Tag

Ethics Reform

All articles tagged with #ethics reform

politics6 days ago•5 min saved

Gomez under House Ethics probe as accuser's lawyers dispute consent

Lawyers for a woman who spoke with the House Ethics Committee say Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s interactions with their client were not consensual, challenging Gomez’s claim that past extramarital conduct was consensual. The Ethics Committee is examining allegations of sexual harassment and assault, including inappropriate contact with a staffer, while Gomez has said his past infidelity did not violate laws or House rules. The piece notes ongoing efforts on Capitol Hill to overhaul ethics rules to prohibit relationships between lawmakers and staff and to expedite investigations.

via Politico|

#consent #ethics-reform #house-ethics-committee

politics8 days ago•6 min saved

Bronin’s Victory Sparks Push for a Younger Congress

Luke Bronin, after defeating a 14-term incumbent in Connecticut, is pushing for a generational renewal in the House and younger leadership, noting recent moves to elevate younger committee chairs and signaling support for a refreshed Democratic majority. In a separate update, Rep. Kat Cammack and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández are pushing a sweeping ethics overhaul to create a “one-stop shop” for complaints, speed up investigations, and curb staffer–lawmakers relationships, though Senate buy-in and enforcement concerns could stall reforms.

via Politico|

#congress-leadership #ethics-reform #generational-change

politics8 days ago•6 min saved

Capitol ethics overhaul faces uphill battle amid lawmaker resistance

Bipartisan Reps. Kat Cammack and Teresa Leger Fernández push a sweeping overhaul of Congress’s ethics machinery to create a one-stop reporting system, speed up investigations, and harden penalties for misconduct—measures that face resistance from lawmakers and require Senate buy‑in, with enforcement and frivolous-claim concerns complicating prospects.

via Politico|

#congress #ethics-committee #ethics-reform

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

House Advances Limited Stock-Trading Ban for Members

The House passed the Stop Insider Trading Act 232-198, which would bar members of Congress from buying individual stocks while in office, while allowing them to keep existing holdings and to sell portions of their portfolios if they publicly disclose seven days before the sale; penalties for mis-disclosures would rise to at least $2,000 or 10% of the transaction value. The bill also adds a voter-ID requirement, drawing Democratic opposition, and its fate in the Senate remains unclear, with critics calling it a weak reform that falls short of a full ban.

via CNBC|

#congress #ethics-reform #insider-trading

politics1 year ago•3 min saved

Senate Advances Stock Trading Ban Amid Political Tensions

Senator Josh Hawley and Democrats in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs advanced a bill that would ban members of Congress from buying, selling, or owning individual stocks, with some Republicans opposing the measure. The legislation aims to increase ethical standards and transparency among lawmakers, requiring them to sell their stocks within 180 days and submit annual compliance certifications. The bill has garnered mixed reactions, including support from Nancy Pelosi and criticism from President Trump.

via CBS News|

#congress #ethics-reform #hawley

politics1 year ago•12 min saved

Texas Legislature Approaches Critical Deadlines Amidst Key Debates and Political Wins

The Texas Legislature is unlikely to pass significant ethics reform bills this year, with many proposals stalled in committees or reduced in scope, amidst a backdrop of political conflicts, opposition from conservative groups, and a lack of legislative motivation to address longstanding ethics issues.

via The Texas Tribune|

#campaign-finance #deep-fake-videos #ethics-reform

politics2 years ago•8 min saved

"Congressional Stock Trading Law Yields Unexpected Profits"

Despite the STOCK Act's intention to curb insider trading by Congress members, lawmakers continue to outperform the market, inspiring new investment products that mimic their trades. This has led to a profitable industry based on tracking congressional stock activity, highlighting flaws in the law and prompting calls for stricter reforms to restore public trust.

via NPR|

#congress #etfs #ethics-reform

politics3 years ago•7 min saved

Senate Advances Supreme Court Ethics Reform Bill

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing pressure from Democrats to bring the party's Supreme Court ethics legislation to the Senate floor, despite the expectation that it will be filibustered. Democrats believe that forcing Republicans to reject the ethics measure could have political consequences and help remind voters of the conservative rulings made by the Supreme Court. They also hope that the added national visibility of a floor vote could pressure the court to establish stricter rules. However, moderate Republicans like Senator Lisa Murkowski have expressed concerns about the legislation, arguing that it is too prescriptive and violates the separation of powers. If the bill were to somehow survive a GOP filibuster, it would still face significant challenges in the Republican-controlled House.

via POLITICO|

#chuck-schumer #ethics-reform #filibuster

politics3 years ago•3 min saved

"Push for Supreme Court Ethics Reform Gains Momentum"

A Senate panel heard testimony on a Democratic-led bill that would implement ethics and transparency reforms at the Supreme Court. The bill would require the court to adopt a code of conduct, create a process for the public to lodge formal ethics complaints against the justices, and beef up its recusal requirements. The hearing comes amid recent media reports about Justice Clarence Thomas’ pattern of nondisclosure on his financial reports for years and the court’s continued resistance to calls for it to implement a formal ethics code. A law professor urged Congress to reject the proposed reforms, arguing that they represent a legislative overreach.

via CNN|

#clarence-thomas #congress #ethics-reform

politics3 years ago•3 min saved

Senate Finance Chair considers subpoena for Harlan Crow over Clarence Thomas ties.

The Senate Finance Committee is considering issuing a subpoena to GOP megadonor Harlan Crow after he refused to provide information about his ties to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, including gifts and accommodations. The committee's chairman, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, accused Crow of "doubling down on bogus legal theories." Wyden has requested information about the gifts and trips Thomas received from Crow over their 25-year friendship, as well as properties Crow bought from Thomas and his relatives. Democrats have warned they could take legislative action to strengthen the ethical rules that govern the justices.

via CBS News|

#clarence-thomas #ethics-reform #harlan-crow

politics3 years ago•4 min saved

Senator asserts Congress' authority to impose ethics reform on Supreme Court.

Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has said that Congress can impose ethics reform on the US Supreme Court, despite arguments made by Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow and Chief Justice John Roberts. Whitehouse has called for the judicial conference to put constraints around the Supreme Court's behavior and treat it like all other federal judges. Supreme Court justices are nominally subject to federal ethics laws but in practice govern themselves. Whitehouse has campaigned against so-called “dark money” in US politics and has called the Roberts court a “fact-free zone as well as an ethics-free zone”.

via The Guardian|

#clarence-thomas #ethics-reform #harlan-crow

politics3 years ago•2 min saved

Chief Justice Roberts Addresses Ethics and Controversial Decisions at Supreme Court

Chief Justice John Roberts said that the hardest decision he had to make in his 18 years in the job was to order the erection of fences and barricades around the Supreme Court last year after the leak of the ruling that rolled back abortion rights. Roberts appeared defensive about the court's reputation amid questions about its legitimacy and calls for ethics reform. He bemoaned public criticism of the judiciary, including protests outside the homes of justices, and indicated that the court could make its own reforms and hold itself to the highest standards. The court is about to head into the final stretch of its current term, which concludes at the end of June.

via NBC News|

#abortion-rights #ethics-reform #john-roberts

politics3 years ago•4 min saved

Harlan Crow Defies Senate Requests for Information on Clarence Thomas Ties.

GOP donor Harlan Crow rejected requests from the Senate Judiciary Committee for information on the gifts, trips, and travel accommodations he has given to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, claiming the committee lacks the authority to probe Crow's relationship with the justice. Crow's lawyer also claimed that Congress does not have the constitutional authority to impose ethics rules and standards on the Supreme Court. Several legislative proposals have been introduced in the House and Senate that would require a code of conduct for the Supreme Court, instituted either by an outside entity such as the Judicial Conference or by the court itself.

via CBS News|

#clarence-thomas #ethics-reform #harlan-crow

politics3 years ago•1 min saved

Harlan Crow Defies Democrats' Probe into Ties with Clarence Thomas.

Harlan Crow, a real-estate billionaire and GOP megadonor, is refusing to cooperate with a Senate Judiciary Committee probe into his relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and pattern of expensive gifts. Crow's lawyer argued that the panel did not have the authority to investigate his personal friendship with Thomas. Senate Democrats have accused Crow of targeting Justice Thomas for special and unwarranted opprobrium. Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin pledged to continue pressing for a substantive response to their information requests to help restore trust in the Supreme Court.

via POLITICO|

#clarence-thomas #ethics-reform #harlan-crow

politics3 years ago•4 min saved

Calls for Ethics Code and Accountability in Supreme Court

Retired federal Judge Michael Luttig, a former Supreme Court contender, has called for the Supreme Court to adopt a stronger code of conduct and abide by the same ethical standards as other federal judges. Luttig's comments come amid growing concerns over the lack of disclosure of high-cost gifts, expenses, and business dealings by several Supreme Court justices. Luttig believes that the Supreme Court should lead by example and conduct itself in a way that is beyond reproach. The Supreme Court is the only judicial body in the U.S. that isn't governed by a formal code of ethics, though it is subject to some federal statutes that impose ethical standards on all federal judges.

via NPR|

#code-of-conduct #ethics-reform #harlan-crow