The U.S. Senate has confirmed that Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., is the subject of an ethics inquiry over his involvement in former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias’ firing, The Politico is reporting.
On Tuesday, the Senate adopted a resolution excusing Ken Salazar, D-Colo., from the investigation. That was apparently done because of Salazar’s friendship with former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid, who narrowly lost in her attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., last year.
The friendship could be a conflict because Iglesias alleges that Wilson and Domenici tried to pressure him to speed indictments in a public corruption probe in time to sway voters and help
Salazar was replaced on the investigating panel by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.
Approval of the resolution allowing the switch was the first on-the-record confirmation that Domenici is the topic of a preliminary inquiry by the Ethics Committee. Domenici spokesman Chris Gallegos told The Politico he would not comment because of the probe or even reveal whether Domenici has been interviewed by the committee.