Heated Ethics Commission Argument Ends In Walkout
By: Sherrell Hubbard
Updated: October 29, 2012
A HEATED ALLEN COUNTY ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETING RESULTS IN ONE MEMBER STORMING OUT.
THE COMMITTEE IS INVESTIGATING A CONFLICT OF INTEREST COMPLAINT STEMMING FROM A JUNE D-W-I TRAFFIC STOP TRAFFIC INVOLVING COUNTY COUNCILMAN PAUL MOSS.
MOSS WAS RELEASED AND ALLOWED TO GO HOME AFTER PUTTING IN A CALL TO ALLEN COUNTY SHERIFF KEN FRIES.
"I'M DONE HERE, I'M DONE HERE. I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS WITCH HUNT. I'M SORRY," SAID ETHICS MEMBER TOM RYAN. HE STORMED OUT AFTER HIS MOTION TO DISMISS THE PROBE INTO MOSS' ACTIONS WAS DENIED BY HIS FELLOW ETHICS COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THE COMMISSION POSED QUESTIONS TO THE OFFICERS INVOLVED. BASED ON THEIR RESPONSES COMMISSION MEMBER TOM HARDIN SAYS HE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE NOT LOOKING DEEPER INTO MOSS' ACTIONS. HARDIN CITED THREE ORDINANCES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN VIOLATED.
THE COMMISSION VOTED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 30TH. IN WHICH THEY'D LIKE MOSS TO APPEAR.
MOSS' ATTORNEY TIM PAPE HE DOESN'T THINK THE COMMISSION HAS A LEG TO STAND ON.
AT THE LAST MEETING WE LEARNED THAT THE COMMISSION HAD NO AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO SHERIFF FRIES' ACTIONS. FRIES IS UNDER A SEPERATE CODE OF ETHICS FROM OTHER COUNTY OFFICIALS--
