Arizona House rejects immediate ouster of lawmaker
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State Rep. Daniel Patterson (D-Tucson)
Web Producer: Ina Ronquillo
PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona House has refused to immediately expel Rep. Daniel Patterson but agreed to speed up the pending ethics case against the former Democrat from Tucson.
The House set aside a Democratic leader's motion to adopt the findings and recommendations of a report by Ethics Committee investigators who urged expulsion.
Instead the House approved the Ethics Committee's chairman proposal to move up by six days to April 10 the deadline for Patterson to submit a response to the report.
An ethics complaint against Patterson stemmed from domestic violations allegations.
But the investigators' report cites other alleged misconduct, including disrespectful and angry behavior toward other lawmakers.
Patterson has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence charges in Tucson city court.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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