Former Arizona representative David Burnell Smith has died. He was the first state lawmaker ordered out of office by the Citizens Clean Elections commission.
A Republican, Smith served as a member of the state House representing part of Scottsdale. He was first elected in 2004, but stepped down in 2006 after the Clean Elections commission found he violated campaign finance law and courts backed up the ruling.
He was again elected to the House in 2010, but lost a re-election bid in 2012. This year, he lost a three-way Republican primary to represent Legislative District 15.
According to a campaign biography, Smith was born in West Virginia and moved to Arizona with wife Rita more than 30 years ago. House Speaker Andy Tobin praised Smith’s commitment to the Legislature Monday. According to Tobin, Smith died at home of natural causes on Friday.
David Burnell Smith was 73.