NorthwestMarch 24, 2012

BOISE - Rather than a cynical partisan attack, the recent ethics investigation of Sen. Monty Pearce reminded one participant of the peer review sessions he engaged in as a medical student.

"I understand Sen. Pearce felt attacked, but that was not the intent," said Sen. Dan Schmidt, a Moscow family physician.

Senate Democratic leaders lodged an ethics complaint against Pearce last week, after it became apparent that the New Plymouth rancher had an undisclosed business relationship with a company that successfully pushed oil and gas legislation through his natural resources committee.

Schmidt was one of three Democrats assigned to the ethics committee formed to investigate the complaint, together with three Republicans. After three meetings, the committee unanimously dismissed the charges against Pearce, saying there was no evidence he benefited financially from the legislation.

Although the process was clearly stressful for the participants, Schmidt said it reminded him of the "morbidity and mortality" conferences he participated in as a young intern.

During the sessions, he said, doctors and interns would review new cases and question treatment decisions they'd each made.

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"You were supposed to defend yourself," Schmidt said. "Everything you did was fair game. Why did you order this test? Why didn't you do that? It was collegial criticism that was supposed to make you a better doctor. I came away questioning my choices, but I learned a lot."

These conferences were a daily event, he said. "It wasn't like you defended yourself once and it was over. There was constant reflection. The expectation was that you need to keep talking about these issues."

Looked at from that perspective, Schmidt said he found the ethics investigation "ennobling."

He ultimately seconded the motion to dismiss the charges against Pearce, but noted the senator's failure to disclose his business relationship with the oil company "placed his actions in doubt and necessitated these discussions."

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Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.

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