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Arizona governor's press secretary resigns after 'transphobes' tweet

Arizona governor's press secretary resigns after 'transphobes' tweet
Posted at 3:07 PM, Mar 30, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-30 17:07:39-04

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs accepted her press secretary's resignation following a tweet that appeared to condone violence. 

Josselyn Berry tweeted a meme that showed a woman holding two guns. It was captioned, "Us when we see transphobes."

The tweet was published on the same day police said Audrey Hale, who police said was trans, shot and killed six people, including three children, at a school in Nashville, Tennessee. 

A statement from the governor's office said Hobbs does not condone violence in any form.

"This administration holds mutual respect at the forefront of how we engage with one another. The post by the Press Secretary is not reflective of the values of the administration. The Governor has received and accepted the resignation of the Press Secretary," the statement says. 

SEE MORE: Nashville school shooting victims are remembered at a solemn vigil

It's unclear whether Berry has deleted the tweet. Her Twitter account is now private. 

Some Republican lawmakers have tried to link Hale's gender identity to the Nashville shooting. 

"How much hormones like testosterone and medications for mental illness was the transgender Nashville school shooter taking? Everyone can stop blaming guns now," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted. 

Democrats have not focused on the shooter's gender identity, but they have called for an "assault weapons" ban in an effort to prevent future mass shootings.

SEE MORE: Parents, students demand stronger gun laws after school shooting