Harrell Cleared in Ethics Investigation

A grand jury investigation into alleged ethics violations against House Speaker Bobby Harrell is over, Harrell confirmed in a statement issued Saturday morning.

In the statement, Harrell said his attorneys were "recently informed" he was no longer the subject of the investigation. 

"The state Grand Jury expired June 30 and there is no longer any state Grand Jury investigation of me," Harrell said in the statement.

Harrell and his chief of staff, Greg Foster, confirmed that Attorney General Alan Wilson appointed Solicitor David Pascoe to handle any further investigations after Wilson removed himself from the case.

"The Attorney General made the decision to take these actions without any consultation or communication with my attorneys or me," Harrell's statement read.

"It is important for everyone to understand that we did not know about these events until about a month after they occurred. The Attorney General's office notified us of his decisions on July 29 during a call between my attorney and a representative of the Attorney General," Harrell said.

"I have said from the beginning that I violated no law and have only sought an independent prosecutor free of political motives and influence. I hope these events accomplish that," Harrell's statement concluded.