CREW Files Ethics Complaint against Sen. John McCain over Robocalls in Five States Paid for by NRSC

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

CREW Files Ethics Complaint against Sen. John McCain over Robocalls in Five States Paid for by NRSC
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:55:35 GMT

WASHINGTON - (Business Wire) Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee against Senator John McCain (R-AZ) for using National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) funds to pay for robocalls in five other senators’ home states, urging passage of his motion to send healthcare legislation back to the Senate Finance Committee.

Sen. McCain reportedly recorded a series of robocalls urging Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) to support his motion. A spokeswoman for the NRSC said the calls were being made statewide and targeted independent voters.

The script for the Arkansas call read:

On Monday I introduced the first Republican amendment to the massive health care bill, which would send the bill back to the Senate Finance Committee and stop the Democrats from cutting vital Medicare coverage for our seniors. I need Sen. Blanche Lincoln to join me in this effort. If you agree with me, please go to our website at www.healthcaretaskforce.org and sign a petition to Sen. Lincoln urging her to join my effort to fight a Washington DC government takeover of your health care.

CREW’s complaint alleges Sen. McCain violated Senate Rule 38, which prohibits senators from maintaining “unofficial office accounts,” meaning they cannot use private donations to support official senate activities and expenses. By urging voters to call their senators to urge them to support his motion, Sen. McCain was engaged in grassroots lobbying. This activity clearly was related to Sen. McCain's official duties. By using an outside entity’s funds -- those of the NRSC -- to pay for expenses related to his official duties, Sen. McCain violated Senate rules.


Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/crew-files-ethics-complaint-against,1082553.shtml

[Hubert Flottz]

1. Ethics and John McSame don't even belong in the same story.

He forgot that the voters didn't agree to let him run the show.

[beac]

2. Good for CREW. I'll be interested to see if McNasty suffers any consequences.

He's managed to wiggle out of so many other things.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Why haven't they filed a complaint about Bachmann

using federal funds to promote the Tea Bags. And for inciting to riot and inciting to do bodily harm to democratic representatives. I think that stinks. And CREW is very selective. I don't think I will donate to any of those organizations any more.

[thelordofhell]

4. I got one of these calls

I immediately erased it from my answering machine

[defendandprotect]

5. Good . . . some progress . . .

[SoapBox]

6. A complaint could not happen to a (not!) nicer person

...chew on that, Grampy McSame.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Senate/congressional rules have been violated and stomped on for some time now.

The most public transgression is when the Senate allowed Rove to blow off the subpoena.
I am sure there were more before that.

[MetaTrope]

8. McCain, the Al-Qaeda candidate

I still find it curious that Bin Laden got his American foothold in McCain's home state.

[Omaha Steve]

9. K & R!