vice Chair of the Government Committee, and member of the Military Affairs, Public Safety & Border Security Committee and Judiciary Committee, and as a member of the joint legislature's Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Study Committee.[21][22]

Support for overturning the 2020 presidential election

[edit]

Following the 2020 United States presidential election, in which President Donald Trump was defeated by Joe Biden, Rogers promoted the false claim that Trump had won the election nationally and in Arizona.[23] As Arizona's slate of electors met in Phoenix to formally cast the state's electoral votes for Biden, Rogers tweeted "Buy more ammo."[24][25] Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs condemned Rogers's statement.[25]

After a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 in a failed attempt to halt the counting of the electoral votes and keep Trump in power, Rogers falsely claimed the attack had been conducted by antifa groups.[23][26] Rogers was one of a number of Republican state legislators in Arizona who either defended and excused the attempted insurrection, or spread disinformation about responsibility for the attack.[26]

Wendy Rogers, along with Mark Finchem and Sonny Borrelli explaining the Maricopa County Audit at Mike Lindell's Cyber Symposium in Sioux Falls on August 12, 2021

Rogers strongly supported the 2021 Maricopa County presidential ballot audit initiated by Arizona Senate Republicans to challenge Joe Biden's victory in the county and the state.[27] Following their outspoken criticism of the audit, Rogers called for the imprisonment of Maricopa County's Board of Supervisors, along with unnamed electronic voting machine company executives.[28] Her false claims of election fraud helped her gain a large following on social media.[29] The Maricopa County results had previously been repeatedly recounted, with no discrepancies found, and the audit found that Biden's margin of victory in the county was actually larger than initially reported. Following this, Rogers began a campaign to audit elections in all 50 states and called for each state to "decertify its electors where it has been shown the elections were certified prematurely and inaccurately".[27] She was one of two Arizona legislators endorsed for reelection by former president Donald Trump in 2022.[30][31]

Legislation

[edit]

In March 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona, Rogers sponsored legislation to declare gun shops "essential businesses" permitted to remain open during emergencies; the bill passed the Senate on a 16–14 party-line vote.[32] In February 2021, Rogers sponsored legislation seeking to rename a portion of Arizona State Route 260 as the "Donald J. Trump Highway"; State Senator Martín Quezada, a Democrat from Phoenix, described Roger's proposal as "a desperate attempt to really pander to a base of voters even though the state of Arizona rejected Donald Trump".[33] In 2021, Rogers introduced a bill to ban abortions on the grounds of disability and make performing abortions for this reason a felony.[34]

In January 2022, Rogers proposed a bill that, if accepted, would make Arizona the first state to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, though doubts were raised about its compliance with the Contract Clause of the United States Constitution.[35] Rogers subsequently introduced legislation to allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrencies in the payment of debts, and to exclude cryptocurrencies from Arizona taxes.[36][37]

2022 reelection; death threat

[edit]

Rogers was reelected to the Arizona Senate in the 7th legislative district in 2022.[38] During the preceding redistricting cycle, Rogers' district went from leaning Republican to heavily Republican.[39] She benefited from a "last-minute change" by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, which altered 7th district boundaries to shift more Democratic-leaning voters to a neighboring district.[40][1] Rogers was drawn into the same legislative district as fellow incumbent Republican senator Kelly Townsend from Apache Junction.[39] Former president Donald Trump endorsed Rogers, and by January 2022, Rogers had raised a record $2.5 million for her reelection campaign.[41][42][43]

On July 4, 2022, Donald Glenn Brown, a former Tucson middle school music teacher, sent a death threat to a store in Show Low where Rogers was attending the city's Independence Day parade. Brown's email, sent from a fake account, threatened to fatally shoot Rogers and others at the store.[44] Brown was charged with attempting to make a terroristic threat, a Class 4 felony. He pled guilty in April 2023 and was sentenced on June 6, 2023 to two and a half years in prison by Navajo County Superior Court Judge Joseph Clark.[45] Reacting to the sentence, Rogers praised the ruling for protecting the interests of her constituents.[46]

Rogers defeated Townsend in the Republican primary on August 22, 2022, having received 59.7% percent of the vote (24,023 votes) to Townsend's 40.3% (16,185).[47][48] Rogers went on to defeat Democrat Kyle Nitschke in the general election, where she received 63.6% of the vote (63,019 votes) to Nitschke's 36.4% (36,030 votes).[38]

2024 campaign

[edit]

In 2023, Republican state representative David Cook, who is term-limited from running for re-election to the Arizona House, announced that he would challenge Rogers in the 2024 Republican primary election for the state Senate. Cook stated that he chose to enter the race after Rogers retweeted a video containing sexually-explicit content from Hunter Biden's laptop.[49] Cook is widely considered to be more moderate than Rogers.[50] Rogers sued in an attempt to block Cook from the primary ballot, but the Maricopa County Superior Court ruled that Cook's campaign had submitted a sufficient number of valid voter signatures to qualify for the ballot.[50][51]

In July 2024, Rogers defeated Cook with 55 percent of the vote.[52]

Controversies

[edit]

Defamation lawsuit

[edit]

While running for Congress in 2018, Rogers ran ads attacking one of her Republican primary opponents, Steve Smith, calling him a "slimy character" and linking his employer, a modeling agency, to "websites linked to sex trafficking".[53][54] The modeling agency and its owner sued Rogers for defamation in October 2018.[55][53] In a 4–3 decision issued in February 2022, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Rogers's ad was protected by the First Amendment. The majority ruled that allowing the case to proceed would "inevitably and intolerably chill political speech" by opening the door to lawsuits by "any third party who might indirectly be identified in a passing reference in a political advertisement"; the dissenting justices criticized the decision, writing that it "effectively weaponizes the First Amendment against innocent bystanders ensnared by often-vitriolic political campaigns, disregards well-established precedent, and is unnecessary for protecting political speech."[56][57]

Workplace harassment allegation by former aide

[edit]

In January 2021, Michael Polloni, a former legislative aide to Rogers, filed a complaint with the Arizona State Senate Ethics Committee accusing Rogers of workplace abuse. In his complaint, Polloni claimed that Rogers subjected him to verbal abuse, removed and damaged his belongings, demanded that he perform campaign work on government time, and demanded that he work while on sick leave for COVID-19.[58] An investigation by a Senate attorney found that Rogers cursed at Polloni during a heated argument, but found "little evidence" to corroborate other claims. In March 2021, the Republican-led Ethics Committee dismissed the complaint, finding no clear and convincing evidence of an ethics violation. Both Democrats on the Committee disagreed with the decision.[59][60][61] Polloni subsequently filed a $500,000 notice of claim (a precursor to a lawsuit) against the state, alleging wrongful termination and harassment.[62] In December 2021, Polloni filed suit in Maricopa County Superior Court, alleging wrongful termination, assault and emotional distress.[63]

Embrace of far-right extremism; AFPAC speech and censure; ethics investigation

[edit]

In 2018, Rogers claimed to be a "charter member" of the Oath Keepers, a militia group known to promote conspiracy theories and violent, extremist rhetoric, including talk of a new civil war. During her 2020 campaign for the Arizona Senate, she promoted her membership in the group.[13] Many Oath Keepers were prosecuted for their roles in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.[64] After more than two dozen members of the organization were criminally indicted, Rogers wrote on Twitter: "I am a member of the Oathkeepers and I really like their dedication to our Constitution and to our country," and included a photo of her speaking to the Cottonwood chapter of the organization.[64]

In December 2020, as a state senator-elect, Rogers praised Confederate general Robert E. Lee as a "great patriot and a great leader".[65]

In June 2021, Rogers appeared on the streaming channel TruNews on a show hosted by Christian nationalist commentator Lauren Witzke. TruNews, along with its founder Rick Wiles, is known for its promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories, including a claim Trump's impeachment was orchestrated by "seditious Jews" and that Americans are "oppressed by Jewish tyrants".[66][67] Rogers appeared on TruNews a second time the next month; during this appearance, Witzke called Rogers her "favorite state legislator" and said that the TruNews crew were "really big fans" of hers.[67]

In a Twitter post in July 2021, Rogers cited a Breitbart News article to claim that "Americans who love this country" are "being replaced and invaded," echoing the racist and populist Great Replacement conspiracy theory popular among Republicans.[68][69] After she was criticized for her statement, Rogers doubled down, asserting that "communists & our enemies" were "using mass immigration, education, big tech, big corporations & other strategies to accomplish this."[70] Rogers has embraced white nationalism and promoted various antisemitic conspiracy theories about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, George Soros, and the Rothschild family.[71][72][73][74][75][76] In February 2022, she gave a speech to the America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC), an organization founded by white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In her pre-recorded remarks, Rogers said that her political enemies (unspecified "traitors") should be publicly hanged, and praised Fuentes, calling him "the most persecuted man in America".[40][75][77] Rogers had previously stated to Fuentes on Twitter, "We love you."[78] Following the conference, Rogers praised white nationalist Vincent James Foxx and suggested he run for political office.[77]

On March 1, 2022, Republican Arizona Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray responded by moving to censure Rogers for "conduct unbecoming of a senator, including publicly issuing and promoting social media and video messages encouraging violence."[75] On the Senate floor, Rogers refused to apologize or "back down" and accused Senate Republican leadership of "colluding with the Democrats".[79] Rogers had previously threatened to "destroy the careers" of any Republican senators who voted to censure her.[80] The censure resolution criticized Rogers for "encouraging violence against and punishment of American citizens" and "making threatening statements declaring 'political destruction' of those who disagree with her views"; references to Rogers' antisemitic remarks (condemning her for "inciting general racial and religious discrimination") were removed from the final text of the resolution.[72] The Senate voted 24–3 to censure her, with Rogers and two other Republicans voting no.[81] Rogers was the first Arizona senator to be censured in at least four decades.[82]

In June 2022, QAnon conspiracy theorist Ron Watkins filed an ethics complaint against Rogers with the Arizona Senate. In support of his complaint, Watkins cited Rogers' request on the instant messaging service Telegram for the Groypers to "hit" Watkins after he alleged that Rogers had cut a "backroom deal" to prevent election equipment from being examined.[83]

Following the May 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, Rogers suggested on a social media site that the shooting was a false flag operation perpetrated by U.S. federal government agents.[84][85] The Republican-controlled Arizona Senate decided two days later, by a 24–3 vote, to open an ethics investigation of Rogers over the comment. Rogers was one of the three Republicans who voted against the investigation.[86][87] In June 2022, the Senate Ethics Committee counsel issued its report, which made no determination as to whether Rogers violated Senate rules, and concluded that the full Senate was responsible for deciding whether to take any further action with respect to Senator Rogers' remarks."[88]

In September 2024, in celebration of far right German party AfD's victory in the 2024 Thuringian state election, she tweeted the first stanza of Deutschlandlied, commonly associated with the Nazi Party.[89]

Residence

[edit]

Members of the Arizona legislature are required to live in the districts they represent.[40] Rogers and her husband, Hal Kunnen, previously owned three residences: a single-family residence in Tempe, a single-family residence in the Stellar Airpark in Chandler, and a mobile home in Flagstaff's Wildwood Hills.[90] Questions regarding Rogers' residency have swirled for years.[49][failed verification] In filing papers to run for state Senate, Rogers listed her residence as the 708-square-foot mobile home in Flagstaff.[40] However, a trust document signed by Rogers and her husband in January of 2023 stated that they were "currently residing" in Tempe.[90][91] David Cook, Rogers' 2024 challenger in the Republican primary accused her of having "a million dollar home getting tax breaks while claiming to live in a trailer park in Flagstaff."[49]

In 2023, as part of investigative journalism into Roger's residence, Arizona Capitol Times reporter Camryn Sanchez rang a doorbell at Roger's home and asked her questions on the floor of the Arizona Senate. Rogers responded by obtaining a restraining order against Sanchez,[40] which the Flagstaff Justice Court granted without notice to the reporter.[90] The order was criticized by the Freedom of the Press Foundation,[92] and the Capitol Times challenged it as a baseless and unconstitutional prior restraint infringement upon the freedom of the press.[93] One week after it was issued, a different judge, following a hearing, dissolved the order, ruling that Sanchez was engaged in "legitimate" news-gathering activity, and that the reporter did not engage in activity that would cause a "reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed or harassed."[90]

As of 2024, Rogers and Kunnen had sold their homes in Tempe and Chandler.[91]

Personal life

[edit]

Rogers married Hal Kunnen in 1978; they have two children and own a home inspection business.[10] Like Rogers, Kunnen is a retired Air Force officer.[94]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Rogers, Wendy (July 2, 2011). The First 100: The Life and Times of a Woman Air Force Pilot. Amazon. ASIN B0059Y6W1I.
  • Rogers, Wendy (April 6, 2012). Earning My Wings. Amazon. ASIN B007JNRNAG.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Duda, Jeremy (December 29, 2021). "Who won and who lost with the new legislative districts?". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Wendy Rogers". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, Iowa State University. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Congressional candidate Wendy Rogers visits Page". Lake Powell Chronicle. August 15, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  4. ^ Iskra, Darlene M. (November 8, 2012). "Female Vets Take the Hill". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  5. ^ Smith, Allan (November 14, 2021). "Wendy Rogers embraced Trump's stolen election lie and watched her star rise". NBC News. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "Schapira narrowly beats Rogers in LD17". Arizona Capitol Times. November 2, 2010.
  7. ^ State of Arizona Official Canvass: 2012 Primary Election – August 28, 2012, Arizona Secretary of State.
  8. ^ State of Arizona Official Canvass: 2012 General Election – November 4, 2014, Arizona Secretary of State.
  9. ^ Cassata, Donna (October 6, 2014). "Beheading video used in Rogers ad against Sinema". Associated Press.
  10. ^ a b c d Cowan, Emery (August 17, 2016). "5 from GOP want District 1 seat in Congress". Arizona Daily Sun.
  11. ^ Official Election Canvass of Results: 2016 Primary Election – August 30, 2016, Arizona Secretary of State.
  12. ^ State of Arizona Official Canvass: 2018 General Election – November 6, 2018, Arizona Secretary of State.
  13. ^ a b Aleshire, Peter (October 27, 2020). "Senate candidate claims membership in controversial militia". paysonroundup.com. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  14. ^ Peter Aleshire (August 7, 2020). "Rogers unseats Allen in bitter, expensive state senate primary brawl". White Mountain Independent.
  15. ^ a b c d Aleshire, Peter (November 4, 2020). "Republicans hang onto District 6 in costly slugfest". Payson Roundup.
  16. ^ Williams, Linda; Wong, Kenneth (March 1, 2022). "Arizona State GOP chair embraces white nationalist supporter". KPNX. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  17. ^ Dana, Joe (January 31, 2023). "Arizona State GOP chair embraces white nationalist supporter". Fox 10 Phoenix. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  18. ^ Small, Jim (November 7, 2022). "In closing days, Kari Lake and Abe Hamadeh embrace Wendy Rogers". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  19. ^ Abridged list of sources that refer to Rogers as far-right or having ties to far-right political causes:
  20. ^ "Senate Member". www.azleg.gov. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  21. ^ "Wendy Rogers | LD 7". Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
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  23. ^ a b Waltz, Adam (January 7, 2021). "Seven Arizonan Republican legislators face calls to ban them from the House and Senate". ABC 15 Arizona. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  24. ^ Roberts, Laurie (December 14, 2020). "Here is one GOP senator's response to Biden's win in Arizona: 'Buy more ammo'". The Arizona Republic.
  25. ^ a b Dana, Joe (December 11, 2020). "Arizona electors confirm 11 votes for President-elect Joe Biden". KPNX.
  26. ^ a b Small, Jim (January 7, 2021). "Some Arizona Republicans defended, excused the violent pro-Trump mob". Arizona Mirror.
  27. ^ a b Kelcie Mosely-Morris (October 19, 2021). "Group of Idaho legislators sign letter calling for 50-state audit, scrubbing voter rolls". Idaho Press.
  28. ^ Colson, Thomas (August 3, 2021). "A pro-Trump Arizona state senator called for the mass imprisonment of Maricopa County officials after they condemned the election audit". Business Insider.
  29. ^ Smith, Allan (November 14, 2021). "Wendy Rogers embraced Trump's stolen election lie and watched her star rise". NBC News.
  30. ^ "Trump endorses 2 Arizona audit supporters for state Senate". Associated Press News. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  31. ^ "Endorsement of Wendy Rogers". www.donaldjtrump.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  32. ^ "Arizona bill would designate gun stores as essential firms". Associated Press News. April 29, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  33. ^ Welch, Dennis (February 9, 2021). "Arizona senator wants to name major state highway after Donald Trump". KTVK 3TV & KPHO CBS 5.
  34. ^ Christie, Bob (February 18, 2021). "GOP-controlled Legislature advancing anti-abortion measures". Associated Press.
  35. ^ Schreckinger, Ben (February 1, 2022). "A crypto breakthrough? Western states consider taking digital currency". Politico. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  36. ^ "Cryptocurrency 2022 Legislation". www.ncsl.org. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  37. ^ Fernández, Caleb J. (January 28, 2022). "New Senate Bill would make Bitcoin legal tender in Arizona". KGUN. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  38. ^ a b State of Arizona Official Canvass: 2022 General Election - November 8, 2022, Compiled and Issued by the Arizona Secretary of State.
  39. ^ a b Peter Aleshire, Sen. Rogers amasses huge financial advantage in re-election bid, The Payson Roundup (October 28, 2022).
  40. ^ a b c d e Ray Stern (April 27, 2023). "What to know about Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers and the latest controversy surrounding her". Arizona Republic.
  41. ^ Roberts, Laurie (November 30, 2021). "Trump backing Wendy Rogers and Anthony Kern makes them the future of the GOP (Doesn't it?)". Arizona Republic.
  42. ^ Duda, Jeremy (January 14, 2022). "Wendy Rogers raises record-breaking $2.5 million for Arizona Leg re-election". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Tucson Sentinel.
  43. ^ Roberts, Laurie. "Arizona's kookiest senator just made a $2.5 million statement about the future of the GOP". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  44. ^ "Ex-Tucson teacher who made death threat against state Sen. Wendy Rogers sentenced to prison". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  45. ^ "Ex-teacher sentenced to prison for making death threat against Arizona legislator". AP News. June 6, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  46. ^ "Man Who Sent Death Threats To Senator Wendy Rogers Was Sentenced In Holbrook Tuesday". Great Circle Media. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  47. ^ "2022 Primary Election Canvass". Arizona Secretary of State. August 22, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  48. ^ 2022 Primary Election Canvass Master Report (PDF) (Report). Arizona Secretary of State. August 22, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  49. ^ a b c Jakob Thorington, Cook announces state Senate bid to challenge Rogers, Arizona Capitol Times (July 7, 2023).
  50. ^ a b Camryn Sanchez, Judge rules Wendy Rogers' primary opponent will stay on the ballot, KJZZ (FM) (April 25, 2024).
  51. ^ Jakob Thorington, Cook beats Rogers in court, primary battle set, Arizona Capitol Times (April 24, 2024).
  52. ^ Staff, FOX 10 (November 24, 2020). "Arizona Primary Election: 2024 State Legislature results tracker". KSAZ-TV.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  53. ^ a b "Arizona Supreme Court to hear lawmaker's defamation case". Associated Press News. May 5, 2021.
  54. ^ Reagan, Kevin (February 26, 2019). "Modeling agency suing Wendy Rogers over campaign attack ads". PinalCentral.com.
  55. ^ Stern, Ray (September 28, 2021). "Defamation case against state Sen. Wendy Rogers could have big implications for public". Arizona Republic.
  56. ^ Rogers v. Mroz, 502 P. 3d 986, 252 Ariz. 335 (2022).
  57. ^ Cooper, Jonathan J. (February 2, 2022). "Supreme Court sides with lawmaker in defamation case". Associated Press. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  58. ^ "Report released on ethics complaint about Arizona state senator". KTAR.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  59. ^ Dennis Welch, Ex-staff files ethics complaint against Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers, 3TV/CBS 5 (January 25, 2021)
  60. ^ Ethics panel to investigate senator accused of harassment, Associated Press (February 4, 2021)
  61. ^ Bob Christie, Arizona ethics panel tosses complaint against GOP senator, Associated Press (March 2, 2021)
  62. ^ Hansen, Piper. "Former staffer to Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers files $500K notice of claim against state". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  63. ^ MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (December 21, 2021). "Former staffer sues Sen. Wendy Rogers". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  64. ^ a b "'Abnormal methods': U.S. attorney general says feds will review Arizona's partisan election audit". 12news.com. June 12, 2021.
  65. ^ David Baker, Arizona State Senator-elect Wendy Rogers praises Robert E Lee, 3TV/CBS 5 (December 21, 2010).
  66. ^ "Arizona state senator touts appearance on network that warned against 'Jewish tyrants'". The Forward. June 24, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  67. ^ a b MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (July 23, 2021). "State Sen. Wendy Rogers appears on antisemitic news show. Again". Arizona Mirror.
  68. ^ Aleshire, Peter (July 23, 2021). "Sen. Rogers tweets "we are being replaced"". White Mountain Independent.
  69. ^ Martin, Nick R. (July 21, 2021). "Az lawmaker Wendy Rogers stokes racist 'replacement' theory". Tucson Sentinel.
  70. ^ MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (July 20, 2021). "GOP Sen. Wendy Rogers defends her promotion of racist 'great replacement' ideology". Arizona Mirror.
  71. ^ MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (March 2, 2023). "Wendy Rogers refuses to condemn white nationalist leader after GOP senator challenges her". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  72. ^ a b Kampeas, Ron (March 2, 2021). "Arizona Senate censures Republican Wendy Rogers, but not for antisemitic comments". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  73. ^ Richman, Jackson (March 1, 2021). "Arizona Republican Posted Anti-Semitic Photoshop Before Speaking at White Nationalist Event". Mediaite. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  74. ^ Wise, Alanna (March 1, 2022). "Arizona State Senate censures lawmaker who threatened rivals with violence". NPR. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  75. ^ a b c Stacey Barchenger; Ray Stern; Mary Jo Pitzl. "Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers censured by Senate after calling for public hangings, attacking Ukraine's president". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  76. ^ Cooper, Jonathan (March 1, 2022). "Arizona Republican who backs white nationalism is censured". Associated Press News. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  77. ^ a b Small, Jim (February 26, 2022). "Wendy Rogers said white nationalists are 'patriots' and called for hanging political enemies". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  78. ^ Hayden, Michael Edison (December 30, 2022). "One Year After Jan. 6, the Hard Right Digs In". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  79. ^ Williams, Linda (March 1, 2022). "Arizona State Sen. Wendy Rogers censured amid controversy over white nationalist conference speech". FOX 10 Phoenix. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  80. ^ Duda, Jeremy (March 1, 2022). "Top Senate Republican says Wendy Rogers could face censure for speech to white nationalists". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  81. ^ "Arizona State Sen. Wendy Rogers censured amid controversy over white nationalist conference speech". KSAZ-TV/Associated Press. March 1, 2022.
  82. ^ Ben Giles, Arizona Senate censures Wendy Rogers for threats, calls to violence, Howard Fischer/Capitol Media Services (March 1, 2022).
  83. ^ MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (June 13, 2022). "Ron Watkins files an ethics complaint against Wendy Rogers, alleging she put his life in danger". Arizona Mirror.
  84. ^ Isaac Stanley-Becker; Drew Harwell (May 15, 2022). "Buffalo suspect allegedly inspired by racist theory fueling global carnage". The Washington Post.
  85. ^ Albert, Victoria (May 15, 2022). "10 killed in "racially motivated" mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket, FBI says". CBS News.
  86. ^ Resnik, Brahm (May 17, 2022). "Senate launches inquiry into Wendy Rogers' comments on Buffalo shooting". KPNX.
  87. ^ Rosenblatt, Dillon (May 16, 2022). "Wendy Rogers will face an investigation after claiming the Buffalo mass shooting was done by the 'feds,' not a heavily armed racist". Arizona Mirror.
  88. ^ Resnik, Brahm (June 27, 2022). "Latest Senate ethics investigation of Wendy Rogers all but over after report reaches no conclusions". KPNX. Associated Press.
  89. ^ MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod (September 9, 2024). "Wendy Rogers posted pro-Nazi lyrics. She has a long history of amplifying antisemites online". Arizona Mirror.
  90. ^ a b c d Terry Tang, Judge rejects Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers' restraining order against reporter, Associated Press (May 10, 2023).
  91. ^ a b "Questions resurface about Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers' residency". KJZZ. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  92. ^ Seth Stern, A judge struck down an anti-press restraining order. Why does it feel so lousy?, Freedom of the Press Foundation (May 16, 2023).
  93. ^ Ray Stern, 'Baseless and unconstitutional': Arizona newspaper to fight Sen. Wendy Rogers' restraining order, Arizona Republic (April 25, 2023).
  94. ^ Schutsky, Wayne (April 20, 2023). "Rogers asks court to bar reporter from contacting her". Arizona Capitol Times. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
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