The strange saga of Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton seemed to be over this week, when her House colleagues voted against expelling her and in favor of censuring her.
But the story still eludes resolution in other ways, thanks in part to the weird details that characterized her ethics case.
Stahl Hamilton, a Democrat representing Legislative District 21, got in trouble in April when a camera, secretly installed in the House members’ lounge, revealed her hiding two Bibles under couch cushions. House security staff had installed the cameras because the two Bibles in the lounge had been discovered hidden in previous weeks.
Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, left, listens Tuesday as fellow Democratic Rep. Mae Peshlakai explains why she will not vote to censure the Tucson lawmaker.
It was a potent situation not just because she had hidden Bibles, a sacred text for some legislators, but also because she was the legislator who filed an ethics complaint against Republican Rep. Liz Harris in March. That complaint ultimately led to Harris being expelled from the House on April 12.
It was also confusing because Stahl Hamilton is an ordained Presbyterian minister, though she’s someone who has argued for greater separation of church and state in the Legislature. That, she said, was the reason for the prank, for which she apologized.
But the story is not over. House Speaker Ben Toma may still take action against Stahl Hamilton. His powers include removing her from committee assignments, taking away her office, or other measures.
The episode also left hurt feelings, with some Republican members pointing out that they may have been sitting on their own holy book. Some were not completely satisfied with Stahl Hamilton’s apology, either.
After the vote Tuesday, Democrats were perturbed by the procedural move that allowed the censure motion to succeed with only 30 votes — just half the House.
Normally, a 30-28 margin, like the one in favor of censure, would not have succeeded, because a measure must get a 31 votes to pass. But rather than being introduced as a “resolution,” which requires 31 votes to pass, the censure was introduced as a motion, which only required a majority of those present to pass.
Rep. Chris Mathis, a Tucson Democrat who is on the ethics committee, said fellow Democrats thought it was a “sneaky” way of handling the Stahl Hamilton’s case on the floor.
“Even our lawyers were surprised,” he said.
There is also the question of the camera footage that House staff gathered in trying to nab the Bible-hider. News organizations have filed public-records requests for the remainder of the footage, not just the short period released so far, when Stahl Hamilton put the Bibles under cushions. But the House has denied those requests, a decision that will undoubtedly be appealed.
Finally, there’s the question of whether the episode will have political ramifications. Stahl Hamilton represents a staunchly Democratic district, which runs from midtown Tucson southwest to Sasabe and east along the border to Naco and Bisbee. It’s unlikely Democratic primary voters will care much.
Stahl Hamilton declined to comment. The chair of the Pima Count Democratic Party, Eric Robbins, likened it all to a “tempest in a teapot.”
“It was a prank. It was in poor taste,” he said, noting the party hasn’t taken a formal stand on the issue. “She’s a capable and intelligent person who made a minor gaffe.”
‘Ward-only’ effort seeking signatures
The effort to put ward-only elections on the Tucson ballot is coming down to the crunch.
Supporters have gathered more than 12,000 signatures so far, said Luis Gonzales, who is a co-chair of the effort. They need to gather 14,832 valid signatures by July 6 to put the measure on the ballot and are aiming for 20,000 or more.
The Tucson Election Equality Act, as it is known, would change the city’s unusual “hybrid” election system, under which candidates only run in their wards during the primary election but must face voters citywide in the general election.
Instead, under this effort, only voters in each ward would be allowed to cast ballots deciding who represents them on the council.
Organizers will be collecting signatures from Tucson voters between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on the following days at these places:
Monday, June 19 – Wednesday June 21 at Little Anthony’s Diner, 7010 E. Broadway
Thursday June 22 — Friday June 23 at Circle K 10335 E. Drexel Road
Monday, June 26 — Tuesday, June 27 at The Solar Store 2833 N. Country Club Road
Wednesday, June 28 – Friday, June 30 at Stacy Tool 4112 E. Grant Road
Cano leaves House leadership
Rep. Andres Cano, a Tucson Democrat, has stepped down from his position as minority leader, the top job among House Democrats.
Cano, 31, is preparing to spend a year at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, pursuing a master’s degree in public administration. He’s been in the Legislature for five years and previously worked as an aide to the late Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias.
House Democrats are planning to select a new leader in the next two weeks, and Cano will leave the House altogether in early July.
