Ethics in the News

National Security Archive announces Rosemary Award

SOURCE: Al Kamen // Washington Post

12 Mar 2010 // And now, the winner of the National Security Archive's Sixth Annual Rosemary Award, named for President Richard M. Nixon's secretary, Rose Mary Woods, whose unlikely stretch allegedly erased 18 1/2 minutes of a Watergate tape.

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Watchdogs applaud earmark ban, wonder about loopholes

SOURCE: Humberto Sanchez // National Journal's CongressDaily

11 Mar 2010 // Government watchdog groups Wednesday welcomed House Democrats' ban on earmarks benefiting for-profit companies but said more needed to be done, and they raised concerns that the move could make the earmark process less transparent.

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House bans earmarks to for-profit companies

SOURCE: Paul Kane // Washington Post

11 Mar 2010 // Facing an election-year backlash over runaway spending and ethics scandals, House Democrats moved Wednesday to ban earmarks for private companies, sparking a war between the parties over which would embrace the most dramatic steps to change the way business is done in Washington.

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Nancy Pelosi's office was told of concerns about Eric Massa

SOURCE: Carol D. Leonnig // Washington Post

11 Mar 2010 // House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office was notified in October by then-Rep. Eric Massa's top aide of concerns about the New York Democrat's behavior, two congressional sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday night.

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Georgia Democrats Press Ethics Committee to Complete Investigation of Rep. Deal

SOURCE: Jennifer Yachnin // Roll Call

11 Mar 2010 // Georgia Democrats this week called for the House ethics committee to wrap up its investigation of Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) before he leaves Congress at the end of March.

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Report: Sen. Ensign Tried To Find Lobbying Work For Mistress' Husband

SOURCE: Kris Alingod // All Headline News

11 Mar 2010 // Washington, DC, United States (AHN) - Less than a year after admitting to an extramarital affair and resigning as the Senate's number four Republican, Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) is facing new allegations that he helped a former aide, the husband of his former mistress, find lobbying work at a Las Vegas development firm, in violation of ethics laws.

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Investigating the Investigators: How the House Ethics Committee Works

SOURCE: Marian Wang // ProPublica

11 Mar 2010 // Tickle fights vs. groping. Salty language vs. sexual harassment. For those who've been following the media circus around ex-Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y., there's been quite a lot to follow. More»

Number of Health Care Lobbyists Raises Red Flags

SOURCE: Matt Laslo // Capitol News Connection, as heard on KUNM (New Mexico)

11 Mar 2010 // Click here to listen to an audio file of this story.

Many New Mexico health care organizations are hiring lobbyists to get their voices heard in Washington. Matt Laslo reports on why government watchdog groups say that raises red flags.

Transcript:

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House bans earmarks to for-profit companies

SOURCE: Paul Kane // Washingon Post

11 Mar 2010 // Facing an election-year backlash over runaway spending and ethics scandals, House Democrats moved Wednesday to ban earmarks for private companies, sparking a war between the parties over which would embrace the most dramatic steps to change the way business is done in Washington.

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Friends of Mike

Lobbyists put on the dog for congressional favorites.

SOURCE: Paul Barton // Arkansas Times

11 Mar 2010 // WASHINGTON — Arkansas members of Congress, especially Rep. Mike Ross, continue to benefit from fund-raisers where corporate lobbyists are either the hosts or main guests, according to listings posted by the Sunlight Foundation, a watchdog group.

The events are often in lobbyists' townhouses or in some of the finest restaurants in the nation's capital or at upscale golf courses and lodges.

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