ETHICS REPORT.   FORT.  “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs’ chief of staff doctored an email and lied about the purpose of his trip to Europe with his wife that was paid for by taxpayers, according to an investigation by the agency’s inspector general.”

PROBE CALL.  HILL.  “A left-leaning government organization on Wednesday called for an investigation into Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson.”

ETHICS WATCHDOG.  NW.  “An ethics advocacy group says it has identified multiple instances where Congressional watchdogs meant to maintain high standards on Capitol Hill have not enforced the rules and have given elected officials a slap on the wrist when they could have been punished more severely.”

UPDATE ON PAYMENT.   NYT.  “Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, said on Tuesday that he had paid $130,000 out of his own pocket to a pornographic-film actress who had once claimed to have had an affair with Mr. Trump.”

CONTRIBUTION ISSUE ARISES.  WSJ.  “Campaign attorneys and legal scholars are divided on whether Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment to an adult film star weeks before the presidential election is a violation of campaign-finance law.”

BOOKER PLEDGE.   WE.  “Sen. Cory Booker announced late Tuesday that he will no longer accept campaign contributions from political action committees of for-profit companies, following the example of some of his fellow Democrats.”

ID:  BILL INTRODUCED.  SM.  “Candidates and political action committees would have to report more detailed information more often about their campaign contributions under legislation introduced in the Idaho Legislature on Tuesday.”

NY:  PAY TO PLAY MOVE.   RO.  “Orange County lawmakers may gut the 2013 law that has reduced the amount of campaign money County Executive Steve Neuhaus can accept from companies that hold or are seeking county contracts.”

OR:  MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS.   USN.  “An investigative report released Wednesday says former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber allegedly violated state ethics laws 11 times during his third and fourth terms as governor.”

SC:  WARNING ON FUNDS.   USN.  “South Carolina House members are being warned not to use campaign funds to defend themselves from personal misconduct allegations.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.   I’ll send around the next set of links after the holiday.