Committee OK’s investigation into Arizona senator’s comments on Buffalo shooting

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Arizona Senate’s ethics committee has ordered its lawyers to formally investigate a Republican lawmaker’s online comments blaming the federal government for the recent massacre in Buffalo, New York. The full Senate ordered the probe of Sen. Wendy Rogers, and the ethics panel on Wednesday voted 5-0 to have its lawyers handle the investigation.

Rodgers recently tweeted about the shooting at a Buffalo supermarket that left 10 people dead, implying the federal government was behind the attack. Rodgers posted the message, reading, “Fed boy summer has begun in Buffalo.” In a statement last Monday, Rodgers said her comment was taken out of context and “became a false narrative that’s now the focal point of a firestorm.” She ended the statement by saying she does not condone violent crime or racism.

Minority Democrats wanted Rogers expelled from the Senate because she was just censured on March 1 for participating in a white nationalist gathering and had called for her political opponents to be hanged. Rodgers previously spoke about her censure, saying it was an attempt to limit her freedom of speech. However, the Senate voted 24-3 to censure Rodgers after Senate President Karen Fann shot down Rodgers’ freedom of speech claims.

The lead ethics committee lawyer said he expects the investigation to take weeks, not months. After that, Rogers will be able to respond to the report’s conclusion.

Arizona’s Family news staff contributed to this report.

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