Posted on 05/05/2006 4:14:02 PM PDT by SmithL
A Washington watchdog group has called on Congress and the IRS to investigate Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, for a laundry list of what it calls the lawmaker's ethics violations.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington -- CREW -- on Thursday released a 13-count ethics complaint and a letter it sent to the Internal Revenue Service.
Pombo called the charges a politically-motivated assault timed to appear just weeks before the June 6 primary election, where he has two opponents.
"I have never engaged in any illegal or unethical conduct whatsoever in my nearly 14-year career in the House, nor has any evidence been produced to support an allegation to the contrary," said Pombo in an e-mail statement. "It is common knowledge that CREW is a liberal-activist organization masquerading as a government watchdog group."
Republicans regard the ethics group as a liberal front because of the backgrounds of its board of directors and the majority of its wrath has been directed toward Republicans. CREW director Melanie Sloan has worked for Democratic Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan. Its two vice presidents are former Clinton pollster Mark Penn and major Democratic contributor Daniel Berger.
Regardless, the report has no legal heft. Only Congress may initiate ethics probes of its members and the House ethics panel remains paralyzed by months of partisan dysfunction.
CREW spokeswoman Naomi Seligman Steiner said the organization hopes the document will spur a lawmaker to file a formal complaint and break the logjam.
The group's only other ethics complaint, which targeted Rep. Tom Delay, R-Texas, preceded the lawmaker's eventual resignation from Congress under a cloud of suspicion related to his and his staff's relationship with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Steiner denied that her group targets only Republicans.
It has released an ethics complaint against Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., regarding his alleged role in a conspiracy and bribery scheme. And it called for Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., to resign as ranking member of the House Ethics Committee after federal prosecutors launched an investigation into an alleged relationship between recommendations for federal spending in his district and personal business interests.
The Pombo report focuses on a series of controversies that have dogged the conservative congressman for years. Among the allegations, the group says Pombo:
• Took bribes when he accepted campaign contributions from Indian tribes and mining interests in exchange for favorable laws. Pombo has repeatedly denied any connection and correctly noted that tribes and mining interests historically contribute to the House Resources Committee chairman.
• Misused campaign funds when he hired his wife and brother to work on his campaign. The law allows relatives on the payroll as long as they do actual work and the wages are reasonable. No one has suggested that Pombo's relatives were overpaid or didn't work.
• Violated the law when he failed to pay taxes on trips to Japan and New Zealand funded by a private foundation. Pombo's accountant determined it was the foundation's responsibility to notify him of the tax obligation and said the lawmaker is not liable.
• Misused federal resources when he rented an RV with taxpayer money and toured national parks with his family. Pombo says the $5,000 it cost to rent the RV was an inexpensive alternative to chartering airplanes and staying in park lodges. He also says he paid all costs for his family, and their presence did not cost the taxpayers.
• Broke federal law that bans the use of taxpayer money to fund political mailers. Pombo sent mailers during the 2004 presidential election that touted the Bush policies such as opening Yellowstone to snowmobiles. The GOP-controlled House Administration Committee later barred the practice but found that Pombo never broke any rules.
• Violated federal rules that bar the use of office for personal gain when he took actions that bolstered his parents' financial interest in an Altamont wind turbine farm and obtained federal money for highway work that increased the value of relatives' property. Pombo has said that he didn't know about the letter his staff sent under his signature with respect to the Altamont dispute, a statement his critics disbelieve. But no evidence has surfaced that shows his relatives will specifically benefit from the proposed San Joaquin County highway upgrades.
• Dispensed special favors when he subpoenaed records from a federal banking investigation into Charles Hurwitz, a campaign contributor, to publicize the documents and destroy the government's case. Pombo has said that investigators and environmentalists were conspiring to extort valuable Headwaters forest land from Hurwitz, and he sought to expose their actions. A federal appeals court judge later agreed with Pombo.
• Broke House rules by allowing Resources Committee Chief of Staff Steve Ding to commute between Stockton and Washington at taxpayers' expense. The House Administration Committee found nothing improper in the arrangement, although Democrats continue to contest it.
Rep. Richard Pombo is one of the good guys.
He has helped America.
Yeah, but he is named Pombo.
Cartoon characters can be named Pombo.
Dogs and earthworks and trailers and rice dishes can be named Pombo.
Not people.
He is helping keep our public lands open.
Without him, the Sierra Club lawyers would have stopped hunting, fishing, and hiking in our public lands.
He's the only Republican left in Congress whose district includes any part of the Bay Area (San Ramon/Dublin/Pleasanton) - and that part is getting more and more Democratic. They've made Pombo's seat one of their number one targets - these charges are just part of the DNC strategy.
We need to support Pombo.
Does he have a campaign web site ?
Thanks for his DC site.
Does he have a California Campaign re-election web site ?
Found it:...........
http://www.richardpombo.com/
And yes he is 1 of the GOOD GUYS........
Property Rights
The battle to protect a citizen’s property from unlawful government seizure has, for many years, been largely fought in rural America, pitting farmers against bureaucrats intent on putting them out of business. But the Supreme Court Kelo decision, in which the nation’s highest court gave local governments the right to take any citizen’s property and hand it over to a private developer, has brought the issue of protecting property rights to every doorstep.
Taking a family’s home, farm or business through this new expansion of eminent domain, and giving it to a private developer to build an auto mall, or shopping center, is just plain wrong. We all understand the use of eminent domain for public purposes, such as building a school or highway, but this power must never be used to rob one citizen to line the pockets of another.
American Security
I am very protective of our constitutional rights as American citizens, but I find it outrageous to suggest that foreign terrorists deserve the same rights as the American citizens they seek to destroy.
Immigration
Few would argue that every nation has a right to secure its own borders. That must be our first priority, not only to enforce our immigration laws, but to protect American security.
We are a nation of immigrants, but it is patently wrong to let those who break our laws cut in line ahead of those who seek to come legally.
Let us secure our borders, and then provide the opportunity for guest workers to work legally and pay taxes. I also believe those who enter the country legally, pay taxes and learn English should have the opportunity someday to earn their U.S. citizenship.
Abortion Issues
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2005 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2005.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 100 percent in 2003-2004.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2003.
2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 0 percent in 2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 100 percent in 2001-2002.
2001 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 0 percent in 2001.
2001 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2001.
2000 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2000.
1999-2000 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 100 percent in 1999-2000.
1999 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 0 percent in 1999.
1995-2004 On the votes that the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Assocation considered to be the most important in 1995-2004, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
1995-2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood (House) 0 percent in 1995-2003.
Animal Rights and Wildlife Issues
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2005 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 0 percent in 2005.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 11 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Fund for Animals 11 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Doris Day Animal League 11 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation 11 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Humane Association 11 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 11 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Animal Protection Institute 11 percent in 2004.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Fund for Animals 11 percent in 2003.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 11 percent in 2003.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Humane Association 11 percent in 2003.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Animal Protection Institute 11 percent in 2003.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 11 percent in 2003.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation 11 percent in 2003.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Doris Day Animal League 11 percent in 2003.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Doris Day Animal League 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Humane Association 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Animal Protection Institute 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Fund for Animals 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 0 percent in 2001-2002.
2000 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 13 percent in 2000.
2000 On the votes that the Society for Animal Protective Legislation considered to be the most important in 2000, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 17 percent of the time.
Thanks for doing the research.
We need to support him.
Not necessarily money or alot of time...just maybe a letter to the editor.
http://www.richardpombo.com/
Arts and Humanities
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2004 On the votes that the Americans for the Arts Action Fund considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 1 percent of the time.
2003 On the votes that the Americans for the Arts considered to be the most important in 2003, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the National Trust for Historic Preservation 0 percent in 2003.
2002 On the votes that the Americans for the Arts considered to be the most important in 2002, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
2001 On the votes that the Americans for the Arts considered to be the most important in 2001, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
2000 On the votes that the Americans for the Arts considered to be the most important in 2000, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
Yes Here are some of the papers in his district:
Publications:
Brentwood Press
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, The Brentwood Press, 248 Oak Street, Brentwood, CA 94513;
or e-mail to Rick@brentwoodpress.com
Contra Costa Times
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, The Times, P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA, 94596,
via email to letters@cctimes.com; by fax to 925-943-8362,
or online : http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/editorial/letters
200 word limit
Danville Weekly
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Danville Weekly, 315 Diablo Road, Suite 100 Danville, CA 94526,
or via email to editor@DanvilleWeekly.com
Escalon Times
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, The Escalon Times, 1746 Main Street, Escalon, CA 95320,
via email to marg@escalontimes.net,
or online: http://www.oakdaleleader.com/forms/escalon/letters.shtml
Gilroy Dispatch
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Gilroy Dispatch, 6400 Monterey Street, Gilroy, CA 95020,
or via email to editor@garlic.com
Lodi News-Sentinel
Send by mail to Letter to the Editor, Lodi News-Sentinel, 125 N. Church St., Lodi, CA 95241,
via email to news@lodinews.com or online: http://www.lodinews.com/forms/letter.php
350 word limit
Manteca Bulletin
Send by mail to Letter to the Editor, Manteca Bulletin, 531 E. Yosemite Ave. Manteca, CA 95336,
via email at news@mantecabulletin.com, or online: http://www.mantecabulletin.com/forms/manteca/letters.shtml
Modesto Bee
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Modesto Bee, 1325 H Street, Modesto, CA 95352,
via email to metro@modbee.com or online: http://www.modbee.com/service/print_letters.html
200 word limit
Morgan Hill Times
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Morgan Hill Times, P.O. Box 757 Morgan Hill, CA 95038,
or via email to editormh@morganhilltimes.com
Pinnacle (Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Martin)
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, The Pinnacle, 380 San Benito St., Hollister, Ca., 95023,
via email to letters@pinnaclenews.com or by fax to (831) 637-8174
250 word limit
Pleasanton Weekly
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Pleasanton Weekly, 5506 Sunol Blvd, Suite 100 Pleasanton, CA 94566,
or via email to Editor@PleasantonWeekly.com
Ripon Record
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Ripon Record, 130 West Main Street, Ripon, CA 95366,
or via email to editor@riponrecordnews.com
Sacramento Bee
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852,
via email to opinion@sacbee.com
or online at: http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/letters/mailbag/story/12482846p-13338683c.html
200 word limit
San Francisco Chronicle
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103,
via email to letters@sfchronicle.com or by fax (415) 543-7708
200 word limit
San Jose Mercury News
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, San Jose Mercury News, 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190,
or via email at letters@mercurynews.com. For more information, call (408) 920-5572.
125 words or less
Stockton Record
Send by mail to Letter to the Editor, Stockton Record, P.O. Box 900, Stockton, CA 95201,
or via email to editor@recordnet.com
Sun Post (Lathrop-Manteca)
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Sun Post, 245 W. Yosemite Ave., Manteca 95336,
or via email to news@sunpost.net
Tracy Press
Send by mail to Letter to the Editor, Tracy Press, P.O. Box 419, Tracy 95378-0419,
via email at cherim@tracypress.com or online at: http://www.tracypress.com/submitletter.php
Tri-Valley Herald
Send by mail to Letters to the Editor, Tri-Valley Herald, 4770 Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588,
via email to ttuttle@angnewspapers.com, or online: http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/writealetter
Civil Liberties
(Back to top)
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 0 percent in 2003-2004.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Library Association 100 percent in 2003.
2001-2002 On the votes that the American Civil Liberties Union considered to be the most important in 2001-2002 , Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 7 percent of the time.
Wow.
Good work !
OK........LAST but NOT least......... Why we REALLY need him back:
Environmental Issues
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2005 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 0 percent in 2005.
2005 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 0 percent in 2005.
2005 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 6 percent in 2005.
2005 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Republicans for Environmental Protection -12 percent in 2005. Points for significant non-voting actions were added to or subtracted from percentages calculated from voting records. Thus, the rating may be less than 0 or greater than 100.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 0 percent in 2004.
2004 On the votes that the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 0 percent in 2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 3 percent in 2003-2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Lands Alliance 0 percent in 2003-2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the National Parks Conservation Association 17 percent in 2003-2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population 29 percent in 2003-2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population-C-C-P 3 percent on conservation/consumption/preservation issues in 2003-2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population-Immigration 83 percent on immigration issues in 2003-2004.
2003-2004 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population-Natural Increase 0 percent on natural increase issues in 2003-2004.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 5 percent in 2003.
2003 On the votes that the American Lands Alliance considered to be the most important in 2003, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
2003 On the votes that the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population considered to be the most important in 2003, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 22 percent of the time.
2003 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 0 percent in 2003.
2001-2002 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 9 percent in 2001-2002.
2001-2002 On the votes that the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 25 percent of the time.
1999-2000 Representative Pombo supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 3 percent in 1999-2000.
1999-2000 On the votes that the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population considered to be the most important in 1999-2000, Representative Pombo voted their preferred position 6 percent of the time.
I see why he's being targeted:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1606123/posts
Yes, we should really try to help.
If we lose Congress in November and Pombo as a leader, it will not just be two long years but likely ten long years !
Here is the funny thing in this district (CA 11). The Dems seem to be confident about beating Pombo. They feel that he can be portrayed as ethically challenged, ineffectual and out of touch with his district. However, they can't do that with Pete McCloskey. There is no way that any Dem can beat McCloskey. While he is not as conservative as Pombo, the best way to keep this district Red may be to vote Pombo out, as one lefty web site is named, but to do it in the primary. I know that in my home town (I actually live in the district) the complaint is that the only time Pombo shows up is to ask for votes. He is definitely NOT popular.
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