Congress Quietly Passes New Rule Allowing Hse Mbrs To Hide Records From Ethics Probes

Bazza · Jan 16, 2017

So much for transparency. The fox is guarding the hen house. What a bunch of slime balls!

The tweak allows politicians to conceal any information members produce — even suspicious expenditures and budgets — if the Office of Congressional Ethics or the Department of Justice investigates them for criminal activity, the Center for Responsive Politics reports.

The change essentially makes a member of Congress the owner and sole controller of any records he or she creates, regardless of whether those documents touch on a public interest, such as use of taxpayer funds or the commission of a crime.

Under the new regulation, a lawmaker being investigated for misuse of taxpayer funds, for example, might now assert the privilege to withhold spending records from law enforcement authorities.

Over the years, several House members have been investigated for criminal activity related to misuse of funds, and have been forced to resign or charged with crimes.

The Office of Congressional Ethics is currently reviewing Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) over allegations that he siphoned off tens of thousands of dollars of campaign funds for personal use ― including paying for his children’s private school tuition and trips to Disneyland, jewelry, video games and sporting goods. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported last week that Hunter used campaign funds to pay for $600 in airline fees to fly a pet rabbit.

LINK

AV8N · Jan 16, 2017

Have we considered that maybe the bunny was traveling on official campaign business? [emoji3]

seebell · Jan 16, 2017

Congress tried to gut the Ethic Commission and now this travesty. Have they no shame? Are the Repubs drunk with power?

Jon · Jan 16, 2017

seebell said:
Are the Repubs drunk with power?

yes

chanson78 · Jan 16, 2017

I think you guys are missing something here. The ethics commission was only needed because the Obama administration ushered in a truly despicable time in D.C. politics. Now that the right party is back in power, corruption and scandal are a thing of the past.

CharminTide · Jan 16, 2017

Rep. Jason Chaffetz said:
The ethics commission was only needed because the Obama administration ushered in a truly despicable time in D.C. politics. Now that the right party is back in power, corruption and scandal are a thing of the past.

Fixed the attribution.

Jon · Jan 17, 2017

Interesting that you Bazzaa who "Agrees with everything Tump has done so far" are against this

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...1db550-dc04-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html

For two weeks now, the majority leadership in the new Congress and the incoming Trump administration have been conducting a war on ethics. This has ranged from the effort to cripple the Office of Congressional Ethics to the Senate’s rush to confirm President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees before their financial conflicts disclosures were complete to Trump’s own inadequate plan to address his ethical problems.

The latest front involves the Office of Government Ethics and its director, Walter Shaub Jr., who has had the temerity to speak up against Trump’s plan to deal with his conflicts of interest as “meaningless.”

Both of us, former ethics counsels for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, respectively, have worked with Shaub, a career public servant who, in our experience, provided nonpartisan and wise advice. Now, Shaub is being pilloried — and may be at risk of losing his job — for doing just that, and asserting correctly that Trump’s approach “doesn’t meet the standards . . . that every president in the last four decades has met.”

92tide · Jan 17, 2017

Jon said:
Interesting that you Bazzaa who "Agrees with everything Tump has done so far" are against this

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...1db550-dc04-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html

trump is the ultimate victim. he is apparently a hero for many who really want to see themselves as victims of whoever they are being told are being mean to them; hollywood, liberals, professors, mouthy minorities and women, islam, science, math, increasing minimum wage, atheists, what we are told are the actual words of jesus, etc.

Tidewater · Jan 17, 2017

Jon said:
Interesting that you Bazzaa who "Agrees with everything Tump has done so far" are against this[/url]

It may be difficult to understand, but some folks do not view the universe through the lens of what benefits one party over another and do view an issue through what's good for the country.
Me, I could give a rat's rear end for the Democrats or the Republicans. I care deeply about what's good for the country, party be damned.

Tide1986 · Jan 17, 2017

Both Republicans and Dems support changes to the ethics process. That being said, this is not the right kind of change in my opinion. If the new rule sticks, Dems will beat Republicans around the head and shoulders with it but will quietly enjoy the "cloak of invisibility" for themselves.

Jon · Jan 17, 2017

Tidewater said:
It may be difficult to understand, but some folks do not view the universe through the lens of what benefits one party over another and do view an issue through of what's good for the country.
Me, I could give a rat's rear end for the Democrats or the Republicans. I care deeply about what's good for the country, party be damned.

and what does that have to do with the issue at hand?

I put country first, I've voted Republican, Libertarian and now Democrat for president based on this very ideal, so where is this coming from?

Bazza · Jan 17, 2017

Jon said:
and what does that have to do with the issue at hand?

I put country first, I've voted Republican, Libertarian and now Democrat for president based on this very ideal, so where is this coming from?

If I had to guess, Tidewater is probably referring to your comment directed at me and my support for Trump. One of things I like about Trump is he makes decisions based primarily on common and business sense....not because of the party he is attached to.

Just because someone (such as Bazza) supports Trump - that doesn't mean he's likes or subscribes to everything Republicans do.

And as I have said here before...and for the record....I don't like everything Trump does, either.

Looking forward to a turn around - draining the swamp - whatever you want to call it....too many crooks in Washington.....and way too many politicians making decisions based on politics and not common sense.

sabanball · Jan 17, 2017

Bazza said:
Just because someone (such as Bazza) supports Trump - that doesn't mean he's likes or subscribes to everything Republicans do.

And as I have said here before...and for the record....I don't like everything Trump does, either.

This is beyond the mental capacity of some that post here. Be assured though, they will be along shortly with their petty remarks and condescension to set us rubes straight.

92tide · Jan 17, 2017

i disagree with the notion that the rubes can be set straight

92tide · Jan 17, 2017

Bazza said:
If I had to guess, Tidewater is probably referring to your comment directed at me and my support for Trump. One of things I like about Trump is he makes decisions based primarily on common and business sense....not because of the party he is attached to.

Just because someone (such as Bazza) supports Trump - that doesn't mean he's likes or subscribes to everything Republicans do.

And as I have said here before...and for the record....I don't like everything Trump does, either.

Looking forward to a turn around - draining the swamp - whatever you want to call it....too many crooks in Washington.....and way too many politicians making decisions based on politics and not common sense.

i get what you're saying. but, with all due respect, a lot of us saw all we need to see about governing based on "business and common sense" during 2000-2008

Jon · Jan 17, 2017

Bazza said:
If I had to guess, Tidewater is probably referring to your comment directed at me and my support for Trump. One of things I like about Trump is he makes decisions based primarily on common and business sense....not because of the party he is attached to.

Just because someone (such as Bazza) supports Trump - that doesn't mean he's likes or subscribes to everything Republicans do.

And as I have said here before...and for the record....I don't like everything Trump does, either.

Looking forward to a turn around - draining the swamp - whatever you want to call it....too many crooks in Washington.....and way too many politicians making decisions based on politics and not common sense.

you said in a thread yesterday that you "agree with everything he (trump) has done so far" so that is why I called you out on it. This anti-ethics push is coming from the Trump team. So I was pointing out as I found it funny. Maybe I read your comment wrong

sabanball · Jan 17, 2017

92tide said:
i get what you're saying. but, with all due respect, a lot of us saw all we need to see about governing based on "business and common sense" during 2000-2008

Who are you and what did you do with 92tide?

I'll add that I wasn't happy with everything relative to governing based on "business and common sense" between 2000-2008 as well.

Bazza · Jan 17, 2017

Jon said:
you said in a thread yesterday that you "agree with everything he (trump) has done so far" so that is why I called you out on it. This anti-ethics push is coming from the Trump team. So I was pointing out as I found it funny. Maybe I read your comment wrong

Thanks - but if you go back and read what I wrote I actually specified from the end of his campaign until now. But your point is taken, thanks.

Bazza · Jan 17, 2017

92tide said:
i get what you're saying. but, with all due respect, a lot of us saw all we need to see about governing based on "business and common sense" during 2000-2008

Apples and oranges, IMHO....

Jon · Jan 17, 2017

Bazza said:
Thanks - but if you go back and read what I wrote I actually specified from the end of his campaign until now. But your point is taken, thanks.

so you agree with his gutting of the ethics office, since that has been ongoing since the end of the campaign till now but you started a thread criticizing the gutting of the ethics office?

Congress Quietly Passes New Rule Allowing Hse Mbrs To Hide Records From Ethics Probes

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