Arizona House expels Republican election denier over baseless conspiracy theories

Now-former state Rep. Liz Harris (R) has been expelled from the Arizona House of Representatives after she presented a witness that accused fellow Republicans of baseless conspiracy theories.

The expulsion came on Wednesday after the House Ethics Committee found that the lawmaker damaged "the institutional integrity of the House" by inviting Jacqueline Breger to testify at an election integrity hearing. The ethics panel determined that Harris at least partially knew that Breger would offer conspiracy theories accusing lawmakers of "money laundering, drug trafficking, public corruption, bribery of public officials and election fraud," according to KJZZ.

"What should have been a joint hearing to examine commonsense election reforms devolved into disgraceful fringe theater," House Speaker Ben Toma said in a statement this week. "I'm not alone in believing that it was irresponsible and bad judgment for Ms. Harris to invite a person to present unsubstantiated and defamatory allegations in a legislative forum."

Harris was expelled by the Republican-controlled House by a vote of 49-13.

Read the resolution to expel Harris here.