Colorado Senate forms ethics committee to investigate complaint that senator mistreated aides

The Colorado Senate fashioned an ethics committee Tuesday to analyze claims {that a} senator mistreated employees members, a transfer that might finally result in a reprimand or elimination from workplace.

Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, has confronted a litany of complaints over her alleged remedy of employees, together with that she tried to withhold pay from one worker and ordered aides to do chores round her home. Jaquez Lewis, who was reelected in November, has already been stripped of her committee assignments over the allegations.

The ethics committee’s creation formalizes the investigation into her conduct. It was fashioned after Senate management discovered that “we can not dismiss the criticism on the the grounds that it’s not meritorious or doesn’t substantiate an moral violation,” in response to the letter forming it.

The letter was signed by President James Coleman and Majority Chief Robert Rodriguez, each Democrats, and Minority Chief Paul Lundeen, a Republican.

The criticism was filed by the Political Staff Guild on behalf of 5 people. The criticism itself shouldn’t be public till the committee convenes. Jaquez Lewis has 10 days to reply to the criticism. She didn’t instantly return a request for remark Tuesday morning and was absent from the Senate.

Relying on its findings, the committee may make suggestions to the total Senate that might be as extreme as expulsion.