Rangel Facing Rare Ethics Trial
July 29, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
Barring a last-minute settlement agreement over allegations that Rep. Charlie Rangel violated House rules, a special ethics panel will meet Thursday to set the stage for a rare ethics trial.
Read the full articleConnolly: Rangel Matter Is ‘Sad and Isolated Case’
July 28, 2010, 12:19 P.M.
As the House ethics committee prepares to release its full list of allegations against Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) on Thursday, some House Democrats are downplaying the effect the case could have on the November elections.
Time Is of the Essence for Rangel
July 27, 2010, 7:54 P.M.
The clock is ticking on Rep. Charlie Rangel’s attempt to end what he describes as a “nightmare” of an ethics case against him before the allegations are unveiled in full on Thursday.
Schmidt Rejects Accusations Regarding Legal Fees
July 27, 2010, 1:56 P.M.
Rep. Jean Schmidt’s (R) office has dismissed allegations leveled by a perennial challenger that the Ohio lawmaker improperly received legal services from Turkish interest groups to represent her in a host of legal disputes the duo have engaged in since 2008.
Boehner, Hoyer Trade Jabs Over Rangel Trial
July 27, 2010, 11:39 A.M.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the upcoming ethics trial of Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) proves that Democrats failed to “drain the swamp,” while Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) argued that the investigation of Rangel showed that the ethics process is working again.
Rangel Now Fighting Battles on Two Fronts
July 24, 2010, 11:14 A.M.
Rep. Charlie Rangel could spend his August recess preparing not only for his September primary contest but also for a looming ethics trial. The timing might benefit the New York Democrat.
Rangel Says He Won’t Quit the House
July 23, 2010, 1:52 P.M.
Rep. Charlie Rangel indicated Friday that he does not intend to leave the House or end his re-election campaign even as he faces an ethics committee trial over allegations that he may have violated House rules.
Gordon Racks Up Miles Before Retiring
April 27, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
Most careers end with a gold watch or a happy hour. For retiring House Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), the parting gift from the nation’s taxpayers appears to be an all-expenses-paid tour of Italy, Switzerland and China.
Earmark Rejection Spurs Ethics Complaint
April 19, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
Entrepreneur Paul Asmus didn’t get an earmark. And he thinks that’s unethical. So earlier this month, Asmus wrote to the Office of Congressional Ethics, calling for an investigation into the rejection of his request for $10 million in federal funds.
Members Fly Free Abroad
April 13, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
Members of Congress and their staff racked up almost $15 million worth of foreign travel in 2009, but Congress didn’t have to pay the tab.
Deal Likely Received Independent Ethics Report
March 24, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
Ex-Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) resigned Sunday without a public conclusion to the probes into his family’s auto-salvage business, even as the House’s independent ethics office has apparently completed its review and issued a private report that Deal has likely seen.
Defiant Massa Points Fingers
March 9, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
Scandal-tinged Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) ended his short but combustible Congressional career Monday night, acknowledging inappropriate behavior as he battled allegations that he sexually harassed a male staffer.
Firm Tied to Murtha Earmarks Goes Dark
March 16, 2010, 1:00 A.M.
A lobbying firm with close ties to the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) — and a central player in some of the most questionable earmarks sponsored by Murtha — appears to have closed its doors.
Majority Eyes Earmark Ban
March 8, 12 a.m.
As they try to reclaim the ethical high ground during a difficult stretch, House Democratic leaders are considering a dramatic move: declaring a party-wide ban on earmarks this year.
Stark Runs Into Stiff Resistance
March 3, 7:52 p.m.
Rep. Pete Stark (Calif.) may have the shortest chairmanship in the young history of the House Democratic majority.
House Democratic leaders were scrambling Wednesday to fill a vacuum at the top of the Ways and Means Committee after Rep. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.) surrendered the gavel in the wake of an ethics wrist slap. And at least temporarily they were forced to hand the job to Stark, next in line on the panel behind the embattled New Yorker.
Ethics Panel Probed Lightly Into PMA
March 8, 12 a.m.
The ethics committee concluded a nearly year-long investigation by declaring that no Members of the House had exchanged earmarks for campaign contributions from the PMA Group lobbying firm and its clients, but the committee does not appear to have interviewed any Members or companies that were particularly close to PMA.
‘Admonishment’ Is Not Covered by Ethics Rules
March 3, 12 a.m.
When the House ethics committee opted to admonish Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) last week, it also highlighted limitations in its process for sanctioning Members, legal experts and former Congressional aides said.
Thompson Pushes DHS on Contracts
March 2, 12 a.m.
House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is on a mission to see the Department of Homeland Security and its largest contractors hire more small, minority-owned and women-owned companies to fulfill government contracts. He is also willing to dedicate significant resources of the committee and his own personal persuasion to pursuing this goal.
Panel: Staff Conduct Falls on Members
March 2, 12 a.m.
The House ethics committee on Friday lobbed a warning to Members: You are ethically accountable for your staff.
Tiahrt Decision Highlights Tensions Over Ethics Process
March 1, 12 a.m.
The House ethics committee report issued Friday on the PMA Group lobbying firm’s relationship to Members of Congress included this odd nugget: Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) was probed by Congressional investigators for nine months despite the fact that there was never a specific allegation that he had done anything wrong.
Hometown Makes Ortiz a Frequent Flier
Feb. 23, 12 a.m.
Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas) has accepted tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of trips to China from a development corporation in his hometown that he aided by securing earmarks and other federal assistance worth millions of dollars.
Members Challenge OCE’s Investigations
Feb. 3, 12 a.m.
Members under scrutiny by the Office of Congressional Ethics have been highly critical of its investigators, and some privately acknowledge urging fellow lawmakers to shun the office in favor of the House ethics committee. It is not yet clear that such recommendations are hampering the OCE’s ability to investigate House lawmakers.
Lawmakers Revise Their Financial Reports
Feb. 2, 2010, 12 a.m.
Eight months after the deadline for filing their financial disclosure forms, Members of Congress are continuing to file amendments to the reports, in some cases raising more questions than the amendments answer.
DOJ Ends Mollohan Probe; Is Ethics Next?
Jan. 27, 12 a.m.
The Justice Department confirmed Tuesday that it has closed out a four-year probe of Rep. Alan Mollohan (D) without taking action against the West Virginia lawmaker, but Mollohan could still face scrutiny from the House ethics committee.
DOD Tipped Pelosi on FOIA Request
Jan. 26, 12 a.m.
Five months ago, Roll Call asked the Defense Department for documents relating to Congressional travel on military aircraft. The Pentagon has not yet responded to the request, but last week a spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) contacted Roll Call to inquire about “your FOIA request on the Speaker.”
CREW Files Complaint on Buyer
Jan. 26, 12 a.m.
An ethics watchdog group called Monday for both Internal Revenue Service and ethics probes into a nonprofit foundation closely tied to Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), alleging the charity may have violated tax laws. But Buyer dismissed the complaint, stating that the House ethics committee has privately addressed the matter.
Election Year Limits Ethics Office
Jan. 20, 12 a.m.
While election-year restrictions on the Office of Congressional Ethics could create a bottleneck of its investigative referrals to the House, government watchdogs say the potential delays should not significantly impede the ethics process.
Sentencing May End DOJ Earmark Probe
Jan. 13, 12 a.m.
A defense contractor accused of diverting money from an earmark provided by Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) has been scheduled for sentencing at the end of February, suggesting that his cooperation with federal agents investigating earmarks is coming to a close.
Ex-Frost Aide Leads Effort to Reverse DeLay's Redistricting Triumph
Jan. 12, 12 a.m.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars that will ultimately end up funding state, federal and local campaigns for Texas Democrats this year will first churn through a nondescript row house on Capitol Hill that serves as headquarters for a tight network of organizations dedicated to electing Democrats in the Lone Star State.
Whitfield Toasts Times in Turkey
Dec. 8, 12 a.m.
Congressional travel records tell some unusual stories, but this one stands out: a Kentucky Republican traveling to Istanbul to celebrate the New York Times, on the tab of a Turkish industrial conglomerate.
Jefferson to Stay Out of Prison Pending Appeal
Nov. 19, 12 a.m.
Ex-Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) received a temporary reprieve Wednesday when a federal judge ruled the former lawmaker will not have to begin his 13-year prison term while he appeals his conviction.
Bachmann ‘Tea Party’ Contested
Nov. 18, 12 a.m.
A government watchdog group accused Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) of violating House rules, asserting Tuesday that the lawmaker improperly used official resources to organize a recent “tea party” event at the Capitol to oppose health care legislation.
Jefferson May Be Ineligible for Camp
Nov. 17, 12 a.m.
Facing 13 years in prison for his August corruption conviction, ex-Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) hopes to be assigned to a minimum security prison camp instead of a prison surrounded with barbed wire, a request that the judge in his case is inclined to grant.
Jefferson’s Sentence Is a Record-Setter
Nov. 16, 12 a.m.
A freezer full of cash made ex-Rep. William Jefferson a national punch line, and a federal judge on Friday made him a record-holder: The 13-year prison sentence given to the Louisiana Democrat is the longest ever handed down to a former Member of Congress.
Convicted Ex-Rep. Has 10 Business Days to Appeal
Nov. 14, 5:48 p.m.
Ex-Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), who was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison but not immediately taken into custody, is awaiting a hearing Wednesday that will determine when he begins serving his sentence.
Jefferson Sentenced to 13 Years
Nov. 13, 5:53 p.m.
A federal judge sentenced ex-Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) on Friday to 13 years in prison, the longest incarceration ever ordered for a former Member of Congress.
Five CBC Members Likely to Be Cleared
Nov. 5, 12 a.m.
The House ethics committee is likely to exonerate five members of the Congressional Black Caucus who were accused of taking an improper trip to the Caribbean, according to sources familiar with the case.
Odd Subpoena Imperils Inquiry
Oct. 27, 12 a.m.
An unusual arrangement concocted last week by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to share subpoenaed documents with the House ethics panel could create enforcement hurdles in its search for mortgage documents.
Young Faces Bribery Accusation
Oct. 26, 12 a.m.
In preparation for his sentencing in an Alaska bribery scheme, former oil executive Bill Allen released a tantalizing tidbit about the long-running legal allegations swirling around Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska): Allen told the Justice Department in 2007 that he had provided Young with more than $100,000 worth of gifts that the Congressman never reported.
House Committee Issues Subpoena in Countrywide Probe
Oct. 24, 9:20 a.m.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee issued a subpoena Friday night demanding loan information related to all current and former House Members who may have received mortgages from Countrywide Financial's VIP loan program — but it will take precautions not to identify incumbent lawmakers during its investigation.
House Panel Agrees on Countrywide Subpoenas
Oct. 23, 11:36 p.m.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee agreed Friday night to demand loan information related to all House Members, House aides and federal employees in a seven-page subpoena targeting a VIP program offered by the mortgage lender Countrywide.
Towns Pays for Unlisted Receipts
Oct. 22, 12 a.m.
House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) paid a Federal Election Commission fine of nearly $5,000 in September, according to his most recent campaign finance report.
Carter Refiling Disclosure Forms to List Exxon Profits
Oct. 22, 12 a.m.
Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) acknowledged Wednesday that he failed to disclose nearly $300,000 in profits from the sale of Exxon stock in 2006 and 2007, and his office said he will file amended financial disclosure forms with the House ethics committee as soon as possible.
Exxon Shares Net No Profit for Carter
Oct. 21, 12 a.m.
Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) appears to have pulled off an unusual feat: selling more than $100,000 worth of Exxon Mobil Corp. stock — when it was selling at historic highs — without making a profit, according to financial disclosure forms filed by the Congressman.
Ex-House Aides Could Testify in Ring Retrial
Oct. 20, 12 a.m..
When former House aide-turned-lobbyist Kevin Ring returns to court for a new trial on public corruption charges in June, a lineup of former House staffers could testify in his defense — despite previously invoking their Fifth Amendment rights — as the statute of limitations on crimes related to the case runs out.
Events Complicated by ‘Evolving’ Ethics Rules
Oct. 6, 12 a.m.
For the past decade, the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education & Leadership Institute has sponsored an annual policy conference in Mississippi to discuss everything from health care to clean energy and infrastructure.
Ring Case Is Handed Over to Jury
Oct. 6, 12 a.m.
A federal jury began deliberations Monday in the public corruption trial of former lobbyist Kevin Ring and could soon issue a verdict in only the second case to challenge the government’s charges stemming from its investigation of disgraced ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Grayson Chases Telecom Firms
Sept. 24, 12 a.m.
A D.C. court ruling last week stood out because of the unusual plaintiff — Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) — who is trying to force telephone companies to return to consumers unused balances on prepaid calling cards. But to Grayson, the case must have sounded familiar: The issues and conclusions were nearly identical to a case Grayson brought in California six years ago against some of the same telephone companies.
Buchanan’s Sales Yield No Profit
Sept. 23, 12 a.m.
Despite multiple high-stakes real estate transactions, Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) reported an unprofitable year in the real estate business in 2008.
Ethics Panels Clash in Public
Sept. 17, 12 a.m.
The House ethics committee and Office of Congressional Ethics clashed publicly Wednesday over the investigation of a Republican lawmaker, exposing the often prickly relationship between the two oversight bodies.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Are a Bit Opaque in Filings
Sept.16, 12 a.m.
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) has an unusual approach to filing his annual financial disclosure forms: Despite rules requiring Members of Congress to disclose their spouses’ employers, Lewis never mentions on his form that his wife is on his Congressional payroll.
Cortés: Secure the Border, Please
Sept. 8, 2:37 p.m.
No one wants the border secured more than the Hispanic community. We are stunned when conservative Members of Congress, national conservative media, policy and opinion leaders think Hispanics are against efforts to secure our borders. Perhaps this is because of media distortions, but nothing is further from the truth — America’s Hispanic community supports and encourages efforts to secure our borders. Read Full Article
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