The House has brought back its 2006 ethics reform package that was killed by the Republican Leadership in that year. Democratic leadership recognizes that ethics reform and the issue of corruption are front and center as to why they won back the House and Senate in November of that year.
Following is a short list of the most recent government officials to be indicted, convicted, placed under investigation, or resigned under a cloud of corruption.
Lewis “Scooter” Libby was sentenced to 2 ½ years for lying and obstruction of Justice in the “Treason-Gate Scandal,” that exposed the identity of one of the CIA’s covert spies. Libby’s sentence was commuted by President Bush. By commuting rather than pardoning Libby, Bush has allowed Libby to avoid testimony before Congress for the remainder of his term, thus stopping the Peter Fitzgerald led investigation from exposing Vice President Dick Cheney’s role in the scandal.
Randall Tobias, a 69 year old, married grandfather and head of the Bush administration's foreign aid programs, who was en-charged with anti-prostitution efforts, has abruptly resigned after his name surfaced in an investigation into the “Washington DC Madam Scandal.”
Senator David Vitter ®-LA the “family values conservative” admitted, after he was exposed, that he had frequented the “Pamela Martin Escort Service,” in the infamous “Washington DC Madam Scandal.” Days later, according to the Madam at the equally infamous New Orleans “Canal Street Brothel,” Vitter was identified as a steady customer. She stated that Vitter "wasn't a freak or anything and didn't do drugs."
It is good to know that the Senator has some redeeming qualities.
Bob Allen ®-FL The “family values Republican” state Representative was arrested on July 10th, 2007 for soliciting sex for pay from an undercover male police officer in Veterans Memorial Park in Titusville, FL. Allen, married and father to a young daughter has authored numerous bills relating to sexual crimes and misconduct.
Glen Murphy Jr. For the second time in 9 years charges of forced/unwanted sexual acts were filed against Glen Murphy Jr., president of Young Republican National Federation and Chairman of Indiana's Clark County Republican Party.
A 22 year old man claimed that on July 31, 2007, Murphy attempted to perform a sex act on him while he was asleep. A similar charge was filed against Murphy by a 21 year old man in 1998.
Michael A. Flory The former chairman of a Michigan Young Republican Federation has pled guilty and faces 1 to 5 years in prison or probation and will be registered as a sex predator for sexual battery against a young woman committed while Flory was attending a Young Republican Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
Rep. Mark Foley ®-FL Congressman McCreepy, resigned in disgrace after it was revealed that he had engaged in predatory practices against young male Congressional aides. The scandal and lack of oversight by the then Republican leadership played a leading role in the Democratic tidal wave in November of 2006.
Senator Larry Craig ®-ID became the second Republican legislator in as many months to soil our nation’s public restrooms. Craig pled guilty in June, 2007, to charges related to solicitation of sex from an undercover police officer in a public restroom.
Gov Jim Gibbons ®-NV helped secure federal contracts for business associates while a member of the House. Gibbons is now reportedly under FBI investigation for fraud.
Bernie Kerik, a Rudy Giulliani recommended, Bush nominee to head the "Homeland Security Agency," is facing several felony charges including income tax evasion and conspiracy to wiretap.
J. Steven Griles Former Deputy Secretary of Interior pled guilty to obstruction of justice in a Senate committee's investigation, becoming the highest-ranking Bush administration official convicted in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal.
Italia Federici pled guilty on 6/9/2007 to charges of lying, fraud, and income tax evasion in the Jack Abramoff scandal. The Republican head of an environmental advocacy group admitted a romantic relationship with J. Steven Griles and was linked to Gale Norton, Interior Department Secretary and Republican activist Grover Norquist. She is the 12th Republican to be convicted in the Abramoff sleaze-fest.
Jared Carpenter, a Republican Environmental activist (an oxymoron if ever there was one), connected to convicted felons Italia Federici, and J. Steven Griles, former Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton and uber conservative Grover Norquist, has pled guilty to fraud and tax evasion. Carpenter faces 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and over $71,000 in back taxes. Carpenter becomes the 13th (all Republican) person to be convicted in the Jack Abramoff K Street Scandal.
David Safavian, Chief of Staff for the General Services Administration under President Bush, was sent to prison for lying and obstruction of justice in the Jack Abramoff Scandal.
Mark Zarchares, former aide to Don Young ® AK has pled guilty and is co-operating with authorities in the ongoing Jack Abramoff scandal.
Lurita Doan, General Services Administrator, according to The Office of Special Counsel, in a letter to President Bush released 6/12/2007, engaged in "the most pernicious of political activity" banned by the 1939 Hatch Act when she asked, at a meeting of General Services Administration political appointees, how they could help Republican candidates.
Senator Peter Domenici ®-NM and Representative Heather Wilson, ®-NM, are under investigation for attempting to influence Federal Prosecutor David Iglasias.
Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States, under investigation by Congress and his own Justice Department for his role in the firing of 9 Federal prosecutors resigned in August of 2007.
Michael Battle, the director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, caught up in the “Gonzales 9 Scandal,” resigned on March 16, 2007.
Kyle Sampson, Chief of staff to Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, Sampson resigned over his role in the political hatchet job that fired 9 Federal Prosecutors.
Tim Griffin, chief aide to Karl Rove, resigned 12 hours after John Conyers’ (D) MI, request for BBC documents and e-mails mistakenly sent by Karl Rove to reporter Greg Palast. These e-mails detailed Republican “caging” of Democratic voters.
Monica Goodling, a Justice Department official, resigned, pled the fifth, and then under immunity admitted she had “crossed the line,” in hiring practices at the US Dept. of Justice.
Paul McNulty, a senior Justice Dept. Official has become the 4th official to cut and run from the swamp of lies surrounding the "Gonzales 9 Scandal.”
Michael Elston, Chief of Staff. To Deputy Attorney General, Paul McNulty, resigned on 6/15/2007, becoming the 5th senior level Justice Dept. official to cut and run from the "Gonzales 9 Scandal." Elston was accused of threatening a number of the dismissed Federal Prosecutors in an attempt to silence them.
Bill Mercer, the number 3 man at the Dept. of Justice, became the 6th person to cut and run just days before he faced further questions about his role in the "Gonzales 9," scandal. One of the Bushwhacked prosecutors, Daniel Bogden of Nevada stated that Mercer told him the prosecutors were being fired to make way for Republicans so that they might be eventually positioned to stack the Federal Judicial system.
Scott J. Bloch of the White House Special Counsel, who has announced he is opening an investigation into Karl Rove's political machinations in the "Gonzales 9" scandal is himself under investigation for a number of charges, including purging a Washington office to fill it with people that agree with his political views. Sound familiar?
Ted Stevens ®-AK, the in-famously grumpy, poster boy for unhinged right-wing lunacy, has been linked to a corruption probe that has resulted in the indictment of 3 Republican Alaskan State legislators. Steven's involvement revolves around the recent +$100, 00.00 remodeling of his Alaskan home. Rep. Victor Kohring of Wasilla, and former state Reps. Pete Kott of Eagle River and Bruce Weyhrauch of Juneau, were arrested but deny wrongdoing. Kohring was charged with extortion, attempted extortion, bribery and conspiracy, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Friday. Kott and Weyhrauch each entered their pleas to four counts, including conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, bribery and fraud. If convicted of all charges, each of the men could face up to 55 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Don Young ®-AK The FBI has started an investigation into bribery charges against Representative Young in the scandal linked to Senator Stevens.
Reps. John T. Doolittle ®-CA, and Rick Renzi ®-AZ, disclosed that the FBI raided their homes and business’ belonging to their wives.
Rep. Ken Calvert ®-CA, had his financial disclosure forms seized by the FBI.
Rep. Gary G. Miller ®-CA, is under investigation by the FBI for a series of suspicious land deals.
Rep. Jerry Lewis ®-CA and Rep Tim Murphy ®-Pa are both under investigation for using taxpayer-funded congressional staff and resources to do political work.
Rep. Randal "Duke" Cunningham ®-CA, and Robert Ney ®-OH, are settling into their new digs in the Federal Penal System. Both were convicted of accepting bribes.
Tom Delay ®-TX resigned in disgrace and is under indictment for numerous charges of corruption, criminal malfeasance and misconduct.
Johnnie Frazier, of the Inspector Generals Office, is under three separate investigations, including misappropriation of government monies, destruction/alteration of official documents, firing of whistle blowers in his office, and the awarding of a no-bid $150,000 contract to a person connected to his staff.
Michael Aaron Lay, a field coordinator in Congressman Patrick McHenry’s (R-NC) 2004 campaign has been indicted for voter fraud in North Carolina.
Julie McDonald cut and run a week before a House Committee investigating her activities as a Deputy Assistant for Fish, Wildlife and Parks began.
Among allegations against McDonald, who had no educational or professional history in her field before her appointment, are that she is accused of pressuring scientists to alter their findings, violating the Endangered Species Act, and mistreating her staff. Her tenure has been characterized as, "a reign of terror," and "a betrayal of mission."
Below is an excellent resource to follow the rotten trail of Congressional crooks and charlatans under investigation, indicted or convicted of crimes.
Ten former members of the 109th Congress, the aptly named Doolittle & Delay Congress, all Republicans, are featured along with 12 current members.
Of the 12 current members, 8 are Republicans. The remaining four, Bob Menendez (D) NJ, had the charges involved cleared by the Ethics Committee in advance. Allan Mollohan (D) WV, resigned his seat on the House Ethics Committee and William Jefferson (D) LA, has been removed from his committee assignments by Nancy Pelosi until investigations are complete. This stands in stark contrast to the attempts of the 109th Congress to change the rules and squash the investigations into the now indicted and disgraced Tom Delay.
On 6/6/07 the House voted 387 to 10 to bring within 30 days of an indictment of a sitting Representative, a House investigation of that individual. Immediately afterward the House voted 373 to 26 to begin an investigation of recently indicted William Jefferson (D) LA, indicating a willingness on the Democratic Leadership to pursue reform even when one of their own members has his head on the chopping block of justice.
And in what may the most important sign of all, Nancy Pelosi is supporting efforts to allow ANYONE to bring ethics complaints against members of Congress. Currently only fellow members of Congress can file ethics charges against their colleagues. Having the fox guard the henhouse is always a bad idea. Speaker Pelosi is determined to end the insanity.
Resource link:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Members_of_Congress_under_investigationWritten by mike kohr 8/28/2007
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