Posted on 05/04/2015 12:46:48 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
A taxpayer watchdog group is calling for an ethics investigation into meetings between Hillary Clinton's team and key Senate Democrats inside official Senate offices where political activities are barred.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust has asked the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to probe the "apparent breach of ethics rules" stemming from an April 21 Clinton strategy session in a room just off the Senate floor.
The group said that the rules need to be reinforced because it appears that "ongoing" strategy sessions are planned between the Democratic frontrunner and Senate supporters.
"The taxpayers expect and deserve that senators will use taxpayer funded resources for Senate business, and abide by the law and rules requiring them to do so. This type of obvious violation without any consequence is precisely what causes public distrust of political officials, and damages the integrity of the Senate as a whole," said Matthew G. Whitaker, executive director of the group.
He submitted his request last week. A copy was provided to Secrets.
The group cited federal and Senate rules barring political activities inside Senate offices. The rules are typically directed at senators, though the Senate Ethics Manual reads, "Senate space may NOT be used for any political campaign activity, fundraising (including charitable contributions in lieu of honoraria), commercial, promotional, or profit-making purpose whatsoever."
At issue is an April 21 visit by two of Clinton's top aides to the weekly Senate Democratic lunch. The complaint included copies of news stories about the "huddle" with Democrats.
Afterward, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said that John Podesta and Amanda Renteria "came to our caucus to introduce us in a very broad, quick fashion to Secretary of State Clinton's campaign for president." The Hill quoted Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Clinton cheerleader, saying, "They just wanted people to know who the key people are and how they can be reached, They spent a very brief amount of time talking about how well the rollout had gone."
Whitaker said the meeting shouldn't have occurred. "The only reasonable explanation for meeting with campaign staff is political in nature," he said adding that Democrats "may expect and intend to continually violate" the ethics rules.
Clinton was not at the meeting.
Bloomberg reported that as Clinton's team were meeting with Senate Democrats, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Prebius was meeting down the hall with Republican senators at their weekly lunch.
Clinton is no stranger to rules governing meetings. Opponents of her health reforms as first lady, for example, took her to court to stop closed-door meetings of her healthcare task force, claiming they violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
The Clintons have no ethics.
The CLintons were full blown crooks in the 90s and no one cared.
Now after eight years of Obama’s brazen lawlessness — the Clintons will be democrat Party heroes.
That's a big reason people go into politics, I think. Say the right things on television, and you don't have to follow the rules.
Case in point: Corzine.
This will go nowhere legally. We all know that.
BUT....she was leading cruz by 30 points a MONTH ago and now 7. And Cruz’ brilliance is not really known.
Let these things keep coming out. They are hurting her. Remember, there are tens of million of adults who are so idiotic they don’t know if they are liberal or conservative yet and we can help them decide!!
Ethics; smithics... America has gone way way BEYOND Ethics....
America has gone FULL..... “Animal Farm”... or even “1984”..
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/n/1984/book-summary
“What difference does it make?”
Somebody kick McConnell’s chair and wake him up. He seems to be snoozing again.
But—is there any controlling legal authority?
But—is there any controlling legal authority?
Sure they have ethics. The problem is they have BAD ethics.
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