Claims against state senator dismissed

A Senate ethics committee looking into complaints that state Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, claimed too much in per diem was dismissed as frivolous today.

Stephanie Cegielski, executive director of the right-leaning Colorado Government Accountability, tried to claim that Morse, majority leader in the Colorado Senate, has claimed 331 days of per diem last year, but didn't work all those days.

While the number of days were more than any other lawmaker in recent memory, there was no evidence that Morse didn't actually work them and deserve the $99-a-day in per diem.

The committee of three Democrats and two Republicans had asked Cegielski to provide proof Morse violated any laws, but she did not respond. She formed her group a year ago allegedly to act as a watchdog of government, but has since been repeatedly criticized for doing work that is incomplete and partisan. Cegielski is a Republican.