After many GOP lawmakers called for Arizona Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs' press secretary, Josselyn Berry, to be fired over her tweet suggesting the use of violence against those who disparage transgender people, Berry resigned Wednesday.
Berry late Monday posted an image on Twitter from the 1980 movie, "Gloria," showing a woman brandishing two handguns.
"Us when we see transphobes," she wrote in an accompanying post.
Berry, whose tweet was removed from Twitter for violating the site's rules, made the comment the same day six people were killed at a small private Christian school just south of downtown Nashville after a shooter opened fire inside the building of about 200 students, police said.
Police gave unclear information on the shooter's gender. For hours, police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman and eventually as Audrey Hale. Then at a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said that Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale identified.
The Arizona Freedom Caucus called for Berry's dismissal, saying that "calling for violence like this is un-American & never acceptable."
Daniel Scarpinato, spokesman for former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, called Berry's tweet offensive and tone deaf, but also "below the dignity of the office of the governor."
"I don't think anyone, no matter your political leanings, would look at that tweet — any sane, professional person would look at that tweet and say, This is how I want one of the top advisers to the governor of my state to conduct themselves," Scarpinato said.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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