Pearce retains chair post amid ethics panel probe

BOISE (AP) - Republican Sen. Monty Pearce of New Plymouth retained his Resources Committee chairmanship, despite demands from Democrats that he be removed from his post following their complaint that he violated the chamber's ethics rules.

Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill also named a six-person ethics committee to investigate Pearce's conduct. The committee will meet at 8 a.m.

Pearce maintains that he has committed no wrongdoing.

The ethics panel's members include Republican Sens. Dean Mortimer, of Idaho Falls, who will chair the committee, along with Bert Brackett of Rogerson and Jim Hammond of Coeur d'Alene.

Democratic members will be Sens. Elliot Werk of Boise, Diane Bilyeu of Pocatello, and Dan Schmidt of Moscow.