Former state senator appointed to Legislative Ethics Commission

FRANKFORT — Former state Sen. Charlie Borders, who served on the Public Service Commission board from 2009-11, is the newest member of the state Legislative Ethics Commission.

Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, has appointed Borders, a Republican from Russell, to the ethics panel to replace former state Sen. Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs, Stivers' spokeswoman Jodi Whitaker said Thursday.

McGaha resigned from the ethics commission this week, expressing criticism of how the panel initially dealt with ethics complaints brought by three female legislative staffers against former state Rep. John Arnold of Sturgis.

The women charged that Arnold had inappropriately touched them. The nine-member panel, at an April hearing, was one vote shy of the necessary five to punish Arnold. On Wednesday, the panel voted 5-1 that Arnold was guilty of the ethics charges and fined him $1,000 and issued a public reprimand on each charge.

The commission still has one position which has been vacant for about two years. It is to be filled by Stivers and House Speaker Greg Stumbo.

Borders, 65, left the PSC in December 2011.

This story was originally published May 8, 2014 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Former state senator appointed to Legislative Ethics Commission."