A judge had dismissed a lawsuit against a newly elected Arizona democrat who was accused of not being a United States citizen.
On Wednesday, state Rep. Raquel Teran brought her birth certificate to court to prove her citizenship, affirming that there was no evidence to support the allegations against her.
Alice Novoa-Benson, who filed the complaint against Teran, did the same thing in 2012 when Teran ran for the Arizona Senate.
After the hearing, Teran said it was important to take a public stand, even though the lawsuit had no merit.
“We need to have the courage to say we are not going to take this kind of intimidation or harassment,” Teran said.
The judge not only tossed out the lawsuit, but also granted Teran permission to seek legal fees from Novoa-Benson.
Teran represents Legislative District 30 in the Valley and grew up in the border community of Douglas.
