Despite the unprecedented scheduling of two adjudicatory hearings in 2010 in connection with ethics charges against Members of the House of Representatives, there are some signs that the ethics fervor that began in 2006 may be fading. For example, the future of the Office of Congressional Ethics appears uncertain as some lawmakers seek to limit… Continue Reading
Following the midterm elections, the 112th Congress will include more than 90 freshman Members in the House of Representatives. Most of the Members-elect will take their seats when the new Congress begins on January 3, 2011. Do the House ethics rules or the restrictions on gifts from lobbyists apply before the new Members take their… Continue Reading
It has been more than eight years since the last House “ethics trial.” The upcoming ethics trials of Reps. Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters have raised questions about how such proceedings work. The latest Question of Ethics provides a crash course in House ethics trial procedure. Click here to continue reading.… Continue Reading
For the first time in years, a Member of the House faces formal ethics charges. While the charges against Rep. Charles Rangel have caught some by surprise, perhaps the strongest signal that they were a real possibility was the growth in Rangel’s legal fees over the last two years. Last summer, Rangel topped the million dollar mark… Continue Reading
There are reports that the Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating eight Representatives for holding fundraisers immediately before a key House vote on financial reform last December. Does this mean that donors now need to be careful not to make contributions while important legislation is pending? The latest Question of Ethics has answers. Click here… Continue Reading
Suppose the Office of Congressional Ethics requests documents from your company. The Office cannot force you to comply. But, should you do so anyway? One issue to consider is whether your documents will remain confidential. See the June 8 edition of A Question of Ethics for answers. Click here to continue reading.… Continue Reading
There has been a lot of buzz lately about the use of federal job offers to lure candidates out of primary elections. Are these offers legal? The latest A Question of Ethics tackles that question. Click here to continue reading.… Continue Reading
Down, but not out. The Supreme Court significantly pared the scope and effectiveness of the federal “honest services” law that has been used against high-profile public officials and infamous executives, perhaps most notably, Enron’s former Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Skilling. See Skilling v. United States, No. 08-1394 (U.S., June 24, 2010). The Court, however, did… Continue Reading
As campaign season gears up, Congressional staffers should be mindful of rules restricting their work on campaigns. For one, staffers may not use official resources for campaign purposes. The latest Question of Ethics addresses this prohibition in the context of preparing an invite list for a campaign fundraiser. Click here to continue reading. … Continue Reading
False statements to government officials can lead to serious trouble. That’s one of several lessons the latest Question of Ethics takes away from a February House ethics committee report regarding its investigation of privately sponsored trips to the Carribbean taken by Charlie Rangel and several other Representatives. Click here to continue reading.… Continue Reading
More than two years have passed since Congress enacted legislation requiring all businesses with in-house lobbyists to comply with the Congressional gift rules. Yet, many businesses are still unsure about how to comply with these rules, which were not originally designed to apply to anyone outside Congress. What can businesses do to comply? The latest… Continue Reading
Beware businesses that file lobbying disclosure forms. Roll Call’s Alex Knott writes that many businesses are still making a common mistake when calculating the lobbying expenses disclosed on their forms. Line 13 of Form LD-2 requires businesses with in-house lobbyists to disclose their quarterly lobbying expenses. Some businesses have taken this to mean only their in-house lobbying… Continue Reading
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