Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) continues to maintain a heavy workload and visible profile despite the January guilty plea of former aide Eric Pfeffer that implicated the congressman in a bribery scheme involving African countries and a telecommunications company in the United States. According to Roll Call, “Jefferson — referred to only as ‘Representative A’ in Pfeffer’s plea agreement — allegedly demanded an ownership stake of 5 percent to 7 percent in a telecommunications firm that Pfeffer was helping to start up in Nigeria.” Jefferson has continued to appear with Democratic leaders in visits to his New Orleans district, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and was “one of about a dozen speakers at a press conference in Washington, D.C., for the Gulf Coast Renewal Campaign, which is seeking to protect the voting rights of displaced New Orleans residents for the upcoming New Orleans mayoral campaign.” Jefferson has stated that he is “disappointed and somewhat perplexed” by the allegations made against him.
Continue readingIn Other News:
Today is the deadline for lawmakers to turn in their earmarks requests to Appropriation subcommittees. The Hill reports that, in a bid to hold off earmark reform, Appropriations subcommittee chairmen are self-policing by “limiting their colleagues to 10 project requests each.” … Two more lawmakers signed onto the plan to create an Office of Public Integrity, according to Roll Call. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) both want to see the independent oversight office created with Walden stating, “When it comes down to it, we simply don’t have the time or — frankly — the objectivity to provide the necessary oversight of our colleagues.” … The Alaska Daily News reports that the Alaska House passed legislation that would allow lawmakers “to solicit contributions from lobbyists for certain charity events, and make legal a longtime tradition”. … Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) “signed an executive order yesterday requiring lobbyists who seek to influence the executive branch to register and report expenses for the first time since the state's lobbying law was overturned in 2002,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. … The Arkansas News Bureau looks at how Arkansas companies lobby lawmakers in Washington with private jet travel. The article takes as an example the cozy relationship between Tyson Foods and House agriculture subcommittee chairman Henry Bonilla (R-TX).
Continue readingIn Blog Daylight:
James Love at The Huffington Post notes that GlaxoSmithKline’s voicemail system has a number exclusively “for members of Congress looking for GSK campaign contributions”: “If you are calling regarding a PAC fundraiser, press 3.” … David Sirota offers a brief timetable of mad cow disease and the corruption of federal regulators. … Facing South blogs about the federal government giving contracts to tax cheats. … Think Progress catalogues another spin of the revolving door as former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers is joining the board of directors of the defense contractor Northup Grumman. ... Instapundit reports on Republican plans to restrain earmarks calling the plan by Appropriations subcommittee chairmen to limit project requests, “a modest improvement, which is better than no improvement.”
Continue readingJudge Throws Out DeLay Subpoenas:
In a major victory for former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) an appeals court judge threw out more than 30 subpoenas issued by the prosecuting attorney Ronnie Earle. According to the Houston Chronicle, “Most of the subpoenas concerned political fundraising controversies involving DeLay, some dating back to 1996.” Some of the records sought included information related to PerfectWave Technologies, a firm related to the Duke Cunningham bribery case; a subpoena of DeLay’s wife relating to ties to Jack Abramoff; and a subpoena for records of former Abramoff coworkers at Preston Gates, a lobbying firm that donated $25,000 to DeLay’s TRMPAC. DeLay’s lawyers claim that this ruling indicates that Earle is “abusing his office”.
Continue readingSenate Finance Committee to Review Abramoff Charities:
In an “ongoing” and “broad-scale look” the Senate Finance Committee is preparing to delve into a “probe of nonprofits and foundations seeking to determine whether tax-exempt entities have abused their privilege in pursuit of political goals, including an examination of Abramoff-linked charities.” According to Roll Call, Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said that “he was not yet certain that there would be any hearings on the overall investigation into nonprofit abuse … but said any report or hearings held by his panel would cover a wide range of nonprofit activities, and not just focus on those associated with Abramoff.” A hearing would likely focus attention on how Abramoff used client money funneled through a non-profit to pay for the infamous Scotland golfing trip that included Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), Religious Right activist Ralph Reed, and former procurement official David Safavian.
Continue readingIn Other News:
Rep. Katherine Harris’ (R-FL) run for the US Senate is in danger of being torpedoed, according to the New York Times, after it was revealed in a plea agreement that defense contractor Mitchell Wade gave Harris’ campaign illegal donations totaling $32,000 and later asked for her help in securing a government contract. … The government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) “could draw scrutiny from the IRS” which is “launching enhanced education and enforcement efforts, based on the findings and analysis of the 2004 election cycle,” according to The Hill. CREW claims, “There is clearly a pattern of attempting to intimidate organizations that criticize Republican members of Congress. … Frankly, it won’t work. We will not be bullied into silence.” … Meanwhile CREW is filing a complaint with the IRS stating that the activities of Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform Foundation “may violate IRS regulations and require a revocation of their tax-exempt status.” … The Toledo Blade reports that Ohio GOP fundraiser and coin collector Tom Noe will stand trial on political money laundering charges on July 24th. … Roll Call reports that in the post-Abramoff atmosphere lobbyists are “going back to class” to brush up on their ethics. American League of Lobbyists President Paul Miller provides this priceless story, “When he told his mother 10 years ago that he was going into ‘government relations,’ she said, ‘Oh, you’re the guy who takes the bags of money to Members of Congress!’”
Continue readingIn Blog Daylight:
The guys at Wonkette write a letter to Abramoff’s sentencing judge asking for Abramoff to be fed “to the pandas.” … Mark Tapscott of Tapscott’s Copy Desk provides a Pork Busters report on how to find earmarks: “The Intelligent Taxpayer's Guide to Identifying a Bridge to Nowhere.”
Continue readingJustice Department Pulls 9 Members Records, Some in Connection to Abramoff:
Roll Call reports that the Department of Justice has pulled the personal financial disclosure reports of nine members of Congress, some of them directly connected to Jack Abramoff. Those directly connected to the Abramoff case include Representatives Tom DeLay (R-TX), Bob Ney (R-OH), John Doolittle (R-CA), Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), and a number of their aides. The other members listed, three Democrats and two Republicans, do not appear to have any connection with the Abramoff case and their records may have been accessed for separate matters. The article notes that, “Searching the financial disclosure forms of these lawmakers and ex-staffers is likely part of Justice’s efforts to match up actual ‘things of value,’ as they are known in legal terms, with so-called ‘official acts.’ While campaign contributions can be a part of an indictment against lawmakers and staff, Justice has usually shied away from bringing corruption cases unless they can show that politicians were actually receiving things of cash value for their own personal use.”
Continue readingLobbying Reform Stalled:
The House and Senate are both stalled on lobbying and ethics reform, according to the Associated Press, after leaders in both houses promised bold reform after ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty in January. The Senate bill was derailed last week after it became caught up in the Dubai ports controversy, while the House has yet to come together around a specific set of reforms. Some fear that the issue could be lost in a crowded calendar this spring. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), Democratic point man on ethics reform, stated that, “I'm not going to let it slide off the table. … I’m a little bit concerned on the House side. There seems to be a lot of backpedaling.” Members now hope to have a bill passed by the Easter recess, further delaying the possibility of swift action in the wake of mounting ethics worries on Capitol Hill.
Continue readingLawmakers Drive Hot Wheels at Taxpayer Expense:
Members of Congress spent $1 million of taxpayer money last year on leased cars including many gas-guzzling SUVs, like the Ford Expedition, and luxury cars, including one BMW 530i, according to Knight Ridder. One-hundred thirty six members of the House leased cars at the taxpayers’ expense last year (the Senate does not allow this perk). Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) drives around Harlem in a Cadillac DeVille, while Michael Ross (D-AR) has the most expensive leased a vehicle, a $1,248 a month Ford Expedition. At least 56 of the leased vehicles were SUVs.
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