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State pays $300K to Talonya Adams over discrimination lawsuit

Adams won a civil lawsuit last year against the Arizona Senate, after she was fired as a policy adviser on Katie Hobbs' staff in 2015.

PHOENIX — Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.

The State of Arizona has paid out $300,000 in damages to a woman who successfully sued the state Senate in a case that's fueled  political attacks on Democrat Katie Hobbs in this year's gubernatorial race. 

A jury decided nine months ago that Talonya Adams, who is African American, had been a victim of racial and sexual discrimination and retaliation when she was fired as a policy adviser on Hobbs' Senate staff back in 2015. 

Hobbs was Senate minority leader at the time.

The jury awarded Adams $2.75 million in damages -- an amount that was later capped at $300,000 due to federal law. 

A spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Administration told 12News Thursday that Adams was paid last week. 

Adams contended she was fired after arguing that she was unfairly being paid less than white, male colleagues.

Hobbs testified during the trial that she had "lost trust" in Adams over several issues and indicated her termination was a "group decision." Hobbs added that she wished she had been a "better ally" for Adams. 

The secretary of state later issued an apology to Adams.

Adams responded that the apology was "designed to get (Hobbs) over a political hurdle." 

Hobbs' political opponents in the 2022 gubernatorial race have repeatedly referenced the discrimination lawsuit in attacks against the Democratic candidate. 

RELATED: 3 things to know about racial discrimination case involving Katie Hobbs

RELATED: Talonya Adams calls for Katie Hobbs to resign from office, drop out of governor race

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