DENVER—The Colorado House Ethics Committee dropped charges against Rep. David Balmer after he provided signed statements declaring that he had no involvement with a lobbyist accused of vote-buying.
The panel ruled Wednesday there was no probable cause to further investigate Balmer, a Republican from Centennial.
Rep. Claire Levy, the committee chairwoman, said the committee didn’t rule on the merits of the case and that lawmakers made no findings of fact.
The panel was asked to determine whether Balmer asked lobbyist Erik Groves to get a freshman lawmaker to support him for minority leader.
Another panel is investigating whether Groves, who represents the Colorado Chiropractic Association, violated rules barring lobbyists from getting involved in the Legislature’s leadership races. Groves has denied trying to buy votes.
Jonathan Anderson, Balmer’s attorney, said nothing supported allegations that Balmer tried to influence the outcome of the election. Balmer turned over phone records to the ethics committee to support his case.
“From Day One, everyone said he had no involvement in the matter,” Anderson said.
In a written response to the allegations, Anderson said Balmer didn’t speak with Groves between Dec. 12, when Rep. Mike May announced he would step down as minority leader, and Dec. 16, when May filed the complaint against Balmer.
May filed the complaint after Rep.-elect Cindy Acree, R-Aurora, told him she received telephone messages from Groves and two chiropractors. She said one caller asked her to support Balmer in the leadership election, another said he was calling about House leadership, and the third mentioned that she could potentially get a committee chairmanship next term.
Acree said some of the messages also mentioned campaign donations that had been pledged to her previously.
After filing the complaint, May withdrew his resignation as minority leader.
