Lawmaker who allegedly threatened 'to kill' staffer faces deadline on ethics complaint

Arizona state Rep. Leezah Sun has about a week to respond to an ethics complaint that outlines allegations she used her authority to intervene in a friend's child custody dispute and made violent threats to Tolleson employees in recent months.

Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives submitted the complaint Nov. 2 and requested an investigation, citing what they called a "pattern" of concerning behavior from one of their own members. Sun, a Phoenix Democrat, was elected last year.

House Ethics Committee Chair Joseph Chaplik, R-Scottsdale, distributed the complaint to committee members on Tuesday and gave Sun a Nov. 15 deadline to respond in writing, according to a letter from a House rules lawyer to the committee. Chaplik has discretion as to what comes next, including launching an investigation or convening the committee.

Sun declined to comment on the matters Tuesday.

But she previously denied she misused her authority in the custody dispute, according to court records reviewed by The Arizona Republic.

There are two main allegations against Sun involving her behavior since she was elected.

In mid-October, three Tolleson employees sought and were granted a restraining order against the lawmaker. They cited aggressive behavior and threatening comments, including that Sun would throw the city's lobbyist off a balcony "to kill her." The dispute stemmed from lawmakers walking back a $25 million freeway offramp construction project. Sun acknowledged using violent language at times, but told The Republic she was not a violent person.

The Democrats' complaint and request for an investigation also sheds light on another incident, one they wrote could "perhaps" be considered a felony crime of custodial interference.

Catch up: Arizona Rep. Leezah Sun decries 'false statements' as court grants restraining order against her

According to a visitation supervisor's report to a judge, Sun intervened in the court-ordered custody transfer of four children on June 16 in Avondale. The supervisor's report is included with the complaint. Supervisor Kristyn Alcott said she took Sun's intervention and comments "to be hostile, threatening" and an attempt to intimidate her.

Sun told Alcott she was “there as directed by Attorney General Kris Mayes," according to Alcott’s report. Before Alcott left, Sun approached her and told her she could report to Mayes that "she did not see anything inappropriate occur."

Mayes' spokesperson, Richie Taylor, said "there isn't a shred of truth to the statements made by Rep. Sun about Attorney General Mayes." Taylor declined to comment on potential steps the office might take related to the allegations involving Sun.

Sun has disputed Alcott's account. According to an August court order in the child custody case: "Sun denied being there on behalf of the Attorney General and denied saying that she was there on official capacity; she said she was there as a friend of the family." Sun denied being threatening or intimidating, according to the court order.

But the order from Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Zabor "agrees with Ms. Alcott's assessment. This interaction was inappropriate, intimidating, and hostile. It was designed to interfere with the job that the Court ordered her to do, and it was successful in that interference."

Democratic leaders who filed the complaint had known about the custodial interference allegation for months. A spokesperson confirmed the issue was shared by Republican House Speaker Ben Toma’s office on June 20.

The issue came to light through a third party outside of the Legislature, and “was of deep concern and we have been weighing our options," House Minority Leader Lupe Contreras, D-Avondale, said in a statement. Sun wouldn’t speak to Democratic leadership about the issue, Contreras said.

He said in combination with the restraining order taken out by Tolleson staff, the "alleged custodial interference incident spoke to a pattern of behavior and so we opted to include it as part of this complaint.”

Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Capitol panel gives Leezah Sun deadline to respond to ethics probe