A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled on November 18 that Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, has legislative privilege and doesn’t have to answer questions about conversations he had with Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, while he was speaker of the House and the expulsion of then-Rep. Don Shooter was pending.
Read More »Court allows ex-lawmaker’s ouster to stand
A federal appeals court on July 22 tossed out the claims of former state Rep. Don Shooter that his rights were violated when he was expelled in 2018 from the House of Representatives.
Read More »Mesnard seeks immunity from Shooter lawsuit
The Arizona Supreme Court has agreed to decide the scope of immunity provided to state lawmakers.
Read More »Mesnard asks for immunity from ousted member’s lawsuit
A former House speaker wants the state's high court to rule that the concept of legislative immunity is so broad that he cannot be sued for defamation by ousted Rep. Don Shooter.
Read More »Ugenti-Rita jumps to commanding lead
Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita appears to have a weathered a sexual harassment scandal and holds an overwhelming lead over her GOP primary opponent, Scottsdale attorney Alex Kolodin, in Legislative District 23.
Read More »9th Circuit hears ousted lawmaker’s appeal
Attorneys for the state and a former House speaker told a federal court Tuesday that the legislature is free to remove members for any reason at all — including political affiliation and race — as long as they can muster ...
Read More »Senate Democrats call for investigation of Ugenti-Rita over sexual harassment allegations 
Senate Democrats today asked Senate President Karen Fann to investigate whether Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita violated the Senate’s sexual harassment policy.
Read More »Lobbyist: Ugenti-Rita sexually harassed her before Shooter expulsion
Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, the Scottsdale Republican who became the face of Arizona’s #MeToo movement when her claims led to a fellow lawmaker’s expulsion, sexually harassed a female lobbyist so severely it took a toll on the woman’s mental health and career, the lobbyist alleged in a sworn deposition.
Read More »Former Rep. Shooter files suit
Claiming his rights were violated, ousted state Rep. Don Shooter has filed suit demanding unspecified damages.
Read More »Judge rejects Don Shooter’s effort to get documents from sexual harassment investigation
Former state Rep. Don Shooter has no legal right to the notes and interviews of investigators whose report led his colleagues to eject him from the House of Representatives.
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