Judge to hear arguments over ethics probe

PROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by a former Rhode Island legislative leader seeking to block an ethics probe.

A lawyer for former state Senate President William Irons argued that the "speech and debate" clause in the state constitution permits lawmakers to vote on bills without fear of prosecution.

Attorneys for the state Ethics Commission reject that argument. If the court accepts it, the commission said its ability to prosecute lawmakers would be severely weakened.

Judge Francis Darigan will write a decision.

Irons resigned from office in 2003 after he was accused of having a conflict of interest when he voted on pharmacy legislation opposed by CVS and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

At the time, Irons was receiving commissions as the broker on CVS employee health insurance provided by Blue Cross.