Ethics complaint filed against state lawmaker from Phoenix

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The former campaign manager of a state lawmaker facing an ethics investigation said Thursday that he should have never helped her get elected.

“I regret it. I regret being her campaign manager. I regret getting her elected,” said Emilio Avila, who ran the campaign last year for Rep. Leezah Sun, a Democrat from Phoenix.

This week, House Democratic leaders filed an ethics complaint accusing Sun of threatening and harassing behavior. Sun declined to comment, but Avila said he’s not surprised given what he experienced while working with her.

“She came off originally as a really nice woman but as time went on, as the stress was added on to her, the mask seemingly disappeared,” Avila said.

As the days and weeks went on, Avila described a campaign that turned into a toxic work environment. He now works for one of Sun’s political opponents.

Sun declined to comment but has told others that this is part of a smear campaign and suggested that she is being targeted because she is Asian-American. Sun has until noon Wednesday to respond to the accusations laid out in the complaint.

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