Senate Ethics Committee Chairman Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, ruled that the Senate minority leaders must provide more specifics on their ethics complaint against Senate Resources Chairman Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, by 8 a.m. tomorrow, including the "specific definition for private pecuniary gain being alleged." Senate Minority Leader Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, said, "I will comply with whatever the committee desires. If that's your request, we will certainly make an effort to respond."

Defense Attorney Chuck Peterson, representing Pearce, then asked the committee to delay its request to have Pearce respond in writing to the complaint; he's already been asked to respond by 8 a.m. tomorrow. "Rather than speculate on our part as to what the proposed pecuniary benefit might be," Peterson said, "... if the committee could give us 24 hours to respond... that would seem appropriate."

However, after some discussion, Mortimer ruled that the committee's request for response from Pearce by 8 a.m. tomorrow stands. "If the committee feels that there is benefit by having them respond by 8 a.m., I am sure that Sen. Pearce and Mr. Peterson would respond more than once," he said, to which Peterson responded, "We're happy to do that, senator."

The ethics committee then adjourned until 8 a.m. tomorrow.

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