In the Case of Mark Finchem, Tribalism over Justice at the Arizona House Ethics Committee

When will the members of the former Party of Lincoln speak up for law and order for real?

It is not coming any time soon from the Arizona State House Ethics Committee where Chairperson Becky Nutt put tribal party loyalty over the request for truth and justice by denying multiple requests to conduct an ethics investigation into Legislative District (LD) 11 State Representative Mark Finchem.

In a letter to members of the ethics committee, Chairperson Nutt justified her decision by writing:

“More to the point, none of the complaints offered any facts establishing that Representative Finchem actually “supported the violent overthrow of our government” or directly participated in the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol.”

Please click below to read the full letter.

Chairman Nutt (2-12-21)

With respect Madame Chairperson, are you kidding?

Did you see this?

Or this?

What happens when the People feel they have been ignored, and Congress refuses to acknowledge rampant fraud. #stopthesteal pic.twitter.com/0ZXwyOsS7y

— Mark Finchem (@MarkFinchem) January 6, 2021

Or this?

How a republic dies… pic.twitter.com/0lpZuzcwJS

— Mark Finchem (@MarkFinchem) January 7, 2021

Or this?

At the very least, Finchem not reporting receiving a $6000 payment from the Trump Campaign to contest the 2020 Presidential election should raise your eyebrows.

Granted not all the facts have been revealed (partially because Finchem is not cooperating in turning over his phone and social media records,) but there is definitely enough to start an investigation.

Most on the Democratic side of the State Capitol agree.

Democratic State Representatives Cesar Chavez (LD 29)  and Athena Salman (LD 26) released a joint statement condemning the decision stating:

Representative Chavez

“To disregard this many complaints out of hand with no inquiry or investigation is beyond troublesome and disappointing. Representative Mark Finchem has deleted his social media and is refusing to comply with a public records request on the advice of his attorney citing a potential criminal prosecution for his role in the January 6 insurrection, but Chairwoman Nutt has said there’s nothing to see here. The oath we all take to defend our Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic should mean something, but that oath loses all meaning when our leaders look the other way at legitimate allegations of sedition and insurrection.”

Representative Salman

“When we don’t hold people accountable for inciting an insurrection, we increase the chances that it will happen again. We now know even more about the danger the violent mob presented to members of Congress and Vice President Pence, and the level of planning and coordination that occurred between the Stop the Steal organizers and President Trump that incited the riot. What we have witnessed today is a failure in leadership by Ethics Chair Becky Nutt and the majority party to investigate legitimate complaints against Rep. Mark Finchem. But the fact still remains: Every day the member remains in office is a threat to the integrity of the Arizona House of Representatives, a threat to national security, and a threat to the future of our Democracy.”

Liz Luna, the Deputy Director of the Arizona Legislative Campaign Committee  (ADLCC) commented on Chairperson Nutt’s decision:

“This is very disheartening. We need to hold people accountable and the Chairperson should move on with an investigation (of Finchem.) The Chairperson should not be protecting Republicans. We owe it to the people of Arizona to conduct a thorough investigation.”

Mark Finchem encouraged election denialism and stoked the fringe behavior that led to the January 6, 2021, Domestic Terrorist Attack on the Nation’s Capitol.

To say he was not actually there with the terrorists does not excuse him from his responsibility in organizing the attempted coup.

Chairperson Nutt put tribal party loyalty over the request for truth and justice.

That is not right.

The people of Arizona should reach out to her and tell her to reconsider her decision.

They deserve public servants that follow their oaths and the Constitution, not traitors to them and weaklings that enable them.