The Colorado House Ethics Committee voted today to dismiss a complaint alleging that Rep. David Balmer (R-Centennial) committed ethics violations in connection with the House Minority Leader vote in December.

Luis Toro, Senior Counsel of Colorado Ethics Watch, released the following statement in response:

“Ethics Watch is disappointed that the Ethics Committee chose to accept at face value Rep. Balmer’s denial of involvement in the scheme to influence the House Minority Leader election, instead of asking the tough questions left unanswered by Rep. Balmer and his lawyers.  The Committee’s decision shows why voters chose to establish an Independent Ethics Commission (“IEC”) instead of trusting the legislature to investigate its own members.  Ethics Watch will consider requesting the IEC to pick up the ball that the Ethics Committee dropped today, and renews its call for state and federal authorities to investigate the possible scheme to buy votes in the House Minority Leader election.”

Public documents from the two legislative ethics investigations of the allegations of improper influence on legislators involved in the cancelled House Minority Leader race, including Rep. Balmer's January 23 submission that the House Ethics Committee relied on today, may be accessed through this link.