Federal Judge in Texas Demands Justice Dept. Lawyers Take Ethics Class

A federal judge in Texas on Thursday excoriated the Justice Department, demanding ethics classes for the department’s lawyers and ordering other sanctions for those who argued the case involving President Obama’s immigration executive actions.
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Senate Dems reject attempts to strengthen Oregon ethics laws

Yesterday, Senate Democrats rejected three proposals to strengthen ethics laws for both the legislature and state and local campaigns in Oregon. The Oregon Senate will later consider two bills introduced by Governor Kate Brown expanding the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and clarifying the role of the spouse or partner of the Governor.


“Senate Republicans supported Governor Brown’s efforts to prioritize ethics reform early this session, and we believe the proposals passed yesterday in the Senate are important first steps in restoring transparency and accountability to Oregon government,” said Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). “These additional ethics bills rejected by Senate Democrats would have shown Oregonians the legislature is serious about creating the highest ethical standards possible to rebuild the trust of Oregonians.”


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Governor John Kitzhaber announces his resignation

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned effective Wednesday, Feb. 18, in a letter submitted to Secretary of State Kate Brown. "I am announcing today that I will resign as Governor of the State of Oregon," he wrote in a statement released just after noon Friday.

In just four months, a public corruption scandal involving Kitzhaber and his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes, has hobbled one of Oregon's most durable politicians. Kitzhaber, a public official for 37 years, was sworn in for a historic fourth term as governor just a month ago. Facing not only a state criminal investigation and an ethics review, Kitzhaber watched his support from fellow veteran lawmakers crumble this week.

The governor's resignation does not end either the criminal investigation or ethics review.

Brown, also a Democrat, will be sworn in as Oregon's 37th governor, but the timing of that ceremony is uncertain. Read more at OregonLive Read More......

Red State: Jamie Gorelick to be nominated for FBI Director?

Fox Nation reports that Jamie Gorelick is on the Obama administration’s short list for new FBI Director. Gorelick’s political rap sheet is a thing of wonder: it includes Fannie Mae, Countrywide Loans, defending Duke University after the lacrosse case, (most infamously) the Gorelick Wall - and these days she’s the defense lawyer for British Petroleum. Which basically means that Gorelick brackets the entire political spectrum in terms of offensiveness, from conservative to progressive. Not a full bracket, of course. There are no reports that the woman is also involved in piracy, human trafficking, the international drug trade, and/or arms smuggling, after all… but then, there are only twenty-fours in the day, and seven days in the week. Read more at Red State... Read More......

Glenn Beck: Fundamental Transformation

America is at a crossroads. We have known this for 10 years now but after each tragic event or “bubble” America has gone back to sleep because we wanted to believe that we could have it all and “it just isn’t as bad as they say.” Our gut however, has told us that it was time to wake up and use what used to be known as “common sense.” It is what Americans from all points of the political compass meant when focus groups gave every politician the presidential campaign slogan, change.

After spending years, and thousands of man-hours, in research, reflection, and prayer, my team and I have come to realize that a “Fundamental Transformation” is required. While it is just as powerful, it’s also the polar opposite of what President Obama touted last election. President Obama and the progressive ruling class of both parties believe in the collective planned society. I believe America’s answers are to be found with, by, and in the individual American honestly pursuing happiness not in 2,000 page bills.

If one is looking for a “collective” based solution it can be found in the phrase: America is great because America is good. When we look for our answers in Washington we ask our politicians or parties to “make us good.” They cannot. But we can, must, and will. The secret our Founders understood was that America is good because individual Americans are honest, just, thrifty, responsible, educated, charitable and God fearing. Read more at www.glennbeck.com...
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WSJ: Ethics Panel Finding Hints at Guilty Verdict for Rangel

Wall Street Journal, 11/16/2010 - What's the difference between unethical behavior and corruption? --bc

"...Mr. Chisam [Ethics Committee member acting as prosecutor] said he didn't believe Mr. Rangel's actions were corrupt, but were sloppy and in violation of House ethics rules.

The formal charges were filed against Mr. Rangel in July, prompting some fellow Democrats to urge him to leave Congress. The accusations aren't viewed by investigators as corruption or profiting from his position, but rather a failure to follow the rules of ethical conduct and accurately report his finances as required.

Thus, Mr. Rangel is unlikely to face expulsion from the House even with a finding of guilt; the most likely punishment would be a public reprimand."

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Oregon GOP files ethics complaint against Kitzhaber, Courtney

OREGONLIVE.COM, 6/21/2010 by Michelle Cole, The Oregonian - The Oregon Republican Party filed an ethics complaint Monday [last week] against Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber and Oregon Senate Democratic leaders over a $1,500-a-ticket campaign fundraiser. ∴ The June 29 event at Portland's Arlington Club is billed as a "private luncheon to discuss potential (legislative) session issues." The names on the invitation include Kitzhaber, Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem; Senate Majority Leader Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin; Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland and budget committee co-chair, and Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose. ∴ No more than 15 guests will be allowed to attend the two-hour power lunch. In their complaint filed with the Oregon Ethics Commission Monday, Republicans claim Democrats are offering lobbyists a "quid pro quo." ∴ "This goes well beyond normal political campaign requests in that this makes a link between the contribution and consideration of legislation and the "session issues" and is therefore illegal...," the complaint says. ∴ Molly Woon, spokeswoman for the Senate Democratic Leadership Fund, declined to comment Monday. ∴ The Kitzhaber campaign did not return calls made late in the day. But last week Kitzhaber's campaign manager, Derek Humphrey, said his boss had nothing to do with putting the invitation together. Read More......

53% Now Trust Republicans More Than Democrats on Health Care

RASMUSSEN REPORTS, 4/3/2010 - Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on nine out of 10 key issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, but the gap between the two parties has grown narrower on several of them. ∴ Following the passage of the health care bill, 53% now say they trust Republicans on the issue of health care. Thirty-seven percent (37%) place their trust in Democrats. A month earlier, the two parties were essentially even on the health care issue. Read more at Rasmussen's... Read More......

Charlie Rangel holds onto gavel

POLOTICO, 2/2/2010 - Charlie Rangel emerged from a closed-door meeting in Nancy Pelosi’s office Tuesday night to declare that he’s still the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and hasn’t agreed to give up his gavel – even as some media outlets were reporting that he’d done just that. ∴ But asked whether he’d still be the chairman tomorrow and in the coming days, Rangel said: “I can’t make all those promises at my age.” ∴ And when Pelosi was asked whether Rangel was resigning, she said “no comment.” Read more at Politico...

2/3/2010 UPDATE: Rep. Rangle turned over the gavel in a short, emotional press conference, at which he took no questions. Read More......

Government Ethics Edges Out Economy As Top Issue Among Voters

RASMUSSEN REPORTS, 10/1/2009 - For nearly two years, economic issues have held the top spot in terms of importance among voters. ∴ But the latest national telephone survey shows that 83% now view government ethics and corruption as very important, placing it just ahead of the economy on a list of 10 key electoral issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. Eighty-two percent (82%) of voters see the economy as very important. Read more at Rasmussen's... Read More......

EXCLUSIVE: Senator's husband's firm cashes in on crisis

WASHINGTON POST, 4/21/2009, by Chuch Neubauer - On the day the new Congress convened this year, Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation to route $25 billion in taxpayer money to a government agency that had just awarded her husband's real estate firm a lucrative contract to sell foreclosed properties at compensation rates higher than the industry norms. ∴ Mrs. Feinstein's intervention on behalf of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was unusual: the California Democrat isn't a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs with jurisdiction over FDIC; and the agency is supposed to operate from money it raises from bank-paid insurance payments - not direct federal dollars. Read more at the Washington Post... Read More......

VDH Summarizes the Obama Administration's first weeks

Victor Davis Hanson has a three part summary on the first weeks of the Obama Administration, the stimulus package, the new Secretary of Energy's evocative AGW 'end-of-the-world' imagery; Obama's al Arabiya Interview; the difficulty with promising the most ethical administration ever to serve, and much more. Read Hanson's full op-ed at Works and Days... Read More......

Congressman John Carter introduces "Rangel Rule"

Rep. John Carter, a Texas Republican, sent out a press release earlier today about his innovative new bill:

“Rangel Rule”
All U.S. taxpayers would enjoy the same immunity from IRS penalties and interest as House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Obama Administration Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, if a bill introduced today by Congressman John Carter (R-TX) becomes law.

Carter, a former longtime Texas judge, today introduced the Rangel Rule Act of 2009, HR 735, which would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from charging penalties and interest on back taxes against U.S. citizens. Under the proposed law, any taxpayer who wrote “Rangel Rule” on their return when paying back taxes would be immune from penalties and interest.

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Treasury chief Geithner sworn in

BBC News - Timothy Geithner was sworn in as US Treasury Secretary within hours of the Senate approving his nomination Monday despite personal tax lapses. The vote was 60-34. FWIW: Ten Republicans voted 'yes' and 3 Democrats voted 'no').
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Oddly, the 'Ethics' page at www.whitehouse.gov is being revised...

The ethics section is currently being revised to reflect President Obama's Executive Order concerning Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel, issued on January 21, 2009. Please check back soon.

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