Brig. Gen. John Conley, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ pick to run the Arizona National Guard, sat through a bruising Director Nominations Committee hearing in Phoenix on Monday as senators grilled him on immigration enforcement, COVID-19 vaccines and even whether the United States is at war with Iran. Conley, a career judge advocate who is already serving as interim adjutant general and director of the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, defended his record and reminded lawmakers that he has “been doing this job for nearly 40 years.” Republican Sens. Wendy Rogers and Jake Hoffman opposed recommending his confirmation, while Sen. T.J. Shope broke ranks and joined Democrats to send the nomination to the full Senate.
GOP drills Conley on combat cred, ICE and the border
Republican senators repeatedly pressed Conley on his lack of front-line combat command and on whether he would back using Arizona Guard troops to bolster federal immigration enforcement. According to KJZZ, Hoffman accused Conley of giving “lawyerly” or “quibblistic” answers and pressed him on whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had ever asked for Guard assistance. Conley told the panel that ICE had not requested help from his department and said that if such a request came, any deployment decision would go to the governor.
Nominee leans on decades of legal and admin work
Conley responded by highlighting a long résumé as a military lawyer and administrator, including trial counsel postings in Korea and Germany, advising the Arizona Air National Guard and running administrative services at DEMA. He told senators that preparing troops, securing equipment and overseeing training are the core duties of an adjutant general, Tucson.com reports. Conley argued that not having served as an infantryman does not prevent someone from effectively commanding the Guard at the state level.
Vaccine fight and Iran questions put policy in the spotlight
Hoffman also zeroed in on the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and why Conley had not publicly opposed it while it was in place. The Department of Defense issued COVID-19 vaccine directives in 2021, and Secretary Lloyd Austin later rescinded the requirement in a memorandum dated January 10, 2023. As covered by KJZZ, Conley replied that he was not leading the agency while the order was in effect and described his role as apolitical, focused on carrying out lawful directives rather than weighing in on federal policy.
Ortiz ethics feud crashes the confirmation hearing
The hearing briefly veered into broader Capitol drama when Hoffman cited Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Sen. Analise Ortiz’s district, triggering a sharp back-and-forth between the two. Ortiz has shared warnings about ICE presence with her constituents and now faces an ethics complaint filed by Hoffman, according to ABC15. During the exchange, Ortiz pushed back and accused Hoffman of misrepresenting her actions as the argument escalated on the record.
What happens next
The committee ultimately voted to recommend Conley’s confirmation to the full, Republican-controlled Senate after Shope split with Hoffman and Rogers, so the nomination now heads to the floor for a final vote. The Director Nominations Committee has become the opening arena for what are often contentious reviews of Hobbs’ agency heads, a pattern detailed by the Arizona Capitol Times. Time is another factor in the political drama. Conley was appointed last June, and if a nominee is not confirmed within one year, a statutory limit can force a change in leadership, Tucson.com reports.
Why it matters
The clash over Conley’s nomination shows how national flashpoints such as immigration enforcement, pandemic-era Pentagon rules and the debate over U.S. actions in Iran are playing out inside state hearing rooms and shaping who gets to run key agencies. The Department of Emergency and Military Affairs oversees thousands of Guard members and responds to crises across Arizona, and lawmakers in both parties signaled that this confirmation fight is a test of how aggressively Hobbs’ picks will be scrutinized before the full Senate makes the final call.
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