Republican lawmakers run from a motion to censure Rep. Liz Harris for drug cartel smear
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Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this column said Rep. Liz Harris is a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus. According to the group’s chairman, Sen. Jake Hoffman, she is not.
Finally, there’s a move on to hold Rep. Liz Harris accountable for allowing a who’s who of public officials, judges and private citizens to be smeared coast-to-coast during a livestreamed legislative hearing on Arizona’s elections.
Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, D-Tucson, on Monday made a motion to formally censure Harris for inviting Scottsdale insurance agent Jacqueline Breger to lob evidence-free accusations that Gov. Katie Hobbs, three Maricopa County supervisors, more than a dozen judges and even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepted bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel.
“These lies were picked up by partisan right-wing publications and social media influencers and quickly spread around the world before the truth could put on its pants,” Stahl Hamilton said, on making her motion on the House floor. “The damage can’t be undone, but there should be some accountability while it’s still spreading and compounding.”
The response from House Republicans was about what you’d expect.
They recessed the floor session and fled. Every Republican voted to beat feet.
Harris is a deciding vote. Don't want to lose that
Just one week ago, at least some Republicans pronounced themselves appalled that the House and Senate elections committees provided a platform for sliming so many public and private citizens.
“What should have been a joint hearing to examine common sense, election reforms evolved into disgraceful fringe theater,” House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria and one of those slimed, said on Feb. 27, four days after the smear job.
“I’m not alone in believing that it was irresponsible and bad judgment, for Ms. Harris to invite a person to present unsubstantiated and defamatory allegations in a legislative forum.”
After the backlash: Arizona GOP is blaming Rep. Harris
Irresponsible and bad judgment, yet curiously 11 days later, neither Toma nor any other Republican has made a move to hold the Chandler Republican accountable for the Feb. 23 debacle.
Apparently, if you’re that crucial 31st and deciding Republican vote, you can get away with anything.
Even accusing your own leader of being in the pocket of a ruthless drug cartel.
Court is unlikely to act. That leaves lawmakers
Sadly, it’s not likely that the courts could do anything, given the legislative immunity that insulates our leaders from being accountable for their actions.
It is up to the House to uphold its own ethical standards. Or, apparently, a lack thereof, given that it’s now been 11 days since that explosive, evidence-free hearing.
Last week, a group calling itself “We the People” bombarded legislators’ inboxes, warning legislators not to punish Harris, one of the Legislature’s most passionate election deniers.
“We the People will hold the Arizona State Legislature accountable for their actions if anything adverse action (sic) is taken against Liz Harris,” they wrote in their form letter warning.
Chaplik will decide, so don't hold your breath
After Republicans bolted on Monday, Stahl Hamilton filed an ethics complaint, calling Harris’ actions “textbook examples of unethical conduct.”
“By inviting Ms. Breger to present her false statements to the committee, Representative Harris not only allowed the impugning of other members, but she also made the Arizona Legislature a national joke … ,” Stahl Hamilton wrote.
In other words, business as usual.
It’ll be up to House Ethics Committee Chairman Joseph Chaplik of Scottsdale, a member of the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus, to decide whether to pursue any action against Harris.
Yeah, I wouldn’t hold my breath either.
Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Republicans run from a motion to censure Rep. Liz Harris
