Hours prior, 28-year-old Audrey Hale had opened fire at the Covenant School in Nashville, killing three children and three adults. Josselyn Berry, the now-former press secretary, had shared a GIF of Gena Rowlands pointing two revolvers in a scene from the 1980 movie "Gloria," along with the caption “Us when we see transphobes.”
Berry's tweet was immediately criticized by Arizona Republicans, who accused her of inciting violence and called for Hobbs to fire her. The Arizona Freedom Caucus tweeted, “Calling for violence is NEVER acceptable. @GovernorHobbs Press Sec. tweeting about shooting political opponents on the same day a trans activist shoots up a school is nothing short of vile & heartless. There is no room for this in AZ Fire @joss_berry Now.” Similarly, Arizona state Rep. Austin Smith tweeted, “Fire @joss_berry. Calling for violence from the 9th floor is beneath the office she is supposed to serve.”
WATCH: NEWT GINGRICH'S APPROACH TO "DEATH TO AMERICA" CHANTS
March 30, 2023
The governor's office released a statement saying, "The Governor does not condone violence in any form. This administration holds mutual respect at the forefront of how we engage with one another. The post by the Press Secretary is not reflective of the values of the administration. The Governor has received and accepted the resignation of the Press Secretary." The tweet from Berry was later removed from Twitter for violating the site's rules. When contacted for comment, Gov. Hobbs' office did not respond.
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
