Arizona state senator resigns following arrest on child sex abuse charges
Arizona State Senator Tony Navarrete has stepped down in the wake of his arrest over allegations of child sexual abuse.
Navarrete resigned his state Senate seat Tuesday afternoon but issued a separate statement vowing to fight and prove his innocence.
"Effective immediately, I am officially resigning my post as Arizona State Senator for District 30," wrote Navarrete in a brief statement emailed to Senate President Karen Fann.
Fann and Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Rios also issued a joint statement, saying, “This was the right thing to do considering the serious allegations. We know that the Arizona Judicial Branch will deliver justice and pray for healing and support for all victims.”
Navarrete was arrested Thursday on seven felony charges, including five related to sexual conduct with a minor, one for attempted sexual conduct with a minor and a seventh charge of child molestation.
The arrest came after a boy, 16, went to Phoenix police with accusations of abuse dating from 2019.
Over the past few days, he had faced a mountain of calls to step down, even from some of the state’s top Democrats.
The Arizona Democratic Party, all of Navarrete's Democratic colleagues in the Legislature as well as Republican Gov. Doug Ducey have all called for him to resign.
“The charges against Senator Navarrete are serious and disturbing. The justice system must uncover all of the facts and enforce the law,” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) tweeted Monday.
“It has been days now since these charges came to light and Senator Navarrete should resign immediately,” Kelly said.
In his statement, Navarrete said, “I adamantly deny all allegations that have been made and will pursue all avenues in an effort to prove my innocence.”
His resignation came on the same day Andrew Cuomo, the three-term Democratic governor of New York who was accused of sexually harassing about a dozen women, resigned from office.
Cuomo announced his resignation after a report released by state Attorney General Letitia James (D) found he sexually harassed 11 women, including some who worked in his office.
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