The House Ethics Committee on Friday announced that it would "extend" a previously unacknowledged review of Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY).
In January 2010, we exposed Meeks involvement in a charity called New Direction Local Development Corporation that raised money for Hurricane Katrina victims who never received it, among other questionable dealings. In March 2010, we asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate Meeks for paying $830,000 for a newly built home in 2006 that was worth more than $1.2 million. Click here to download a 26-page pdf of the Complaint.
Media coverage of these controversies reportedly prompted an FBI investigation of Meeks' finances, and the convening of a Grand Jury. After Meeks was contacted by the FBI, he amended his financial disclosure forms in June 2010. He disclosed for the first time an unsecured $40,000 personal loan from Guyanese businessman Ed Ahmad.
The Ahmad loan was made in 2007, meaning Meeks failed to disclose it on his 2007 and 2008 forms. The Ethics Committee did not specify which matter it was reviewing regarding Meeks, but it has been reported that it relates to his disclosures.
Although we welcome this inquiry, it seems tardy. Meeks was in the headlines in early 2010, but the Ethics Committee is only now reviewing these events. The Committee's announcement was made on Friday afternoon of the July 4th holiday weekend, suggesting that it sought to minimize media coverage.
Related:
Meeks Defends Secret Loans, Blames NLPC for Controversy
