In 2015, a Democratic policy adviser was fired from the Arizona Senate after sending emails to her supervisors expressing that she was being paid less than her white male counterparts because of her race and gender.
After a court determined that Talonya Adams was wrongfully terminated, one of the persons responsible for her getting axed is apologizing.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, one of the leading candidates in the state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary race is saying sorry for her part in the firing.
In a video posted on her Twitter profile and in a written statement on her website last week, Hobbs said, “Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard from several of you about my response to the discrimination that Talonya Adams faced as an employee in the Legislature.”
“I understand that my response fell short of taking real accountability,” she offered. “Please allow me to state as clearly and unequivocally, I apologize to Ms. Adams. I am truly sorry for the real harm I caused Ms. Adams and her family.”
She continued to say that her response to the jury’s verdict was “short-sighted,” “unnecessarily defensive” and “failed to meet the moment.”
Adams was not impressed. She told reporters in a Dec. 9 news conference outside of a federal court building in Phoenix, “Her response is a response to a political crisis. It’s not a response to racism.”
“Her statement is not an apology. It’s designed to allow her to get over a political hurdle,” she continued.
Read full story at Atlanta Black Star here.
