Today, CREW filed complaints with the Senate Ethics Committee and the House Office of Congressional Ethics, alleging members of Congress who reside or have resided at the infamous C Street House have violated congressional gift rules by paying below market rent.

From press accounts, CREW has found that the following members of Congress have lived or currently live at the house:

• Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
• Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
• Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
• Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA)
• Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
• Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC)
• Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)
• Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN)

The C Street House is a luxurious Capitol Hill residence for members of Congress that is run by C Street Center, Inc. – an entity with ties to the shadowy Fellowship Foundation. Press accounts have claimed that members of Congress who live the house pay only $950 in rent – well below market value for that area. Previous studies found that comparable rental rates for the Capitol Hill area range from $1,700 to over $4,000 a month.

CREW’s complaint explains that by accepting below market rent, members of Congress are violating clear-cut congressional rules that prohibit accepting lodging as a gift and bar members from accepting a gift given because of their official positions. Members may accept gifts given out of personal friendship, but that exception hardly applies here.

Melanie Sloan, CREW’s executive director, said today:

At a time when so many Americans are losing their housing it is surprising to discover that some members of Congress are lucky enough to have a landlord that charges below market rent for fairly luxurious accommodations – and offers housekeeping and meal service to boot. Rarely does someone – particularly a member of Congress – receive something for nothing, so you can’t help but wonder exactly what these members may be doing in return for all of this largess. Of course, this is the reason the gift ban was enacted in the first place. This situation cries out for an immediate ethics inquiry.

Click here to read CREW's complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics.
Click here to read CREW's complaint to the Senate Ethics Committee.
Click here to read the complaints' accompanying exhibits.

Lots of controversy swirling about the letter from Senator Sam Brownback on behalf of a Catholic political organization. (The letter is below.)  CREW filed an ethics complaint against Brownback.  And, the stunning thing is that Brownback's press secretary claims the Senate Ethics Committee cleared the letter in an afternoon.  CREW knows the Senate Ethics Committee.  That body doesn't work that fast -- ever.  The Kansas City Star''s blog, Prime Buzz, reports:

Did Republican Sen. Sam Brownback question the religious commitment of several pro-abortion Catholic Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy?

And did he do so in a letter allegedly under his signature?

A government watchdog group asked the Senate Ethics Committee Wednesday to look into it. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, known as CREW, filed a complaint against Brownback about the letter.

But Brownback Spokesman Brian Hart said the committee told the senator’s office late Wednesday afternoon that the letter did not appear to violate Senate rules.

The ethics committee declined to comment.

 But CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan said she hasn’t heard anything.

"I’m pretty confident in my reading of the rules," she said, adding, "If you can get something out of (the committee) in a year, you’re doing well. They just don’t decide in an afternoon."

As we noted below, CREW has filed an ethics complaint against Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS).  Brownback sent the vituperative fundraising appeal on what looks like official Senate stationary rather on Catholic Advocates’ own letterhead, which suggests that Sen. Brownback's letter is sanctioned by the Senate.  Back in 1978, the Senate ethics committee issued an advisory opinion barring senators from using facsimiles of Senate letterhead for fundraising solicitations to preclude recipients from thinking they are receiving an official communication from the Senate.

Brownback's letter is below:

CREW filed a complaint against Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics after reviewing a fundraising solicitation by the senator on behalf of Catholic Advocates.  Brownback's letter can be seen here.  CREW's ethics complaint and accompanying materials can be found here.

In the letter, Sen. Brownback asks “faithful citizens” to sign a “Stop Freedom of Choice Act” petition and make a financial contribution to the organization. The letter also calls into question the faith of five Catholic senators, claiming it is impossible to be both Catholic and pro-choice.

When we filed the complaint against Brownback, CREW’s executive director Melanie Sloan said:

By sending a fundraising appeal on what looks like official Senate stationary rather on Catholic Advocates’ own letterhead, Sen. Brownback has suggested his vituperative letter is sanctioned by the Senate. How ironic that a senator would engage in blatantly unethical conduct to condemn the religious values of others. Sadly, the Senate ethics committee can’t investigate hypocrisy, but at least it can sanction those who violate Senate rules.

In 1978, the ethics committee issued an advisory opinion barring senators from using facsimiles of Senate letterhead for fundraising solicitations to preclude recipients from thinking they are receiving an official communication from the Senate. The ethics committee concluded that sending such letters constitutes improper conduct which reflects upon the Senate.

By deliberately attempting to mislead recipients of Catholic Advocates’ fundraising appeal into believing they have received a letter from Sen. Brownback in his official capacity, Sen. Brownback has engaged in improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate.

Last year, the House ethics committee agreed to investigate whether House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) improperly solicited funds for City College of New York on official stationary.

Yesterday, the Senate voted on final passage of S.1, the Ethics reform legislation. The measure passed by a margin of 96 - 2. Two Senators missed the final vote. Tim Johnson (D-SD) is in the hospital. So where was Sam Brownback one wonders?

Not sure where he was last night for the vote on the first major piece of legislation in the 110th session. But, at noon today, he was in Orlando, Florida speaking at a law firm's Community Leaders Forum where he could "discuss issues of importance to the Central Florida region." Based on the report on the Orlando Sentinel's blog, "Taking Names,"  the Kansas Senator was doing some politicking, too.