PHOENIX — The House Ethics Committee chairman is weighing whether to hold hearings into its investigation of state Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, assuming the matter gets that far.
State Rep. John Allen, R-Scottsdale, said he is still reviewing the evidence presented by outside investigators as well as the response submitted by Cook’s attorneys. That response, in particular, demanded a full hearing.
“If you don’t, then you will make the House a country club, where only those who are in the majority get to determine who sits and who doesn’t,” wrote attorneys Dennis Wilenchik and Carmen Chenal Horne on Cook’s behalf.
Allen said there are issues to be resolved about how to handle the two basic complaints against Cook.
The first, in essence, stems from allegations Cook had a romantic relationship with AnnaMarie Knorr, who was a lobbyist with the Western Growers Association, a relationship he did not disclose.
The second is that Cook called Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb to discuss a pending sale of property in which Knorr had an interest due to unpaid taxes.
Even if the Ethics Committee decides neither charge merits further pursuit, Allen said Cook’s cooperation, or lack thereof, with the inquiry could be another issue.
Wilenchik and Horne said Cook was “fully cooperative in the investigation.” But Allen said the evidence suggests otherwise.
For example, he said other parties in the investigation provided texts and emails they had gotten from Cook. But none were provided by Cook himself despite a subpoena, Allen said.
“That’s a terrible precedent to have in the House, to say, ‘Hey, look, you don’t have to, when subpoenaed, do anything,’” he said.
Allen said he’s not trying to build a case against Cook based solely on that issue. “But there has to be some accounting for it,” he said.
Allen and the Ethics Committee have to decide whether to go ahead and if so, what type of defense Cook should be allowed.
