By DAN IZENBERG
The watchdog organization Ometz announced on Tuesday that State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss was investigating its complaint that Agriculture Minister Shalom Simchon accepted free trips and hotel accommodations for himself and his family from a public company while serving as environment minister in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet.
Comptroller's office spokeswoman Shlomit Lavi declined to comment on the announcement.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Simchon denied the allegations outright. "There is no truth to these charges," she told The Jerusalem Post. We are certain that the State Comptroller's investigation will find no wrongdoing. Simchon paid for all his private trips with his own money."