LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. – The State Ethics Commission has cleared a Limestone County commissioner of any wrongdoing.

Wednesday’s hearing followed three complaints that were made accusing Commissioner Ben Harrison of using his political position for personal gain.

All complaints were dismissed.

Harrison released the following statement Wednesday:

“I want to thank the Ethics Commission and the investigators for their hard work. They looked into every aspect of this case in a thorough and careful investigation.

I cannot talk about every aspect of the complaints filed against me for legal reasons, but I can talk about where at least some of these false and misleading accusations came from. I believe it is important for people to know who started these complaints, and what happened behind the scene leading up to this hearing. I believe the Ethics Commission was used as a political tool and that concerns me not only for my campaign, but for every candidate across our State. The only way I know to stop this type of behavior is to expose it whenever possible. I am confident that the people of Limestone County will see through these political attacks once they know where they came from.
At least two of the ethics complaints were initiated by Greg Poss, who was the 5th District Democrat Campaign Coordinator, and also heavily involved in my opponents campaign. I think it’s pretty obvious that these complaints were politically motivated. I am a Republican, and I suspect that my opponent’s campaign and the democrat establishment wanted to see my name dragged through the mud before the election on November 3rd.

Using the State Ethics Commission as a political tool is inappropriate, and I believe that is what happened here. My family and I are relieved to move past this hearing, but I am so disappointed in what politics is becoming even at the local level. I love this community and I would never do anything to intentionally harm it. I am committed to running on the issues and talking about what is best for the people of Limestone County, and not on hearsay and false accusations.”