HRC responded to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey nominating Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery for a seat on the Arizona Supreme Court.

“Bill Montgomery has made a career of marginalizing the most vulnerable Arizonans, including the LGBTQ community,” said HRC Deputy Campaign Director Justin Unga. “He has shown that he’s unable to set aside personal biases and treat LGBTQ Arizonans with the dignity and respect that we deserve in our legal system. With LGBTQ Arizonans’ rights on the line, it's more important than ever to ensure that the Arizona Supreme Court be comprised of unbiased jurists capable of deciding cases on merit and law rather than partisanship or anti-LGBTQ extremism. Montgomery’s appointment is a dangerous step in the wrong direction. HRC will continue to remain vigilant in order to hold Montgomery accountable, including when voters have the opportunity to decide whether he remains on the court.”

In 2015, as Maricopa County Attorney, Montgomery refused to provide legal assistance to LGBTQ couples seeking to adopt a child. This failure prompted the ACLU to sue him and his office in an attempt to earn LGBTQ Arizonans the equal treatment and legal assistance they deserve under the law. 

Earlier this year, the Arizona Supreme Court heard arguments in Brush & Nib Studio v. City of Phoenix. Despite a Phoenix city ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of gender identiy and sexual ortentation,  the Brush & Nib Studio is proactively seeking the authority to turn away LGBTQ people in violation of this established law. The Supreme Court received this case after the Arizona Court of Appeals issued a ruling denying the business owners the ability to discriminate against same-sex couples. HRC joined the ACLU in an amicus brief supporting LGBTQ rights and the City of Phoenix.