GOOD MORNING MR. PRESIDENT!!!

>>5154292

JUSTICE FOR SCALIA!!!

>>5154150

Thanks anon! I wondered why he retweeted that.

>>5154454

I need proof of that. Not some cabal stories about him to hurt his reputation.

Breaking911

‏ @Breaking911

8m8 minutes ago

Police say a man who had just robbed a bank in Maine ran across four lanes of traffic and a restaurant parking lot before slipping on ice and spilling his gun and money in front of a state police special agent - AP

You can't make this shit up!

Oh My: Nonpartisan Watchdog Group Wants Ethics Investigation of Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a non-partisan ethics watchdog group, filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics on Monday against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). At issue is the senator’s using “footage of herself on the House floor during the President’s State of the Union address to improperly solicit campaign donations,” the group explained in a new statement.

During Trump’s second State of the Union speech last Tuesday, Gillibrand’s Twitter account posted a message asking followers to “chip in $5 so we can put an end to this.” It included official House video footage of a joint session of the United States Congress. FACT cited federal law and Senate ethics rules that both prohibit the use of taxpayer-funded resources that cannot be used for campaign or other political purposes to include “broadcast coverage and recordings of the House floor proceedings.”

She later removed the tweet. But, as FACT notes, that doesn’t exonerate her.

“This is one of the most simple and straightforward ethics rules, and any violation is troubling because the Member has put politics above the law,” said Kendra Arnold, Executive Director, Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust.”

This could put a little damper on her presidential campaign. Oops!

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/02/oh-my-nonpartisan-watchdog-group-wants-ethics-investigation-of-democrat-kirsten-gillibrand/

Breaking News: FACT Response to FBI Release of Clinton Investigation Documents

September 2, 2016

Today, the FBI released some of the documents from its investigation into the classified information stored on Clinton’s personal email server. The documents included a summary of Clinton’s interview with FBI agents and a summary of the investigation. The FBI documents are available here.

Statement by Matthew Whitaker, Executive Director of the non-partisan ethics watchdog, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), and a former U.S. Attorney in response to the release of the FBI report to the Justice Department regarding the Hillary Clinton email investigation:

“It’s clear that the FBI was looking for reasons not to bring criminal charges against Hillary Clinton. The question of whether Ms. Clinton intended to commit a crime is a red herring. The critical point the FBI overlooked is that Clinton clearly intended to send and store top secret, classified information on an unsecured, personal server, which I believe is a case that any reasonable prosecutor would bring against her or anyone else who committed such reckless acts. Again, it does not matter whether she intended to break the law—she obviously did intend to commit the illegal acts. While I know and respect FBI Director Comey, the decision of whether to prosecute Ms. Clinton was not his to make. But Attorney General Loretta Lynch lacks the political will to oppose an Obama Administration that continues to carry the water for Clinton’s presidential campaign. That is why, from day one, I have called for a special prosecutor, and as disturbing evidence continues to mount, the need for a special prosecutor is more urgent than ever.”

https://www.factdc.org/single-post/2016/09/02/Breaking-News-FACT-Response-to-FBI-Release-of-Clinton-Investigation-Documents

https://www.factdc.org/single-post/2016/10/11/FACT-Calls-for-Internal-Probe-of-State-Department-Favoritism-Toward-Kerry%E2%80%99s-Daughter

FACT Calls for Internal Probe of State Department Favoritism Toward Kerry’s Daughter

October 11, 2016

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) has asked the State Department Inspector General for a comprehensive investigation into reports that millions of taxpayer dollars were steered to a non-profit foundation started and run by Secretary of State John Kerry’s daughter.

Last month, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported that “more than $9 million of Department of State money has been funneled through the Peace Corps to a nonprofit foundation started and run by Secretary of State John Kerry’s daughter.” According to reports, Dr. Vanessa Kerry, with the help of the State Department, created a Peace Corp program called Global Health Service Partnership (GHSP), which according to its website “helps address critical shortages of health care professionals globally by sending physicians and nurses to work alongside local medical and nursing faculty” in developing countries. Government officials then “colluded” with Dr. Kerry to make sure her foundation, Seed Global Health, would get the no-bid contract to run the GHSP Program she created.

The ethics laws require that a government employee shall act impartially and shall not give preferential treatment to any private individual or organization’ when performing government duties. Specifically, a government employees is prohibited from using his position for the private gain of relatives, whether directly or through an affiliation with a nonprofit organization. Essentially, a government employee is prohibited from acting to benefit an individual based upon a personal relationship, including any actions that create even an appearance of an ethical violation.

“It appears in this case the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree when it comes to how the State Department is being run, then by Hillary Clinton and now John Kerry, as a bank to reward family and friends” said Matthew Whitaker, Executive Director, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). “What’s particularly disturbing about this case is that the State Department clearly lied when they said Kerry had no role in his daughter’s program, as evidence shows Kerry not only publicly praised its work, but announced continued funding for its operation,” added Whitaker.

This act of using government resources to provide a special and significant financial benefit to a family member’s philanthropic interest, especially without competition, is a blatant violation of ethics rules.

FACT's press release can be read in full here.

A full copy of the complaint can be read here.

Read the Hill's coverage of FACT's complaint here.

https://www.factdc.org/single-post/2018/10/29/FACT-Alerts-Senators-Elizabeth-Warren-and-Kamala-Harris-to-Ethics-Violation

FACT Alerts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris to Ethics Violation

October 29, 2018

FACT Says Senators Violated Senate Ethics Rules by Improperly Soliciting Campaign Donations

The non-partisan ethics watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), filed a complaint today with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics against Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) for improperly soliciting campaign donations, a violation of Senate Ethics rules.

“FACT is calling for an immediate investigation into Senators Warren and Harris for tying official congressional action to campaign fundraising,” said Kendra Arnold, Executive Director, Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). “This is a clear violation of the Senate Ethics rules which safeguard against the appearance or actuality of elected officials ‘cashing in’ on their official position for political purposes,” Arnold added.

According to FACT’s complaint, Senators Warren and Harris both sent campaign fundraising emails before the Senate vote on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Specifically, the campaign emails both stated Senators Warren and Harris’s official role and positions on the ongoing confirmation hearing and then made direct requests for campaign donations with “DONATE NOW” and “CONTRIBUTE” buttons. Senate ethics laws prohibit candidates from using the promise of official action or legislative work in a direct ask for campaign cash.

FACT points to the following section of Senate Ethics rules:

Senate Ethics Rules prohibit Senators from solicitating campaign contributions based upon any action taken in their official capacity. By linking a promise of official action with campaign contributions, a Senator violates a “basic principle” of Senate Ethics that guards against conflicts of interest. The Senate Ethics Manual is clear that a Senator “should never use the prestige or influence of a position in the Senate for personal gain. This provision was intended ‘as a broad prohibition against members, officers or employees deriving financial benefit, directly or indirectly, from the use of their official position.’” Moreover, Senators are to act based upon merit, not on partisan affiliation or for campaign contributions.

A link to the full complaint can be found here.

FACT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas. For more on FACT, visit: http://www.factdc.org/.

FACT Releases Worst Ethics Violators of 2018, House and Senate GOP Leadership Top the List

December 17, 2018

Ethics Watchdog Says Speaker Ryan, Leader McConnell

Have Not Adequately Protected Victims of Sexual Harassment

The non-partisan ethics watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), today, released its annual worst ethics violators of 2018. This year’s list includes improper fundraising, covering-up workplace harassment and abuse, the running of an illegal “Scam PAC,” disseminating classified and/or false information and failing to report the loss of taxpayer funds. The top violators, however, are House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), for failing to adequately protect congressional staff from sexual and other forms of harassment.

Over a year ago, FACT asked congressional leaders to release the names of all the Members of Congress tied to the $17 million in taxpayer funds that the Office of Compliance (OOC) has paid out to victims of sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination over the past 20 years. The sexual harassment bill the House and Senate recently passed is a welcome step in addressing this pervasive problem in Congress. However, FACT maintains that until congressional leaders actually names the namesof those who have already used taxpayer money for these settlements, this systemic problem will only get worse.

“The American people have a right to know if their elected representatives in Congress used taxpayer funds to settle harassment claims. The citizens are the ‘employers’ of Congress and for far too long have been denied the ability to hold their ‘employees’ accountable for illegal behavior, yet have been forced to pay for it,” said Kendra Arnold, Executive Director, Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). “Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now has an opportunity to act further and we will be encouraging her to finally bring an end to this systematic cover-up. Every day that goes by without releasing the names of Members who have received taxpayer money to settle harassment and discrimination claims is another day of cover-up and another day more innocent people are put at risk of becoming victims.”

FACT’s other worst ethics violators of 2018 include:

Former Congresswoman Esty’s Cover-Up of Workplace Employee Abuse, Death Threats:

On April 5, FACT asked the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) to investigate former Representative Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) for the cover-up of physically abusive and threatening behavior by her former chief of staff, Ted Baker. After Esty learned of Mr. Baker’s disturbing behavior—which included physically beating, sexually harassing and threatening to kill another one of the Congresswoman’s staff members, Esty tried to cover it up. After learning of Baker’s actions, Esty employed him for another three months, and gave him $5,000 per month in compensation and other financial benefits after he left her office. Additionally, Esty gave Baker a positive job recommendation and entered into a confidential severance and release agreement with him.

Senators Warren and Harris Used Kavanaugh Vote to Improperly Solicit Campaign Cash:

On October 29, FACT filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics against Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) for using the Senate vote on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to improperly solicit campaign donations. The Ethics rules require Senators to act on merit, and not for personal or political gain. Thus, Senators are prohibited from campaign fundraising tied to their official duties. While Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) later apologized for sending a fundraising email tied to the Kavanaugh vote, Senator Warren was surprised to learn of FACT’s complaint by a moderator in her Senate debate and falsely called the violation, ‘frivolous’ in a desperate attempt to make it go away.

Former GOP Congressional Candidate Operated an Illegal Republican “Supporting” Scam PAC:

>>5154853

contd

On July 25, FACT asked the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for an investigation into Keeping America in Republican Control (KAIRC) PAC for failing to register as a political committee, failing to publicly acknowledge on its website that it is a political committee and failing to distribute over $1.5 million raised to any federal candidates or federal committees. KAIRC PAC is run by former Rhode Island Republican congressional candidate Russell Taub.

Senator Nelson Leaked Potentially Classified or False Information for Political Purposes:

On August 23, FACT filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics against U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL). FACT’s complaint maintains that Senator Nelson either improperly disclosed classified information or disseminated false information when he claimed that voting machines throughout Florida were currently compromised as a result of Russian meddling. Federal law and Senate rules prohibit Members from publicly disclosing classified information.

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke Loses, Fails to Report $120,000 in Missing Taxpayer Funds:

On July 19, FACT filed a complaint with the OCE against Representative Yvette Clarke (D-NY) for the failure to report $120,000 in taxpayer funds tied to equipment belonging to her office that went missing in 2016. The incident was first reported by the House Inspector General as part of the investigation into the sordid House IT scandal. This scandal involved nefarious actions of a former Democratic congressional IT aide, Imran Awan, who was paid to do IT work for several Democratic Members of Congress. Awan’s brother, Abid, was employed by Congresswoman Clarke and made the $120,000 worth of purchases for computer and electronics equipment, including iPods and Apple TVs. These devices had no apparent use or value to Clarke’s office. Even when Representative Clarke was alerted to an ongoing scheme to steal computer equipment, she not only failed toreport the missing funds, she simply wrote off the funds as a loss.

This year’s Honorable Mention Award goes to Hamilton, Ohio County Clerk of Courts and former congressional candidate, Aftab Pureval.

Former Congressional Candidate Illegally Uses Non-Federal Funds on House Race:

On October 1, FACT asked the FEC to investigate Hamilton (Ohio) County Clerk of Courts and former congressional candidate, Aftab Pureval, for illegally and deliberately using money from his county campaign account to fund his congressional campaign. Pureval, who was the Democratic candidate in Ohio’s First Congressional District, spent over $21,000 from his county campaign fund on expenses related to his congressional race. Those expenses included campaign software, media and consulting services, as well as a poll. While Pureval admitted to and was fined by the Ohio Elections Commission for improperly paying a photographer, there are still unanswered questions about some $20,000 in county campaign funds being improperly spent on other campaign services related to his federal race. FACT will continue to press the FEC to act on these violations and apparent cover-up.

FACT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas. For more on FACT, visit: http://www.factdc.org/.