WASHINGTON -- The Office of Congressional Ethics has found no evidence to back up allegations that Rep. Chris Lee's fundraising activities might have been tied to his votes on financial reform legislation.

The ethics office sent Lee a letter Tuesday announcing its decision. At the same time, three of the eight lawmakers under suspicion in the case -- Reps. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y.; Tom Price, R-Ga.; and John Campbell, R-Calif. -- were referred for further investigation.

In the case of Lee, R-Clarence, the ethics report said: "There is not substantial reason to believe that Rep. Lee solicited or accepted contributions in a manner which gave the appearance that special treatment or access was provided to donors or that contributions were linked to an official act."

The ethics board approved that report by a 5-0 vote. It sent its recommendation that the probe be dropped to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which could have pursued allegations about Lee if the Office of Congressional Ethics had found them to be credible.

The probe centered on the period between Dec. 2, when the House Financial Services Committee approved the financial reform bill, and Dec. 11, when the full House approved it.

"In that nine-day interim period, Rep. Lee held two fundraising events for his campaign committee attended by entities or individuals registered to lobby on the Financial Reform Bill," the Office of Congressional Ethics said in its report.

Lee could have violated House rules if he behaved "in a manner which gave the appearance that special treatment or access was being provided to donors or the appearance that the contributions were linked to an official act," the ethics panel said.

Lee, however, clearly stated months earlier that he opposed the Democratic financial reform package, saying it was too great an imposition on business.

Finding no ties between Lee's votes and his contributions, "The Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics recommends that the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct dismiss the above allegations," the ethics panel said.

Lee, who is just finishing his first term in Congress, said he was relieved that the allegations had not proved to be credible.

"It's nice to have it off our back," he said. "We were vindicated beyond a doubt."

Lee said he provided thorough documentation to the ethics panel and never hired a lawyer to represent him in the case.

"We were smart in our approach. We were very open," said Lee, who added, "I don't begrudge what they were trying to do here."

The other lawmakers who were cleared in the probe are Reps. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas; Frank Lucas, R.-Okla.; Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D.; and Mel Watt, D-N.C.

jzremski@buffnews.comnull