Ethics Hall of Shame: Nine Make the List

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Thu, 9 Feb 2006 18:11:35 -0500 (EST)

" Public Citizen " <publiccitizen

Ethics Hall of Shame: Nine Make the List

 

 

February 9, 2006

 

Public Citizen Unveils the " Ethics Hall of Shame " Identifying the

Worst Ethics Offenders on Capitol Hill

 

Take a peek at Public Citizen's newly released Ethics Hall of Shame,

which profiles six current and former members of Congress who have

committed criminal acts or have been tarnished by allegations of

ethical misconduct, some in connection with the Jack Abramoff scandal

and other special interests. Topping the list is Rep. Tom DeLay

(R-Texas), who is under indictment for money laundering in Texas and

is likely the focus of a Justice Department investigation for his ties

to admitted felon and former super-lobbyist Abramoff. See the rest.

 

" The inductees to our Ethics Hall of Shame are those members of

Congress who have abused the public trust either through outright

illegal activities or the type of influence-peddling or sleazy

behavior that has made this the most corrupt Congress in decades, "

said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook. The Ethics Hall of Shame

is available at Public Citizen's Clean Up Washington Web site at

www.cleanupwashington.org.

 

" Many of the scandals sweeping over Capitol Hill are the product of

loose ethics enforcement in Congress, " said Frank Clemente, director

of Public Citizen's Congress Watch. " No one is watching because the

ethics committees too often act like lap dogs rather than watchdogs. "

 

Given this deplorable situation, Public Citizen applauds Sen. Barack

Obama (D-Ill.) for having the courage to challenge the

business-as-usual environment on Capitol Hill and introduce

far-reaching legislation that would establish a Congressional Ethics

Enforcement Commission, made up of people outside Congress but

appointed by House and Senate leaders. The commission would be a

much-needed independent and non-partisan watchdog charged with

monitoring and enforcing compliance with the nation's ethics and

lobbying laws.

 

It's time to Clean Up Washington! Help Public Citizen defend

democracy. We have a great record of holding corporations and

government officials accountable for their actions but we need your

help now to make a difference. Please take part in this historic

campaign with a contribution of $20, $35, $50, $100 or more. Donate now.

 

 

 

http://www.cleanupwashington.org/hos/

 

CleanUpWashington.org

 

 

An unprecedented wave of corruption, cronyism and special-interest

sleaze has gripped our nation's capital in recent years. To bring

greater public attention to the individuals involved in these ethics

scandals – in the hope of preventing such abuses of the public trust

in the future – Public Citizen has established the Ethics Hall of Shame.

 

To be included, a member of Congress must have committed illegal acts

or engaged in conduct that is highly abusive of the public trust in

the service of special interests. Those members of Congress in the

" dishonorable mention " category have been involved in activity that is

ethically questionable or offensive to the public trust, but which

does not rise to the same level of wrongdoing as that of the inductees

into the Hall of Shame.

 

The list of inductees is not complete; it is expected to grow in size

and seriousness as Department of Justice investigations into the

scandal surrounding admitted felon and former super-lobbyist Jack

Abramoff continue to unfold.

 

To read detailed profiles of the people inducted into the Ethics Hall

of Shame, click on the pictures below.

 

Rep. Tom DeLay

 

 

Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) Forced to resign his position as House

majority leader; under indictment for money laundering in Texas;

likely the focus of a Justice Department investigation for his ties to

admitted felon and former super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

 

Rep. Randy Cunningham

 

 

Former Rep. Randy " Duke " Cunningham (R-Calif.)

Pleaded guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors.

 

Rep. Bob Ney

 

 

Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) Resigned as chairman of the House Administration

Committee because of allegations that he used his office to help Jack

Abramoff and his clients.

 

Rep. Richard Pombo

 

 

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) Went to bat for a Jack Abramoff client;

he short-circuited an investigation into the owner of a failed savings

and loan; his aides attempted to scuttle an environmental regulation

that could have hurt the Pombo family's business.

 

Sen. Conrad Burns

 

 

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) A major recipient of Jack Abramoff's

largess, who went to extraordinary lengths to help an Abramoff client.

 

Rep. William Jefferson

 

 

Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) Involved in an investigation of alleged

extortion in a business investment scheme; was found to have stashed

large amounts of cash in his freezer

 

Jack Abramoff

 

 

Jack Abramoff, Admitted Felon and Former Super-Lobbyist

The poster child of why systemic reform to the influence-peddling

system is so desperately needed in Washington.

 

 

Dishonorable Mention

 

 

Sen. Bill Frist

 

 

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) Under investigation by the

Securities and Exchange Commission for possible insider stock trading;

he also went to extraordinary lengths to insert a provision into a new

law that will insulate drug companies from some defective products

lawsuits.

 

Rep. Roy Blunt

 

 

House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) Slipped a favor for a major

tobacco company into legislation creating the Department of Homeland

Security but withdrew it after getting caught.