Latest news with #HouseEthics
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Expelled ex-congressman George Santos to begin prison sentence
"Well, darlings... The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it's been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried... most days," Santos wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it," he wrote. "To my critics: Thanks for the free press. I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit." Santos pleaded guilty in August 2024 to felony wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. As part of the plea, he admitted to filing false campaign finance reports, charging donors' credit cards without authorization and fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits, among other acts that began years before he ran for Congress. A House ethics investigation found he had "sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit." Santos represented parts of Queens and Long Island for 11 months. He was expelled from Congress in a bipartisan vote following the release of the House Ethics report.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Ocasio-Cortez Must Pay Another $2,700 for Met Gala Dress
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made a splash when she arrived at the 2021 Met Gala in a designer dress with 'Tax the Rich' emblazoned across the back. Four years later, she is still settling the bill. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat and leader of her party's progressive wing, personally paid about $1,000 to rent the dress and accessories. But in a report released on Friday, the bipartisan House Ethics Committee concluded her initial payment had fallen short of the fair market rate, violating House rules. While the committee found no reason to believe that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez was trying to stiff the vendors, it wrote that 'it would be appropriate' for her to pay an additional $2,733.28 to cover what it determined was the full value of her outfit. The panel also urged the congresswoman to make a $250 donation to the Met's Costume Institute, the beneficiary of the star-studded annual gala, to cover the cost of a meal for her partner, Riley Roberts, who accompanied her. Once she did, the panel would close the yearslong investigation, it said. 'While the committee did not find that Representative Ocasio-Cortez's violations were knowing and willful, she nonetheless received impermissible gifts and must bear responsibility for the other conduct that occurred with respect to the delays in payment,' the 31-page report said. Mike Casca, the congresswoman's chief of staff, stressed that the committee noted she had tried to comply with House rules. Still, he said she would personally take responsibility for the outstanding balance. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
House ethics panel tells AOC to pay another $2,700 for Met Gala dress
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez paid less than she should have for clothes she wore to the 2021 Met Gala and shouldn't have accepted a free ticket for her then-partner, Riley Roberts, according to a report issued July 25 by the House Ethics Committee. The New York congresswoman's appearance at the Met Gala in a dress that read "Tax the Rich" drew immediate scrutiny over whether she had complied with House rules limiting what gifts and free items members may accept. The committee suggested the representative should make additional payments of $2,733.28 from her personal funds to compensate for the fair market value of certain expenses and $250 to compensate the Met for her partner's meal and if she does, they would consider the matter closed. "The congresswoman appreciates the committee finding that she made efforts to ensure her compliance with House Rules and sought to act consistently with her ethical requirements as a member of the House. She accepts the ruling and will remedy the remaining amounts, as she's done at each step in this process," said her Chief of Staff Mike Casca in a statement provided to USA TODAY. According to the report, Ocasio-Cortz made proactive steps to comply with the House gift rule, which limits the size of gifts members of Congress may accept, by arranging to pay for various services and to 'rent' apparel out of her personal funds that might normally be loaned or gifted to Met Gala participants. More: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might have violated House rules with Met Gala gifts, watchdog says But the committee found that she failed to fully comply by accepting free admission for her partner − the House gift rules at the time only allowed free admission for a spouse or child − and by failing to pay full fair market value for some of the items worn to the event. "The Committee did not find evidence that Representative Ocasio-Cortez intentionally underpaid for any goods or services received in connection with the Met Gala," the report states. Instead, it states that she relied on the advice from counsel to determine fair market price and payment discussions were made through a campaign staff member. The committee found evidence suggesting that the designer may have lowered costs in response to statements from Ocasio-Cortez's staff and that payments from her personal funds were not made on time or in some cases until the investigation began. According to the report, Ocasio-Cortez told the committee that she was not informed by staff about the late payments or attempts to collect them. The committee report said it found no evidence that the congresswoman was aware of the late payments. "The Committee did not find any indication that the delays in making payments wereintentional or that Representative Ocasio-Cortez was aware of the extent to which they occurred," the report states. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AOC should have paid more for Met Gala dress, House ethics panel says
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
House ethics panel tells AOC to pay another $2,700 for Met Gala dress
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez paid less than she should have for clothes she wore to the 2021 Met Gala and shouldn't have accepted a free ticket for her then-partner, Riley Roberts, according to a report issued July 25 by the House Ethics Committee. The New York congresswoman's appearance at the Met Gala in a dress that read "Tax the Rich" drew immediate scrutiny over whether she had complied with House rules limiting what gifts and free items members may accept. The committee suggested the representative should make additional payments of $2,733.28 from her personal funds to compensate for the fair market value of certain expenses and $250 to compensate the Met for her partner's meal and if she does, they would consider the matter closed. "The congresswoman appreciates the committee finding that she made efforts to ensure her compliance with House Rules and sought to act consistently with her ethical requirements as a member of the House. She accepts the ruling and will remedy the remaining amounts, as she's done at each step in this process," said her Chief of Staff Mike Casca in a statement provided to USA TODAY. According to the report, Ocasio-Cortz made proactive steps to comply with the House gift rule, which limits the size of gifts members of Congress may accept, by arranging to pay for various services and to 'rent' apparel out of her personal funds that might normally be loaned or gifted to Met Gala participants. More: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might have violated House rules with Met Gala gifts, watchdog says But the committee found that she failed to fully comply by accepting free admission for her partner − the House gift rules at the time only allowed free admission for a spouse or child − and by failing to pay full fair market value for some of the items worn to the event. "The Committee did not find evidence that Representative Ocasio-Cortez intentionally underpaid for any goods or services received in connection with the Met Gala," the report states. Instead, it states that she relied on the advice from counsel to determine fair market price and payment discussions were made through a campaign staff member. The committee found evidence suggesting that the designer may have lowered costs in response to statements from Ocasio-Cortez's staff and that payments from her personal funds were not made on time or in some cases until the investigation began. According to the report, Ocasio-Cortez told the committee that she was not informed by staff about the late payments or attempts to collect them. The committee report said it found no evidence that the congresswoman was aware of the late payments. "The Committee did not find any indication that the delays in making payments wereintentional or that Representative Ocasio-Cortez was aware of the extent to which they occurred," the report states. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AOC should have paid more for Met Gala dress, House ethics panel says Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rep. Bresnahan introduces legislation to ban stock trades
May 3—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. said this week the public should never have to question whether their elected officials are serving the public or their own portfolios. Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, announced his introduction of the Transparency in Representation through Uniform Stock Trading Ban (TRUST) Act — legislation to ban stock trading for Members of Congress. Rep. Bresnahan said the TRUST Act would bar Members of Congress and their spouses from purchasing or selling stocks upon taking office. "I am introducing the TRUST Act to restore the integrity Americans expect and deserve from their government," Rep. Bresnahan said. "This legislation allows for new levels of transparency and is a safeguard to ensure Washington works for the people." If enacted, Rep. Bresnahan said the legislation would go into effect at the start of the 120th Congress in January 2027. To comply with his new legislation, Rep. Bresnahan said he is working with the House Committee on Ethics to move his personal holdings into a blind trust. "Members of Congress should not be allowed to profit off the information they are entrusted with — this is a belief I have held since before taking office, and this belief has not changed," Rep. Bresnahan said. "I have never traded my own stocks, but I want to guarantee accountability to my constituents. That is why I am working with House Ethics to begin the process of enacting a blind trust. I want the people I represent to trust that I am in Congress to serve them, and them alone." According to Rep. Bresnahan, the TRUST Act would: —Apply to members and their spouses. —Require that, upon assuming office, members and their spouses may not purchase or sell covered financial instruments, including a security, security future, commodity, and other comparable economic interests (derivative, options, warrants, etc.) —Require that, upon assuming office, members and their spouses would only be allowed to purchase, hold, and sell diversified mutual funds, diversified ETFs, investments in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and US Treasuries. —Subject Members who purchase or sell a covered financial instrument while in office to fines and penalties. Rep. Bresnahan said the legislation would not require members and their spouses to divest of existing covered financial instruments — any covered financial instrument a member and their spouse own upon assuming office are grandfathered in. Additionally, he said the legislation would not apply to covered financial instruments held in a qualified blind trust. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
