Executive Ethics

At bars and pubs across Washington this morning, an assortment of political junkies gathered around the flat screens to watch former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Today, members of 19 national organizations delivered the signatures of more than 4 million people to members of Congress urging a full investigation into President Trump’s campaign ties to Russia. The press conference and petition delivery specifically called on members of Congress to support a discharge petition sponsored by Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Elijah Cummings to create an independent commission to investigate the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Today, Common Cause urged Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) to enforce House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes’ recusal from the committee’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Nunes recused himself from the investigation after he was accused of disclosing classified information in an attempt to justify false claims by Donald Trump that the Obama Administration had “wiretapped” Trump Tower. But last week Chairman Nunes ignored his recusal and used his power as committee chair to subpoena intelligence service materials related to the “unmasking” of Trump campaign officials for their contacts with Russian government officials and intermediaries.

The chairman of Common Cause Kentucky is asking the state’s Executive Ethics Commission to investigate whether Gov. Matt Bevin’s purchase of a mansion in a wealthy Louisville suburb earlier this year violated Kentucky’s ethics laws.

American democracy is becoming a money-making enterprise for wealthy private interests and possibly Russians, according to a panel of lawmakers and public interest advocates who spoke at a press briefing and forum on Capitol Hill this morning.

Today, Common Cause and Public Citizen co-hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington – Trump’s Conflicts of Interest and the Americans Who Are Impacted By White House Ethics – with Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) serving as honorary co-host. The videotaped event focused on everyday Americans adversely impacted by the Trump Administration’s unprecedented conflicts of interest. President Trump’s conflicts of interest and excessive secrecy come at a cost and that cost is borne by the American People.