There’s reason to be proud of the Legislature for ousting Shooter.
Members of the Arizona House showed an impressive respect for the institution they represent by voting to expel Don Shooter.
We can all be proud.
It is particularly impressive because a solidly Republican body took action to expel a Republican colleague. That’s not easy.
Lawmakers rose above politics. They came together to act on behalf of the honor of the House at time when partisanship often makes working together look impossible.
The vote to expel was overwhelming. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey released a statement saying: “I support the decision of the House of Representatives. They did the right thing today. This should send a strong message: Everyone should be treated with respect, and there is no room for this behavior anywhere.”
Evidence that Shooter created a hostile work environment was clear and deeply disturbing. It was also wellknown and had gone on for a very long time.
It took the courage of the women who only recently spoke out to make his actions too public to ignore.
To his credit, House Speaker J.D. Mesnard not only praised those who spoke up, but also encouraged others to follow suit and come forward if they are harassed.
Mesnard deserves credit for not ignoring the problem that was placed before him.
He showed genuine leadership, as well as concern for the victims and the body he leads, by appointing a bipartisan team to do an investigation, which House members reviewed this week.
The results showed a long-standing pattern of sexual harassment by Shooter. His crude jokes and behavior would have resulted in Shooter being fired from any corporate workplace long ago.
It was, in the words of the measure that called for Shooter’s expulsion, behavior that is “dishonorable and unbecoming of a member of the House.”
But Mesnard did not initially favor expulsion. His plan was to censure Shooter. He also told Shooter that no further misbehavior would be tolerated.
A letter from Shooter on Thursday morning made Mesnard decide to pursue expulsion, the House speaker explained before casting his vote to expel.
In the letter, Shooter challenged the report and cited a victim’s concerns.
Mesnard contacted that victim and found that Shooter’s letter was not an effort to help; rather, it was an “effort to use the individual as a pawn,” Mesnard said on the House floor.
It was not an easy vote. Some members shed tears. It is tough to oust a fellow lawmaker from a body in which, as Mesnard said, “we are family.” It is tough, too, to override the will of the voters who sent Shooter to represent them.
But Mesnard said elected officials must “be held to the highest of standards.” He’s absolutely right.
Shooter declined the opportunity to resign and spare his colleagues a painful duty.
It was entirely in character. Shooter also declined years’ worth of opportunities to behave with respect toward lobbyists and fellow lawmakers. Instead, he treated them as objects and diminished their humanity with lewd comments.
Credit also goes to Rep. Kelly Townsend, who upped the ante and demanded Shooter resign or be expelled. She did so before the House speaker had decided to take that approach.
All those who voted to remove Shooter from an office he shamed deserve credit for putting the integrity of the institution above loyalty to another elected official.
Yet it was long overdue. Shooter’s behavior would not have been tolerated in corporate America. It should not have been tolerated in the Arizona Legislature.
It is long past time for Arizona’s Legislature to impose the kind of standards on workplace harassment that are common in other workplaces.
The overwhelming support for ousting Shooter helps bring Arizona’s lawmaking body into the 21st century when it comes to expectations for decent behavior.
This was not a happy day for the House or for Arizona.
But it was a proud day.