How is McCaskill handling this "conflict of interest" situation?

[skipos]

I just heard about this, and was curious what DUers thought. The GOP slime machine will be in full force for the next 3 weeks, is this the kind of issue that sticks? Is McCaskill taking it head on?

Wed, Oct. 18, 2006

Spouse’s wealth raises question
McCaskill hasn’t said how she would deal with possible conflicts of interest on bills.
By MATT STEARNS
The Star’s Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON | If elected to the U.S. Senate, Claire McCaskill likely would confront several potential conflicts of interest because of the nature of her husband’s businesses, experts say.

But McCaskill won’t say how she would deal with such situations, such as establishing a blind trust or recusing herself from serving on some committees or from voting on bills that affect husband Joseph Shepard’s business interests.

“Before making any determination about what personal decisions she plans to make once elected, she must first concentrate on winning on November 7th,” spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh wrote in an e-mail.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/news/politics/15783742.htm

[williesgirl]

1. She needs to answer NOW or she won't be elected - recommended

[Old and In the Way]

2. One could make a case that almost every Congressperson with a spouse

has to deal with this issue....so what makes this newsworthy?

[KingFlorez]

3. I agree

[dkofos]

4. My reply would be "I am voting the PEOPLES conscience not mine"

[AllegroRondo]

5. She has already answered this

her husband's business interests would be placed in a blind trust.

[skipos]

6. I couldn't find any info about that. Do you have a link by chance?

I am not voting in MO, but even if I was, this issue wouldn't make me hesitate to vote for McCaskill in the slightest.

[AllegroRondo]

8. Heard it on NPR this morning

[skipos]

9. HERE IS HER RESPONSE.

I just found this. Sounds reasonable to me.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/15792876.htm

WASHINGTON –– U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill said Wednesday that she would take steps to avoid conflicts of interest if elected and was offended that the question was even raised.

“I’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure there’s no ethical conflict,” the Democrat said. “I would never not do that.”

SNIP

“Obviously, I don’t think it’s necessary for him to stop doing his businesses while I’m in the Senate,” McCaskill said. “But any of the businesses that do have any impact in terms of the federal government or any type of interplay with the federal government, obviously we will take whatever steps are necessary to make sure that there is absolutely no conflict of interest, including a blind trust, if necessary.”

Gary Ruskin, director of the nonpartisan Congressional Accountability Project, called McCaskill’s new assertion “a step forward.”

“As long as she makes a clear promise, that should be enough,” Ruskin said. “She has to live by it.”

[OzarkDem]

11. SOP for the principled members of Congress

OTOH, the GOP ignores these rules unless they're applying them to Dems.

[INdemo]

7. a non issue

How many Republicans Reps or Senators have conflicts that aren't mentioned by the media..Doolittle (misuse of campaign funds)Curt Weldon(currently under investigation) for his daughters financial gain by political influence..and the list goes on
The McCaskill issue is a non issue..the Repukes wasted part of that dirt digging money on this one..

[OzarkDem]

10. Like Cheney did with Halliburton?

No, she'll be principled and follow the rules, unlike Dick.