Free Republic

The House Ethics Committee closed its two-year-long investigation into Rep. Eric Swalwell’s ties to suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang on Tuesday and said it will take no action against the California Democrat. “As you are aware, on April 9, 2021, the Committee on Ethics informed you that it had determined to investigate allegations raised in the complaint that you may have violated House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct in connection with your interactions with Ms. Christine Fang. The Committee will take no further action in this matter,” read a letter to Swalwell from Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest...

A conservative group is asking the Office of Congressional Ethics to launch an investigation of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for accepting free tickets to Monday’s Met Gala, where she wore a custom gown that said “Tax the Rich.” The self-declared socialist congresswoman drew broad social media scorn for partying at the elite $35,000-per-ticket event while presenting herself as their rabble-rousing foe. Thomas Jones, founder of the American Accountability Foundation, wrote in an ethics complaint that he believes Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of the Bronx and Queens, broke House rules by accepting “an impermissible gift” of free tickets to attend the annual...

The House Ethics Committee admonished Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., for a 2019 tweet against Michael Cohen that suggested the former attorney to President Trump was unfaithful to his wife and had "girlfriends." Gaetz had already apologized for the tweet that he issued before Cohen's testimony before Congress and said his words were not meant to be construed as threatening to a witness. On Friday, he took the reprimand "with humility" while also noting his big primary election victory earlier this week. “The Ethics Committee has given me an admonishment," Gaetz said in a statement to Fox News. "My fellow Northwest...

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it hand-delivered ethics complaint to Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Office of Congressional Ethics David Skaggs calling for a full investigation into potential crimes tied to allegations that Rep. Ilhan Omar may have married her biological brother. “The evidence is overwhelming Rep. Omar may have violated the law and House rules. The House of Representatives must urgently investigate and resolve the serious allegations of wrongdoing by Rep. Omar,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “We encourage Americans to share their views on Rep. Omar’s apparent misconduct with their congressmen.”

Getting the Supreme Court Back on Track Federal Judge Slams Justice Department for Stonewalling on ‘Russiagate’ Judicial Watch Files Complaint Against Rep. Waters for Inciting Violence and Assaults Happy Independence Day! Getting the Supreme Court Back on Track We are pleased that Justice Kennedy’s retirement from the Supreme Court will provide President Trump another opportunity to nominate a constitutional conservative who will honor the Constitution and the rule of law, rather than legislate from the bench. And the U.S. Senate should move quickly to work with President Trump to consider and approve a new justice who will apply the...

The prominent Michigan congressman who illegally forced congressional staffers to be personal servants and work on state and local campaigns is embroiled in a major sex scandal. Various media outlets report that John Conyers, the longest serving House member and ranking Democrat of the powerful Judiciary Committee, secretly settled a sexual harassment claim by an employee with taxpayer funds from his office budget. Additionally, multiple former staff members accuse the 88-year-old lawmaker of repeatedly making sexual advances toward female staff. Democratic colleagues have already called for a House Ethics Committee probe, but there’s little hope Conyers will be punished since...

Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson’s decision to partake in an interview about his Senate candidacy may have violated congressional ethics rules, according to experts on the matter. On the morning Grayson announced that he would enter the Florida Democratic primary for Senate, the Orlando congressman conducted a campaign-related interview from a computer in his congressional office. The online video interview, which aired July 9 on Huffington Post Live, focused on Grayson’s decision to enter the Florida Senate race. Engaging in campaign activity—including interviews—within an official office is prohibited, according to former in-house counsel and ethics adviser to senior members of House...

In a stunning blow to the Senatorial hopes of Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), the House Ethics Committee today unanimously voted to open an investigative subcommittee into conflict of interest charges stemming from her alleged attempts to direct cash toward the kidney health care industry – and, in particular, toward her husband, who runs the Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada. Breitbart News led the charge in demanding investigation into Berkley's activities. The House Ethics Committee, chaired by Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) and ranking member Rep. Linda T. Chavez (D-CA), released the following statement:

Last week, the United States House of Representatives Ethics Committee voted to end its temporary deferral of a case against Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL). The US Justice Department had requested the deferral but has since withdrawn that request. The case had been deferred for over two years. Jackson, the son of Rev. Jesse Jackson, is in his ninth term in the US House and is under investigation for allegations that he attempted to buy the open US Senate seat that was vacated by President Barack Obama. It has been reported that Jackson's supporters were willing to raise $1.5...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has signified that she’s open to reigning in the power of an independent congressional ethics board, even though she urged the creation of the board in 2008, reported The Hill. Two years ago, House Speaker Pelosi strongly backed the establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), a bipartisan board made up of private citizens, saying that it would “bring an additional measure of transparency to the ethics enforcement process.” But at a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus – a group which wants to "reform" the OCE – Pelosi and House Whip Jim Clyburn...

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) just took to the House floor to announce his new website, "Names of the Dead". According to the website: Every year, more than 44,000 Americans die simply because have no health insurance. I have created this project in their memory. I hope that honoring them will help us end this senseless loss of American lives. If you have lost a loved one, please share the story of that loved one with us. Help us ensure that their legacy is a more just America, where every life that can be saved will be saved. I'm told this...

Is Charlie Rangel worried that the House Ethics Committee — notorious for handing out little more than a slap on the wrist for even the most egregious congressional misconduct — might make an exception in his case? Maybe that’s why the embattled Harlem Democrat has been playing Santa Claus with his House colleagues, doling out more campaign cash from his own re-election kitty than almost any other member of Congress. Among the 119 lucky recipients: three of the five Democrats on the House Ethics Committee. The same people who are meant to be probing the growing list of his financial...

Seeking to head off Republicans, Democratic leaders on Wednesday pushed through a resolution requiring the House ethics committee to disclose what actions it has taken in responding to the controversy over the PMA Group, a once prominent lobbying firm now at the center of a Justice Department criminal probe. The largely partisan vote was 270-134, with 17 members, including members of the ethics committee, voting “present.” Led by Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.), have been calling for a PMA investigation by the ethics committee for months, but Democrats have resisted, arguing that it is not necessary and just an attempt by...

Mark Twain once remarked that “America has no native criminal class, except perhaps the Congress.” He was exaggerating, but not by too much. I’ve spend long years in Washington, and worked with many people in the government, both elected and appointed. I’ve observed two central problems: it is so easy, once you’re in a position of power, to casually reach out and line your pockets with the flood of cash that is always flowing by your door, The other problem is that Washington is inhabited by a large number of people who pulled out all the stops, and skated close...

Late on Friday, the House Ethics Committee issued a statement that Rep. John Conyers had “accepted responsibility” for “possibly violating House Rules” by requiring his staff to work on campaigns and perform other, personal duties. The Committee, whose formal name is the House Committee on Standards and Official Conduct, concluded that Conyers should “take a number of additional, significant steps to ensure that his office complies with all rules and standards regarding campaign and personal work by congressional staff." They also said, "We have concluded that this matter should be resolved through the issuance of this public statement." What do...

House Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was aware of the story being developed against one of her members, Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), and his questionable finances and the ensuing political troubles, yet did nothing to act on that knowledge. The Wall Street Journal last week reported that Mollohan's income and assets grew from the mundane (no more than $565,000 in 2000) to the magnificent (about $6 million, give or take a couple hundred thou in 2004). As the weekend wore down, while House Speaker Dennis Hastert was calling for Mollohan to step aside as ranking member on the House Ethics...

Every Member of Congress, and every candidate for Congress, is required to file Reports with the House Ethics Committee on their financial holdings and transactions. Apparently, few people take a serious look at these after they are filed. The Reports filed by incumbent 11th District Representative, Charles Taylor, for the last seven years (the ones available on-line) show five errors in excess of $1 million each, plus one unexplained item for about $20 million. These Reports are filed with the Clerk of the House but they “will be reviewed by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct [the House Ethics...

As House Democratic Leader, she is primed to go after House Majority Leader Tom DeLay for his ethical lapses. She has called for an investigation of a $70,000 trip made by DeLay, his wife and aides to the United Kingdom, possibly bankrolled by a lobbyist. Others have assailed DeLay for a 2001 trip to South Korea funded by a registered foreign agent. But a funny thing happened on Pelosi's way to hers ethics coup: She ran afoul of the same rules she hurls at DeLay. As The Washington Post reported, last week Pelosi filed delinquent reports for three trips she...

CNSNews.com Morning Editor May 5, 2005 (CNSNews.com) -- A group dedicated to campaign finance reform is demanding that House Speaker Dennis Hastert appoint an outside counsel to investigate Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), who is under fire for the way some of his trips were financed. "Congress has proven that it cannot police itself when it comes to matters of abuse of power. We call on Speaker Hastert to appoint an outside counsel to investigate Mr. DeLay," said David Donnelly of the Public Campaign Action Fund. Donnelly spoke after two members of the House ethics committee (Reps. Lamar Smith of Texas...

In late 1996, Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, engaged in a conference call with other Republican congressmen, including then-Speaker Newt Gingrich. Their conversation was illegally wiretapped by two Florida Democrats, Alice and John Martin, who, when caught, were tried and fined $500 apiece. Before they were caught and fined, these two wiretappers actually took their purloined tape recording to Washington, D.C., where they gave it to a then-member of the House Ethics Committee, Washington state's Democrat, James McDermott of Seattle. McDermott leaked this private conversation to the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution – neither of which newspapers were ever...