DENVER—The House Ethics Committee cleared Republican Rep. Steve King of accusations he violated ethics rules on Friday after King apologized to fellow Colorado lawmakers for “accounting errors” and said he has reimbursed the state for $914.53 for keeping a deposit on a rental car.
“I am angry at myself for disappointing the people I am here to serve, and even more than that, I realize my error could reflect badly on the House of Representatives,” King told the 65 members of the House on Friday. “I am truly sorry.”
However, King insisted he was innocent of accusations he was double-dipping on his expense account for travel expenses by collecting reimbursements from his campaign and from the state and the Ethics Committee agreed.
King said he borrowed from money he contributed to his own campaign to pay for commuting to the Capitol until he could be reimbursed by the state. He said he paid the $1,025 he borrowed back last May before any accusations were made.
Rep. Claire Levy, a Boulder Democrat on the Ethics Committee, said she does not believe King violated House rules because he didn’t benefit financially from the transaction, but she said King should be admonished for taking a loan from his campaign. She also said he should not have billed the state for gas while at the same time collecting mileage.
“I cannot conclude Rep. King committed an ethical violation,” Levy said.
The committee decided instead to send King a letter urging him to get advice on what the state allows on expense accounts.
