Greg Meeks

House Ethics Orders Schmidt to Pay Back $500K In Improper Legal Fees

Susan Crabtree | August 5, 2011, 3:42PM

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)

The House Ethics Committee has cleared Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY) of charges that he took out an inappropriate loan he received from a businessman but is still investigating whether he disclosed it properly.

Likewise, the panel exonerated Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) of any wrongdoing in accepting $500,000 in legal services from the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund, a Turkish-American interest group, even though they found them to be improper gifts under House rules and are demanding she repay the attorneys. The committee also decided against pursuing an investigation into Rep. Luis Guiterrez' July 26 arrest during a immigration protest in front of the White House. Guiterrez paid a $100 fine for failing to obey a lawful order of a policeman.

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George Soros

O'Donnell Lawyer: Ethics Group Is Soros-Funded

Ryan J. Reilly | September 21, 2010, 5:12PM

George Soros and Christine O'Donnell

Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell allegedly used more than $20,000 in campaign funds to pay her rent and other personal expenses, according to a complaint filed Monday by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog group.

Now the O'Donnell's lawyer is attacking the organization which made the charges against her -- arguing that the group lacks credibility because George Soros has donated to CREW.

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David Vitter

Exclusive: CREW To File Ethics Complaint Against Vitter Over Violent Aide

Brian Beutler | September 21, 2010, 12:45PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) hearing testimony from oil executives.

The Congressional watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) will file an official complaint against Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) tomorrow, urging Senate ethics investigators to probe several allegations of misconduct, TPM has learned.

All of the allegations relate to Vitter's professional relationship with Brent Furer, a former top aide who was arrested in January 2008 for assaulting his then girlfriend with a knife, but remained on Vitter's staff and working on women's issues until June of this year when he resigned.

CREW contends that Vitter misused official funds in two ways.

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