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Mr. Richard Lambert ("Compiainant") made an ethics complaint against Mayor John <br />Kysylyczyn ("Respondent") to the City Council on March 26, 2001. See Attachment A <br />(hereafter "Complaint"). After referral by the Council, the Ethics Commission <br />("Commission") reviewed the Complaint consistent with the requirements of Resolution <br />8593, as amended by Resolution 9306 ("Resolution") on Apri12, 2001, and accepted the <br />Complaint and immediately commenced an investigation pursuant to the terms and <br />requirements of the Resolution. <br />On October 22, 2001, the Commission met for the eighth time concerning the Complaint, <br />and now makes the following determination and recommendations to the City Council: <br />Related to the allegation on page 1 paragraph 5 and throughout dealing with <br />the issue of whether the Respondent took inappropriate lobbying action at the <br />Minnesota State Legislature: On the record evidence the Commission cannot <br />sustain an ethical violation. <br />The Commission's vote was 2-Ayes, 1-Opposed with Commissioners <br />Ring and Pease voting Aye and Battis Opposed. <br />The Commission's investigator, Attorney Kevin Lindsey, found no <br />relationship existed between Respondent and the Everest Group for which <br />Respondent received compensation or benefit to lobby on behalf of *, he <br />Everest Group concerning pending TIF legislation; however, among other <br />things, representatives of the Everest Group declined to be interviewed in <br />the course of the Commission's investigation and Respondent declined to <br />answer questions outside of one interview with the investigator. <br />Commissioner Battis will address his vote in the dissent. See Attachment <br />B. <br />2. Related to the allegation on page 1 paragraph 6 of the Complaint dealing with <br />the issue of accepting campaign contributions from anyone involved in the <br />Cub Food project at Har Mar: The Commission is unable to make a <br />determination regarding Cub Foods and related campaign contributions <br />because Respondent demanded prior service of a subpoena before he would <br />provide responsive information. <br />The Commission's vot� was 2-Ayes and 1-Abstention, with <br />Commissioners Ring and Battis voting Aye and Pease Abstaining. <br />Sworn deposition testimony in a lawsuit demonstrates that the Respondent <br />accepted campaign contributions from persons, or relatives of persons, <br />engaged in a lawsuit against the City. However, without further <br />information from the Respondent about his campaign financing in general, <br />and the details surrounding these particular campaign contributions, such <br />as the timing and the circumstances under which the Respondent accepted <br />these contributions, the Commission is unable to make a decision about <br />whether the Respondent acted unethically under the Resolution. <br />