GOP attorney general hopeful Abe Hamadeh posts even more arguably disqualifying tweets

I recognize that we live in Arizona, and our standards for those seeking elected office have never been exactly … rigorous (assuming they exist at all), but I’d like to believe a major political party’s candidate for attorney general would, at the very least, have a minimal understanding of the U.S. Constitution.

But, no.

Apparently, the Republican candidate for attorney general, Abe Hamadeh, wasn’t in class the day the Constitution was brought up in, say, middle school. Then missed it again in high school. And college. And law school.

Hamadeh ignores the First Amendment

Hamadeh won the very stiff competition for the weekend’s most ignorant comment on the internet when he tweeted:

“The media is the biggest threat to ‘democracy.’ ”

Threat?

That seems weird since the Founding Fathers seemed to believe the media to be the biggest guardian of our democratic republic. The one profession that tries (often unsuccessfully) to keep politicians honest. Something an attorney general wannabe might understand if he was actually interested in, you know, THE LAW.

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Like when the founders wrote in the very First Amendment to the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press … .”

It is that same Constitution that Hamadeh, as attorney general, would swear to protect.

Or would he?

Could he?

Then he backs an election denying Oath Keeper

After all, if Hamadeh believes the press is a threat to democracy would he be lying if he swore an oath to protect the Constitution?

Then again, I’d also like to believe that a candidate for Arizona attorney general, the highest law enforcement officer in the state, would believe in the rule of law.

Hamadeh published what may be the second dumbest tweet on social media over the weekend when he wrote:

“Arizona needs @RealMarkFInchem as Secretary of State!”

Finchem not only is the Republican candidate for secretary of state, but he also is an election denier who was present at the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. And he is a member of the Oath Keepers, a number of whom are on trial for seditious conspiracy related to that attack.

I would not expect an attorney general candidate to back a politician who doesn’t believe in honoring the electoral process and whose pals attempted to stage a coup.

He has echoed an antisemitic dog whistle

Then again, I also wouldn’t expect an attorney general candidate to deal in often-repeated antisemitic tropes.

But Hamadeh does that as well, echoing the often spewed right-wing dog whistle attacks at George Soros, like when he tweeted:

“It’s true. George Soros has destroyed our streets and turned our cities into Gotham.”

True?

What does that idiotic statement even mean? Wouldn’t a potential attorney general, who supposedly believes in the justice system, actually offer some version of proof for such a ridiculous accusation?

Or does Hamadeh not believe in the justice system, either?

Or any system?

Hamadeh condems a system he wants to join

Because, crazy me, I also would hope an attorney general candidate would not spread lies about the 2020 election. But, again, Hamadeh has done that as well, tweeting:

“The corrupt media, deep state, the establishment, and even the COURTS worked to rob President Trump and the American people in November 2020.”

The courts?

If Hamadeh were to win he would be working with the justice system day in and day out. And he’s condemning the courts?

Let’s pause here to review:

• Trashes the Constitution.

• Supports insurrectionists.

• Attacks a prominent Jewish citizen.

• Denies the legitimacy of a verified election.

• Disparages the justice system.

I recognize that we live in Arizona, and that our standards for those seeking elected office have never been exactly rigorous, but ...

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Abe Hamadeh posts even more arguably disqualifying tweets