The Senate Ethics Committee unanimously voted to reject an ethics complaint filed against Republican state Sen. Merlin Bartz of Grafton alleging he violated his oath of office by encouraging county recorders to break the law.

The complaint was filed by former Democratic state Rep. Ed Fallon and his wife, Lynn. Bartz used the resources of the Senate Republican caucus to ask county officials not to issue marriage licenses to couples of the same gender in defiance of the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage. To date no same-sex couples in Iowa have been denied a license.

In dismissing the complaint, the committee concluded Bartz was simply exercising his right to free speech.