State senator resigns after ethics probe

BOISE – State Sen. Jack Noble resigned Monday following weeks of allegations that he had failed to declare a conflict of interest and had lied to a special ethics panel.

Noble delivered a one-sentence letter of resignation to Senate leadership late Monday afternoon.

The two-term Republican senator from Kuna and convenience-store owner had been expected to face possible expulsion by the full Senate today.

Although a special ethics committee report recommended that Noble be censured, a movement led by Sen. Tom Gannon, R-Buhl, had been gaining strength Monday to reject the committee’s recommendation and expel Noble.

Only a few hours earlier on Monday, Noble had denied any intention to resign. When asked by the Associated Press whether he would quit the Senate, Noble said, “Not that I know of.”

But shortly before 6 p.m., members of the majority party leadership were handing out copies of Noble’s resignation and an acceptance letter from Senate President Pro Tem Bob Geddes.

“It was difficult for both of us,” said Geddes, who acknowledged having conversations with Noble throughout the day and the past several weeks. “We discussed a lot of things; he told me it was his decision, that it was best for himself and his family,” Geddes said.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis said the resignation will allow senators to recommit themselves to the business of the Legislature.

“It allows us to change our focus away from the cloud of the ethics investigation,” Davis said.

Democrats were similarly relieved.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Sen. Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, said. “I think ultimately, the net result of what happened could have happened tomorrow. It was not a foregone conclusion, but there was a lot of support” for expulsion.

To fill the now vacant seat, the Republican legislative district committee will select the names of three candidates, typically within a week, and submit them to Gov. Dirk Kempthorne; who will have 15 days to name a replacement.

Noble first ran for the Senate seat in 2000 against then-President Pro Tem Jim Risch, losing by only 51 votes. Noble challenged the race in court, alleging that Ada County election officials violated state law in 12 instances.

A judge dismissed the allegations as having no merit. Noble appealed to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the ruling.

When Risch ran for lieutenant governor in 2002, Noble successfully ran for the open seat against former teacher-of-the-year Eileen Thornburgh of Boise. He was unchallenged in 2004 in both the primary and general elections.

Boise State University political science professor Jim Weatherby said Noble’s District 21, which includes western Boise, Kuna, and rural parts of western Ada County, will still remain a solidly Republican district. An unelected Republican incumbent would still have a significant advantage.

“It would be an open seat in a sense, but (whoever) is appointed will have served more than a year by the next primary and a year and a half by general election,” Weatherby said.

Weatherby also said Noble’s trouble likely won’t carry a partisan punch in the next statewide election, which will be 2006.

“I don’t think the Democrats gain. This is a particular problem with one particular senator,” Weatherby said.

Noble’s troubles began on Feb. 4, when he attempted to introduce legislation in the Senate State Affairs Committee that would have changed the way the state calculates the distance required between schools and liquor stores.

Noble’s convenience store in Melba is not eligible for a state contract, but the new calculations would have changed that. Noble is trying to sell the convenience store.

During his presentation, Noble repeatedly ducked questions about who was asking for the legislation to be passed, saying only that it was “retailers” or “the industry.”