diff --git a/synapse/state.py b/synapse/state.py
index 5b622ad3b..dff11711a 100644
--- a/synapse/state.py
+++ b/synapse/state.py
@@ -37,13 +37,15 @@ def _get_state_key_from_event(event):
 KeyStateTuple = namedtuple("KeyStateTuple", ("context", "type", "state_key"))
 
 
+AuthEventTypes = (EventTypes.Create, EventTypes.Member, EventTypes.PowerLevels,)
+
+
 class StateHandler(object):
     """ Responsible for doing state conflict resolution.
     """
 
     def __init__(self, hs):
         self.store = hs.get_datastore()
-        # self.auth = hs.get_auth()
         self.hs = hs
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
@@ -215,7 +217,7 @@ class StateHandler(object):
 
         auth_events = {
             k: e for k, e in unconflicted_state.items()
-            if k[0] in (EventTypes.Create, EventTypes.Member, EventTypes.PowerLevels,)
+            if k[0] in AuthEventTypes
         }
 
         try:
@@ -240,10 +242,6 @@ class StateHandler(object):
             1. power levels
             2. memberships
             3. other events.
-
-        :param conflicted_state:
-        :param auth_events:
-        :return:
         """
         resolved_state = {}
         power_key = (EventTypes.PowerLevels, "")
@@ -295,7 +293,7 @@ class StateHandler(object):
                 # get around circular deps.
                 self.hs.get_auth().check(event, auth_events)
                 return event
-            except AuthError as e:
+            except AuthError:
                 pass
 
         # Oh dear.
@@ -305,4 +303,4 @@ class StateHandler(object):
         def key_func(e):
             return -int(e.depth), hashlib.sha1(e.event_id).hexdigest()
 
-        return sorted(events, key=key_func)
\ No newline at end of file
+        return sorted(events, key=key_func)