Arizona House of Representatives Expels Republican Lawmaker Kelly Townsend for Violating Chamber Rules

The Arizona House of Representatives has expelled Republican lawmaker Kelly Townsend after an ethics committee investigation found she had committed “disorderly behavior” in violation of the chamber’s rules.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint from a Democratic legislator after Townsend invited insurance agent Jacqueline Breger to a televised legislative hearing in February. Breger made unsubstantiated allegations that a wide range of politicians, judges and public officials of both parties had taken bribes from a Mexican drug cartel.

The committee’s report said Townsend knew the person she invited to the hearing would accuse her colleagues of criminal activity, and that she took steps to hide it from other legislators. The report also said Townsend’s actions had damaged the “institutional integrity of the House.”

In response to the report, the House voted to expel Townsend on Wednesday. Townsend has since released a statement apologizing for her actions and saying that she had not intended to cause any harm.

The expulsion of Townsend is the first time in Arizona’s history that a legislator has been removed from office by their peers. It is a reminder of the importance of upholding the integrity of the legislative process, and of the consequences of disregarding it.