Arizona state senator accused of speeding loses endorsement of key police group

A major police organization withdrew its endorsement of Sen. Justine Wadsack Tuesday after she called a traffic ticket for excessive speeding "political persecution."

Wadsack, R-Marana, was recorded on police radar driving 71 mph in a 35 mph zone on March 15. Because legislative immunity protected her from an immediate ticket, Tucson police waited until after the legislative session ended in June to take up the case.

But when a police lieutenant called her to set up a time to sign the speeding citation, Wadsack refused and called the department's actions "political persecution," according to a report in the Tucson Sentinel.

That was enough for the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Its endorsement committee voted unanimously to retract its backing just a week before the July 30 GOP primary election. Wadsack is facing a challenge from former Sen. Vince Leach, whom she defeated two years ago.

“While Sen. Wadsack has been a consistent supporter of public safety in her official capacity, this incident and her decision to publicly impugning the motives of police personnel is conduct unbecoming an elected representative,” Paul Sheldon, president of the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, said in a statement. The organization represents 9,400 members statewide.

Wadsack did not return a call and text message seeking comment.

Sheldon noted in a news release that Wadsack faces a criminal speeding charge, as well as a civil traffic violation for driving without proof of car insurance.

Criminal speeding is punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a maximum $500 fine and up to a year probation.

"Like everyone else accused of a traffic violation, Sen. Wadsack is innocent until proven guilty," Sheldon said. "But attacking police personnel for doing their jobs is simply unacceptable.”

In March, Wadsack told the officer who stopped her that she was "racing home" because there were only four miles left on the charge for her electric vehicle, a Tesla, according to police body camera footage posted on YouTube. She disputed his statement that he clocked her driving 71 mph.

But the police report, which The Republic obtained by using the state's public records law, states that Officer Ryder Schrage first noticed the Tesla traveling eastbound at 58 mph along Speedway Boulevard before it stopped for a red light.

"As the light turned green I observed the vehicle accelerate at a high rate of speed," Shcrage wrote. "My vehicle mounted radar then read the vehicle to be traveling 71 MPH in a clearly posted 35 MPH zone."

In a post on her Facebook page over the weekend, Wadsack insisted she never received a ticket but also said she refused to "come sign for a ticket" based on police body cam footage from four months earlier. That date matches her March 15 traffic stop on Speedway.

She also said she was investigating the police on behalf of a constituent who claimed police harassment, and had asked for a meeting with Police Chief Chad Kasmar.

Despite her differences with Tucson police over the speeding incident, Wadsack posted she remains a law enforcement supporter.

"To be clear, I still back the blue," she wrote, bracketing her comment with U.S. flags.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.

Reporter Sarah Lapidus contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Justine Wadsack loses police endorsement after critical comments