Rep. Leezah Sun in April 2023. Photo by Gage Skidmore (modified) | Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
A Democratic lawmaker accused of threatening to throw a lobbyist over a balcony is facing possible expulsion, after an ethics panel ruled that her behavior meets the legislature’s definition for disorderly conduct.
Rep. Leezah Sun, D-Phoenix, was the subject of a monthslong investigation by the House Ethics Committee, after Democratic leadership filed a complaint against her alleging a concerning “pattern of behavior” that reflected poorly on the legislature.
The freshman lawmaker was accused of using her position to influence the outcome of a child custody arrangement, intimidating a school superintendent with an unwarranted investigation and threatening to kill a Tolleson city lobbyist by throwing her off of a balcony. Despite Sun repeatedly reiterating her innocence throughout both hearings, the ethics committee was unconvinced, issuing a final report on Tuesday that affirmed her behavior violated the legislature’s rules.