Article published October 30, 2009
Kaptur said to be named in ethics probe
BLADE STAFF
Toledo-area Congressman Marcy Kaptur is among a group of lawmakers who are the targets of an ethics investigation.
The existence of the internal investigation into the conduct of several House members was exposed in an extraordinary, Internet-era breach of security, the Associated Press reported.
A spokesman for Miss Kaptur said she has always emphasized openness and transparency and will continue to do so.
"It almost goes without saying that she will continue to cooperate with the Office of Congressional Ethics and if it goes to the standards committee with that committee as well," said spokesman Steve Fought. "Marcy has nothing to hide."
The investigation centers on allegations that companies hired the firm PMA, based in suburban Washington, to lobby for them with the defense appropriations subcommittee, of which Miss Kaptur is a member, and then those companies received earmarks.
The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct - also known as the ethics committee - announced that it was probing two California Democrats - Reps. Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson - even as its embarrassed leaders took pains to explain that several other lawmakers also identified in the leaked confidential committee memo may have committed no wrongdoing.
The committee said it was investigating whether Ms. Waters used her influence to help a bank in which her husband owned stock, and whether the couple benefited as a result. Separately, the panel is looking into whether Ms. Richardson failed to disclose required information on her financial disclosure forms and received special treatment from a lender.
The Washington Post reported in its online edition Thursday that the document was disclosed on a publicly accessible computer network and made available to the newspaper by a source familiar with such networks.
The Post reported that nearly half the members of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee were under scrutiny.
The previously disclosed inquiry involves lawmakers who steered appropriations to clients of a now-defunct lobbying firm and received campaign contributions from the firm and its clients.
The names included three lawmakers previously identified in the inquiry: the chairman of the defense subcommittee, Rep. John Murtha (D. Pa.); and Reps. Peter Visclosky, (D., Ind.), and James Moran (D., Va..)
The Post said others whose names were in the report included Reps. Norm Dicks, (D., Wash.), Miss Kaptur (D., Toledo) C.W. Bill Young (R., Fla.), and Todd Tiahrt (R., Kan.).
The committee, however, has not announced an investigation of any of these lawmakers.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
Search
advertisement
