Ariz. lawmakers' complaint names fellow Democrat

TUCSON, AZ - Nearly all of the Arizona House's Democratic members filed an ethics complaint against one of their colleagues Monday after he denied wrongdoing and rejected calls from his party's leadership for his resignation from the Legislature amid a domestic dispute.

The complaint filed against Tucson Democratic Rep. Daniel Patterson said he engaged in a "pattern of conduct that may be considered domestic violence."

The complaint, filed by 17 Democratic lawmakers, accused Patterson of conduct impugning the integrity of the House, citing an order of protection obtained Friday by Patterson's girlfriend and a previous order of protection obtained by Patterson's ex-wife.

In earlier calling for Patterson to resign, House and Senate minority leaders and the Arizona Democratic Party's executive director said Patterson's personal life is a distraction from his work at the Capitol.

Rep. Katie Hobbs said "Mr. Patterson clearly has demonstrated a pattern of conduct that has distracted from the work of this body. It is at best inappropriate and at worst dangerous. We are submitting a formal ethics complaint to investigate what seems to be a longstanding history of violence. If these allegations are true, Mr. Patterson must be held accountable to the people he represents and to his colleagues."

The Tucson City Court confirmed that a woman obtained an order of protection against Patterson but officials declined to provide any details over the phone. Tucson police did not immediately return a call.

Patterson denied any wrongdoing against the woman who he said lived with him and helped with his re-election campaign. He also said he hasn't been charged, arrested, cited or invoked legislative immunity.

It's disappointing that party leaders are rushing to judgment, Patterson said in a telephone interview.

"The truth will come out. And I have hired a lawyer to handle this case, though again I have not been charged with anything," he said.

House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, said Patterson has legal rights and that the legal system should run its course.

Regardless, Campbell said, Patterson should resign from the Legislature. "Mr. Patterson's issues are interfering with the business of the state. They have been an ongoing distraction from doing the important work of the people.

Patterson's "impending legal issues" rendered him unable to fully serve the voters of his legislative district, said Luis Heredia, the state party's executive director.

Peoria Republican Scott Bundgaard resigned from the Arizona Senate in January just before he was to testify in a Senate ethics hearing on whether he should be punished by the Senate in connection with a domestic violence incident involving a now-former girlfriend last year.

Bundgaard previously pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor endangerment charge under a plea agreement which included dismissal of a misdemeanor assault charge.

Other than Patterson, the only House Democrats to not sign the complaint against him were two lawmakers who sit on the House Ethics Committee. That panel would consider the complaint.