State Rep. Mark Butler says there was no conflict of interest that resulted from a two-and-a-half-year relationship he had with a woman who served as a lobbyist for the University System of Georgia.

Butler, a Republican from Carrollton, said he maintained a relationship with Erin Henderson, a lobbyist currently registered with the State Ethics Commission of Georgia, from April 2006 to February of this year. Henderson began as a lobbyist in January of 2008 when she was hired by the University of West Georgia as Director of Governmental Relations and Special Projects in the Division of University Advancement.

The relationship has drawn some scrutiny after House Speaker Glenn Richardson’s announcement that he would resign Jan. 1, following the revelation that he had an affair with a lobbyist for Atlanta Gas Light while he was sponsoring a bill authorizing the utility to build a $300 million natural gas pipeline.

Butler said that unlike the circumstances surrounding Richardson’s resignation, his relationship did not constitute a conflict of interest because the University of West Georgia is in his district, and it is his responsibility as a representative to advocate for all public institutions in his district.

“The 18th District and the west Georgia area and in this case the University of West Georgia all [have] a common interest. My job is to advocate for west Georgia whether it be the university or tech schools located there or whatever,” Butler said. “It doesn’t matter who works at the University of West Georgia. I’m going to do everything to ensure that they’re represented in Atlanta.”

Unlike Richardson, who was having an affair while married, Butler said he was in a committed relationship with Henderson, and the relationship itself predated her term as a lobbyist in the capitol. He said he would never enter into a relationship with an acting lobbyist, and he said that, generally speaking, he believes it to be a “bad idea” for a legislator to be involved with a lobbyist.

Despite his relationship with Henderson, Butler said he in no way acted outside of any ethical boundaries, and neither he nor Henderson gained a political advantage because of the relationship.

“The problem you run into is if you have a conflict of interest. If you’re up there and you influence legislation that helps you for personal gain then you’ve got a problem,” Butler said. “I stay away from conflicts of interest, and in this case I saw absolutely no conflicts of interest because we were working toward the same goals.”

Butler said his relationship with Henderson was not a secret, and at no point has he been approached by colleagues concerned about his relationship with her.

House Minority Leader DuBose Porter, D-Dublin, said that there is no current ethics investigation into Butler’s relationship with Henderson.

But, he said, whenever a representative has a relationship with a lobbyist it is cause for concern.

“Certainly, any member of the Georgia House should have concerns if and when that happens,” he said.