Category Archives: conflict of interest laws

“Tighter Lid on Records Threatens to Weaken Government Watchdogs”

November 27, 2015, 8:37 amconflict of interest laws, ethics investigationsRick Hasen

What happened to the Obama administration’s commitment to be the most transparent Administration? Not looking good. NYT: The continuing Honduran inquiry is one of at least 20 investigations across the government that have been slowed, stymied or sometimes closed… Continue reading

“Congressional Energy Chairs Form Fundraising Committee, Rake In Oil, Gas Cash As They Push Bills For Fossil Fuel Industry”

November 5, 2015, 10:16 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

IBT reports.

“Sacramento County elections office needs overhaul”

November 1, 2015, 1:00 pmconflict of interest laws, election administrationRick Hasen

Brad Buyse oped in the SacBee: As a former employee of Sacramento County for 30 years – including 20 in the elections office and the last 12 as its campaign services manager – I am indeed concerned about aconflict … Continue reading

“Watchdogs Press for New Rules Allowing Review and Audits of Taxpayer–Funded Expenditures by Members of Congress”

October 30, 2015, 7:44 amconflict of interest laws, ethics investigationsRick Hasen

Release: Today, the Campaign Legal Center, joined by Common Cause, Democracy 21 and Public Citizen urged the Committee on House Administration to adopt new rules making clear that expenditures from Members’ Representation Allowances (MRAs) are subject to review and… Continue reading

“Donald Trump’s candidacy raises novel ethics questions”

October 6, 2015, 1:30 pmcampaigns, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten for USA Today: If voters decide to hire billionaire Donald Trump as their president in 2016, they couldn’t actually fire him from the job he now holds. Federal law doesn’t explicitly prohibit President Trump from continuing to run… Continue reading

“Ethics probe finds California Rep. Honda may have mixed official and campaign business”

September 3, 2015, 11:02 pmcampaign finance, conflict of interest laws, ethics investigationsRick Hasen

WaPo: A congressional ethics panel announced Thursday that Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) may have improperly used tax-payer funded congressional staff and resources for campaign activity in 2012 and 2014. A report from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) found… Continue reading

“Lawmakers Introduce Solution to Wall Street Conflicts of Interest; New Public Citizen Report Highlights Extent of Problem”

July 15, 2015, 2:55 pmcampaign finance, conflict of interest laws, ethics investigationsRick Hasen

Release: In an effort to rein in conflicts of interest and revolving door abuses within financial regulatory agencies, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) today introduced the Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act – a… Continue reading

“Clinton Foundation Donors Got Weapons Deals From Hillary Clinton’s State Department”

May 26, 2015, 8:09 amconflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

IBT reports.

“10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government”

May 13, 2015, 9:40 amconflict of interest laws, ethics investigationsRick Hasen

WaPo: The state-owned oil company of Azerbaijan secretly funded an all-expenses-paid trip to a conference at Baku on the Caspian Sea in 2013 for 10 members of Congress and 32 staff members, according to a confidential ethics report obtained… Continue reading

“Obama Foundation walks fine line in efforts to raise $500 million”

May 13, 2015, 7:46 amcampaigns, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Josh Gerstein for Politico.

“The SEC Pay-to-Play Rule: Lessons Learned from the Exemptive Relief Process”

May 6, 2015, 11:17 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Charles E. Borden, Samuel C. Brown, and Claire N. Rajan write for The Investment Lawyer. It begins: Although Election Day is more than a year away, the 2016 election cycle has begun in earnest, with Presidential aspirants and elected officials… Continue reading

“The Clintons, a luxury jet and their $100 million donor”

May 3, 2015, 5:48 pmcampaigns, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Must-read WaPo: Giustra, 57, a Vancouver, B.C.-based mogul whose eclectic business interests include founding Lionsgate Entertainment and investing in gold mines and an olive oil company, has come to symbolize a relatively new but substantial category of Clinton backers: foreign… Continue reading

OK All You Foreign Emoluments Clause Junkies (I Know You Are Out There)

May 3, 2015, 5:41 pmconflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Zephyr connects the dots from Ben Franklin to the Clintons.

“Candidate Clinton and the Foundation”

April 24, 2015, 7:14 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

NYT Editorial: It’s an axiom in politics that money always creates important friendships, influence and special consideration. Wise politicians recognize this danger and work to keep it at bay. When she announced her candidacy, Mrs. Clinton resigned from the… Continue reading