The Arizona state legislature cast a bipartisan vote Wednesday to expel Republican state Rep. Liz Harris for allegedly violating ethics rules.
The state House released a report Wednesday claiming Harris broke the ethics rules by inviting conspiracy theorist Jacqueline Breger to make baseless claims on the chamber floor during a February joint committee hearing, AZ Family reported. Breger alleged that prominent politicians, including Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and state House Speaker Ben Toma, had been bribed by Mexican drug cartels.
The House Ethics Committee said Harris further lied that she was unaware Breger would make the claims she made, the outlet reported.
Harris can be seen leaving the chamber after the expulsion vote in a video clip shared to Twitter. A voice can be heard yelling, “Shame on you! Shame, shame, shame.”
Rep. Liz Harris leaves the chamber pic.twitter.com/PrVb7DmA7G
— YvonneWingettSanchez 🏜 (@yvonnewingett) April 12, 2023
Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton said she filed the complaint against Harris on March 6 because she believed Harris’ alleged actions threatened democracy in Arizona, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Tennessee House Votes To Boot Two Dem Members Who Joined With Mob In Capitol Protest)
“I could have guessed it would go this way,” Stahl Hamilton said. “But you just never know.”
“Guests who came in and immediately impugned leadership,” she continued, according to the outlet. “Sitting judges, our governor, our secretary of state, the speaker of the House, and the entire Church of the Latter Day Saints. Those are not allegations you take lightly.”
Harris denied the allegations in the report and declared “God knows the truth” as she left the state house.
“I stand on honesty and integrity. The report is a lie,” she told reporters outside the building, video shows. “God knows the truth. This was an example of how you need to toe the line. If you don’t toe the line, this is what happens.”
We just caught Liz Harris as she left the House of Representatives after the body voted to expel her. This is part of the video. pic.twitter.com/iKAJMKD7m8
— Michael Doudna (@MichaelDoudna) April 12, 2023
The committee found Harris violated the first House rule, which prohibits disorderly conduct that harms the chamber’s institutional integrity, the outlet reported.
The 60 members of the House will choose whether Harris will face any punishment, the outlet reported. Stahl Hamilton suggested either removing her from the Election Committee or permanent expulsion.
The Arizona House Democrats called the expulsion “sad” but “necessary” in a statement following the expulsion.
“This is a sad day for our institution. But it is a necessary day. There has been real damage done to the lives and reputations of people who did not deserve it. Most importantly, the integrity of this House has been jeopardized,” the statement reads.
The Tennessee state House recently voted to expel two of three members who joined an angry mob of gun control protesters in the chamber following The Covenant School shooting in Nashville. The Nashville council has since voted to reinstate the members.