Senate President Warns Vetting Matters as Lawmakers Consider CAIR Terrorist Designation Measure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 9, 2026
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Senate President Warren Petersen is highlighting the importance of the Senate's constitutional duty to vet the governor's director nominees as Senate lawmakers prepare to consider HCM 2002, a measure urging the President of the United States and Congress to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a terrorist organization.
The memorial, scheduled to be heard in committee next week, comes after lawmakers previously rejected a nominee from Governor Katie Hobbs whose record raised serious concerns during the Senate confirmation process.
Former Democratic legislator Martin Quezada was nominated by Governor Hobbs in 2023 to lead the Arizona Registrar of Contractors but failed to win Senate confirmation after lawmakers uncovered a troubling record of anti-Israel activism, including support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. The international campaign pressures businesses, governments, and organizations to cut economic ties with Israel and isolate the country globally.
After the Senate rejected his nomination, Quezada later went on to work as legal counsel in 2024 for CAIR's Arizona chapter. The national organization has been linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and its leaders drew widespread criticism after celebrating the October 7 terrorist attack against Israel.
"This is exactly why the Senate's vetting process exists," said President Warren Petersen. "When someone is nominated to run a state agency, the Senate's job is to ask the tough questions, dig into their history, and make sure they are fit to serve the people of Arizona. In this case, the nominee was rejected – and now he's working for an organization that promotes radically dangerous ideologies and is being considered for terrorist designation at the federal level. Imagine if we hadn't done our job. That person could have been running a state agency. Vetting isn't optional. It's about protecting our citizens and making sure the wrong people are never put in those powerful positions. The Senate will continue to hold the line."
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus