Gov. Katie Hobbs pulled the nomination of Matthew Stewart to officially lead the Department of Child Services on Wednesday.
Stewart was already leading the agency since Hobbs took office, but he originally left DCS in 2020 over his frustration with racial disparity issues, according to NBC News.
“The Department of Child Safety has a critical mission protecting Arizona’s most vulnerable population, our children. As a social worker, I take the leadership of this agency very seriously, and while I thank Matthew Stewart for his work with the agency over the last month and a half, he will not be moving forward in the cabinet appointment process. Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the Governor, and this is a decision that was made for the best interests of all parties involved,” the governor said in a statement. “Michael Wisehart will serve as the Interim Director of The Department of Child Safety until a new nominee is appointed.”
Wisehart previously served as the director of the Department of Economic Security under former Gov. Doug Ducey.
Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman, who chairs the committee to vet the governor’s nominees, said in a statement Wednesday night that Stewart’s resignation was prompted by his alleged firing of “non-appointed, openly gay employees” and was reprimanded while serving as the department’s Training Operations Supervisor in 2020.
“This unfortunate series of events proves precisely why the Senate Confirmation process is so vitally important for the people of Arizona,” Hoffman said. “The Senate’s confirmation hearings exist to ensure Director nominees are qualified for the job and that they will faithfully execute the laws of the state of Arizona. Sadly, it seems clear that Hobbs’ is not conducting her own vetting process, so my colleagues and I will continue to serve as the necessary and constitutional check and balance on the Executive Branch that the citizens of our great state need and deserve.”
Hobbs refused to elaborate on her reasons why Stewart had been withdrawn at a news conference on Thursday morning.
“I haven’t seen the Senate Republicans press release,” she told The Center Square. “I know this was in the best interest of everyone involved, and again, that is all I’m prepared to say.”
Stewart is the son of Dr. Warren H. Stewart Sr., who is a locally known Civil Rights leader and the senior pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church. The church declined to comment in a statement to The Center Square.
Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
