Kerry bill to target legislators convicted of misconduct

[Mass]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/02/09/kerry_bill_to_target_legislators_convicted_of_misconduct/

By Rick Klein, Globe Staff | February 9, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Senator John F. Kerry said he plans to file a bill today that would strip government pensions from lawmakers who are convicted of official misconduct, adding a new element to congressional efforts to overhaul ethics and lobbying laws.
Article Tools


Kerry's bill would halt pensions for senators and House members who are found guilty of bribery, perjury, or conspiracy to defraud the government. Kerry is nicknaming the bill the ''Duke Cunningham Act," after the Republican House member from California who resigned his seat last year after pleading guilty to accepting bribes.

Cunningham is entitled to a pension of about $40,000 a year under current law, which denies pensions only to former lawmakers who are convicted of crimes against the United States, such as treason and espionage.

''It's disgusting that hard-working taxpayers fund the retirement of criminals like Duke Cunningham," said Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat. ''We have to restore the public trust in the country. People don't believe in Washington. They think it's broken."

...

''Republican and right-wing activists have been getting a lot of practice trying to hide their incompetence, corruption, and failures from the American people," Kerry wrote in the e-mail to supporters

[ProSense]

1. Excellent stuff.

Mass, please post this in the Kerry campaign reform thread, it's ethics related. Thanks.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2445744&mesg_id=2445744

[Mass]

2. Done

[ProSense]

3. Thanks. Link not working. n/t

[Mass]

4. Thanks - It should be OK now.

[blm]

5. Please post in GD - PROSECUTOR Kerry submits bill targeting criminal

legislators (Cunningham, DeLay)

[kerrygoddess]

6. Kerry, Salazar announce the “Duke Cunningham Act”

A nice slap in the face for the GOP -

Kerry, Salazar Move to Deny Pensions to Lawbreaking Lawmakers with the “Duke Cunningham Act”
February 9th, 2006 @ 9:31 am

Senator’s John Kerry and Ken Salazar introduced ethics reform legislation today that takes direct aim at the GOP “culture of corruption” in Washington. The "The Duke Cunningham Act" (ouch) would deny taxpayer-funded pension benefits to Members of Congress who break the public trust and are convicted of crimes such as bribery, conspiracy, or other serious ethics offenses.

Kerry said, “It is disgusting that hardworking taxpayers are funding the retirement of convicted criminals like Duke Cunningham. No wonder people look at Washington and know this city is broken. The American people are forced to send pension checks to criminals.”

The Congressional Pension Accountability Act – or “The Duke Cunningham Act” – was authored by Kerry and is co-sponsored by Senator Ken Salazar.

Under current law, only a conviction for a crime against the United States, such as treason or espionage, causes U.S. Representatives and Senators to lose their Congressional pensions. Members of Congress convicted of white collar crimes still receive these federal retirement benefits. The Kerry legislation will change existing law to insure that the Congress no longer rewards unethical behavior at the expense of American taxpayers.

It is the intent of the Kerry bill to stop all future payments of Congressional pensions to lawmakers convicted of these serious ethics crimes.

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1892

[karynnj]

7. Great bill and interesting its with Salazar

Did you see the DU post that Denver,CO, Detroit and Orlando are possible convention sites in 08 and they are taking the last week in September. (DU had a poll - so I picked CO (possible pick up state) and because the state is the birthplace of one candidate. But if he claimed that the Globe would then claim he was lying and has always been really from Massachusetts.)

[wisteria]

8. Good for JK- Go after those SOB's and hit them where it hurts. n/t

[TayTay]

9. DKos diary on this shot to the top of the recommended pile.

That was fast. Near unanimous approval and a slap on the back for being clever and 'in-your-face' about this. Angry, damn right w're angry. We have reason to be angry with shit like this going on.

[beachmom]

10. Yeah, I just saw that!

Here's the link, if anyone wants to rec and show some Kerry love!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/9/122851/6140

We're taking dKos back, one poster at a time!

[MH1]

14. Here's a slam I think we can answer...

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/2/9/122851/6140/34#34

I'd like him to do something about this: (none / 0)

Prisoners held indefinitely at Guantanimo go on hunger strikes and are strapped into restraint chairs by the Untied States and force fed then prevented from vomiting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/09/politics/09gitmo.html?hp&ex=1139547600&en=cccf8cfc8f39c100&ei=5094&partner=homepage

There are so many things wrong with this, the most obvious being that prominant dems like Kerry aren't demanding that it be stopped. But then he's just looking for things to yell about that'll get him votes for the next presidential run.

by moon in the house of moe on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 01:59:51 PM EST

I can't look it up right now, but wouldn't that amendment he introduced on the clandestine prisons relate somewhat to this? Is there anything more direct someone can post? I'm sure there is, like I said can't look it up now, but it would be really nice if we could answer stuff like this when it's posted.

[ProSense]

11. How is it that

AP picks up this BS copycat bill from McCain and not Kerry's landmark legislation?

Sen. McCain Leads Effort to Cut Earmarks
Snip...

The bill introduced by McCain, R-Ariz., is one of several to tackle the earmarks issue. Senate Rules Committee Chairman Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., have a similar bill, and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., also has a plan.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060209/ap_on_go_co/congress_earmarks_1

[TayTay]

12. Because they have a 'man-crush' on McCain

They lust after his approval. Must be that Grandfather' look he's adopted. It's irresistable to the weak-minded. (And McCain never has any arduous female fans. Just press whores.)

[ProSense]

13. Thanks.

I needed that.


:rofl:

[karynnj]

15. They seemed to have changed the article

At the bottom after a few paragraphs that expand on the one you listed. Pelosi called for fixing the earmarks and many other things. They list other reform measures, ending with:

Also on Thursday, Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo., introduced a bill that would deny federal pension benefits to members of Congress convicted of bribery, conspiracy or other serious ethics offenses.

Now of course, McCain gets the headline for a bill similar to other bills - but he did announce it with 10 Senators. I hope Kerry will get a huge number of co-sponsors.

___

[ProSense]

16. No that footnote mention was in the original

They also provide a link to McCain's site. Kerry's legislation should really be the feature report.

[karynnj]

17. Sorry, I misunderstood

[ProSense]

18. It's ok, I should have made the point in the first post. n/t

[jillan]

19. Any chance we may see him on the Senate floor today discussing

this?