Arizona Gov. Ducey fields questions about immigration, vaccines and low public school enrollment
PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. - Arizona Governor Doug Ducey's celebration of a new manufacturing facility in Pinal County on Wednesday quickly went south when he was faced with unrelated questions about his recent political moves.
The governor‘s been criticized for holding few news conferences, so when reporters saw a chance to ask questions and get answers, they took it.
The event was an official launch of Drive48, "an advanced manufacturing training center that will bolster Arizona’s workforce training efforts for high-tech jobs," read a news release.
The governor went from playing offense to defense in a hurry as the conference was peppered with questions on several major topics.
First was a question about him stripping away the state's COVID-19 restrictions without the blessing of healthcare leaders.
"I want people to continue to be responsible and use common sense just like they have this entire year," Ducey responded.
On the immigration issue at the southern border, or as the Ducey calls it, "border security," he says, "Homeland security officials and border patrol officials have said the Biden Administration is the marketing arm of the criminal cartels. He’s giving these families hope so they sent children on this dangerous journey often times running drugs and sexually abused. It’s not humanitarian. It needs to change."
Ducey also responded to the newly released report on public school enrollment being down in Arizona as well as teachers being laid off.
He was asked why does the state not use money from the state’s billion dollar rainy day fund to keep educators employed.
"We’re going to spend money and we’re gonna make sure no one falls through the social safety net. We care about our small businesses. We’re not gonna frivolously spend money just to spend it," Ducey said.
He was also asked about recent two and three-hour wait times at state-run COVID-19 vaccinations sites.
He said that sites like State Farm Stadium are a model for other operations across the country, even bringing up the fact that President Biden said so during a virtual visit.