Legislative Ethics

A tip of the hat this morning to U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, who is risking the ire of his colleagues by requesting and promising to release closely-held records about the way Congress deals with sexual harassment claims against lawmakers and their staffs.

The sentencing of former Congresswoman Corrine Brown today to 5 years in prison is not about misplaced trust by her, but misplaced trust by her District 5 constituency and all Floridians that her long career in Congress was in her own self-interest and not in service to them. Brown betrayed her constituents who sent her to Washington to represent their interests, not her own. The sense of entitlement that allowed Brown to participate in this fraud to enrich herself in the name of underprivileged children is extremely disappointing.

Today, Common Cause called on Congress to pass legislation to close the loopholes and disclose settlements that have allowed Members to hide sexual harassment and other abuses for decades. A series of high profile cases involving abuse by Members has brought to light the slush funds and secretive negotiations that have allowed abusers to remain on the job.

Amid mushrooming evidence of sexual misconduct by lawmakers there's growing bipartisan support for releasing the names of senators and congressmen who’ve settled sexual harassment complaints.

Today, Common Cause urged Congress to fully investigate and hold public hearings on the massive no-bid contract awarded to a tiny Montana company to rebuild the Puerto Rican power grid devastated by Hurricane Maria. According to press reports, Whitefish Energy only had two employees at the time the hurricane made landfall in Puerto Rico but was awarded a $300 million contract.

Today, Common Cause urged Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) to force House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes’ (R-CA) to fully recuse from the committee’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election after Nunes threatened to “take the investigation over.”