Oct. 27 (UPI) — The Phoenix Police Department said Wednesday that officers are investigating a burglary at the campaign headquarters of Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
In a statement emailed to Axios, Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky said the break-in occurred sometime over Tuesday night and resulted in some items being stolen.
“This is still an active investigation with detectives checking all security cameras in attempts to identify and locate the subject involved,” Krynsky said.
Hobbs’ campaign manager, Nicole DeMont, confirmed the break-in in a statement, saying they are cooperating with law enforcement.
Hobbs, Arizona’s secretary of state, is running against Republican nominee Kari Lake in a heated and close gubernatorial race.
DeMont said Hobbs and her staff have faced “hundreds of death threats and threats of violence” amid the campaign.
“Let’s be clear: for nearly two years, Kari Lake and her allies have been spreading dangerous misinformation and inciting threats against anyone they see fit,” DeMont said. “The threats against Arizonans attempting to exercise their constitutional rights and their attacks on elected officials are the direct result of a concerted campaign of lies and intimidation.”
The burglary is the latest criminal act targeting Arizona’s secretary of state.
Less than a month ago, authorities arrested and charged a 64-year-old Iowa man on Oct. 6 for threatening Hobbs and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Mark Rissi is accused of threatening Hobbs on Dec. 8 via voicemail in connection to debunked claims of voter fraud in the state during the 2020 election.
“You will hang,” he is accused of having said. “We will see to it. Torches and pitchforks. That’s your future, [expletive]. Do your job.”
In late July, authorities arrested and charged 38-year-old James Clark of Falmouth, Mass., for issuing a bomb threat to Hobbs office.
In a message he is accused of sending to Hobbs via the website contact form of the Election Division in February 2021, Clark said Hobbs needs to resign “or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”
The Arizona Democratic Party said Wednesday that many elected officials are victims of threats and intimidation tactics like the recent break-in of Hobbs’ campaign headquarters.
“Make no mistake — this is a direct result of Kari Lake and fringe Republicans spreading lies and hate and inciting violence — and it is despicable,” it said in a statement.
Lake has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and claims the 2020 election was stolen.
