INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The question of what exactly it means to have a conflict of interest is at the heart of recent Indiana ethics scandals.

House Speaker Brian Bosma referenced the issue Friday when he announced that Rep. Eric Turner would no longer be a part of his leadership team. Bosma expressed concern that Turner's work to benefit his family's nursing home business posed an “irreconcilable conflict” with his public duties.

The Turner case had recently become fodder for Indiana Democrats looking to break a Republican hold on the Statehouse.

Democratic candidate for auditor Mike Claytor suggested that third-graders would be better equipped to identify conflicts of interest than some public officials.

Bosma says he cracked down on Turner specifically because the public trust needs to be protected.