It's a she-said, they-said dilemma that has the House looking at changing its ethics rules.

Rep. Debbie Stafford, of Aurora, said that a fellow Republican in the House told her she would be a target in future elections if she supported a construction-defects bill that the homebuilders industry opposed.

Republican leadership said the exchange never happened, that Stafford's story has changed several times and that she is simply mad at the homebuilders for helping kill an unrelated measure she introduced this session.

Stafford stands by her story, but said she doesn't plan to file any sort of complaint.

After hearing about the hubbub, Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said he asked staffers to review the rules.

"There is a specific House rule that says a lobbyist cannot threaten a legislator, for that matter any other public employee, with violence or economic or political reprisal," he said. "There is no corresponding rule in the House with respect to threats made by lawmakers, and I think there should be."

Stafford said that a number of people lobbied her to vote against House Bill 1338, including Rep. David Balmer, R-Centennial, the assistant minority leader.

She said Balmer told her that she would receive heat from the Colorado Association of Homebuilders if she ran for another office. And she said Balmer mentioned that the group has been generous to Republican candidates in the past.

"I said, 'My vote is not for sale,' " Stafford said. Balmer said he never mentioned political contributions or possible future races, but merely asked Stafford to consider the bill on its merits.

He said she continued to rip the homebuilders for working against her other bill. Stafford joined with Democrats in sending the construction defects bill to the full House. Secretary of state records show the homebuilders' political-action arm, the Committee for the American Dream, spent about $200,000 in the last election cycle. It contributed mostly to Republicans, but several Democratic legislative candidates got the maximum $400 donation.

They include Rep. Buffie McFadyen, of Pueblo West; Sen. Lois Tochtrop, of Thornton; and Sen. Chris Romer, of Denver.

In addition, the Senate Democratic Fund received a donation.

The group also paid for mailings for Republican candidates.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327