{"id":215494,"date":"2021-03-12T13:29:44","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T18:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=215494"},"modified":"2021-03-12T13:29:46","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T18:29:46","slug":"watchdog-accuses-three-house-democrats-of-ethics-violations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watchdog-accuses-three-house-democrats-of-ethics-violations\/","title":{"rendered":"Watchdog Accuses Three House Democrats of Ethics Violations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwatchdog-accuses-three-house-democrats-of-ethics-violations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=215494&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fb_image-519.jpeg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>A trio of Democratic representatives violated House ethics rules by linking to official press releases on their campaign websites, according to a government watchdog group.<\/p>\n<p>The ethics complaints filed to the Office of Congressional Ethics from the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) allege that Democratic Reps. <a href=\"https:\/\/65db7681-e755-4cff-abe7-1d9e373df4db.usrfiles.com\/ugd\/65db76_7c81d5dbfe9749f6afd37ec26e7bd175.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Susan Wild<\/a> (Pa.), <a href=\"https:\/\/65db7681-e755-4cff-abe7-1d9e373df4db.usrfiles.com\/ugd\/65db76_6aaf2a8082324df3a6bf6b3371149cb3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kurt Schrader<\/a> (Ore.), and <a href=\"https:\/\/65db7681-e755-4cff-abe7-1d9e373df4db.usrfiles.com\/ugd\/65db76_82a025e6c1b24fe18b7b404ac3447792.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tom O&#8217;Halleran<\/a> (Ariz.) misused government resources. The complaints allege a variety of wrongdoings by the representatives, including linking their campaign pages to official press releases and video clips from congressional hearings.<\/p>\n<div class=\"posts-content__category-widget md:hidden -ml-4 -mr-4 my-8 px-4 py-6 bg-gray-100\">\n<h4 class=\"mt-0 text-red-600 font-medium font-sans uppercase\">Recent Stories in Democrats<\/h4>\n<ul class=\"list-none p-0\">\n<li class><a class=\"text-black block mb-3 pb-3 border-b border-white\" href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/democrats\/watchdog-accuses-three-house-democrats-of-ethics-violations\/\"><strong>Watchdog Accuses Three House Democrats of Ethics Violations<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li class><a class=\"text-black block mb-3 pb-3 border-b border-white\" href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/national-security\/dem-congressman-who-pushed-china-divestment-kept-his-own-chinese-investments\/\"><strong>Dem Congressman Who Pushed China Divestment Kept His Own Chinese Investments<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li class><a class=\"text-black block mb-3 pb-3 border-b border-white\" href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/democrats\/sheldon-whitehouse-invited-liberal-dark-money-critics-to-a-hearing-they-all-take-dark-money\/\"><strong>Sheldon Whitehouse Invited Three Dark Money Critics To Testify to Congress. They All Take Dark Money.<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kendra Arnold, FACT&#8217;s executive director, criticized the three Democrats for &#8220;clear and straightforward violations&#8221; and asked the Office of Congressional Ethics to hold them &#8220;accountable for breaking one of the most basic rules.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While FACT says all three Democrats link to official press releases on their campaign websites, a violation of House rules, O&#8217;Halleran&#8217;s violations are the most numerous. FACT lists seven allegations of wrongdoing on its complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics. O&#8217;Halleran&#8217;s campaign page links to his speeches on the House floor as well as an official press release, both of which run afoul of ethics rules.<\/p>\n<p>One of the examples FACT cites in its complaint is that O&#8217;Halleran&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomohalleran.com\/blog\/house-passes-ohalleran-led-energy-and-climate-package\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.tomohalleran.com\/blog\/house-passes-ohalleran-led-energy-and-climate-package&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615587096476000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGj4Pt7yTQw-J9lrsT0asjb88ABRg\" data-mt-detrack-inspected=\"true\" data-mt-detrack-attachment-inspected=\"true\">campaign<\/a> website and taxpayer-funded <a href=\"https:\/\/ohalleran.house.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/house-passes-o-halleran-led-energy-and-climate-package\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/ohalleran.house.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/house-passes-o-halleran-led-energy-and-climate-package&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615587096476000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG4faFfsgrJyFokM0030AD5h3WIdg\" data-mt-detrack-inspected=\"true\" data-mt-detrack-attachment-inspected=\"true\">government page<\/a> feature the same release, &#8220;House Passes O&#8217;Halleran-Led Energy and Climate Package.&#8221; His campaign defended the posts by noting that it linked to the release through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicnow.com\/view\/4C46111AA85A2F9475E91F91BFA6444FAD695C92?1600989458\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.publicnow.com\/view\/4C46111AA85A2F9475E91F91BFA6444FAD695C92?1600989458&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615587096476000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEPEWvZVcboqH2X--r2lKirtykBAA\" data-mt-detrack-inspected=\"true\" data-mt-detrack-attachment-inspected=\"true\">third-party website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>FACT, however, claims this defense insufficient. &#8220;The Ethics Manual is clear that Members cannot republish official materials even if they were published by a third-party,&#8221; Arnold said. &#8220;If the Member cannot publish the materials in the first place, he cannot use a third-party source to publish the official materials. For example, a Representative cannot use an official House photo even if the source of the photo is from a third-party who published it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;O&#8217;Halleran&#8217;s campaign website actually published content that has direct links to official government pages,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;This is not allowed and it does not matter whether he is republishing content originally run on another site. If it were allowed, the ethics rules would have no meaning.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In its <a href=\"https:\/\/ethics.house.gov\/sites\/ethics.house.gov\/files\/documents\/2008_House_Ethics_Manual.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/ethics.house.gov\/sites\/ethics.house.gov\/files\/documents\/2008_House_Ethics_Manual.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615587096476000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEyn9Tzw7_q9XmGKQPdD1p-1VoZNQ\" data-mt-detrack-inspected=\"true\" data-mt-detrack-attachment-inspected=\"true\">section<\/a> on campaign activity, the House Ethics Manual bans members from using their official materials in any campaign capacity. &#8220;Member campaign websites \u2026 may not include a link to the Member&#8217;s House website,&#8221; the handbook notes. &#8220;The Member&#8217;s House website may not be advertised on his or her campaign website or in materials issued by the campaign.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>FACT says that linking to news stories that include official materials is a violation of ethics rules. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210118031403\/https:\/\/wildforcongress.com\/news\/us-rep-susan-wild-upcoming-election-covid-19-response-and-movement-police-reform&amp;sa=D&amp;source=hangouts&amp;ust=1615652807487000&amp;usg=AFQjCNElMIFjD18nilqPHNbuQD884ZwR2w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/wildforcongress.com\/news\/us-rep-susan-wild-upcoming-election-covid-19-response-and-movement-police-reform&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615587096476000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEX7ZzaeeOR2OsFXYJylkML7145MQ\" data-mt-detrack-inspected=\"true\" data-mt-detrack-attachment-inspected=\"true\">now-inactive link<\/a> on Representative Wild&#8217;s campaign website, for example, is to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lehighvalleylive.com\/elections\/2020\/06\/us-rep-susan-wild-on-the-upcoming-election-the-covid-19-response-and-the-movement-for-police-reform.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.lehighvalleylive.com\/elections\/2020\/06\/us-rep-susan-wild-on-the-upcoming-election-the-covid-19-response-and-the-movement-for-police-reform.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615587096476000&amp;usg=AFQjCNErkOTT93p-IQoxuXxe9o6IBswr8g\" data-mt-detrack-inspected=\"true\" data-mt-detrack-attachment-inspected=\"true\">article<\/a> that cites her official press releases six times.<\/p>\n<p>FACT supplied the Office of Congressional Ethics with six examples of Wild&#8217;s campaign linking to official resources and three of Schrader&#8217;s campaign doing the same. The watchdog is asking the ethics office to stop &#8220;ongoing ethics violations&#8221; that it says the three Democrats are committing.<\/p>\n<p>The offices of Schrader and Wild did not respond to requests for comment about the allegations against them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-8 hide-print\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1526555381173-4\" class=\"mobile-250 desktop-90\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A trio of Democratic representatives violated House ethics rules by linking to official press releases on their campaign websites, according to a government watchdog group. The ethics complaints filed to &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2310490,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fb_image-519.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"Watchdog Accuses Three House Democrats of Ethics Violations","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-215494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fb_image-519.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"Watchdog Accuses Three House Democrats of Ethics Violations","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215494"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215494\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2310490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=215494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=215494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}