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House Ethics Office Releases Report On Probes
The Office of Congressional Ethics began one preliminary review into a possible ethical violation by a representative between July and September, according to the office's third quarter report released today. Click here:
OCE Third Quarter 2009 Report.pdfThe OCE, a quasi-independent group created in 2008 to screen potential ethics violations and make
recommendations to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (the official name for the House Ethics committee), reported commencing 14 preliminary reviews in the second quarter.
In the third quarter, the OCE recommended to the ethics committee that four matters be reviewed and one matter be dismissed. This year, the office has recommended nine reviews and two dismissals. The OCE also reported that it did not terminate any investigations in the third quarter.
In 2009, OCE has commenced a total of 25 preliminary reviews and terminated four matters, indicating that 21 reviews are outstanding. The report does not detail which members are being investigated.
In August, we wrote about lawmakers known to be under investigation, according to records kept by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. That list included 13 representatives: Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., Rep. Jesse Jackson, D-Ill., Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., Rep. Allan Mollohan, D-W.Va., Rep. Timothy Murphy, R-Pa., Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Calif., Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., and Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska.
In September, the Ethics Committee released statements saying that OCE had referred matters concerning Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., and that the committee had voted to extend those matters for 45 days. The reports concerning those matters will be released Friday unless the Ethics Committee "empanels an investigative subcommittee," the OCE report says.
National Journal reported (subscription) this month on a turf battle that has been brewing between the OCE and the House Ethics committee and reform groups are eagerly awaiting the report.
"Friday is the first benchmark of the new transparency that was promised in the creation of the OCE on the heels of Speaker Pelosi's
commitment to 'the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in
history,'" a statement by several reform groups, including U.S. PIRG,
Public Citizen, Common Cause, Campaign Legal Center, The League of
Women Voters and Democracy 21, said about the impending report release
deadline. "We look forward to this milestone in the OCE's brief history."
The OCE also took the opportunity to use the report to fire back at recent criticism about how the office launches investigations.
One of those who was critical was Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C. who told The Hill earlier this month: "A lot of people have been raising concerns [about the OCE], and I support them. At some point in the not-so-distant future, these concerns will have to be addressed."
Some of those concerns that have been raised are that OCE is reviewing allegations made in media reports. But the OCE report maintains that preliminary reviews are only launched when "objectively verifiable facts exist."
"The OCE Board has never authorized a review based on an anonymous 'complaint' or a newspaper article," the report says.
OCE was contacted by 72 private citizens during the third quarter, some of whom alleged misconduct by representatives, according to the report.
The report also listed new hires by the office in 2009, including four investigative counsels: Omar Ashmawy, Elizabeth Horton, Kedric Payne and Paul Solis. OCE hired Nate Wright as an analyst and Jon Steinman as a communications director.
Read more about the interactions between OCE and the Ethics Committee here.
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Sunday, January 30, 2011
he OCE, a quasi-independent group created in 2008 to screen potential ethics violations and make recommendations to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (the official name for the House Ethics committee), reported commencing 14 preliminary reviews in the second quarter. Regards, Mary cna and free cna training
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010
"Friday is the first benchmark of the new transparency that was promised in the creation of the OCE on the heels of Speaker Pelosi's commitment to 'the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history,'" a statement by several reform groups, including U.S. PIRG, Public Citizen, Common Cause, Campaign Legal Center, The League of Women Voters and Democracy 21, said about the impending report release deadline. "We look forward to this milestone in the OCE's brief history." best gifts for groomsmen - corporate gifts
Bara Vaida
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Posted email comment from Rep. Gary Miller's press secretary:
Hi Beth,
I hope you are doing well. I read your article entitled “House Ethics Office Releases Report On Probes” and was dismayed that you cited CREW as a reference. Congressman Miller is tired of CREW’s baseless, partisan accusations. This ‘watchdog’ group is only interested in impugning one’s integrity. It should be known that the CREW executive director is a former Democrat staffer for Congressman Conyers and Senators Biden and Schumer. It should also be noted that Congressman Miller was removed from CREW’s most recent list. However, CREW based their former unsubstantiated accusations against Congressman Miller from rumors and innuendos from left-wing newspapers and bloggers in Washington, DC and Southern California. To our knowledge, this issue has not been discussed in the media in over three years other than referencing CREW’s list.
In order to counter these erroneous accusations, over three years ago Congressman Miller provided all the documentation refuting these accusations and asked the House Ethics Committee to review the issues. To date, there has been no notice of wrongdoing or even concerns by the House Ethics Committee, nor has he been contacted by the FBI, IRS and/or the Office of Congressional Ethics that he is under investigation. CREW’s continued references to these rumors are inaccurate and unfounded.
As a press secretary, I respectively request you no longer cite this partisan organization—time and again they have failed to provide accurate information. Rather, they continue to float rumors and this has falsely damaged the reputation of many.
Best,
Jessica
Jessica L. Baker
Press Secretary | Legislative Assistant
Congressman Gary G. Miller (CA-42)
2349 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
p: (202) 225-3201
f: (202) 226-6962
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Red Baron
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Ethics Committee should also investigate Loretta Sanchez for her scandalous conduct with the military officer assigned to escort her on official government travel. Her adulterous affair with the pentagon escort (which was criminal for him) led directly to his early retirement from the service and divorce from his wife of 25 years. Representatives should be allowed to keep their private lives private, but when they misbehave on government travel with official escorts and destroy a loyal Army family and promising career, there should be accountability. I believe she should be admonished or censured by the House. As the senior woman on the armed services committee, she knew that committing adultery was a court-martial offense for him and a glaring ethics lapse for her. At a minimum it was reckless and harmful to alot of people.