When Arizona State Rep. John Gillette responded to a colleague’s heartfelt call for unity after multiple political tragedies, he didn’t offer compassion or leadership. Instead, he sent a racially charged email filled with conspiracy theories, slurs, and inflammatory comparisons—likening Democratic lawmakers to the attackers behind Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

His words weren’t just offensive—they were reckless. And now, several of his colleagues say they no longer feel safe working alongside him.

Gillette has repeatedly used his position to spread hate and misinformation. Just days before this, he publicly referred to Muslims as “f***ing savages” and “terrorists.” Instead of being held accountable, he faced no investigation by the Arizona House Ethics Committee. Now, he’s escalating again—this time targeting fellow legislators, some of whom are women, people of color, and members of vulnerable communities.

When a lawmaker uses war metaphors and racial slurs in response to calls for peace, that’s not just a political disagreement. That’s incitement. When he falsely claims that school shootings are caused by transgender people and blames Democrats for “waking the sleeping giant,” he’s fueling a narrative of vengeance—and violence.

Gillette’s pattern of behavior is unfit for any public servant, let alone one entrusted with making laws that impact the safety and dignity of all Arizonans. It’s not enough to shake our heads in disgust. Words have consequences—and so should his.

We, the undersigned, call on Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, House Majority Leader Michael Carbone, and the full Arizona House of Representatives to immediately censure and remove Rep. John Gillette from office for his repeated use of hate speech, conspiracy-laden rhetoric, and threats that have endangered his colleagues.

If we allow this kind of behavior to go unchecked, we normalize extremism at the highest levels of our state government. We must draw the line here.

Sign the petition to protect Arizona’s democracy, restore integrity in public office, and keep our lawmakers safe.