Ethics Committee to hold hearing on Rep. Leezah Sun threats, harassment complaint
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State Rep. Leezah Sun. Photo: Courtesy of the Arizona House
The Arizona House Ethics Committee will hold an evidentiary hearing over a complaint filed against state Rep. Leezah Sun, which could pave the way for her censure or expulsion.
Catch up quick: Sun, a first-term Phoenix Democrat, is accused of harassing and threatening three Tolleson city officials, interfering with the court-ordered removal of a child in a custody dispute, and other intimidating behavior.
- The courts issued a restraining order in October barring Sun from contacting the three employees or going to the Tolleson Civic Center where they work.
- House Democratic leaders filed the ethics complaint against their fellow Democrat in response to the allegations.
- The complaint also publicly aired for the first time an accusation that she interfered in a child custody matter and falsely insinuated that Attorney General Kris Mayes instructed her to intervene.
Driving the news: House Ethics Committee chair Joseph Chaplik informed committee members on Tuesday they'll hear the complaint Dec. 19.
The other side: In a rebuttal to the ethics complaint, attorney Garrick McFadden, who represents Sun, denied she said she'd kill Tolleson government affairs officer Pilar Sinawi by throwing her off a balcony at a conference in Tucson, as one witness reported. He also claimed she only said she'd "b---h slap" Sinawi if she were there, noting Sinawi wasn't in Tucson at the time.
- McFadden said the Tolleson officials had no grounds to feel intimidated in the meeting at the civic center because Sun is 5-foot-4 and was unarmed and outnumbered.
- McFadden said Sun never invoked Mayes' name while interceding on behalf of a friend in a child custody dispute, and McFadden noted she never did so in a recording of the incident. A transcript of the encounter ends before the portion of the conversation in which Sun allegedly mentioned Mayes.
- McFadden also said Sun's request to follow Sinawi's spouse and Tolleson city manager Reyes Medrano's adult daughter on Instagram after the civic center argument didn't constitute harassment.
What they're saying: "We're excited to defend and prove our case before the ethics committee," McFadden said.
The latest: In a letter to Chaplik in November, Littleton Elementary School District superintendent Roger Freeman alleged Sun threatened his job last year and threatened to file a complaint with the AG's office in response to the school board president criticizing an ally of hers.
- He said Sun threatened to file a complaint under SB1487, which allows any legislator to ask the AG to investigate cities or towns for violations of state law. It doesn't apply to school districts.
- McFadden described the interaction between Freeman and Sun as a heated conversation but told Axios that Sun didn't threaten Freeman's job or say she'd file a complaint.
Why it matters: If the committee finds Sun violated House rules, it could lead the full House to censure or even expel her.
- Censures require only a simple majority, while expulsions require a two-thirds supermajority.
- Republicans hold a 31-29 House majority, and the temporary loss of one member from the majority is unlikely to affect legislative business in the upcoming session.
Of note: Only five people have ever been expelled from the Arizona Legislature.
- Last session, the House expelled Republican Liz Harris and censured Democrat Stephanie Stahl Hamilton.