Notorious Arizona lawmaker says he’ll work to end legislative immunity
Jul 25, 2018, 3:05 PM | Updated: 8:49 pm
PHOENIX – The Arizona lawmaker who gained infamy for bragging about using legislative immunity to avoid speeding tickets said he’d sponsor a bill to remove the provision from the state constitution.
According to the Kingman Daily Miner, Rep. Paul Mosley issued his mea culpa Tuesday at a candidate forum in Lake Havasu City.
“I apologize and it will never happen again,” the Republican incumbent in Legislative District 5 said. “I will personally sponsor the bill to get rid of legislative immunity because I don’t see the purpose of it.”
It was Mosley’s first public appearance since video was made public showing him boasting to a La Paz County Sheriff’s deputy who pulled him over for speeding. Mosley said he was driving 120 mph before getting pulled over for doing 97 in a 55 zone, and that he’d driven as fast as 140 in the past.
After the video made the rounds, it was revealed that Mosley had been pulled over and warned by state troopers multiple times.
According to the Miner, Mosley said he was led to believe it was common practice for lawmakers to take advantage of the immunity provision while driving.
“All of the legislators told me, ‘I’ve been pulled over more times than I can count. It’s no big deal,’” he said.
Jennifer Jones-Esposito, a candidate for Mosley’s seat, couldn’t resist bringing up his driving indiscretions.
“I don’t even own a car that will go 140 mph,” she said, according to the Miner. “There, I got the joke out of the way.”
Mosley’s appearance came the same day Gov. Doug Ducey tweeted that he wanted to do away with the legislative immunity provision.
I intend to work in collaboration with the Legislature to address this as one of our first orders of business next session, by referring this to the people. There is bipartisan support for this needed reform. (2/2)
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 24, 2018
Ducey said he wants to work with the Legislature and seek bipartisan support on a proposal to put in front of Arizona voters.
According to Ballotpedia, either chamber of the Arizona Legislature can propose a constitutional amendment, but voters would have the final say in approving it.
Last week, Ducey signed an executive order that removed reckless driving from the types of offenses that lawmakers have immunity from during the legislative session.
According to the Arizona Constitution, legislators are “privileged from arrest in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace” while the legislature was in session.
Ducey’s order decreed that criminal speeding, reckless driving and driving under the influence should be considered as breaches of the peace, and thus no longer protected by immunity.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich told KTAR News 92.3 FM last week that the immunity statute goes back to the state’s territorial days, “where you had folks like sheriff’s offices that were arresting legislators to prevent them from going down to take key votes.”
He said it wasn’t designed as a “get-out-of-jail or no-prosecution pass” for lawmakers.