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House Panel Contradicts Weldon on Ethics Flap
Just-departed Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) was cited by the House ethics committee for improperly accepting $23,000 worth of travel last summer, but has so far failed to repay that amount, according to a new statement from the panel.
The statement, released today, contradicts earlier claims by Weldon's lawyer that the committee had "apparently" cleared the congressman of wrongdoing in the affair.
In October, McClatchy Newspapers reported Weldon's personal attorney William Canfield told a report that the ethics committee had "apparently dismissed the matter because he's heard nothing in more than two years."
Yet the statement from the committee's chairman, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) and ranking member Howard Berman (D-CA), states, "We therefore concluded in the middle of this year [sic], and advised Representative Weldon, that he was required to repay to the donors certain expenses of that trip, which exceeded $23,000."
According to the statement, Weldon has yet to show he has repaid the costs of the trip, which took him to Belgrade.
The jaunt, which Weldon took with his daughter Karen, was partially arranged by two Serbian businessmen with ties to former dictator Slobodan Milosevic. Karen later became a lobbyist for a foundation run by the two men, who are brothers, and Weldon attempted to convince the State Department to issue visas for the duo.
At least four other people, including Weldon's wife, accompanied the former congressman and his daughter. In addition to Belgrade, the group stopped in Moscow and Vienna, Austria, according to Weldon's lawyer.
The trip is now the subject of a federal investigation. Weldon lost his re-election bid in November to Democrat Joe Sestak. Shortly after news of the investigation broke in October, the FBI raided daughter Karen's Pennsylvania home.
Update: A belated thanks to Reader BK for catching the ethics committee statement.
Late Update: According to Canfield, Weldon's lawyer, the trip was paid for by "either the Russian government or members of the [Russian] Academy of Sciences."
Comments (20)
carwinrpc wrote on January 3, 2007 1:34 PM:Let's focus on the Congressmen who remain. There's a discouraging(although not universal)tendency of liberal blogs to show distinctly less outrage over things like Conyer's apparent misuse of his staff. I have always liked Conyers, so I have no axe to grind--but one of the reasons the Republicans took it so badly in the shorts this past November is the old ethics thingy. If we're going to start a new "regime" by tolerating the things we were so outraged about during the last one, then how are our liberal representatives supposed to be any improvement? If the answer is because their legislative agenda is "better" then I think we need a lesson in civics--and need it badly, because that's not what Democracy is supposed to bring us--laws we LIKE amidst dishonesty we wink at.
Doc wrote on January 3, 2007 1:47 PM:I agree. While Weldon's plight is novel in the wake of the Democratic victory in November, it is imperative that the DNC and the leadership in both Houses make sure that sunlight hits both sides of the aisle. If they don't 2008 could result in a "rinse and repeat" for the GOP.
DallasNE wrote on January 3, 2007 2:54 PM:I certainly agree in general with these comments.
The Democrats have William Jefferson so the "ethics" problem exists on both sides of the isle and it must be dealt with both toughly and uniformly when discovered.
The last election did have one important difference. There were about 5 Republican for each Democrat with the problem. That, in large measure, is why the Republicans were spanked so much harder than the Democrats over corruption. It was this lop-sidedness that undercut the "they all do it message" the Republicans attempted to use to muddy the waters. But make no mistake, ethics must be dealt with early and forcefully or the voters will turn on the guilty party. Let the Republican keep that mantle.
blaze wrote on January 3, 2007 3:29 PM:William Jefferson is being dealt with "toughly" by the Democrats in the House even though he was reelected by the citizens in his district.
John Conyers experienced a long investigation and took responsibility for the actions of his staff. The ethics committee felt that his transgressions did not rise to the level of punishment.
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on January 4, 2007 5:29 PM:Doc and carwinprc must be Republican ringers. Give up on Weldon? I am just getting started on Weldon at the TPM Cafe. At the moment, I am busy linking Weldon to Heinz Schimmelbsuch, an Austrian financier who operates out of Weldon's district. Think eastern Europe here.
AG Gonzales recently made a trip to the basement of the Delaware County Courthouse. You don't think he was really there to look at a $600k internet project, do you?
As Weldon goes, so goes the rest of a lot of long time members of Congress.
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