Ethics panel issues inauguration warning

[babylonsister]

Ethics panel issues inauguration warning
By Susan Crabtree
Posted: 11/20/08 06:03 PM


The House ethics committee warned members not to accept any offers from lobbyists or other private entities to pay for receptions to celebrate the inauguration or members’ swearing-in ceremony.

Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), the acting chairman of the panel and Rep. Doc Hastings (Wash.), the ranking Republican, issued a memo Thursday afternoon after receiving inquiries about whether lobbyists or other private groups could pay for inauguration and swearing-in receptions in members’ honor.

“Such arrangements are not permissible as the payment of the costs of the event would constitute an impermissible gift to the member under the House gift rule,” warned the senior members of the panel.

Ethics rules, however, do allow members to use campaign funds to host swearing-in receptions for supporters in their House offices or another House room as long as the events are not campaign-related. For instance, the invite-list for such events cannot be limited to campaign contributors, according to the memo. Campaign funds also can be used to pay for inaugural receptions in House offices “or elsewhere,” an apparent allowance for off-campus events.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/ethics-panel-issues-inauguration-warning-2008-11-20.html

[Donnachaidh]

1. I'm curious -- did they issue the same warnings 4 years ago? 8 years ago?

Inquiring minds etc., etc....

[babylonsister]

2. I don't know, but I had the exact same questions. nt

[zbdent]

3. even if they did ...

do you really believe that they'd have enforced them?

[Donnachaidh]

4. of course not!

It just seems weird that NOW all of a sudden this is put out in the media... :eyes: