Oregon State Legislature in action

A tour group looks down from a viewing spot beneath the Oregon Pioneer statue on the State Capitol in Salem on May 14, 2015. Randy L. Rasmussen/Staff

(Randy L. Rasmussen/2015)

SALEM -- The commission responsible for enforcing Oregon state ethics laws has launched a preliminary investigation of Rep. Jodi Hack, a Salem Republican.

The Statesman Journal reports that Ron Bersin, executive director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, confirmed the inquiry Thursday. He says state law prevents him from revealing details of the probe.



Hack said in a statement that the complaint was "frivolous" and said she expects it to be quickly dismissed.



South Salem resident Rick Perry said he filed the complaint against Hack in response to a Statesman Journal article that detailed accusations of the lawmaker's ethics violations.



The story described a Portland police officer's claims that Hack tried to use her office to benefit her son. Officer Laurent Bonczijk said Hack confronted him at a courthouse and tried to get her son's traffic tickets erased.



Hack's 22-year-old son Reece had been issued tickets for driving with a suspended license, failing to pay fines and causing a crash in Portland that sent two the hospital. DMV records show that as of July, Reece Hack's license is still suspended, pending traffic school and fine payments.





-- The Associated Press