The House Ethics Committee will not investigate an ethics complaint by Democratic leaders against Kingman Republican John Gillette, after he called Muslims “f------ savages” and posted a series of Islamophobic comments on social media calling members of the faith “terrorists” from “s--- hole countries” intent on destroying America.

House Ethics Committee Chairman Lupe Diaz, R-Benson, said he would not be taking the matter further and claimed that Democratic leaders were “weaponizing” the House Ethics complaint process. Diaz has not responded to multiple requests for comment about Gillette’s comments or the ethics complaint from the Arizona Mirror.

Since the beginning of September, Gillette has made a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, aimed at the Muslim faith. Many have been laced with profanity, and the Kingman Republican has insisted that Muslim immigrants are “savages” because they are pushing “Sharia law” onto Americans.

In a subsequent interview with the Arizona Mirror, he defended his comments and said that Muslim immigrants were “f***ing savages.” Since the initial story about Gillette’s comments was published, the lawmaker has doubled down on his comments in multiple postson X.

In a subsequent post Friday referenced by Diaz in his letter to Democratic leaders, Gillette claims that immigrants and members of the Muslim faith are engaging in “subversion” by claiming that they “demand that Americans change our culture, our speech, or our religion so as to not ‘offend’ those who chose to come here.”

“That is not assimilation – that is subversion,” Gillette wrote. In a previous conversation with the Mirror, Gillette claimed that Muslims don’t properly “assimilate” into American culture.

In his post, which he titled “Defending America Against Radical Ideologies and Political Hypocrisy,” Gillette claims that the terrorist groups responsible for deadly attacks are using “cultural sensitivity” and “community advisory boards” to attack the Constitution. Gillette provides no proof and claims the Democratic Party “fully supported this effort.”

Gillette went on to list a number of terrorist attacks tied to fundamentalist Islamic extremist groups.

“Incredible. Lacking any courage, House Ethics Committee Chair sidesteps complaint against Rep. John Gillette for his vile and dehumanizing comments about Muslim Americans,” House Democrats posted on X. “Arizona is no stranger to violence incited by Islamophobia. Elected officials should conduct themselves with more honor and class.”

Diaz said in his response to the that Gillette has a First Amendment right to make those statements and they are not subject to an ethics inquiry.

“Moreover, in light of recent events, it is imperative that government institutions protect freedom of speech, rather than silence, punish, or censor speech simply because someone might find it offensive or disagreeable,” Diaz said, clearly referencing the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The administration of President Donald Trump has vowed to take action against any foreigner who makes light of Kirk’s death and Arizona Representative Rachel Keshel has sought the firing of a Tucson City Councilmember and staffer for comments they’ve made in the aftermath as well.