[Vision2020] Ethics Complaints by Idaho Citizens May Be Restricted

[Tom Hansen]

Wayne Fox commented:

"Phil Hart and his gutless legislative cronies must be dancing with joy."

Rumor has it that Hart is having a celebratory orgy and clothing-optional
lambada at his log house (the one built with logs intended for public
schools) with legislators and pages.

Esto perpetua, V-peeps.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho





On Wed, February 9, 2011 8:46 am, Art Deco wrote:
> 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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>                  http://www.fsr.net
>             mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>   =======================================================
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================


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

- Unknown