Posted on 09/25/2005 7:23:23 AM PDT by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget
WASHINGTON A watchdog group, naming what it calls "the 13 most corrupt members of Congress," is calling for ethics investigations of some of the most prominent leaders on Capitol Hill in a report to be released Monday.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington says in its report that the 13 members, among them Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), might have violated a variety of congressional ethics rules.
The bipartisan list includes three Californians: Reps. Richard W. Pombo (R-Tracy), Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Rancho Santa Fe).
Cunningham is one of two House members whose residences have been searched as part of separate federal criminal investigations. The other, Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), also is named on the watchdog group's list.
Three of those named on the list Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and Reps. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) and Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) were cited for their dealings with onetime super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is the subject of congressional and federal grand jury investigations. Abramoff was indicted last month on fraud charges relating to a Florida business deal. He has pleaded not guilty.
"They all violated ethics rules," Melanie Sloan, the watchdog group's executive director, said of the 13 members of Congress on its list. She criticized both political parties for what she said was a failure to police ethics.
James Pendleton, a spokesman for Burns, dismissed the group's report as "pure politics." Ney's press secretary, Brian Walsh, said: "We don't give Melanie Sloan and her liberal organization an ounce of credibility."
Its report, titled "Beyond DeLay: The 13 Most Corrupt Members of Congress," is based on news articles and other documents, the watchdog group said. It made the report available to the Los Angeles Times.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
straightjacket ping
And Hillary still has those FBI files, so she must be least corrupt, right???
What a joke.
This is such a joke!!! the exec director of this little "watchdog" clown group is PLAGUED with questionable ethics...not to mention that her group, CREW, is highly active in donating to the dims.
its laughable.
Nothing in the rules specifically forbids it.
Besides, it was sooo long agooo. We've been through all that. Time to MoveOn.
I think it's kind of ironic and pathetic that Melanie Sloan is heading this so called "watch dog" orginization. Let's keep in mind this is the same Melanie Sloan who violated house rules when she failed to file a financial disclosure form when she worked for Rep. John Conyers.
It's like, "Hi Pot! I'm kettle!"
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