State Lawmaker Battles Ethics Violations at Hearing

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A Washington state lawmaker is disputing findings by the Legislative Ethics Board that she violated ethics rules 44 times during her campaign.

The News Tribune reports 26-year-old state Rep. Melanie Stambaugh of Puyallup told the board at a hearing Tuesday that some of the ethics rules don't reflect advancements in technology.

The board says 26-year-old state Rep. Melanie Stambaugh of Puyallup violated ethics rules by posting state-funded photos and videos to a Facebook page she used during her campaign.

The board's interpretation of a 1994 state ethics law says lawmakers are banned from embedding state-produced videos on campaign websites, although they are allowed to post links to the videos.

The rule is intended to maintain access to public records while blocking the use of state resources in campaigns.

The board will make a final determination on the issue at a later date.