FORT WORTH - State Rep. Mark Shelton has re-filed an ethics complaint against state Sen. Wendy Davis for "not disclosing her business relationships with state lobbyists."
The original complaint Shelton, a Republican, filed earlier this month was dismissed last week by the Texas Ethics Commission for not meeting "legal and technical form requirements."Shelton's campaign staff said they fixed the problem cited by the commission and resubmitted the complaint late Friday.Davis, a Democrat, has said she complies with Texas' ethics laws and that Shelton's claims are false.She and Shelton are locked in a contentious battle for state Senate District 10, which she currently represents, that includes part of Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Colleyville and other areas of south and Northeast Tarrant County.The race is one of the most watched political fights in Texas. Republican leaders statewide stand with Shelton in an effort to reclaim the district for the GOP, and Democrats statewide stand with Davis in her quest for another four-year term in the Texas Senate. In 2008, in another fierce battle for this district, Davis unseated longtime Republican state Sen. Kim Brimer of Arlington. If she wins again, some Democrats view her as a potential candidate for statewide office.In Shelton's complaint, he alleges that Davis didn't disclose that two of the three employees of her law firm lobby for "subject matter" interests that overlap committees Davis serves on."It is unethical for State Senator Wendy Davis to be hiding her business relationships with lobbyists," Shelton said when filing the complaint. "Especially when these same lobbyist connections are directly linked to Davis using her public office for self-enrichment through lucrative public contracts she has steered to her own law/lobby firm."The initial complaint was dismissed by the commission because it did not "comply with the legal and technical form requirements for a complaint," according to a letter the commission sent to both candidates last week.Part of the problem, according to the letter, was that each sworn complaint must include a properly completed affidavit."If the complaint is based on information and belief, the complaint must state the source and basis of the information and belief," the letter stated. "The affidavit you provided does not state the source and basis of the information and belief."To address the problem, Shelton's staff added nine words to the cover form. The additional new words were: "Wendy Davis' 2010-2011 PFS AND THE ATTACHED EXHIBITS.""Mark Shelton has filed nothing new and we expect this re-filed political stunt to be rejected as well," said Anthony Spangler, a campaign spokesman. "Shelton is desperate to change the subject from his votes to take healthcare from mothers and to block DNA evidence to capture and prosecute rapists."Workers at the Texas Ethics Commission have said the complaint process is confidential. In general, employees there said workers determine whether the complaint was filed correctly, give the person the complaint is directed against time to respond and determine whether to investigate the claim.The full commission won't address the issue until weeks after the Nov. 6 election. Their next meeting is Nov. 29.Anna M. Tinsley, (817) 390-7610Twitter: @annatinsleyHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
