U.S. Congressman Greg Stanton, Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, and Congresswoman-Elect Adelita Grijalva have called on the Arizona House of Representatives to address recent comments made by State Representative John Gillette. The group sent a letter to House Speaker Steve Montenegro, Majority Leader Michael Carbone, and Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos urging them to respond to Gillette’s repeated use of racist and inflammatory language.
The letter highlights several statements made by Gillette, including a recent post in which he wrote that U.S. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal “should be tried, convicted, and hanged.” The letter states: “Such rhetoric not only reflects poorly on your institution but contributes directly to the worsening of America’s political climate, eroding democratic norms, endangering public servants, and diminishing the reputation of the State of Arizona and its people.”
The letter also details other instances in which Gillette used derogatory language toward Muslim communities and accused them of refusing to assimilate or preparing for violence. The lawmakers argue that this progression from slurs to explicit threats represents a broader trend of criminalizing speech through threats of violence. They write: “Efforts to intimidate or punish those exercising their First Amendment rights undermine the freedoms that sustain our democracy.”
The members urge Arizona House leaders to address Gillette’s conduct appropriately: “As leaders of the Arizona House, you bear a higher responsibility as elected officials to hold your members to standards that safeguard the integrity of the institution you serve. How this matter is addressed will shape both public trust in the Arizona Legislature and the example it sets for civic discourse.”
Stanton, who recently won reelection against Kelly Cooper in 2024 with 52.7% of the vote, has been active in advocating for higher standards among elected officials. In his previous election in 2022, Stanton also defeated Cooper with 56% of the vote.
The full letter can be found at https://stanton.house.gov/2025/10/stanton-ansari-grijalva-demand-arizona-legislature-address-dangerous-rhetoric-by-state-representative-john-gillette.
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