Here's how the Legislature is holding itself accountable for its cartel smear

It’s now been 11 days since the Arizona Legislature allowed a who’s who of public officials, judges and private citizens to be smeared as criminals in cahoots with the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Let’s review how our leaders have held themselves accountable for their role in defaming Gov. Katie Hobbs, three Maricopa County supervisors, various other elected officials and judges and even one of their own, House Speaker Ben Toma.

The fault, of course, lies with Rep. Liz Harris, R-Chandler. She arranged the presentation wherein Scottsdale insurance agent Jacqueline Breger lobbed evidence-free accusations that were livestreamed to the nation.

And with Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, who never once intervened to stop what amounted to a 45-minute slander fest.

And with Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert. He appointed one of the state’s loudest conspiracy kooks to chair his Elections Committee?

And with Toma, who packed the House Municipal Oversight & Elections Committee with the sort of far-right Republicans who eat this stuff up.

It didn't take long for reporters and even some high-profile conspiracy celebs to examine the documentation supplied by Breger and her boyfriend John Thaler and pronounce themselves skeptical or even outright astonished that the Senate would give oxygen to such outrageous claims.

None of which matters a whit to the surprisingly large number of Americans who will believe whatever crackpot theory fits their view of the world.

And so we come to the list of demands sent on Thursday to legislators, promising dire consequences should Harris face consequences for her smear job. The group calls itself We the People.

“We the People will no longer tolerate having the truth hidden,” WtP proclaim, in an email that bombarded lawmakers' inboxes.

Ever notice how when a group proclaims itself We the People it’s often a group that we, the rest of the people would cross the road to avoid? But I digress.

Here’s a bit of what We the People had to say to the Legislature.

“We have had enough of the corruption in this State and will pursue whatever means is necessary to remove it from our government,” WtP wrote. “Mr. Ben Toma, himself a compromised individual, has stated that he will issue a requirement for Liz Harris to apologize for arranging the Thaler testimony.

“If Liz Harris is removed form (sic) any committee or any attempt is made to remove her from Office, We the People will move to remove all of the rest of the Legislature for failure to do the job they have been elected to do by the People of Arizona …

“We the People will hold the Arizona State Legislature accountable for their actions if anything adverse action (sic) is taken against Liz Harris.”

For their part in this debacle, both Harris and Rogers have backpedaled, saying last week’s televised hearing was not the proper place to air Breger’s accusations.

"What was presented at Thursday's hearing was not sufficient to substantiate these extraordinary claims,” Harris said, in statement Tuesday. “Our committee's job is to listen to a number of experts and members of the public and the mere fact that we listen to a presentation does not mean that we endorse or agree with it."

The problem, of course, is that once you crack open the sewer it’s impossible to get rid of the stench.

If you don't believe me, do a cursory search of “Hobbs” and “cartel” on social media. It won't take long to find a helpful spreadsheet of the defamed. Check out some of the far-right conspiracy “media.”

At least 40 politicians, judges and private citizens were slimed from coast to coast, courtesy of the Arizona Legislature.

Eleven day later, here’s the exhaustive list of all those who have been held accountable:

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Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Will any Arizona legislators be held accountable for the bribery smear?