It was billed as a reveal, a revelation about Katie Hobbs that would be so terrible that Kari Lake announced she would wait a day to announce it.
“Just got some really hurtful, hurtful news about @Katie Hobbs,” an obviously excited Lake tweeted Monday. “My team confirms it’s true three times. Tomorrow I’m going wild. Bad stuff!”
On Tuesday, Lake dropped her bombshell and announced that her opponent, Hobbs, was fighting to keep the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution out of Arizona classrooms.
Well, goodness.
That would be terrible. At least if it were true.
All this proves that Kari Lake can’t read a bill
Still, I don’t want to get ahead of things. Let’s show Lake her stuff, in her three-minute video titled “Katie Hobbs unmasked: Anti-American and Un-Arizonan”.
Cue Lake:
“The pledge of allegiance, our anthem, our constitution and the Declaration of Independence, she says solemnly, as music plays softly in the background and images of a waving American flag and the Founding Fathers flutter across the screen. “I was shocked to learn that my opponent, Katie Hobbs, was fighting to keep these American cornerstones out of the classroom.”
“Growing up in America, it was a no-brainer for you and me to learn these things in schools,” she continued. “Hobbs doesn’t want the same education for our children. Katie Hobbs fought to keep these pillars of our great nation out of the classroom.
Echoes of Trump: Kari Lake calls immigrants ‘rapists’
“You heard that right. As a legislator, Hobbs actually voted to prevent the Pledge of Allegiance, our National Anthem, our Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and even the Mayflower Compact from being taught to the next generation of Americans here in Arizona.”
Lake even showed in her video a document showing that Hobbs… didn’t do anything like that.
The only thing this video proves is that Kari Lake doesn’t know how to read a bill.
The bill simply added the state motto to the list
In 2018, the Arizona legislature passed a bill addressing various U.S. history materials that can be read or posted in Arizona classrooms. State law already allowed the Pledge, the National Anthem, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and yes, even the Mayflower Compact, along with several other fundamental documents, to be read or posted.
Senate Bill 1289 simply added the state motto (“Ditat Deus” or God Enriches) to that list and clarified the wording of the already approved national motto (“In God We Trust”).
To dance. Hobbs voted against the bill, just like any other Democrat. It’s not clear why, though critics objected to introducing religion into government-funded classrooms.
What is clear is that Lake is quick to jump to wrong conclusions and doesn’t even know the basics of legislation. Proposed changes to the state law are written in CAPITAL LETTERS (often in blue letters), while existing parts of the law are written in plain letters.
All that “painful, hurtful” news about Hobbs fighting to keep our kids from repeating the promise or teaching that “all men are equal” or that even politicians have the First Amendment right to show their absolute ignorance?
It’s a figment of Lake’s feverish imagination.
Maybe Lake needs a crash course in social studies
Hobbs’ spokesman, Joe Wolf, could not immediately explain why Hobbs voted against the bill to allow the state motto. But he, like everyone I spoke to, was surprised by Lake’s “revelation.”
“It shows how unserious a candidate Kari Lake is,” Wolf said. ‘She can’t read the bill. She can’t read the bill. If you’re governor, you’ll probably have to read some of the bills you sign.”
Count longtime Republican strategist Chuck Coughlin among those who are astonished at Lake’s ignorance of the fundamental workings of state government.
“It’s disappointing that someone running for governor can’t read the statute, especially for someone who claims they’ve checked their facts three times,” he said.
Disappointing, but apparently not disqualifying.
Lake’s red-white-blue – but not quite – video, which she asked people to distribute, was retweeted and “liked” thousands upon thousands of times within hours, as her supporters expressed admiration for her insight and patriotism and even urged to her to become president.
The fact that what she said wasn’t true? Since 2020, when does that matter?
“We are blessed to live in the greatest country in history,” Lake said at the end of her video, “and as your governor I will make sure the next generation is properly educated.”
Or at least get a crash course in basic citizenship.
Reach Roberts at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter on @LaurieRoberts.
Support Local Journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake drops an embarrassing bomb that explodes in her face
