Rep. David Burnell Smith said that he will give up his seat in the Arizona state legislature today.  His announcement came after the state Supreme Court last week upheld a lower court decision that Smith should vacate his office after violating the Clean Elections law by overspending in his primary race.
 
The first-term Republican’s departure will mark the first time nationwide that a legislator has been ousted for violating a full public financing law.
 
Smith’s resignation comes after more than year of proceedings, starting with a ruling by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, which was upheld by an administrative law court, a Maricopa County Superior Court, and an Arizona Court of Appeals panel.
 
"Candidates will realize that there are severe consequences for overspending and the ultimate punishment, I believe, is something that happened to Smith," said Barbara Lubin, executive director of the Clean Elections Institute.