Speaker Brian Bosma says Republican state Representative Eric Turner should have recused himself completely from discussions last session on legislation that significantly impacted his family’s nursing home business.
Bosma announced Friday that Turner will no longer be part of the House GOP leadership team.
Eric Turner and his son Zeke have significant financial stakes in the nursing home business. Zeke owns and runs nursing home management and construction companies, one of which Turner has financial interests in.
Speaker Bosma says Turner’s ties to the industry represents what he calls an “irreconcilable conflict” and that the Cicero Republican should have recused himself from all private GOP caucus discussions of a nursing home construction moratorium bill last session.
Bosma says the House Ethics Committee acted correctly earlier this year when it determined Turner didn’t technically violate any House rules, but that the investigation exposed gaps in the ethics law.
The House Speaker says he plans to introduce a comprehensive ethics bill next session. And while Bosma says calls for the embattled GOP lawmaker to resign mean nothing because the legislature won’t meet until after November’s election, he says, if reelected, Turner will not be a part of the Republican leadership team this fall.
In a statement, Turner says he remains committed to serving the Speaker, the GOP caucus and the House with integrity and respects Bosma's decision.
Turner has served as Speaker Pro Tem since 2010.
