No ethics investigation over Newman e-mail 'banning' opponents

A Senate ethics panel has dismissed complaints against a Hutchinson Republican alleging his staff might have used campaign contributions to decide who got to talk to him.

The committee took testimony and talked about the matter for nearly five hours at the Capitol Wednesday night, before dismissing the complaints against freshman Sen. Scott Newman.

Newman said it was a mistake that an inexperienced aide sent an email rebuffing a meeting request from a supporter of his election opponent. He expressed regret about the matter after a hearing held by the Senate's Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct.

"Unfortunately there is a good deal of cynicism throughout the nation when it comes to elected officials and the political process," Newman said. "Candidly, I think that's been going on since the beginning of the Republic. The best I can tell you is that it's over, and I fully intend to move on at this point."

DFLers said that they doubted Newman's aide was solely responsible for the email and had hoped for a wider probe.