(Radio Iowa)- The Iowa Senate’s Ethics Committee has failed to agree on how to handle the complaint a Quad Cities attorney filed over a state senator’s social media post — so no action will be taken. Republican Senator Scott Webster of Bettendorf took a screen shot of a constituent’s email that criticized the G-O-P and posted it on his Facebook page. Jennifer Olsen says Webster included the contact information for her law office and she’s been harassed and threatened.
The three Republicans on the Ethics Committee voted to dismiss the complaint. Senator Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia, says Webster did not share Olsen’s private information and voluntarily removed it. “In fact, he specifically mentions in his post his belief in respectful political discourse,” Evans said. Senator Cindy Winckler says Webster’s Facebook post subjected to Olsen to intimidation and harassment, including a threatening phone call to her law office.
“Those posting unquestionably caused both personal and professional harm,” Winckler said. Winckler and the other two Democrats on the panel voted to have the senate reprimand Webster. Since the panel deadlocked — three to three — the complaint has been tabled.
