Rep. Leezah Sun was a train wreck. Thank goodness she resigned

The House Ethics Committee has decreed that Rep. Leezah Sun “engaged in a pattern of inappropriate behavior in her official capacity and under the color of her office as a state representative.”

Actually, the panel got it wrong. Rep. Sun wasn’t “inappropriate.” Such a decorous word just doesn’t seem to fit this train wreck of a state legislator.

One who seems to spend a fair amount of time throwing her non-existent weight around in disturbing ways.

One who isn’t shy about seeking retribution on those who offend her — up to and including a threat to give you a ride off the balcony. The hard way.

Sun sees no problem with her threats

In just one year in office, Sun has managed to offend, annoy and just plain scare an impressive array of people.

Not surprisingly, she doesn’t seem to see a problem, having rationalized the complaints against her as a smear job due to her progressive politics or, perhaps, the color of her skin.

“Is it because I’m the only Asian person in this community?” she asked an Arizona Republic reporter in November, shortly after her own Democratic colleagues filed an ethics complaint against her.

It should go without saying that Rep. Leezah Sun needed to get the old heave-ho. Instead, she resigned — just before lawmakers were scheduled to vote on her expulsion.

Sun, D-Phoenix, is a first-year lawmaker who bestowed upon herself great powers beyond those of mere citizen legislator.

She said she'd 'kill' Tolleson's lobbyist

Like the power to harass Tolleson’s city manager and two other city officials until finally they went running to court to take out a restraining order against her.

Sun said she couldn’t have intimidated the city manager because he’s bigger than she is.

Like the power to threaten — in front of witnesses, no less — to throw one of the three, Tolleson’s lobbyist, off a balcony “to kill her.”

From November: Sun should resign over allegations

Sun counters that she only threatened to “b----slap” the woman.

Like the power to threaten the Littleton Elementary School District superintendent with a state investigation because he had displeased her, then later showing up a school board meeting to call for his firing because he dared to testify against her before the House Ethics Committee.

Sun interfered in a custody transfer

Or the power to interfere in in a court-ordered child custody transfer.

It seems Sun just happened to be at an Avondale Dairy Queen and just happened to be wearing her “Rep. Leezah Sun” name badge on June 16 when four children of a friend of hers were being handed over to their father.

The custody supervisor would later write that Sun approached “in a loud and confrontational manner,” saying she was there in an official capacity, “as directed by Attorney General Kris Mayes” to prevent the transfer of the children of Sun’s “friend and constituent.”

Naturally, she insisted on being called "Rep. Leezah Sun" as she informed the custody supervisor that she was being “investigated” and that Sun “knew all about her track record.”

Expel her from the Legislature now

“Representative Sun even seemingly suggested during her committee testimony that she had actually elected to intervene in the transfer and prevent the fulfillment of the court order because she was a state representative and did not know that she was ‘not allowed’ to supplant a court order,” according to the 12-page ethics report released on Tuesday.

“This reasoning illustrates an abuse of the bounds of power entrusted to a member of the legislative branch.”

The reasoning illustrates a total nutball who shouldn’t be anywhere near, much less in, the Legislature.

At least, now she won’t be.

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

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Leezah Sun resigned from the Arizona Legislature. Good riddance