BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FRANKFORT -- For the second time in a week, Republican State Sen. Gex "Jay" Williams, a candidate for Congress, has had an ethics complaint filed against him.
Covington resident Bob Arnett has filed a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission about some land Mr. Williams sold. The complaint alleges he violated the state's ethics code by not disclosing the sale.
"Given Mr. Williams' high moral standards, we're sure he appreciates his chance to explain away this most curious financial situation," Covington attorney Dennis Repenning, who is representing Mr. Arnett, said Thursday.
On Monday, Mr. Williams called for an investigation of himself, asking the ethics commission to probe allegations that he made campaign-related phone calls earlier this year from the state Capitol. He says he asked for the probe to clear his name.
It is illegal for state lawmakers or employees to use state funds, personnel or time to campaign for office.
The complaint filed by Mr. Arnett, who works as a dispatcher for a Northern Kentucky trucking company, concerns 10 acres Mr. Williams sold last year for $60,000, money he used to support his family while running for Congress.
Mr. Williams, who lives in Verona on a small farm adjacent to the land he sold, is a computer consultant. But he has been working full time for months on his 4th District congressional campaign against Boone County Democrat Ken Lucas.
In May 1997, Mr. Williams sold 10 of the farm's 15 acres to Arthur Nitz, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky. Mr. Nitz, however, allowed Mr. Williams to retain control of the land. Mr. Williams also agreed to pay the property taxes for two years, he said.
Mr. Nitz then donated the property to A Compassionate Pregnancy Care Center. The center has said it did not ask for the property and has no plans for its use.
Mr. Arnett's complaint alleges that the deal violated the ethics code because Mr. Williams failed to report income from the sale on his financial disclosure statement and that the money was actually a gift that Mr. Williams tried to hide.
"There really has not been an adequate explanation of the transaction," Mr. Repenning said. "Mr. Williams should be grateful to present his side of the story."
Mr. Williams admitted he did not properly record the transaction on the financial disclosure statement all lawmakers are required to file and annually update.
But he said he corrected his mistake two weeks ago after he was asked to do so by the ethics commission. And the transaction was correctly recorded on the federal financial disclosure forms he had to file as a candidate for Congress, Mr. Williams said.
"I made a mistake and entered some information on the wrong lines on the disclosure forms, but I did fully disclose the sale, and these are all public records," he said.
"Regardless of how I feel, I have no doubt I followed the rules, I just made a mistake," he said.
The sale was also a straight real estate deal and not a gift or contribution to his campaign, Mr. Williams said.
Mr. Arnett could not be reached to comment. Mr. Repenning said he is a registered Democrat active in neighborhood issues in Covington.
