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Ethics & Congressmen: They Serve Those, Who Fill Their Coffers, Not You The Constituents! Wake Up America; It’s About The Dead Presidents! - RI10
posted Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Ethics & Congressmen: They
Serve Those, Who Fill Their
Coffers, Not You The
Constituents! Wake Up
America; It’s About The Dead
Presidents! - RI10
Lawmakers Or Lawbreakers?
Transcript - August 25, 2006
BRANCACCIO: Welcome to NOW...
The mid-term elections are a little less than three months away, and from now until then we'll be scrutinizing some of the key issues that you'll be hearing about as you go to the polls this fall... issues like clean government.
Several high-profile congressmen have already resigned or dropped their bids for reelection in the wake of the Washington lobbying scandals...
So will the mid-term elections turn into a referendum on congressional ethics and the influence of special interests? Senior correspondent Maria Hinojosa and producer Bryan Myers have our report.
HINOJOSA: Welcome to the weekly meeting of the local Democratic Party in San Bernardino, California. You'd think the mood here would be upbeat—after all, the incumbent Congressman, Republican Jerry Lewis, is under federal investigation. Instead, this meeting feels more like a wake. Patrick Kahler is a local Democratic Party official.
KAHLER: I expected the national party to come in and give us a lot of support and money to get the campaign on the ground, and uh...
HINOJOSA: Has it happened?
KAHLER: It hasn't quite happened. We're still waiting for it to happen.
HINOJOSA: Kahler says their candidate for congress hasn't raised a single penny. But meanwhile, incumbent Jerry Lewis has amassed a war chest of nearly one and a half million dollars. Republican Lewis is expected to cruise to victory. So much so, he hasn't even been out campaigning.
Running against an incumbent is never easy, but in this case, it's even harder. Lewis is one of the most powerful men in Washington.
LEWIS: "Mr. Secretary, the budget proposes spending 8.3 billion dollars on..."
HINOJOSA: As chairman of the house appropriations committee, Lewis oversees nearly a trillion dollars in federal spending. He's got the power to hand out a lot of the taxpayers' money. Now he's accused of handing out money in exchange for campaign contributions.
KAHLER: All I see is a bunch of apathy with the voters and no outrage coming to the fact that ya' know, here is a guy who could be in trouble just like Delay or Cunningham, and uh nobody seems to care.
HINOJOSA: This fall's mid-term elections are seen by many as a referendum on the influence of special interests and elected officials. And Lewis is not the only member of congress facing allegations of corruption. Over a dozen congressmen, Republicans and Democrats alike, have been swept up in the recent Washington scandals. The question is, will the voters care?
In the midst of his re-election campaign, Congressman Lewis has become the target of a justice department investigation. Investigators are looking into his relationship with this man—Bill Lowery. Lowery is a lobbyist, and himself a former Congressman. Lowery's firm is well known for its ability to get so-called "earmarks" from Congressman Lewis.
An earmark is a special provision inserted into legislation that directs money to a particular person or project. An earmark itself isn't illegal; what is illegal is giving one in exchange for a campaign donation.
With Lewis, there's alleged to be a pattern. Companies hire Bill Lowery. Then, Lowery suggests they make a campaign donation to Lewis. Earmarks, supported by Lewis, follow. In fact, over the last six years, Lowery's firm and its clients have donated nearly half a million dollars to Lewis.
Meet Tom Casey. Casey once owned a large southern California computer company. He developed a new way to transfer technical drawings to computer files. In 1993, he thought the Pentagon might want to buy his technology, so he pushed for an earmark to jumpstart the process. A business associate introduced him to Congressman Jerry Lewis.
CASEY: I'd go to Washington, and we'd meet in his office, or we'd go out to dinner, and they were basically face-to-face conversations.
HINOJOSA: It was in those conversations that Casey says Lewis solicited campaign contributions, even though Casey didn't even live in Lewis' congressional district.
CASEY: I mean, I certainly would have no problem, and had no problem, putting out my campaign contribution to get my fifteen minutes to talk about my project to somebody, who is not my representative, and that was okay.
But I understood the way the process worked, and I certainly participated in it.
HINOJOSA: Casey says Lewis went even further, allowing him to write the legislation authorizing that earmark. And all along, Casey says, the Congressman kept asking for something else—that he hire a close friend, who had just become a lobbyist, Bill Lowery.
CASEY: Congressman Lewis had a term, "the Lewis family," and that people who were friends of his were all looking out for each other respectively. And that he was looking out for Bill's best interest.
I think there was definitely that implication that good things would come with it.
HINOJOSA: Casey says Lowery also suggested he donate money to Lewis. Eventually, Lewis supported two earmarks for the Pentagon project, worth some 34-million dollars. Casey says when he recently read comments by Lewis and Lowery, downplaying their relationship, he couldn't believe it.
CASEY: It is very well known when you approach the hill, who you should work with to be able to gain access to a particular person, so what surprises me is that people aren't more willing to admit it because it is symbiotic in a lot of ways. So to say it is not, is where the truth falls short. That’s the way it works.
HINOJOSA: It's not just businessmen like Casey, who've figured out how it works. Dozens of cities and government agencies in Lewis' home district have also turned to Lowery to get earmarks and other help.
Daniel Cozad is the general manager of the local water authority, responsible for delivering clean drinking water to nearly 6 million residents in southern California.
HINOJOSA: At what point do you decide, we need more money coming in, so we think we're going to go with a lobbyist?
COZAD: Usually, when you are looking at these projects, they are hugely expensive projects.
HINOJOSA: Recently, the federal government wanted to do some renovation work on a local dam, threatening a nearby pipeline that's used to remove contamination from drinking water. Relocating that pipeline would have cost Cozad's agency 100 million dollars.
HINOJOSA: So, enter the lobbyists. Cozad said local officials repeatedly suggested he hire Lowery's firm.
HINOJOSA: Did it seem at all strange to hire a lobbyist in Washington to lobby the federal government?
COZAD: For me as a general manager, to fly back and forth to Washington to participate in a ya' know 2-hour meeting just doesn't pay, so to have somebody who is there who can participate in a meeting, knows what's going on in Washington, knows the things to do and people to call, that is just the most efficient way to get the job done for us.
HINOJOSA: And it paid off.
COZAD: Yes, it worked.
HINOJOSA: Lowery's firm, with the help of Lewis, got Cozad's agency off the hook for that 100 million dollars.
Federal investigators now want to know why local governments were hiring Lowery. Earlier this year, the FBI issued subpoenas to several cities in southern California, demanding documents relating to lobbyist Lowery and Congressman Lewis.
Cozad says his agency didn't get one of those subpoenas, and, he says, Lowery's lobbying firm never asked them for campaign donations. All he knows, he says, is that the team of Lowery and Lewis delivers.
HINOJOSA: So when you heard about the fact that the Congressman is being investigated, you said?
COZAD: It goes against all the experience that you personally have. If you've actually personally ever worked with him [the Congressman] or his staff, or the lobbyists and their staff, they work really hard and try to do what is best for the constituents and the state and country.
HINOJOSA: In a statement, Lowery's firm told NOW that their work is, quote, "no different than the work done by thousands of...lobbyists," and that their work is, "based on merit, not on campaign contributions." Congressman Lewis declined to comment for this story.
In San Bernardino County, evidence of Lewis and his earmarks is everywhere...there's the municipal pool....and a local community center. Lewis also got his district 60 million dollars to convert a local air force base into a commercial airport, although when we visited, there wasn't a passenger in sight. And the biggest winner? Nearby Loma Linda University.
Over the years, Lewis has earmarked nearly 160 million dollars for Loma Linda. Locals have even nicknamed it "Loma Lewis University." All of that has won the Congressman lots of fans.
Pat Morris is a Democrat and the mayor of San Bernardino.
MAYOR: As I've watched Congressman Lewis uh earmark funds that benefit California, I have seen remarkably good things happen. Great Congressman.
HINOJOSA: So Jerry Lewis delivers and whatever happens in Washington or possible issues of ethical improprieties take a back seat?
MORRIS: That's not what I said. I'm not about to prejudge this public servant. Not a chance. I know him. Up close and personal. And I know him uh as an honorable man and a remarkably effective and devoted public servant.
HINOJOSA: At this point, you may be asking yourself, so what's the problem? Isn't a Congressman supposed to bring home the bacon? But here's the issue—earmarks are often inserted secretly into legislation. And they often happen because of the efforts of lobbyists.
It's big business. Over last several years, the use of earmarks has exploded. Last year, Congress issued some 13,000 of them, totaling over 67 billion dollars. Perhaps not coincidently, the number of registered lobbyists in Washington has also skyrocketed in recent years, now numbering some 35,000.
HINOJOSA: Keith Ashdown works for the watchdog group "Taxpayers for Common Sense". He says this abuse of earmarks is like a kid in a candy store.
ASHDOWN: I mean, I have a five-year old daughter. If one day, I gave her a bag of M&Ms and I said, "You can have five M&Ms," I came back 20 minutes later, and she'd eaten the whole bag. I mean, defense contractors are like my daughter. Nobody is watching, nobody is lookin' at what they're getting from Congress. They're gonna put their hands in that proverbial cookie jar a few too many times.
HINOJOSA: In some parts of the country, there are early signs of a backlash against the influence of special interests.
PRESSER: "Tonight, my candidacy for lieutenant governor comes to an end..."
HINOJOSA: in Georgia, Christian conservative Ralph Reed lost his bid for Lieutenant Governor after his links to disgraced lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, were revealed.
And in Ohio, another powerful Republican Congressman, Bob Ney, is in hot water because of his links to Abramoff. Ney is being investigated for favors he may have granted Abramoff in exchange for trips and campaign donations.
Ney's district is quintessential small town America, and has long been a Republican stronghold. What happens here is considered a bellwether of what may happen in elections across the country this fall.
JACK SPACE: "I wanna' work to provide you with a Congressman you can be proud of..."
HINOJOSA: Democratic candidate Zack Space has been preaching a message about money and politics that is winning over, not just members of his own party, but some Republicans too.
SPACE: That corruption is the manifestation of a larger problem. What kind of system produces a Bob Ney? It’s a system that’s dominated by special interests. We have oil companies determining our energy policy. We have Pharmaceutical companies determining our healthcare delivery system. There is a cost to that system. There is a cost to that corruption.
HINOJOSA: Just recently, Bob Ney dropped out of the race, citing what he calls his "ordeal." And Space's notion—that Congress can't serve special interests and the public at the same time—is echoed by Republican Congressman Chris Shays.
SHAYS: People who basically are corrupt are as good as traitors.
HINOJOSA: On Capitol Hill, Shays is considered the godfather of ethics reform. In 2002, he co-authored the historic legislation outlawing soft-money contributions to political campaigns. But Shays says special interests still have tremendous influence on Capitol Hill.
SHAYS: Some say, "you know, you're giving Congress a bad name when you say that we have problems." And I say, the people who are doing these bad things are giving Congress a bad name. And the people, who aren't willing to deal with it, to confront it, are giving Congress a bad name.
HINOJOSA: Shays points out, both parties are to blame. On the Democratic side of the aisle, Congressman Alan Mollohan, once a member of the House Ethics Committee, is now embroiled in controversy over earmarks he gave benefiting friends and supporters.
JEFFERSON: "I will not plead guilty to something that I didn't do..."
And who hasn't heard about democratic Congressman William Jefferson, and the $90,000 FBI agents found in his freezer? Nonetheless, Shays acknowledges that because Republicans control Congress, they're more likely to feel the voters' wrath.
HINOJOSA: How did we get to a point when in the year 2006, ethics has once again become the central issue?
SHAYS: I think people think money trumps uh-bad press. When you go to either the Democratic or Republican conference, you'll hear leaders say, "Well, the public really doesn't care about that." Tell that to Ralph Reed.
HINOJOSA: But back in San Bernardino, the voters don't seem too riled up. Even local Democratic officials concede their efforts to unseat Lewis are pretty much on life support.
KAHLER: Well talking to my neighbors they don't see it as a problem and it doesn't affect their lives, so why should they care? And I think that's what Congressman Lewis is realizing is what's happening and hopes he can get away with it.
Unless he's actually in a courtroom or behind bars, I guess nobody is going to stand up and notice.
HINOJOSA: Earlier this year, when the Abramoff scandal was still making headlines, Republican leaders promised tough legislation cracking down on earmarks and outlawing lavish junkets.
HASTERT: "I feel we must ban privately sponsored travel in the House of Representatives..."
HINOJOSA: But the bill that's emerged is much weaker. Even so, it faces an uncertain future when Congress returns from summer recess.
HINOJOSA: You've actually called it a "total sham," the ethics reform that has been passed. Why?
SHAYS: 'Cause it just simply doesn't rise to the level. It's not significant enough, in my judgment. It would give people a pass without dealing with the inherent problems that exist.
HINOJOSA: In the meantime, Congressman Chris Shays has put forward his own, tougher bill, warning of the consequences if Congress doesn't clean up its act.
SHAYS: You want us to be ethical. You don't think you have to tell us to be ethical. Now, when you are out voting, and your learn that that Congressman or woman, or whomever, isn't ethical, you say, "you know what? I don't want 'em representing me."
BRANCACCIO: You can find a lot more on this over on our website at pbs.org... and while some Congressmen may be in trouble for the sweetheart deals they've made to finance their re-election campaigns, they still haven't figured out how to pay for the fortune the U.S. government is busy spending.
Here's just one line item: the Congressional Research Service recently estimated that the bill so far for the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other anti-terror ops around the world equals 437 billion dollars...that's pretty close to half a trillion dollars, and much of it is borrowed.
But here's the real news: the government's finances may be much, much worse than acknowledged by the White House, the pundits, or the media. There is a new book out that reveals the dangerous state of federal deficits and overall debt. Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee was a contributor.
BRANCACCIO: Well Congressman Cooper, thanks for you joining us.
COOPER: Thank you, David. Glad to be here.
BRANCACCIO: You know, you look at the New York Times Bestseller List and you see things like The Alphabet of Manliness on there. You're not here to talk about that. You're here to talk about something called The Financial Report of the United States. Give me one good reason not to change the channel right now.
COOPER: I wish it had a sexier title. But it's really important because it's the roadmap for our future. If we want a better life, five, ten, 20 years from now, we've got to have a way to get there.
BRANCACCIO: Now, this is some truth telling you'd say?
COOPER: This is shocking news to a lot of folks. Because the real deficit in America is at least twice as large as any politician will tell you. And it may be ten times larger. So, I think people need to know this. And this isn't a partisan viewpoint. This is what the U.S. Treasury Department under the Bush Administration has said in a near secret document.
BRANCACCIO: This is about, in part, which types of accounting rules you use to calculate it?
COOPER: Well, it's really about whether you're measuring it fairly and accurately or not or whether you're using an old technique that the government insists on. I think we should use modern accounting to tell us the truth.
BRANCACCIO: I don't know. If you use the old— if you use the old method it makes the problem not quite look as scary. And maybe it will just go away.
COOPER: Well, make believe is a lot of fun. But we live in the real world. And we're the only superpower on the planet. So, I think it's time to get real with our numbers.
BRANCACCIO: How big is the problem really then?
COOPER: Well, the deficit for 2005 was at
least $760 billion, not the 319 that's reported.
And if you care about Social Security and
Medicare, it wasn't $760 billion. It was more
like $3.3 trillion or ten times larger than is
commonly reported.
And I care about Social Security and Medicare. I want those benefits to be there for our people. My mother's 87. We need to make sure that these folks are taken care of. But by lying about the situation we're in, that won't help my mother or anybody else's parents.
It's an outrage. And again, this isn't a partisan statement. This is the truth as reported by the U.S. Treasury Department under the Bush Administration.
BRANCACCIO: You are a Democrat. You're a fiscal conservative. Are you really talking code for we have to cut government spending, leave taxes where they are?
COOPER: Nobody in Washington will have the credibility to do anything on the tax side until a lot of programs are not only scrutinized but reduced. Because there is a lot of— duplication, waste and mismanagement. And the average taxpayer that I talk to is really upset about that. And they want to know that we don't just put fertilizer on government, that we prune and trim when needed.
BRANCACCIO: It is such a challenge. Because you're asking people to not just reckon with the budget problem that you say is way worse than we really recognize but also to make tough tradeoffs. I mean, not all these government programs are bridges to nowhere. Sometimes they're people's livelihood.
COOPER: Absolutely. But remember that Congress is basically an organized appetite. We need an outside adult force to discipline us occasionally. We should
have the executive branch weigh in more
heavily on spending issues.
But they have done more to promote big
spending, big domestic spending, not
counting defense or homeland security, than
any President since LBJ. And yet they think
they're a conservative administration? Give
me a break. The conservative think tanks like
The Heritage Foundation and the Cato
Institute have called their bluff on this. All of
America needs to call their bluff on this.
Because this has not been a conservative
administration in terms of spending.
BRANCACCIO: There are a number of efforts to shine some daylight on what we're really spending and how the government uses its money. And I don't know if you saw but some of your colleagues over in the Senate have this idea of taking the whole federal budget and sticking it online in an interactive way so that every grant, every government contract, every little piece of pork you can click on it, find out more. Do you support that kind of effort?
BRANCACCIO: Don't you ever worry though that the American public, what we really want is we’d like to have all the goodies, and we hope somebody else pays for them someday. That if we could really see the extent of the hole that we've dug ourselves we'd much rather maybe close our eyes to it.
COOPER: I think the people have a reservoir of common sense that we need to tap into. People know around the kitchen table their family budget has to be reasonably balanced. Sure, credit cards are a terrible temptation. Other things tempt us. But one day we've got to pay our bills.
BRANCACCIO: So— but your hope that let's say— the book that you've written the forward for with the fascinating title, A Financial Report of the U.S., gets people to actually look at what we're spending and then cry out?
COOPER: I think America's ripe for a financial revolution, for the average person to get more involved in their government and to care about the destiny of our nation. Because these things might sound a little boring on the surface. But they have everything to do about whether our kids and our grandkids are going to live a better life or not. And right now that's in danger.
We've got to make sure that we can live up to our commitments to the next generation. And this is the only way to do that, to get the numbers right.
BRANCACCIO: Congressman Jim Cooper, Tennessee, thank you.
COOPER: Thank you, David, appreciate it.
BRANCACCIO: And that's it for NOW. From New York, I'm David Brancaccio. We'll see you next week.
http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/234.html
Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) is chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, giving him jurisdiction over all the country's federal lands as well as the budget of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) alleges that Burns accepted campaign contributions in apparent exchange for exercising his authority as Chairman of the Subcommittee. CREW alleges that Burns' campaign committees received lofty contributions from the disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his tribal clients. CREW says Sen. Burns received more money from Mr. Abramoff than did any other Member of Congress. They also allege that Burns applied pressure to the Interior Department to direct a $3 million federal grant to one of Jack Abramoff's clients. Burns denies the allegations against him.
For more allegations against Rep. Burns, see:
CREW - Beyond Delay, Public Citizen - Hall of Shame
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) has been accused of using his position to promote the sale of telecommunications equipment and services offered by iGate, a Kentucky-based firm that sought contracts with African nations, and of soliciting bribes in return. Rep. Jefferson's Washington office was raided by the FBI amid a federal bribery investigation into his dealings last year. The FBI said it found $90,000 stashed in a freezer in his home. According to the Associated Press, the FBI claims it has videotaped evidence of Jefferson accepting bribe money. Two men have been convicted as part of the scandal, but Jefferson has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing. A federal appeals court has temporarily delayed the bribery investigation while Jefferson challenges the legality of the FBI raid on his office. Due to the investigation, Jefferson was stripped of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee.
For more allegations against Rep. Jefferson, see:
CREW - Beyond Delay, Public Citizen - Hall of Shame
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is under investigation for his close relationship with a former colleague and top lobbyist, Bill Lowery. Federal prosecutors are focusing on Lowery clients who have received tens of millions of dollars for projects detailed in annual spending bills put forth by committees Lewis chaired. Lowery and his associates have been top donors to Lewis' campaigns. Neither man has been charged with any crime and both denied wrongdoing.
For more on the allegations against Rep. Lewis, see:
CREW - Beyond Delay, A Steady Flow of Financial Influence
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W. Va.), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, is under federal investigation, which began after the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a watchdog group, reported that Mollohan's assets grew by at least $6.1 million between 2000 and 2004. The inquiry began after the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a watchdog group, reported that Mollohan's assets grew by at least $6.1 million between 2000 and 2004. The NLPC alleges that Mollohan engaged in nine years of false reporting. The group also accuses Mollohan of earmarking tens of millions of dollars to groups associated with his business partners. Mollohan, who resigned from his position as the ranking Democrat on the House ethics committee after the investigation began, has acknowledged that he misstated more than a dozen transactions on his financial disclosure. But he strongly denies that he improperly benefited from his office.
For more allegations against Rep. Mollohan, see: CREW - Beyond Delay, National Legal and Policy Center
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Resources Committee, has come under fire for, among other charges, allegedly using his position to benefit his family. CREW alleges that Pombo's aides attempted to scuttle an environmental regulation that could have hurt the Pombo family's business. Other alleged ethics violations include: accepting campaign contributions in return for legislative assistance, keeping family members on his campaign payroll, and misusing official resources. The Center for Public Integrity has said Rep. Pombo may have broken the law by not paying taxes on foreign trips paid for by a private foundation. Pombo has steadfastly maintained that he has done nothing illegal or unethical.
For more allegations against Pombo, see: CREW - Beyond Delay, Public Citizen - Hall of Shame, The Center for Public Integrity
Rep. Charles Taylor (R-N.C.) is alleged to have engaged in the crimes of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bribery and honest services fraud by CREW. The conspiracy allegations stem from a 2001 bank fraud guilty plea made by Rep. Taylor's long-time friend and political supporter, Charles Cagle. Cagle illegally borrowed $1.3 million from Rep. Taylor's bank, Blue Ridge Savings and Loan. Both Cagle and the bank's former president testified that Rep. Taylor was involved in making the fraudulent loans, according to the Associated Press. State Democrats have also called for congressional ethics and conflict of interest investigations into Taylor's banking activities and links to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the AP reported.
For more allegations against Taylor, see: CREW - Beyond Delay
These Congressmen are just a few of the political representatives facing myriad ethics questions. They are not alone. For a detailed look at the many standing allegations, visit CREW's website Beyond Delay which is devoted to allegations of corruption in Congress.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/234/corrupt-politicians.html
In Depth: Rep. Jerry Lewis
Representative Jerry Lewis
Of all the candidates facing ethical questions in the upcoming election, Rep. Jerry Lewis appears to be one of the least concerned about his fate.
Lewis, who is chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and overseas nearly a trillion dollars in federal spending, is running for reelection this fall against Democratic challenger Louie Contreras. Lewis appears confident that he will keep his seat even though he is under investigation by federal prosecutors.
A member of Congress representing the Redlands district of California since 1978, Lewis was named chairman of the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for funding all federal programs, in January 2005.
Lewis has not hired a campaign manager, does not have a campaign headquarters, and has no campaign website, according to the Desert Sun. This may be because his opponent has not been able to raise any money against the weighty incumbent. And given a bank balance of about $1.5 million, according to Opensecrets, Lewis seems to have little to be concerned about in terms of campaign finance. He has won at least 60 percent of the vote since his first election.
Some have suggested that Lewis' popularity has much to do with the money he sends back to his constituents in the form of earmarks. Over the years Lewis has inserted hundreds of earmarks - special provisions inserted into legislation which directs money to a particular person or group, often at the request of lobbyists - totaling nearly hundreds of millions of dollars.
Lewis is currently under investigation for his close and mutually beneficial relationship with a former colleague and top lobbyist Bill Lowery. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles are focusing on Lowery clients who have received tens of millions of dollars for projects in the annual spending bills by committees Lewis chaired in both his current and previous position. Lowery and his associates have been top donors to Lewis' campaigns. Neither man has been charged with any crime, and they have denied wrongdoing.
From 1999 to 2005, Lewis was chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, the panel with jurisdiction over all national security matters including the entire $416 billion Pentagon budget.
Lewis served from 1994 to 1999 as the chairman of the Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Subcommittee, the panel responsible for funding a number of government agencies, including NASA. He also served as Chairman of the House GOP California delegation from 1996-2001. Lewis worked in the insurance industry before joining the House.
Born in Seattle, Washington Lewis graduated from UCLA in 1956 with a BA in Government. He later received a fellowship in public affairs with the Coro Foundation in San Francisco. Lewis and his wife, Arleen, have seven children.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/234/rep-jerry-lewis.html
Interview: A Misrepresented Deficit
Tennessee Congressman Jim Cooper speaks to David Brancaccio about his belief that our federal deficit is much worse than official figures show.
"The real deficit in America is at least twice as large as any politician will tell you. And it may be ten times larger," Cooper, who serves on the Congressional Budget committee, tells NOW.
Cooper has brought the deficit to the public's attention with the publication this month of "The Financial Report of the United States," which Cooper describes as the financial reports "the White House doesn't want you to read." The book includes a harsh indictment by Cooper on current estimations of our country's deficit.
Cooper tells NOW that the current administration has been anything but conservative when it comes to spending, and he's concerned for our future. "We've got to make sure that we can live up to our commitments to the next generation. And this is the only way to do that, to get the numbers right."
Read Rep. Cooper's full critique [pdf]
In line with Cooper's efforts, a bill aimed at improving transparency and accountability of federal funds is currently working its way through the Senate. The bill, introduced by Senators Tom Coburn and Barack Obama, aims to create an Internet site to detail which companies and groups receive the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars federal agencies award annually.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act would establish a single public Web site that chronicles all organizations receiving federal funds and the amount they have received annually over the last decade.
During a subcommittee hearing on the bill in July, Sen. John McCain, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the site would justify "whatever expense is associated with it in the first five minutes" because lawmakers would be more careful before giving money if the public was watching.
The federal government funds $460 billion in grants, $340 billion in contracts, and hundreds of billions in loans, insurance and direct payments each year. A non-profit federal budget watchdog, OMB Watch, has voiced its support of the bill.
Related Resources:
Read the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act [pdf]
OMB Watch's analysis of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (S. 2590):
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/234/federal-deficit.html
Tabacco: If you have read this far, you must be interested, disgusted and have a helpless feeling. But I have a question for you. “Do you honestly believe that Rep. Jefferson is the Only Congressman, who has taken Graft for his personal bank account, not just campaign contributions? Do you believe that for most of them it’s all about an ego trip? Or do you believe that all these guys are taking mucho dinero under the table for their own personal graft? That includes the President of the United States. Nothing else makes sense. They are going to get off strictly on being addressed as Congressman, Senator or Mr. President? They watch while their friends get rich, and they remain relatively poor? Remember the President only makes $400,000 per year! If you believe, as I do, that these guys are getting RICH at our expense, then what are you going to do about it?
If you believe as I do, I want each of you to email 10 of your closest friends and family members. Give them the link to this Article. Then let nature take its course. This is not just a blog, and it is definitely not a film script. This is life; and we are getting screwed Big Time. We need to do something. But we must do it together in big numbers.
When I started this blog last August, it got 576 Hits for the month. We have 38,728 for August, 2006. This is Aug. 29th; with 2 days to go, it will pass 40,000 Hits for August, 2006. The Daily Koz, a Liberal blog, gets 600,000 Hits – A DAY! I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. If 10 people tell ten people through just 6 generations, we can reach 1,000,000 people.
1,000,000 Readers per day is what Tabacco is after. With that kind of readership, we can affect what happens and what doesn’t happen. So let’s stop feeling helpless and start making a difference – TODAY! Tomorrow becomes Today very quickly.
If this blog can get 1,000,000 people to email a Congressman or a Senator, believe me that Congressman or that Senator will PAY ATTENTION – especially if that legislator is a Democrat, not named Lieberman. 1,000,000 emails to Hillary Clinton, telling her to Vote Against OFTA/ Oman Free Trade Agreement, would have changed her vote because she would have known we (1,000,000 strong) were watching her. She would notice 1,000 – 2,000 emails, but 1,000,000 would make her crap in her drawers.
I tell you the Truth and give you my references, which can be checked. I don’t make this stuff up. We must take back our country, and we must do it now – before it’s too late!
In 1981's 'Body Heat', Kathleen Turner said, "Knowledge is power".
T.A.B.A.C.C.O. (Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
Serve Those, Who Fill Their
Coffers, Not You The
Constituents! Wake Up
America; It’s About The Dead
Presidents! - RI10
Lawmakers Or Lawbreakers?
Transcript - August 25, 2006
BRANCACCIO: Welcome to NOW...
The mid-term elections are a little less than three months away, and from now until then we'll be scrutinizing some of the key issues that you'll be hearing about as you go to the polls this fall... issues like clean government.
Several high-profile congressmen have already resigned or dropped their bids for reelection in the wake of the Washington lobbying scandals...
So will the mid-term elections turn into a referendum on congressional ethics and the influence of special interests? Senior correspondent Maria Hinojosa and producer Bryan Myers have our report.
HINOJOSA: Welcome to the weekly meeting of the local Democratic Party in San Bernardino, California. You'd think the mood here would be upbeat—after all, the incumbent Congressman, Republican Jerry Lewis, is under federal investigation. Instead, this meeting feels more like a wake. Patrick Kahler is a local Democratic Party official.
KAHLER: I expected the national party to come in and give us a lot of support and money to get the campaign on the ground, and uh...
HINOJOSA: Has it happened?
KAHLER: It hasn't quite happened. We're still waiting for it to happen.
HINOJOSA: Kahler says their candidate for congress hasn't raised a single penny. But meanwhile, incumbent Jerry Lewis has amassed a war chest of nearly one and a half million dollars. Republican Lewis is expected to cruise to victory. So much so, he hasn't even been out campaigning.
Running against an incumbent is never easy, but in this case, it's even harder. Lewis is one of the most powerful men in Washington.
LEWIS: "Mr. Secretary, the budget proposes spending 8.3 billion dollars on..."
HINOJOSA: As chairman of the house appropriations committee, Lewis oversees nearly a trillion dollars in federal spending. He's got the power to hand out a lot of the taxpayers' money. Now he's accused of handing out money in exchange for campaign contributions.
KAHLER: All I see is a bunch of apathy with the voters and no outrage coming to the fact that ya' know, here is a guy who could be in trouble just like Delay or Cunningham, and uh nobody seems to care.
HINOJOSA: This fall's mid-term elections are seen by many as a referendum on the influence of special interests and elected officials. And Lewis is not the only member of congress facing allegations of corruption. Over a dozen congressmen, Republicans and Democrats alike, have been swept up in the recent Washington scandals. The question is, will the voters care?
In the midst of his re-election campaign, Congressman Lewis has become the target of a justice department investigation. Investigators are looking into his relationship with this man—Bill Lowery. Lowery is a lobbyist, and himself a former Congressman. Lowery's firm is well known for its ability to get so-called "earmarks" from Congressman Lewis.
An earmark is a special provision inserted into legislation that directs money to a particular person or project. An earmark itself isn't illegal; what is illegal is giving one in exchange for a campaign donation.
With Lewis, there's alleged to be a pattern. Companies hire Bill Lowery. Then, Lowery suggests they make a campaign donation to Lewis. Earmarks, supported by Lewis, follow. In fact, over the last six years, Lowery's firm and its clients have donated nearly half a million dollars to Lewis.
Meet Tom Casey. Casey once owned a large southern California computer company. He developed a new way to transfer technical drawings to computer files. In 1993, he thought the Pentagon might want to buy his technology, so he pushed for an earmark to jumpstart the process. A business associate introduced him to Congressman Jerry Lewis.
CASEY: I'd go to Washington, and we'd meet in his office, or we'd go out to dinner, and they were basically face-to-face conversations.
HINOJOSA: It was in those conversations that Casey says Lewis solicited campaign contributions, even though Casey didn't even live in Lewis' congressional district.
CASEY: I mean, I certainly would have no problem, and had no problem, putting out my campaign contribution to get my fifteen minutes to talk about my project to somebody, who is not my representative, and that was okay.
But I understood the way the process worked, and I certainly participated in it.
HINOJOSA: Casey says Lewis went even further, allowing him to write the legislation authorizing that earmark. And all along, Casey says, the Congressman kept asking for something else—that he hire a close friend, who had just become a lobbyist, Bill Lowery.
CASEY: Congressman Lewis had a term, "the Lewis family," and that people who were friends of his were all looking out for each other respectively. And that he was looking out for Bill's best interest.
I think there was definitely that implication that good things would come with it.
HINOJOSA: Casey says Lowery also suggested he donate money to Lewis. Eventually, Lewis supported two earmarks for the Pentagon project, worth some 34-million dollars. Casey says when he recently read comments by Lewis and Lowery, downplaying their relationship, he couldn't believe it.
CASEY: It is very well known when you approach the hill, who you should work with to be able to gain access to a particular person, so what surprises me is that people aren't more willing to admit it because it is symbiotic in a lot of ways. So to say it is not, is where the truth falls short. That’s the way it works.
HINOJOSA: It's not just businessmen like Casey, who've figured out how it works. Dozens of cities and government agencies in Lewis' home district have also turned to Lowery to get earmarks and other help.
Daniel Cozad is the general manager of the local water authority, responsible for delivering clean drinking water to nearly 6 million residents in southern California.
HINOJOSA: At what point do you decide, we need more money coming in, so we think we're going to go with a lobbyist?
COZAD: Usually, when you are looking at these projects, they are hugely expensive projects.
HINOJOSA: Recently, the federal government wanted to do some renovation work on a local dam, threatening a nearby pipeline that's used to remove contamination from drinking water. Relocating that pipeline would have cost Cozad's agency 100 million dollars.
HINOJOSA: So, enter the lobbyists. Cozad said local officials repeatedly suggested he hire Lowery's firm.
HINOJOSA: Did it seem at all strange to hire a lobbyist in Washington to lobby the federal government?
COZAD: For me as a general manager, to fly back and forth to Washington to participate in a ya' know 2-hour meeting just doesn't pay, so to have somebody who is there who can participate in a meeting, knows what's going on in Washington, knows the things to do and people to call, that is just the most efficient way to get the job done for us.
HINOJOSA: And it paid off.
COZAD: Yes, it worked.
HINOJOSA: Lowery's firm, with the help of Lewis, got Cozad's agency off the hook for that 100 million dollars.
Federal investigators now want to know why local governments were hiring Lowery. Earlier this year, the FBI issued subpoenas to several cities in southern California, demanding documents relating to lobbyist Lowery and Congressman Lewis.
Cozad says his agency didn't get one of those subpoenas, and, he says, Lowery's lobbying firm never asked them for campaign donations. All he knows, he says, is that the team of Lowery and Lewis delivers.
HINOJOSA: So when you heard about the fact that the Congressman is being investigated, you said?
COZAD: It goes against all the experience that you personally have. If you've actually personally ever worked with him [the Congressman] or his staff, or the lobbyists and their staff, they work really hard and try to do what is best for the constituents and the state and country.
HINOJOSA: In a statement, Lowery's firm told NOW that their work is, quote, "no different than the work done by thousands of...lobbyists," and that their work is, "based on merit, not on campaign contributions." Congressman Lewis declined to comment for this story.
In San Bernardino County, evidence of Lewis and his earmarks is everywhere...there's the municipal pool....and a local community center. Lewis also got his district 60 million dollars to convert a local air force base into a commercial airport, although when we visited, there wasn't a passenger in sight. And the biggest winner? Nearby Loma Linda University.
Over the years, Lewis has earmarked nearly 160 million dollars for Loma Linda. Locals have even nicknamed it "Loma Lewis University." All of that has won the Congressman lots of fans.
Pat Morris is a Democrat and the mayor of San Bernardino.
MAYOR: As I've watched Congressman Lewis uh earmark funds that benefit California, I have seen remarkably good things happen. Great Congressman.
HINOJOSA: So Jerry Lewis delivers and whatever happens in Washington or possible issues of ethical improprieties take a back seat?
MORRIS: That's not what I said. I'm not about to prejudge this public servant. Not a chance. I know him. Up close and personal. And I know him uh as an honorable man and a remarkably effective and devoted public servant.
HINOJOSA: At this point, you may be asking yourself, so what's the problem? Isn't a Congressman supposed to bring home the bacon? But here's the issue—earmarks are often inserted secretly into legislation. And they often happen because of the efforts of lobbyists.
It's big business. Over last several years, the use of earmarks has exploded. Last year, Congress issued some 13,000 of them, totaling over 67 billion dollars. Perhaps not coincidently, the number of registered lobbyists in Washington has also skyrocketed in recent years, now numbering some 35,000.
HINOJOSA: Keith Ashdown works for the watchdog group "Taxpayers for Common Sense". He says this abuse of earmarks is like a kid in a candy store.
ASHDOWN: I mean, I have a five-year old daughter. If one day, I gave her a bag of M&Ms and I said, "You can have five M&Ms," I came back 20 minutes later, and she'd eaten the whole bag. I mean, defense contractors are like my daughter. Nobody is watching, nobody is lookin' at what they're getting from Congress. They're gonna put their hands in that proverbial cookie jar a few too many times.
HINOJOSA: In some parts of the country, there are early signs of a backlash against the influence of special interests.
PRESSER: "Tonight, my candidacy for lieutenant governor comes to an end..."
HINOJOSA: in Georgia, Christian conservative Ralph Reed lost his bid for Lieutenant Governor after his links to disgraced lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, were revealed.
And in Ohio, another powerful Republican Congressman, Bob Ney, is in hot water because of his links to Abramoff. Ney is being investigated for favors he may have granted Abramoff in exchange for trips and campaign donations.
Ney's district is quintessential small town America, and has long been a Republican stronghold. What happens here is considered a bellwether of what may happen in elections across the country this fall.
JACK SPACE: "I wanna' work to provide you with a Congressman you can be proud of..."
HINOJOSA: Democratic candidate Zack Space has been preaching a message about money and politics that is winning over, not just members of his own party, but some Republicans too.
SPACE: That corruption is the manifestation of a larger problem. What kind of system produces a Bob Ney? It’s a system that’s dominated by special interests. We have oil companies determining our energy policy. We have Pharmaceutical companies determining our healthcare delivery system. There is a cost to that system. There is a cost to that corruption.
HINOJOSA: Just recently, Bob Ney dropped out of the race, citing what he calls his "ordeal." And Space's notion—that Congress can't serve special interests and the public at the same time—is echoed by Republican Congressman Chris Shays.
SHAYS: People who basically are corrupt are as good as traitors.
HINOJOSA: On Capitol Hill, Shays is considered the godfather of ethics reform. In 2002, he co-authored the historic legislation outlawing soft-money contributions to political campaigns. But Shays says special interests still have tremendous influence on Capitol Hill.
SHAYS: Some say, "you know, you're giving Congress a bad name when you say that we have problems." And I say, the people who are doing these bad things are giving Congress a bad name. And the people, who aren't willing to deal with it, to confront it, are giving Congress a bad name.
HINOJOSA: Shays points out, both parties are to blame. On the Democratic side of the aisle, Congressman Alan Mollohan, once a member of the House Ethics Committee, is now embroiled in controversy over earmarks he gave benefiting friends and supporters.
JEFFERSON: "I will not plead guilty to something that I didn't do..."
And who hasn't heard about democratic Congressman William Jefferson, and the $90,000 FBI agents found in his freezer? Nonetheless, Shays acknowledges that because Republicans control Congress, they're more likely to feel the voters' wrath.
HINOJOSA: How did we get to a point when in the year 2006, ethics has once again become the central issue?
SHAYS: I think people think money trumps uh-bad press. When you go to either the Democratic or Republican conference, you'll hear leaders say, "Well, the public really doesn't care about that." Tell that to Ralph Reed.
HINOJOSA: But back in San Bernardino, the voters don't seem too riled up. Even local Democratic officials concede their efforts to unseat Lewis are pretty much on life support.
KAHLER: Well talking to my neighbors they don't see it as a problem and it doesn't affect their lives, so why should they care? And I think that's what Congressman Lewis is realizing is what's happening and hopes he can get away with it.
Unless he's actually in a courtroom or behind bars, I guess nobody is going to stand up and notice.
HINOJOSA: Earlier this year, when the Abramoff scandal was still making headlines, Republican leaders promised tough legislation cracking down on earmarks and outlawing lavish junkets.
HASTERT: "I feel we must ban privately sponsored travel in the House of Representatives..."
HINOJOSA: But the bill that's emerged is much weaker. Even so, it faces an uncertain future when Congress returns from summer recess.
HINOJOSA: You've actually called it a "total sham," the ethics reform that has been passed. Why?
SHAYS: 'Cause it just simply doesn't rise to the level. It's not significant enough, in my judgment. It would give people a pass without dealing with the inherent problems that exist.
HINOJOSA: In the meantime, Congressman Chris Shays has put forward his own, tougher bill, warning of the consequences if Congress doesn't clean up its act.
SHAYS: You want us to be ethical. You don't think you have to tell us to be ethical. Now, when you are out voting, and your learn that that Congressman or woman, or whomever, isn't ethical, you say, "you know what? I don't want 'em representing me."
BRANCACCIO: You can find a lot more on this over on our website at pbs.org... and while some Congressmen may be in trouble for the sweetheart deals they've made to finance their re-election campaigns, they still haven't figured out how to pay for the fortune the U.S. government is busy spending.
Here's just one line item: the Congressional Research Service recently estimated that the bill so far for the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other anti-terror ops around the world equals 437 billion dollars...that's pretty close to half a trillion dollars, and much of it is borrowed.
But here's the real news: the government's finances may be much, much worse than acknowledged by the White House, the pundits, or the media. There is a new book out that reveals the dangerous state of federal deficits and overall debt. Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee was a contributor.
BRANCACCIO: Well Congressman Cooper, thanks for you joining us.
COOPER: Thank you, David. Glad to be here.
BRANCACCIO: You know, you look at the New York Times Bestseller List and you see things like The Alphabet of Manliness on there. You're not here to talk about that. You're here to talk about something called The Financial Report of the United States. Give me one good reason not to change the channel right now.
COOPER: I wish it had a sexier title. But it's really important because it's the roadmap for our future. If we want a better life, five, ten, 20 years from now, we've got to have a way to get there.
BRANCACCIO: Now, this is some truth telling you'd say?
COOPER: This is shocking news to a lot of folks. Because the real deficit in America is at least twice as large as any politician will tell you. And it may be ten times larger. So, I think people need to know this. And this isn't a partisan viewpoint. This is what the U.S. Treasury Department under the Bush Administration has said in a near secret document.
BRANCACCIO: This is about, in part, which types of accounting rules you use to calculate it?
COOPER: Well, it's really about whether you're measuring it fairly and accurately or not or whether you're using an old technique that the government insists on. I think we should use modern accounting to tell us the truth.
BRANCACCIO: I don't know. If you use the old— if you use the old method it makes the problem not quite look as scary. And maybe it will just go away.
COOPER: Well, make believe is a lot of fun. But we live in the real world. And we're the only superpower on the planet. So, I think it's time to get real with our numbers.
BRANCACCIO: How big is the problem really then?
COOPER: Well, the deficit for 2005 was at
least $760 billion, not the 319 that's reported.
And if you care about Social Security and
Medicare, it wasn't $760 billion. It was more
like $3.3 trillion or ten times larger than is
commonly reported.
And I care about Social Security and Medicare. I want those benefits to be there for our people. My mother's 87. We need to make sure that these folks are taken care of. But by lying about the situation we're in, that won't help my mother or anybody else's parents.
It's an outrage. And again, this isn't a partisan statement. This is the truth as reported by the U.S. Treasury Department under the Bush Administration.
BRANCACCIO: You are a Democrat. You're a fiscal conservative. Are you really talking code for we have to cut government spending, leave taxes where they are?
COOPER: Nobody in Washington will have the credibility to do anything on the tax side until a lot of programs are not only scrutinized but reduced. Because there is a lot of— duplication, waste and mismanagement. And the average taxpayer that I talk to is really upset about that. And they want to know that we don't just put fertilizer on government, that we prune and trim when needed.
BRANCACCIO: It is such a challenge. Because you're asking people to not just reckon with the budget problem that you say is way worse than we really recognize but also to make tough tradeoffs. I mean, not all these government programs are bridges to nowhere. Sometimes they're people's livelihood.
COOPER: Absolutely. But remember that Congress is basically an organized appetite. We need an outside adult force to discipline us occasionally. We should
have the executive branch weigh in more
heavily on spending issues.
But they have done more to promote big
spending, big domestic spending, not
counting defense or homeland security, than
any President since LBJ. And yet they think
they're a conservative administration? Give
me a break. The conservative think tanks like
The Heritage Foundation and the Cato
Institute have called their bluff on this. All of
America needs to call their bluff on this.
Because this has not been a conservative
administration in terms of spending.
BRANCACCIO: There are a number of efforts to shine some daylight on what we're really spending and how the government uses its money. And I don't know if you saw but some of your colleagues over in the Senate have this idea of taking the whole federal budget and sticking it online in an interactive way so that every grant, every government contract, every little piece of pork you can click on it, find out more. Do you support that kind of effort?
COOPER: Absolutely. I think
we need maximum
transparency for government.
There should be no secrets
unless it involves certain parts
of national security. Every
earmark, every grant, every
contract should be online so
that the public can get access
to it. But the key principle is
this: sunshine is the best
disinfectant. And we need a lot
of disinfectant in Washington
today.
we need maximum
transparency for government.
There should be no secrets
unless it involves certain parts
of national security. Every
earmark, every grant, every
contract should be online so
that the public can get access
to it. But the key principle is
this: sunshine is the best
disinfectant. And we need a lot
of disinfectant in Washington
today.
BRANCACCIO: Don't you ever worry though that the American public, what we really want is we’d like to have all the goodies, and we hope somebody else pays for them someday. That if we could really see the extent of the hole that we've dug ourselves we'd much rather maybe close our eyes to it.
COOPER: I think the people have a reservoir of common sense that we need to tap into. People know around the kitchen table their family budget has to be reasonably balanced. Sure, credit cards are a terrible temptation. Other things tempt us. But one day we've got to pay our bills.
BRANCACCIO: So— but your hope that let's say— the book that you've written the forward for with the fascinating title, A Financial Report of the U.S., gets people to actually look at what we're spending and then cry out?
COOPER: I think America's ripe for a financial revolution, for the average person to get more involved in their government and to care about the destiny of our nation. Because these things might sound a little boring on the surface. But they have everything to do about whether our kids and our grandkids are going to live a better life or not. And right now that's in danger.
We've got to make sure that we can live up to our commitments to the next generation. And this is the only way to do that, to get the numbers right.
BRANCACCIO: Congressman Jim Cooper, Tennessee, thank you.
COOPER: Thank you, David, appreciate it.
BRANCACCIO: And that's it for NOW. From New York, I'm David Brancaccio. We'll see you next week.
http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/234.html
Profiles: Allegations of Ethical Misconduct
Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) is chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, giving him jurisdiction over all the country's federal lands as well as the budget of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) alleges that Burns accepted campaign contributions in apparent exchange for exercising his authority as Chairman of the Subcommittee. CREW alleges that Burns' campaign committees received lofty contributions from the disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his tribal clients. CREW says Sen. Burns received more money from Mr. Abramoff than did any other Member of Congress. They also allege that Burns applied pressure to the Interior Department to direct a $3 million federal grant to one of Jack Abramoff's clients. Burns denies the allegations against him.
For more allegations against Rep. Burns, see:
CREW - Beyond Delay, Public Citizen - Hall of Shame
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) has been accused of using his position to promote the sale of telecommunications equipment and services offered by iGate, a Kentucky-based firm that sought contracts with African nations, and of soliciting bribes in return. Rep. Jefferson's Washington office was raided by the FBI amid a federal bribery investigation into his dealings last year. The FBI said it found $90,000 stashed in a freezer in his home. According to the Associated Press, the FBI claims it has videotaped evidence of Jefferson accepting bribe money. Two men have been convicted as part of the scandal, but Jefferson has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing. A federal appeals court has temporarily delayed the bribery investigation while Jefferson challenges the legality of the FBI raid on his office. Due to the investigation, Jefferson was stripped of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee.
For more allegations against Rep. Jefferson, see:
CREW - Beyond Delay, Public Citizen - Hall of Shame
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is under investigation for his close relationship with a former colleague and top lobbyist, Bill Lowery. Federal prosecutors are focusing on Lowery clients who have received tens of millions of dollars for projects detailed in annual spending bills put forth by committees Lewis chaired. Lowery and his associates have been top donors to Lewis' campaigns. Neither man has been charged with any crime and both denied wrongdoing.
For more on the allegations against Rep. Lewis, see:
CREW - Beyond Delay, A Steady Flow of Financial Influence
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W. Va.), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, is under federal investigation, which began after the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a watchdog group, reported that Mollohan's assets grew by at least $6.1 million between 2000 and 2004. The inquiry began after the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a watchdog group, reported that Mollohan's assets grew by at least $6.1 million between 2000 and 2004. The NLPC alleges that Mollohan engaged in nine years of false reporting. The group also accuses Mollohan of earmarking tens of millions of dollars to groups associated with his business partners. Mollohan, who resigned from his position as the ranking Democrat on the House ethics committee after the investigation began, has acknowledged that he misstated more than a dozen transactions on his financial disclosure. But he strongly denies that he improperly benefited from his office.
For more allegations against Rep. Mollohan, see: CREW - Beyond Delay, National Legal and Policy Center
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Resources Committee, has come under fire for, among other charges, allegedly using his position to benefit his family. CREW alleges that Pombo's aides attempted to scuttle an environmental regulation that could have hurt the Pombo family's business. Other alleged ethics violations include: accepting campaign contributions in return for legislative assistance, keeping family members on his campaign payroll, and misusing official resources. The Center for Public Integrity has said Rep. Pombo may have broken the law by not paying taxes on foreign trips paid for by a private foundation. Pombo has steadfastly maintained that he has done nothing illegal or unethical.
For more allegations against Pombo, see: CREW - Beyond Delay, Public Citizen - Hall of Shame, The Center for Public Integrity
Rep. Charles Taylor (R-N.C.) is alleged to have engaged in the crimes of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bribery and honest services fraud by CREW. The conspiracy allegations stem from a 2001 bank fraud guilty plea made by Rep. Taylor's long-time friend and political supporter, Charles Cagle. Cagle illegally borrowed $1.3 million from Rep. Taylor's bank, Blue Ridge Savings and Loan. Both Cagle and the bank's former president testified that Rep. Taylor was involved in making the fraudulent loans, according to the Associated Press. State Democrats have also called for congressional ethics and conflict of interest investigations into Taylor's banking activities and links to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the AP reported.
For more allegations against Taylor, see: CREW - Beyond Delay
These Congressmen are just a few of the political representatives facing myriad ethics questions. They are not alone. For a detailed look at the many standing allegations, visit CREW's website Beyond Delay which is devoted to allegations of corruption in Congress.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/234/corrupt-politicians.html
In Depth: Rep. Jerry Lewis
Representative Jerry Lewis
Of all the candidates facing ethical questions in the upcoming election, Rep. Jerry Lewis appears to be one of the least concerned about his fate.
Lewis, who is chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and overseas nearly a trillion dollars in federal spending, is running for reelection this fall against Democratic challenger Louie Contreras. Lewis appears confident that he will keep his seat even though he is under investigation by federal prosecutors.
A member of Congress representing the Redlands district of California since 1978, Lewis was named chairman of the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for funding all federal programs, in January 2005.
Lewis has not hired a campaign manager, does not have a campaign headquarters, and has no campaign website, according to the Desert Sun. This may be because his opponent has not been able to raise any money against the weighty incumbent. And given a bank balance of about $1.5 million, according to Opensecrets, Lewis seems to have little to be concerned about in terms of campaign finance. He has won at least 60 percent of the vote since his first election.
Some have suggested that Lewis' popularity has much to do with the money he sends back to his constituents in the form of earmarks. Over the years Lewis has inserted hundreds of earmarks - special provisions inserted into legislation which directs money to a particular person or group, often at the request of lobbyists - totaling nearly hundreds of millions of dollars.
Lewis is currently under investigation for his close and mutually beneficial relationship with a former colleague and top lobbyist Bill Lowery. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles are focusing on Lowery clients who have received tens of millions of dollars for projects in the annual spending bills by committees Lewis chaired in both his current and previous position. Lowery and his associates have been top donors to Lewis' campaigns. Neither man has been charged with any crime, and they have denied wrongdoing.
From 1999 to 2005, Lewis was chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, the panel with jurisdiction over all national security matters including the entire $416 billion Pentagon budget.
Lewis served from 1994 to 1999 as the chairman of the Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Subcommittee, the panel responsible for funding a number of government agencies, including NASA. He also served as Chairman of the House GOP California delegation from 1996-2001. Lewis worked in the insurance industry before joining the House.
Born in Seattle, Washington Lewis graduated from UCLA in 1956 with a BA in Government. He later received a fellowship in public affairs with the Coro Foundation in San Francisco. Lewis and his wife, Arleen, have seven children.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/234/rep-jerry-lewis.html
Interview: A Misrepresented Deficit
Tennessee Congressman Jim Cooper speaks to David Brancaccio about his belief that our federal deficit is much worse than official figures show.
"The real deficit in America is at least twice as large as any politician will tell you. And it may be ten times larger," Cooper, who serves on the Congressional Budget committee, tells NOW.
Cooper has brought the deficit to the public's attention with the publication this month of "The Financial Report of the United States," which Cooper describes as the financial reports "the White House doesn't want you to read." The book includes a harsh indictment by Cooper on current estimations of our country's deficit.
Cooper tells NOW that the current administration has been anything but conservative when it comes to spending, and he's concerned for our future. "We've got to make sure that we can live up to our commitments to the next generation. And this is the only way to do that, to get the numbers right."
Read Rep. Cooper's full critique [pdf]
Putting the Budget Online
In line with Cooper's efforts, a bill aimed at improving transparency and accountability of federal funds is currently working its way through the Senate. The bill, introduced by Senators Tom Coburn and Barack Obama, aims to create an Internet site to detail which companies and groups receive the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars federal agencies award annually.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act would establish a single public Web site that chronicles all organizations receiving federal funds and the amount they have received annually over the last decade.
During a subcommittee hearing on the bill in July, Sen. John McCain, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the site would justify "whatever expense is associated with it in the first five minutes" because lawmakers would be more careful before giving money if the public was watching.
The federal government funds $460 billion in grants, $340 billion in contracts, and hundreds of billions in loans, insurance and direct payments each year. A non-profit federal budget watchdog, OMB Watch, has voiced its support of the bill.
Related Resources:
Read the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act [pdf]
OMB Watch's analysis of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (S. 2590):
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/234/federal-deficit.html
Tabacco: If you have read this far, you must be interested, disgusted and have a helpless feeling. But I have a question for you. “Do you honestly believe that Rep. Jefferson is the Only Congressman, who has taken Graft for his personal bank account, not just campaign contributions? Do you believe that for most of them it’s all about an ego trip? Or do you believe that all these guys are taking mucho dinero under the table for their own personal graft? That includes the President of the United States. Nothing else makes sense. They are going to get off strictly on being addressed as Congressman, Senator or Mr. President? They watch while their friends get rich, and they remain relatively poor? Remember the President only makes $400,000 per year! If you believe, as I do, that these guys are getting RICH at our expense, then what are you going to do about it?
If you believe as I do, I want each of you to email 10 of your closest friends and family members. Give them the link to this Article. Then let nature take its course. This is not just a blog, and it is definitely not a film script. This is life; and we are getting screwed Big Time. We need to do something. But we must do it together in big numbers.
When I started this blog last August, it got 576 Hits for the month. We have 38,728 for August, 2006. This is Aug. 29th; with 2 days to go, it will pass 40,000 Hits for August, 2006. The Daily Koz, a Liberal blog, gets 600,000 Hits – A DAY! I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. If 10 people tell ten people through just 6 generations, we can reach 1,000,000 people.
10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000,000
1,000,000 Readers per day is what Tabacco is after. With that kind of readership, we can affect what happens and what doesn’t happen. So let’s stop feeling helpless and start making a difference – TODAY! Tomorrow becomes Today very quickly.
If this blog can get 1,000,000 people to email a Congressman or a Senator, believe me that Congressman or that Senator will PAY ATTENTION – especially if that legislator is a Democrat, not named Lieberman. 1,000,000 emails to Hillary Clinton, telling her to Vote Against OFTA/ Oman Free Trade Agreement, would have changed her vote because she would have known we (1,000,000 strong) were watching her. She would notice 1,000 – 2,000 emails, but 1,000,000 would make her crap in her drawers.
I tell you the Truth and give you my references, which can be checked. I don’t make this stuff up. We must take back our country, and we must do it now – before it’s too late!
In 1981's 'Body Heat', Kathleen Turner said, "Knowledge is power".
T.A.B.A.C.C.O. (Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
comments (1)
1. Tabacco left...
Friday, 1 September 2006 6:17 pm :: http://tabacco.blog-city.com/
Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, on ‘The Situation
Room’