No, Kari Lake, Gov. Katie Hobbs can't just order up an indictment of Donald Trump

Comes now the latest threat to democracy, according to Arizona’s reigning queen of MAGA, Kari Lake.

As you might have guessed, it’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Lake and others on the far right are outraged over Hobbs’ remark this week that state Attorney General Kris Mayes should follow Georgia’s lead and indict Donald Trump.

“Absolutely. I have been an advocate for holding folks involved in trying to overturn the will of the voters in the 2020 election accountable and this is part of that process,” Hobbs told reporters on Tuesday.

She added: “Accountability is critical. I don’t think we’re going to change directions until there’s accountability at the top level. I think it should move forward and play out in the legal process.”

Hobbs' staff walked back her comments

Her staff quickly jumped to walk back Hobbs’ comments, making the governor look rather silly.

The official word out of Hobbs’ office is that she “misheard the question.”

Of course, nobody is buying that.

And, of course, Lake and others are baying their same old, well-worn howl — that the fix is in in Arizona.

That Hobbs can somehow wave her magic wand (or in their view, her broom) and poof: orange is the new Trump uniform.

Naturally, Kari Lake responds with outrage

Cue Lake:

“In 2020 @katiehobbs ran a sham election & gave @JoeBiden Arizona In 2022 Hobbs ran a sham election & gave herself a promotion. Now, she’s using her illegitimate office to order her illegitimate AG to INDICT realDonaldTrump & Grassroots Arizonans,” she posted to her 1.4 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. “If the fake news is wondering THIS is what a threat to democracy looks like.”

"@katiehobbs is just waiting for her signal from @JoeBiden to order her AG to indict @realDonaldTrump," she later added.

Lake knows that Hobbs can’t order Mayes to do anything. State law doesn’t allow it and Mayes isn’t the sort to stomach taking orders from a fellow elected official.

But as political opportunists like Lake might say, never let reality get in the way of an opportunity to rev up the troops with a little fake outrage.

Naturally, it’s working.

“A 5th Trump Indictment Coming If AZ Gov. Katie Hobbs Has Her Way?” Red Voice Media asked on X.

Hobbs can't just order an indictment

It’s not surprising that Lake would try to mislead the MAGA Nation into believing that Hobbs has the power to order up an indictment, given her belief that Hobbs is this all-powerful woman able to leap tall buildings and orchestrate stolen elections in a single bound.

What is a little surprising is that Hobbs’ handlers were concerned enough about the optics to try to put different words in the governor’s mouth.

Another view: Why Kris Mayes shouldn't prosecute Trump

“Gov. Hobbs misheard the question,” her spokesman Christian Slater said in a statement issued after her interview. “She was responding generally about her belief that anyone who breaks the law must be held accountable for working to overturn free and fair elections. As she has consistently stated, she believes in allowing the legal process to proceed independently and without political interference.”

For the curious, here is what Hobbs was asked.

“Would you like to see the Arizona attorney general follow suit with Georgia and Michigan and move forward on pressing charges against President Trump?”

Governor answered truthfully. So what?

Credit to Hobbs for being honest in her answer.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

Given the death threats and the daily pummeling she and elections staffers across the state have endured for the last three years, is it really so shocking that she would want to see the source of all that misery held accountable?

Only in the always calculating mind of Lake is that evidence that Hobbs can somehow order up an indictment and doom democracy.

In a single bound.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake thinks Gov. Katie Hobbs can order a Trump indictment. Wrong