The Arizona House Ethics Committee determined Tuesday that two Democrats violated the chamber’s rules on disorderly behavior when they protested a vote on the House floor.
On April 10, Republicans blocked Democrats’ initial effort to repeal the state’s near-total abortion ban. In response, Democrats chanted; “shame on you” and “blood on your hands” at Republicans.
Reps. Analise Ortiz (D-Phoenix) and Oscar De Los Santos (D-Laveen) then shouted at one Republican holding a press conference on the House floor, calling him a “liar.”
Two weeks later, three Republicans filed an ethics complaint against Ortiz and De Los Santos for their behavior.
Ethics chair Rep. Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale) said at the hearing that that sort of lack of decorum can lead to violence.
“What we’re trying to avoid is an altercation on the House floor that gets dangerous,” Chaplik said. “Depending on the 60 members that we have every two years, you can cross oil and vinegar there, and it can get out of hand, and we don't want that in this state.”
Rep. Barbara Parker (R-Mesa) testified that the Democrats frightened her — and said she thought things could turn violent.
Ortiz and De Los Santos didn’t attend their own hearing but were represented by attorney Jim Barton.
Chaplik was displeased by Ortiz and De Los Santos’ decision not to show up to their own ethics hearing. He changed the committee’s rules to require members to show up in the future.
The Ethics Committee determined that the Democrats violated multiple House rules, but the House hasn’t taken any disciplinary action yet.
The committee’s final reports state that the lawmakers damaged the “institutional integrity of the House.”
The initial complaint accuses the lawmakers of engaging in “insurrectionist behavior” and “inciting a near riot,” but that language isn’t used in the committee’s report.
“The committee does not lightly issue this report, but the findings herein are necessary to protect the integrity of the House, the House Rules and the legislative process,” the report states.
“We want to reiterate that we were speaking on behalf of our constituents when we said 'shame' as Republicans tried to uphold the horrific and deadly 1864 abortion ban,” Ortiz and De Los Santos said in a joint statement. “This entire process is nothing more than another Republican attempt to suppress speech they disagree with.”
The committee’s decision was unanimous. The two Democrats on the committee, Rep. Patty Contreras (R-Phoenix) and Rep. Christopher Mathis (D-Tucson), signed off on it.
House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) said in a text, “I’m sure there will be some [disciplinary] action. … But I haven’t decided what it will be and won’t until I get a chance to speak with my caucus.”
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