Deal accused of ethics breach in watchdog group complaint

[ccharles000]

A non-profit watchdog group in Washington has filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics against U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, claiming the Georgia Republican violated House rules and federal law.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed the complaint Wednesday in response to an investigative report in Sunday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Deal had intervened with state officials in a matter that directly concerned a business he owned.

CREW’s complaint contends Deal “may have committed a federal crime by using his positions and congressional resources to engage in self-dealing, thereby depriving his constituents of his honest services.”

The AJC reported Sunday that Deal, a 2010 Republican candidate for governor, pressed state leaders, including Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham, to preserve a state program that earns his company about $300,000 a year and him personally up to $150,000 a year.

http://www.ajc.com/news/deal-accused-of-ethics-124542.html