Update: Stephanie Cegielski of the Colorado Government Accountability Project has formally requested a Senate ethics investigation into John Morse's fraudulent per diem payments. You can find her formal request here

Today on the Mike Rosen Show, Stephanie Cegielski of the Colorado Government Accountability Project (CGAP) called for a Senate ethics investigation into the fraudulent per diem cash that Senate Majority Leader John Morse unethically pocketed.

Sitting in for Mike Rosen was Mark Hillman, himself a former Senate Majority Leader. On the show Hillman and Cegielski discussed the purpose of per diem and when it is valid for a member of leadership to take the additional per diem they are allowed to request.

Hillman quoted from the Legislature's report on this topic when former Republican Rep. Joe Stengel found himself in hot water over per diem transgressions. The report stated clearly that making one phone call does not a day's work make and therefore on days without a full day put towards leadership responsibilities per diem should not be requested.

The purpose of per diem is to lighten the financial toll on legislators for being at the Capitol. But as Hillman and Cegielski discussed on the show, Morse took per diem for days that he was in Colorado Springs, days he was moving his apartment, and even days when he was at a junket in San Diego where other legislators were who did not request or receive per diem.

It's clear now that this story is gaining steam, John Morse has ($)99 problems and an ethics investigation is one. 

 **You can find the entire interview (second half of clip) here