Former AZ state senator claims Tucson violated her civil rights when she was cited for speeding

Former state Sen. Justine Wadsack is claiming her civil rights were violated when she was cited for criminal speeding last year.

She is suing Tucson in federal court.

In her filing, Wadsack said the citation was part of a conspiracy to silence her politically for being an “outspoken critic” of the city. Wadsack claims she is able to show more than $8 million in damages caused by the city and its officers.

The Tucson police officer who stopped Wadsack during the legislative session said she was going more than 70 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone.

She was cited for criminal speed and not showing proof of insurance once the session ended.

In the lawsuit, Wadsack alleges the negative publicity resulted in $9 million in free media for state Sen. Vince Leach, who then beat her in the Republican primary and went on to win the general election.

A police spokesman said Sunday the agency could not comment on litigation. There was no immediate response from the city attorney's office.

Wadsack said she was "racing to get home'' because the battery in her all-electric Tesla was about to run out of a charge.

"I was not doing 70,'' she is heard telling the officer who recorded the interaction on his body cameras.

"Yes you were,'' he responded. "I was behind you. I had my radar on.''

Wadsack also identified herself as a state lawmaker.

A few minutes later, the audio on the officer's body camera goes mute, presumably when he was checking with superiors.

She was not ticketed immediately based on a provision in the Arizona Constitution saying that legislators "shall be privileged from arrests in all cases except treason, felony and breach of the peace'' starting from 15 days ahead of the legislative session and running until lawmakers adjourn for the year.