Today, Judge A. Bruce Jones of the Denver District Court ruled that Ethics Watch’s suit for review of the Independent Ethics Commission’s decision to dismiss its complaint against Elbert County Commissioner Robert Rowland may proceed.
The Ethics Commission argued that its dismissal was not reviewable because it purportedly had “no legal effect” and because Ethics Watch allegedly suffered no harm from the dismissal.
The court dismissed the first argument as “Orwellian,” and as to the second, ruled that Ethics Watch suffered injury because no hearing was held on its complaint and because the Ethics in Government Amendment must be interpreted to authorize judicial review of dismissals of complaints by the IEC.
Order Denying IEC's Motion to Dismiss by Colorado Ethics Watch
