David Stringer
David Stringer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 1st district | |
| In office January 9, 2017 – March 27, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Karen Fann |
| Succeeded by | Steve Pierce |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1947 or 1948 (age 76–77)[1] Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.[2] |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Prescott, Arizona |
David Stringer is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who was elected in 2016 to represent District 1 in the Arizona House of Representatives. He was re-elected in 2018. In March of 2019, he resigned after refusing to cooperate with an ethics investigation into charges dating from 1983 alleging involvement with underage prostitutes. Stringer is a former co-chair of Yavapai County's GOP Finance Committee Republican Party. He remains an elected precinct committeeman and state committeeman for Yavapai County.[3]
Education
Stringer is a graduate of George Washington University and the University of Baltimore School of Law. He earned an M.A. in Education from Arizona State University (2018}.[3]
Elections
In 2016, Stringer and incumbent Noel W. Campbell defeated Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis in the Republican primary. They went on to defeat Democrat Peter Pierson and Green Haryaksha Gregor Knauer in the general election.[4]
Controversies
In June 2018, during a livestreamed speech at the Yavapai County Republican Men's Forum, Stringer commented that "there aren't enough white kids to go around", in reference to public school integration.[5][6] He went on to say that immigration is "politically destabilizing" and is "an existential threat to the United States." Stringer's comments were derided as racist by the Anti-Defamation League and ProgressNow Arizona, while the Arizona Republican Party denounced his comments. Stringer subsequently defended his opinion as a "value judgement" that "wasn't denigrating anybody", while apologizing to anyone he offended.
In November 2018, Stringer was pressured to resign from leadership positions in House committees due to remarks made to Arizona State University students following a presentation at a political history and leadership club. Stringer stated that when European immigrants come to the United States that "After the second or third generation, everybody looks the same, everybody talks the same. But that's not the case with African-Americans and other racial groups, because they don't melt in, they don't blend in."[7][8] Stringer subsequently resigned from his position as committee chair for the House Sentencing and Recidivism Reform Committee.[9] On December 4, the Prescott City Council, by a vote of 6-1, passed a resolution, "that demands Stringer step down immediately so that a replacement can be named before the legislative session begins in 2019."[10]
On January 25, 2019, the Phoenix New Times reported that Stringer had been charged in 1983 with five sex offenses, including two child pornography charges, while he was living in Baltimore. He had accepted a plea bargain on charges of paying two boys for sex, one of whom was developmentally disabled, and was sentenced to five years probation.[11][12] In 1990, he had the charges expunged from his record. In response to calls for his resignation, Stringer confirmed that he had been arrested and charged with the offenses but stated that he would not be resigning from the Arizona house.[13] On March 27, 2019, facing a deadline to hand over documents regarding his 2018 comments and the 1983 sex offenses, he abruptly resigned from the Arizona House.[14]
In early 2018, Stringer had been recorded as saying that sex trafficking was not a concern and that, "I don't think we should demonize it."[15]
References
- ^ On Air 4:20AM. "David Stringer dodges apology for racially insensitive comments". 12news.com. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "About David | David Stringer: Arizona Statehouse LD1". Votestringer.com. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
- ^ a b "Stringer joins race for state House | The Daily Courier | Prescott, AZ". Dcourier.com. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
- ^ "State of Arizona Official Canvass 2016 General Election November 8, 2016" (PDF). Phoenix, Arizona: Secretary of State of Arizona. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-20. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ "GOP lawmaker David Stringer criticized for saying "there aren't enough white kids to go around"".
- ^ "Arizona lawmaker: Immigrants represent 'threat' to U.S. due to lack of 'white kids'".
- ^ "Rep. David Stringer facing new calls to step down after saying African-Americans, others 'don't blend in'".
- ^ "Representative Bolding's Response to Representative Stringer's Insensitive Comments".
- ^ "State Rep. Stringer Gives Up Committee Chairmanship Following Racist Comments".
- ^ Wise, Justin (December 4, 2018). "Arizona city council calls on legislator who said African-Americans 'don't blend in' to resign". The Hill. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ Lanahan, Steven Hsieh, Lawrence (2019-03-29). "Police Report: David Stringer Molested Children, Including Disabled Teen". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Kalmbacher, Colin (March 30, 2019). "Arizona Republican Allegedly Paid Two Boys $10 for Sex on Numerous Occasions". Law and Crime.
- ^ Hsieh, Steve. "Updated: State Rep. David Stringer Charged With Child Porn in 1983, Court Records Show". phoenixnewtimes.com. Phoenix New Times. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "Rep. David Stringer's dirty little secret is a stunner". azcentral. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
- ^ "Report: David Stringer on child sex trafficking, 'I don't like to demonize it'". azcentral. Retrieved 2019-04-04.