Gov. Hobbs’ pick for director of Arizona Department of Housing accused of plagiarism

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - A Republican-led state Senate Committee on Thursday rejected Governor Katie Hobbs’ pick to run the Arizona Department of Housing.

Joan Serviss became the latest of the governor’s nominees to fall short of the votes needed to clear the Committee on Director Nominations. Since January, Serviss has run the department and will now need confirmation of the full Senate to keep her job, which is unlikely given the committee’s refusal to approve her.

During the nearly 3 hour hearing, Chairman Jake Hoffman, a Republican from Queen Creek, accused her of plagiarism. Serviss flatly rejected the allegation.

In response to the panel’s rejection, Hobbs’ office sent a statement that called the hearing a “political circus.” “Extremists in the Senate made it clear they’re more interested in creating a political circus than fairly scrutinizing cabinet nominees,” the statement said in part.

Since taking office at the beginning of the year, the nominations committee has approved six executive nominations while rejecting or holding four others.

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