I must take exception to your editorial entitled “Legislature needs to enact these Saviello reforms.” (Dec. 6)

Your article, especially the headline, led readers to think that Rep. Tom Saviello, I-Wilton, had committed ethical infractions. In fact, he was completely cleared of any wrongdoing by the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics. By referring to any potential changes in ethics policy as “Saviello reforms,” you turn a conscientious, innocent, hard-working state representative into the poster boy for dubious legislative activity.

Rep. Saviello served in the last Legislature on the Natural Resources Committee. The “conflict of interest” allegations arose from his job as environmental manager for the Verso Paper mill in Jay (formerly International Paper). Despite Rep. Saviello’s fine record on environmentally responsible practices, certain environmentalists thought it ethically wrong that he served on a committee with jurisdiction over his private sector employer.

When the so-called controversy “erupted,” he took himself off the Natural Resources Committee and defended himself admirably against false allegations. The Ethics Commission said there was no problem in his returning to that committee.

Rep. Saviello holds a master’s degree in agronomy and a Ph.D. in forest resources. He served on the Board of Pesticides for 16 years, including service as chairman. He also spent four years as an associate professor of environmental policy at the University of Maine at Farmington. All told, he has 30 years experience in the forestry industry.

To assert that no one can serve on a committee with jurisdiction over his or her private sector field would mean that no educator could serve on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee; no lawyer could serve on the Judiciary Committee; no Certified Public Accountant could serve on the Taxation Committee; no farmer could serve on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. If no experts could serve on committees about which they know something, special interest groups would essentially run the legislature.

Rep. Saviello was re-elected to a third term in the Maine House of Representatives with 75 percent of the vote, the second-largest vote margin in the House. His constituents obviously know the truth about the good man. I believe you owe him a printed apology for your misleading and inaccurate headline and editorial.

Rep. Henry Joy, Crystal