A panel cleared state Representative David Balmer of possible ethics violations yesterday, finding no evidence the he violated rules by asking a lobbyist with the Colorado Chiropractors Association to pressure a fellow Republican to support his bid to lead his party in the House. That’s according to the Denver Business Journal, which notes that Balmer refused the House Ethics Committee’s request to hand over home phone records and e-mails. Yet members of the panel agreed the records wouldn’t reveal wrongdoing.

Colorado Ethics Watch, a watchdog group, is disappointed that the panel chose to “accept at face value” Balmer’s denial of involvement in the alleged scheme. Balmer did not attend the hearing, and a separate complaint against a lobbyist accused of backing Balmer is still pending, as the Rocky Mountain News reports.