The chair of the Arizona Senate Ethics Committee has dismissed a complaint filed against Mesa Republican Senator Rich Crandall. From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Mark Brodie reports.
MARK BRODIE: Republican State Representative Brenda Barton had filed the complaint against Crandall, after he left Barton a voice mail. In the message, Crandall, the chair of the Senate Education Committee threatened to hold all of Barton’s bills assigned to his committee - over a dispute involving Crandall’s daughter and campaign signs. In dismissing the complaint, Ethics Committee Chair Linda Gray said Crandall hadn’t violated any laws or ethical rules and noted Crandall has apologized to Barton. Gray also said committee chairmen hold bills “all the time,” and that it would be a “horrible precedent” and a “waste of time and taxpayer money” if all lawmakers whose bills did not get heard in committee filed ethics complaints.