[Vision2020] Ethics Complaints by Idaho Citizens May Be Restricted

[Art Deco]

Is this wonderful or not???!!!??

Now those pure-as-the-driven-snow legislators no longer have to worry about those pesky, no-account voters whom they allegedly represent sticking their noses into legislators conduct and business.  Phil Hart and his gutless legislative cronies must be dancing with joy.

w.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Hansen 
  To: Moscow Vision 2020 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 8:17 AM
  Subject: [Vision2020] Ethics Complaints by Idaho Citizens May Be Restricted


  Courtesy of today's (February 9, 2011) Spokesman-Review.

  ---------------------------------------------------------

  House panel approves rule to prevent citizens from filing ethics
  complaints against lawmakers

  BOISE - Idaho residents would be barred from filing ethics complaints
  against state lawmakers under legislation that won the approval of a key
  House committee Tuesday.

  The new restriction, part of a series of proposed changes that include a
  new violation of "conduct unbecoming a House member," is awaiting a final
  vote before the full House, which has grappled for a year with various
  ethics complaints against state Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol.

  This year, the House received two ethics complaints from citizens. One,
  from Hayden businessman Howard Griffiths, who launched a write-in campaign
  against Hart last fall, targeted Hart; the other, from Hart supporter
  Larry Spencer, was against Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, who had
  filed an ethics complaint against Hart. Both citizen complaints were found
  to be without basis and frivolous.

  "I think that those were both political, and that's one of the things I
  would like to stop with this," said Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney.
  "If there's a legitimate ethics complaint, I think we're going to be the
  first ones that want to prosecute it." Plus, he said if he received a
  legitimate ethics complaint from someone outside the House, he'd file it
  himself.

  The existing House ethics rule had been interpreted by the Idaho attorney
  general's office as allowing only complaints from members already. Denney
  noted that the Senate's rule is similar.

  The proposed rule change also "clarifies some of the things that we need
  to take care of so that everyone is treated fairly," Denney told the House
  State Affairs Committee.

  It gives the target of a complaint the opportunity to write a written
  response, which already has been the practice; requires complaints to be
  kept confidential until the Ethics Committee has found probable cause to
  look into them, which is a change from current practice; and requires the
  Ethics Committee to meet in executive session until it has found probable
  cause, at which point the process would become open.

  The change also adds a provision, which Denney said was added in
  consultation with House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, to cover
  ethics violations for "conduct unbecoming a member of the House."

  Rusche said that's an important change. "Ethics proceedings are not
  criminal proceedings," he said. "The purpose of an ethics committee is to
  protect the integrity of the Legislature and of the legislative process."

  That means some conduct that might not be illegal could still fall under
  its purview, he said.

  The special House Ethics Committee ended up dismissing all the ethics
  complaints it received this year - including three against Hart - but
  voted unanimously to recommend his removal from the House tax committee
  while he presses his personal fights against back state and federal income
  taxes. Last week the committee dropped Anderson's complaint in exchange
  for Hart's voluntary agreement to give up the vice-chairmanship of the
  House Transportation Committee, from which the panel was considering
  removing him.

  Anderson's complaint charged that Hart violated his oath of office by
  fighting payment of his state and federal income taxes, which he contends
  are unconstitutional; by repeatedly citing legislative privilege to win
  delays in his personal tax fights; and by illegally logging state school
  endowment land in 1996 to build his log home in Athol and never paying an
  outstanding judgment in the case.

  Hart last week apologized to the House.

  ---------------------------------------------------------

  Seeya round town, Moscow.

  Tom Hansen
  Moscow, Idaho

  "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
  and the Realist adjusts his sails."

  - Unknown


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