Representative Patterson filed his response to an ethics complaint filed by Representative Katie Hobbs. Patterson’s filing was characterized by the Yellow Sheet, as less that a response and more of a “challenge to the ethics committee’s procedures and authority.”
Patterson claims that Hobbs is not qualified to file the complaint. He holds that Hobbs does not have the requisite “personal knowledge” of the abuse. Patterson wrote in his response,. “Personal knowledge must be something she would have seen or heard directly. It’s not hearsay, rumors or claims she read on blogs. Hobbs was not present in Tucson.” He also claims that the law cited in the Hobbs complaint applies only to “permittees and licensees of the state, not lawfully elected and duly seated legislators.”
Patterson also wants the process to be private. Patterson argued that “Any report submitted to the committee should be considered a confidential draft until you’ve had proper time to review and I’ve had fair time to comment on it.”
“In conclusion, Patterson says the House Ethics Committee is engaged in a “‘fishing expedition,’ which could likely violate my constitutional rights to privacy, due process and other rights.” Patterson finishes off his response by promising to demand every time extension he possibly can, first for 30 days to review the investigation report, then 45 more days to an additional response,” according to the Yellow Sheet.
Representative Ted Vogt, R-Tucson, who chairs the Ethics panel, said he wants to conduct and conclude the process “sooner rather than later.”