PRAISE FOR OCE TRANSPARENCY. Public Citizen’s Lisa Gilbert praises the Office of Congressional Ethics’ transparency in this Roll Call editorial: “And, while we frown at the Ethics Committee’s tendency to let Members off the hook for Washington-style ‘business as usual,’ we can only hope the increased transparency and scrutiny the OCE has brought to the process will lead to more reform of Congressional ethics rules and procedures.”
FORMER HOUSE STAFFER CONVICTED. News on the verdict in the latest Abramoff-related trial is here: “Fraser C. Verrusio, 41, was convicted after a 10-day trial on one count of conspiring to accept an illegal gratuity, one count of accepting an illegal gratuity, and one count of making a false statement in failing to report his receipt of gifts from a lobbyist and the lobbyist’s client on his 2003 financial disclosure statement.” A WSJ report is here. The Post report is here. Here’s who’s been involved in the cases to date.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL’S RECENT REPORT. In this informative National Review Online piece, Scott Coffina discusses the Office of Special Counsel’s recent report on the Bush White House Office of Political Affairs. “The OSC report illuminates the struggle that successive White House Offices of Political Affairs and White House Counsel’s Offices have had over the past 30 years in striking the right balance between appropriate and excessive levels of political activity. The questions are much more easily asked than answered, and providing guidance is more art than science.”
ALTHOUSE ON CU. Ann Althouse takes on the Times and its recent Liptak story on Citizens United and the media exemption here.
ADVISORY OPINION ON RECOUNT FUNDS. What’s a proper use of national parties’ recount funds? That’s the issue in this bipartisan advisory opinion request recently filed with the Federal Election Commission.
NO WAIVER FOR FLOOD PROGRAM NOMINEE. The Hill reports. “The White House stepped in and blocked a possible appointee to head the National Flood Insurance Program in order to comply with President Obama’s tough executive order on ethics.”
KOCH 2012. Politico reports on the brothers’ plans here.
SLEEPING IN OFFICE. CREW wants it investigated. The Times.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.