House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid are among five lawmakers who accepted donations to their legal expense funds—in apparent violation of congressional ethics rules—from registered lobbyists and foreign agents, according to a study by the Center for Public Integrity.
The Center's analysis of the legal expense funds maintained by eight sitting members of Congress revealed that in addition to DeLay and Reid, those receiving questionable donations included Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Those five legislators collectively received donations from 12 lobbyists, the Center found.
Legal expense funds are designed to defray costs related to a variety of proceedings, including ethics, civil and criminal matters. Both House and Senate rules forbid any "contribution or other payment by a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal to a legal expense fund." This prohibition is similar to one that bars lobbyists and foreign agents from paying for lawmakers' travel.
...Congressional Rules:
Both the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives on Gifts and Travel and the Standing Rules of the Senate prohibit any "contribution or other payment by a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal to a legal expense fund established for the benefit of a Member, officer, or employee.
No comments:
Post a Comment