All articles tagged with #ethics probe
Sen. Jon Ossoff pressed GOP Rep. Mike Collins over a House Ethics Committee inquiry into alleged misuses of official funds, urging Collins to testify and explain his resistance; the Office of Congressional Conduct previously found substantial reason to believe Collins’ office misused funds and recommended a subpoena, while Collins’ campaign says he has cooperated and expects to be cleared.
The Florida Bar has launched an ethics investigation into Lindsey Halligan, a former personal attorney to Donald Trump who sought to be installed as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. A judge previously ruled Halligan’s appointment illegal and threw out two indictments she obtained (involving James Comey and Letitia James), prompting scrutiny from a watchdog group and concerns from judges about misrepresenting the law. The Bar’s inquiry details remain unclear, and the Justice Department is appealing the ruling; no arguments date has been set by the Fourth Circuit.
Lawyers for Jack Smith defend him against an ethics investigation into his actions related to Trump investigations, calling the allegations 'imaginary and unfounded,' and emphasize his commitment to lawful prosecutorial conduct despite political scrutiny.
Senate Judiciary Chair is demanding the release of details from the House's sexual misconduct probe into Matt Gaetz, who has been controversially nominated by Donald Trump for attorney general. The nomination has raised concerns among some Republican senators, as Trump can only afford to lose four GOP votes for any nominee.
On his last day in Congress, Kevin McCarthy criticized Matt Gaetz, calling him "psychotic" and blaming him for the effort to remove McCarthy from the speaker's chair. McCarthy may have been referring to the FBI's sex-trafficking probe into Gaetz, which ended with no charges filed. Gaetz had introduced a resolution to oust McCarthy from the speakership in October, and McCarthy claimed it was due to personal animus. McCarthy's retirement will leave House Republicans with a slim majority, and he expressed no regrets about his policies during his exit speech. The House Ethics Committee is still investigating Gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and other offenses.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena Republican donor Harlan Crow and conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo as part of an ethics probe into allegations that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito failed to disclose luxury vacations paid for by conservative friends. The hearing became contentious, with Sen. John Cornyn accusing Chairman Dick Durbin of destroying the committee and setting a dangerous precedent. Democrats argue for more stringent ethics standards for the Supreme Court, while Republicans criticize the move as an infringement on the judiciary's independence. Leo has refused to cooperate with the Senate Democrats' investigation.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has authorized subpoenas for GOP megadonor Harlan Crow and conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo as part of an investigation into ethics practices at the Supreme Court. The subpoenas seek documents related to gifts, trips, and lodging provided to any member of the high court. Republicans accused Democrats of targeting private citizens and undermining the Supreme Court, while Democrats argued that the subpoenas were necessary for oversight and to implement an enforceable code of conduct. Crow's office called the subpoena "invalid" and unenforceable, while Leo criticized the Democrats' "unlawful campaign of political retribution." The investigation follows reports of luxury trips provided to Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is considering whether to stay in office after being ousted as speaker, expressing resentment towards the Republicans who ended his tenure. McCarthy criticized Rep. Matt Gaetz for leading the charge against him, accusing Gaetz of being motivated by a House Ethics Committee probe. McCarthy suggested that Gaetz called for the vote to quash the ethics probe. McCarthy is uncertain about staying in the House and may not seek reelection. McCarthy's removal may impact GOP fundraising. He believes former President Donald Trump will be the party's nominee in 2024 and supports him despite potential criminal charges. McCarthy defended his decision to advance a stopgap funding bill and criticized the eight Republicans who voted against him.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has postponed a vote to subpoena Leonard Leo, a conservative judicial activist, and Harlan Crow, a Republican megadonor, as part of its ethics investigation into the Supreme Court. The committee's Democratic majority argues that the subpoenas are necessary to understand the full scope of the court's ethical crisis, while Republicans accuse Democrats of playing politics and attempting to delegitimize the high court. The investigation stems from a report that Justice Clarence Thomas had accepted gifts from Crow without disclosing them on his financial disclosures. The committee may reschedule the vote for next week.
Lawyers for Rep. George Santos, who is facing federal criminal fraud charges, have argued that the identities of the three people who helped him make his $500,000 bond should remain sealed, claiming that they are likely to suffer retaliation if their identities are revealed. Media organizations have requested the unsealing of the records, citing First Amendment and common law rights of access to the information. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is also the subject of a House Ethics Committee review and a Federal Elections Commission review.
Texas lawmakers are preparing for a historic vote on whether to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton after a monthslong ethics probe into his alleged repeated abuse of office. A simple majority of the House is needed to impeach Paxton, and if that happens, he would immediately be barred from performing his official duties while the Senate holds a trial on whether to remove him from office. The impeachment has become a proxy battle for the intraparty feuds within the Texas GOP, and the choice will be particularly tough for some Republicans who face pressure to vote no and whose state party chairman has called the impeachment a “sham.”
A House ethics probe has found that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton repeatedly misused his office to help a campaign donor, real estate developer Nate Paul, in 2020. The investigators outlined several potential criminal offenses, including abuse of official capacity, misuse of official information, misapplication of fiduciary property, and accepting an improper gift. Paxton's senior-most aides viewed his personal interventions as highly unusual and unethical. The findings lend new clout to the allegations against Paxton, who's been rocked by legal scandals throughout his tenure as the state's top lawyer.
Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins has formally resigned after two federal watchdog agencies found she sought to use her position to influence a local election and lied to investigators. Rollins was praised by powerful Democrats and seen as a rising progressive star when she was nominated for the post in 2021. However, the Justice Department's inspector general had opened an ethics investigation into Rollins after she was photographed last July at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser featuring first lady Jill Biden. The probe quickly expanded to explore other issues, including her use of her personal cellphone for Justice Department business.
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins has formally resigned after two federal watchdog agencies found she sought to use her position to influence a local election and lied to investigators. Her resignation comes two days after the release of scathing reports from the Justice Department’s inspector general and another watchdog outlined a litany of alleged misconduct by the top federal law enforcement officer in Massachusetts. Rollins was praised by powerful Democrats and seen as a rising progressive star when she was nominated for the post in 2021.
Rachael Rollins, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, will resign from her position after a Justice Department ethics investigation into her appearance at a political fundraiser and other potential issues. Rollins was praised by progressives for her approach to law enforcement before she was elevated to the high-profile U.S. attorney job amid stiff Republican opposition. The Justice Department's watchdog has yet to release its report detailing the findings of its investigation.