Larry Margasak
Ethics panel: Rep. Buchanan may have broken law
WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional ethics panel says there is substantial reason to believe Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida tried to get a business partner to lie to the Federal Election Commission.
The independent Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted its findings in January to the House Ethics Committee. The ethics committee said Wednesday it is continuing its investigation of the Republican lawmaker, but released the independent report in accordance with House rules.
The report said the partner knew that contributors to the Florida Republican were reimbursed from 2005 to 2007. The panel said Buchanan attempted to persuade the partner to falsely deny to the FEC that reimbursements were made.
Buchanan’s attorney told the Office of Congressional Ethics the allegations are false.
The report said Buchanan may have violated federal law and House rules.
Rep. Bachus says ethics panel cleared him
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee says he’s been cleared by an ethics panel in an investigation of his investment activities leading up to and surrounding Congress’ $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.
Alabama Republican Spencer Bachus said Monday that the Office of Congressional Ethics voted 6-0 on Friday to dismiss allegations that he profited from nonpublic information learned on the job.
Congress in March passed legislation explicitly banning lawmakers, the president and thousands of other federal workers from profiting from nonpublic information learned from their official duties. The bill, which is now law, also will let the public see more of government officials’ financial dealings, and view them online more frequently.
The 10-term House member easily won his March primary.
Lawmakers move toward citing Holder for contempt
FILE - In this April 24, 2012 file photo, Attorney General Eric Holder speaks in Little Rock, Ark. A House Committee is preparing a contempt citation against Holder in a dispute over access to documents from a flawed gun tracking operation. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)(Credit: AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — A House Committee is preparing a contempt citation against Attorney General Eric Holder as it applies pressure for more documents from a flawed gun-tracking operation.
An official of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee said Friday a final decision on issuing the citation hasn’t been made. The official, who wasn’t authorized to be quoted by name on the subject, said the citation could be avoided if the Justice Department produces documents sought by the committee.
Continue Reading CloseFeinstein: No action on concealed weapons bills
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Dianne Feinstein is asking Democratic leaders to block votes on concealed weapons bills.
At issue is legislation requiring states to honor concealed gun permits from other states.
The California Democrat says that would undermine states’ rights. Feinstein says reciprocity would allow someone to carry a concealed gun in a state where he or she would not qualify to do so.
State requirements vary widely on rules for concealed weapon permits.
Feinstein says the bills are especially harmful to domestic violence victims, because someone convicted of hurting them could then cross state lines, with a gun, to hunt them down.
Feinstein says major law enforcement groups oppose the legislation.
New grilling set for current, former GSA officials
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform conducts the first hearing on incidents of wasteful spending by the General Services Administration, the real estate agency for federal buildings, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, April 16, 2012. Being sworn in to testify, from left are, GSA Inspector General Brian Miller, former GSA Administrator Martha Johnson, Jeff Neely, former regional commissioner of the Public Buildings Service, Pacific Rim Region, GSA Chief of Staff Michael Robertson, and David Foley, deputy commissioner of the GSA Public Buildings Service. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)(Credit: AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is turning up the heat in its investigation of an $823,000 General Services Administration conference at a Las Vegas resort in 2010.
Lawmakers will be learning more Tuesday from a fired GSA executive who threw a party there on the taxpayers’ dime. He has been sent a letter by his former agency demanding reimbursement of $1,960 to pay for the party in his room.
Robert Peck is set to testify in the second day of hearings before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the agency’s misuse of taxpayers’ money. Peck was commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the GSA, which is in charge of federal buildings and supplies.
Another witness, current Deputy Commissioner Susan Brita, was instrumental in asking Inspector General Brian Miller to investigate.
GSA executive asserts right to remain silent
Appearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, former GSA official Jeff Neely declines to answer questions at a hearing about wasteful spending and excesses at a Las Vegas conference, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, April 16, 2012. Neely, formerly the regional commissioner of the Public Buildings Service, Pacific Rim Region, was ordered to leave the witness table after invoking his rights to not testify on the advice of his counsel. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)(Credit: AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — The General Services Administration investigator who revealed a wild agency spending spree said Monday he’s investigating possible bribery and kickbacks, and has already recommended criminal charges to the Justice Department. The key figure in the scandal invoked his right to remain silent at the House hearing.
Inspector General Brian Miller made clear that he’s not done investigating GSA current and former officials, following his lengthy report April 2 on an October 2010 Las Vegas conference that cost taxpayers $823,000.
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