The Arizona House of Representatives voted to expel Rep. Liz Harris, R-Chandler after an ethics probe that found Harris engaged in “disorderly behavior” for bringing a guest to a public hearing who falsely accused lawmakers of taking bribes from a drug cartel.
An expulsion, which is the most extreme punishment the Legislature can impose on one of its members, takes a two-thirds vote and last occurred in 2018. The bipartisan vote was 46-13 in favor, with one member not voting.
House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, introduced the resolution for Harris’ expulsion. He was one of the lawmakers accused of taking bribes from the Sinaloa cartel.
The resolution referred to the Ethics Committee report, released April 11, which found that Harris lied when she told the committee that she didn’t know what her guest, Jacqueline Breger, would say at a Feb. 23 presentation to a joint House and Senate Election Committee….
Harris, a first-time officeholder, campaigned heavily on election conspiracy theories. She vowed that she wouldn’t vote on any bill unless the 2022 election was redone. But she voted for a GOP budget — later vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs — after legislative leaders, including Toma, said she could hold an all-day election presentation.