Idaho Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, denied the ethics charges against him Wednesday in a formal response to a special House Ethics Committee, and decried the complaint against him for citing "news accounts" and "perceptions." "I have no hesitancy in accounting for, and defending, all of my actions as an elected representative of District 3," Hart said in a letter to the committee. "I am, however, concerned that anyone could choose to base an ethics complaints on what 'appears' from 'recent news accounts.'"

Hart is charged with possible abuse of legislative privilege for repeatedly citing the constitutional protection of lawmakers from arrest or civil service during legislative sessions to seek delays in his federal and state income tax fights, and possible conflict of interest for serving on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee while pressing his personal tax fights; the Spokesman-Review reported on Hart's moves in a series of articles over the past month.

House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, who filed the complaint against Hart, said, "Certainly there's a difference of opinion, and I'll leave it to the Ethics Committee to decide on the appropriateness of the behaviors and whether or how they reflect upon the credibility and authority of the House of Representatives." You can read my full story here at spokesman.com, and see the complaint against Hart here.