Ethics panel urges further probe of 3 congressmen

Investigation of Watt, four others has been dropped

By: JournalNow Staff | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 02, 2010

WASHINGTON

House investigators have recommended that three lawmakers be further investigated to determine whether political contributions were improperly linked to votes on the huge financial-overhaul bill.

The independent House Office of Congressional Ethics recommended that the member-run House ethics committee pursue potential rules violations by Republicans John Campbell of California and Tom Price of Georgia and Democrat Joseph Crowley of New York.

The ethics office recommended no further investigation of five other lawmakers in the same probe: Democratic Reps. Mel Watt of North Carolina and Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, and Republicans Jeb Hensarling of Texas, Chris Lee of New York and Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.

All of the lawmakers' offices of had received letters from the OCE by Tuesday, and made the conclusions public.

President Obama signed the financial overhaul bill into law July 21. It aims to restrain Wall Street excesses with the most sweeping overhaul of financial rules since the Great Depression, clamping down on lending practices and expanding consumer protections to address failures that precipitated the 2008 meltdown that knocked the economy to its knees.

The Democrats -- Watt, Pomeroy and Crowley-- voted for the final bill.

The Republicans -- Campbell, Price, Hensarling, Lee and Lucas -- voted against it.

Campbell said he is "perplexed by OCE's decision, as they have presented no evidence that would suggest wrongdoing. As one of Congress's most outspoken critics of the earmark system and the waste and corruption it engenders, I have worked to make Congress more transparent and accountable to the American taxpayer. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unfounded."

Price said that it was "truly a mystery" that his case was referred for further investigation, "there being no evidence of any wrongdoing or any inconsistency in my policy position."

Crowley's office said in a statement that he "has always complied with the letter and spirit of all rules regarding fundraising and standards of conduct."

All three lawmakers referred for further investigation held fundraisers last December, around the time of crucial House votes.