Melanie Sloan
Melanie Sloan
Melanie Sloanis the former Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit government watchdog group...
breaking breaks campaign commission election federal funds house member prevent requires rules travel using
It's breaking house rules which prevent a member from using travel funds for anything but their own travel. And it breaks federal Election Commission law, which requires that only campaign funds be used for campaign expenses.
adam comments committee ethics explaining given gop house illegal indictment involving knew scandal step
An indictment is just the first step in the ever-evolving scandal involving Abramoff and the GOP Leadership. Now, Rep. Ney has some explaining to do. Given that Rep. Ney knew enough about SunCruz, Adam Kidan and Gus Boulis to insert comments about them in the Congressional Record, the House ethics committee should find out what else Rep. Ney knew about Abramoff's illegal activities.
actions commence committee ethics federal house johnson law office position power prohibited public rules taken trust using
Rep. Johnson abused the public trust by using the power of his office to harass an organization which had taken a position with which he disagreed. Such actions are specifically prohibited by federal law and ethics rules and the House ethics committee should immediately commence an investigation into Rep. Johnson's disgraceful conduct.
blatant committee complaint conduct disregard ethics file house ignore integrity law member rule shows truce urge
Rep. Jefferson's conduct shows a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the integrity of the House of Representatives. We urge a member of the House to ignore the long-standing ethics truce and file CREW's complaint with the House Ethics Committee today.
acting against ask both cease complaint conduct corruption ethics file house leader majority members money mouth police priority responsibility rooting roy truly urge
If rooting out corruption in the House of Representatives is truly a priority for both parties, then we ask a member, any member, to put their money where their mouth is and file this complaint against Acting House Majority Leader Roy Blunt. We urge members to end the ethics 'truce' and cease abdicating their responsibility to police the conduct of their colleagues.
congress either ethics file house member police responsibility willing
The House has completely abdicated its constitutional responsibility to police itself. There is still no member of Congress, in either party, willing to file an ethics complaint.
committee ethics house
The House Ethics Committee doesn't look at anything.
against both complaint deny ethics existence fact file member nobody parties since terms truce
That's because there's an ethics truce. Both parties will deny this, but there is in fact a truce that's been in existence since 1998. And under the terms of the truce nobody will file a complaint against a member of the other party.
people public relations seem smoke tax
It doesn't seem to me that someone should get a tax deduction while they're writing public relations memos about how people should be able to smoke in restaurants.
enforce enforcing ethics interest problem
The problem is, they don't want to enforce the ethics rules, and they don't have any interest in enforcing ethics rules.
abuse deliver democrat foolish money power
You have to have power to abuse it. You would be foolish to give money to a Democrat because they wouldn't be able to deliver anything.
changes oversight rule virtually
Without oversight or enforcement, rule changes are virtually meaningless.
based decide decline holding insider june knowledge order sale sell senator stock suddenly value
Why did Sen. Frist suddenly decide to sell the stock in June after holding the stock for so long? Also, did the Senator order the sale based on insider knowledge that the value of the stock was about to decline precipitously?
committees congress corruption engage ethics level matter members national
No matter what level of corruption the members of Congress engage in, the ethics committees do nothing. It's a national embarrassment.