Arizona State Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D-Tucson) was caught on camera hiding Bibles from her colleagues in the House members-only lounge at the Arizona State Capitol.
When Bibles started disappearing from the lounge, security officers set up a hidden camera to see who was behind the theft. Not too long after that, they discovered Stahl Hamilton was the culprit, according to a report by AZFamily.
AZFamily journalist David Caltabiano posted video footage of the state representative taking a Bible from a console table in the lounge and appearing to hide it.
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Some of the missing Bibles were reportedly found under seat cushions in the lounge, and one was found in the refrigerator.
Stahl Hamilton, who is also an ordained minister, was later confronted in the Capitol building by Caltabiano, who asked her why she was hiding Bibles.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said to the journalist, who then said, “It’s just a simple question. Why would you hide the Bibles?”
“Who says anything about hiding Bibles?” the state representative asked, to which Caltabiano said, “You’re caught on video,” before repeating his question while Stahl Hamilton walked off.
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The Arizona state representative later texted Caltabiano to admit to the theft, but claimed her behavior was “just a little playful commentary on the separation of church and state.”
“I am a Presbyterian minister so I obviously don’t have a problem with the Bible,” she added.
Stahl Hamilton eventually apologized to her peers for her actions, according to a report by AZ Central.
“I hold Scripture very dear to my heart. It is what guides me. It is what shapes and informs the decisions I make,” she said. “I have the utmost respect for people of all faiths, and for people for who choose not to have a faith. And because of that respect, I recognize my actions could have been seen something as less than playful — and offensive.”
It remains unclear if Stahl Hamilton will face any disciplinary action.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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