Melanie Sloan
Melanie Sloan
Melanie Sloanis the former Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit government watchdog group...
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.
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.
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.
both detriment ignored members obligation parties police political themselves time
It is time for our representatives to take their constitutional obligation to police themselves seriously, an obligation that members of both political parties have ignored to the detriment of the American people.
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.
corrupt culture means members problems republican
Republican culture of corruption. There are so many corrupt members of Congress. By no means are all of the problems gone.
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.
afford campaigns interested interests members people
The members can't afford it. The people who are most interested in their campaigns are people with interests in Washington.
again care congress destroyed golf greedy members seats trips trust upholding
The little trust Americans had in Congress will once again be destroyed by greedy and unscrupulous members of Congress that care more about their skybox seats and golf trips than upholding the law.
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.