NI Senators Back Secret Tribunals

The Senate has adopted proposed new ethics rules in a straight party-line vote, 28-7. In his closing debate, Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis said, “There’s a lot that was said in opposition to the bill that I agree with.” But he said a public ethics process before probable cause has been determined “does not … preserve reputations against frivolous allegations.” He said, “When we make it part of the public discourse, let’s at least have confidence that we’ve met a probable cause standard, and if we have, then it should be part of the public discourse”/ Betsy Russell , Eye On Boise. More here.

DFO: This 28-7 party-line vote means all five North Idaho GOP senators supported the secret ethics tribunals. Extremely bad form, Shawn Keough, Joyce Broadsword, Steve Vick, John Goedde & Jim Hammond. What was the need to rush this through in the closing hours of the 2012 Legislature?

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