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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 18 November 2017

Senate ethics, relatively silent, could face busy year

By MATTHEW DALY probably an unprecedent- tion intensified. others, especially one of fort to evade legal conse-
KEVIN FREKING ed beginning,” Majority The members of the com- their peers,” Walker said. quences of his own actions.
Associated Press Leader Mitch McConnell, mittee have changed “But they understand the Craig initially announced
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s he would resign his Senate
been nearly six years since seat, then reneged and
the Senate Ethics Commit- served out his term.
tee conducted a major in- More than a decade ear-
vestigation of a sitting sen- lier, the ethics panel found
ator. Next year, the panel itself in the midst of another
could be working nonstop, sex scandal involving Pack-
deciding the fate of up to wood. In a report delivered
three lawmakers, including by then-ethics chairman
two facing allegations of in- McConnell, the commit-
appropriate sexual behav- tee described Packwood’s
ior. The typically secretive “physical coercion” of
committee of three Repub- women and “a habitual
licans and three Democrats pattern of aggressive, bla-
said late Thursday it plans tantly sexual advances,
to resume its preliminary mostly directed at mem-
inquiry into alleged miscon- bers of his own staff.”
duct by Sen. Bob Menen- The veteran Republican re-
dez, D-N.J., whose federal signed in 1995 under threat
bribery trial ended in a mis- of expulsion after a nearly
trial. The panel had begun three-year investigation of
an investigation in 2012, but sexual harassment claims.
deferred to the Justice De- The ethics committee typi-
partment for its probe. cally gets dozens of com-
Delving into the onslaught plaints each year alleging
of allegations of sexual Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, center, and his children, Robert and Alicia, leave the federal violations of Senate rules,
courthouse in Newark, N.J., Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. The normally sleepy Senate Ethics Committee
misconduct by powerful hasn’t had a major case since 2011, but it could be deciding next year on the fate of three but the vast majority don’t
figures, the ethics panel is senators _ including two facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. amount to a violation of
expected to investigate (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Senate rules or there is too
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken little evidence to take ac-
after a woman accused R-Ky., said this week at a since then. The panel is importance and ultimate tion. The committee said
him of forcibly kissing her Wall Street Journal event. chaired by Sen. Johnny seriousness of this assign- in an annual report that it
and groping her during a The flurry of activity is un- Isakson, R-Ga., and Sen. ment.” Among the com- received 63 complaints. Of
2006 USO tour. Franken, a usual for the panel, which Chris Coons, D-Del., is vice mittee’s responsibilities are that amount, 43 were dis-
Democrat, has said he wel- until Thursday had not is- chairman. Other members dealing with Senate offices missed for lack of jurisdic-
comes the probe. sued a press release since are Republican Sens. Pat on gifts, travel, compliance tion, 14 were dismissed be-
The Senate is likely to en- hiring a new staff director in Roberts of Kansas and Jim with rules and potential cause they didn’t provide
ter uncharted territory on 2014. The panel’s last major Risch of Idaho, along with conflicts of interests. Major sufficient facts to follow
the case of Alabama’s Roy investigation focused on Democrats Brian Schatz of investigations such as the and three were dismissed
Moore, a Republican who John Ensign, a Nevada Re- Hawaii and Jeanne Sha- Ensign or Packwood probes as minor or technical. Also,
faces multiple complaints publican who resigned in heen of New Hampshire. can take years to com- the staff undertook a pre-
from women who said he 2011 after revelations that Robert L. Walker, a former plete. In 2008, the ethics liminary investigation in
pursued them when they he had an affair with the chief counsel for the eth- panel admonished then- three cases that originated
were teens and he was in wife of a top staffer. ics panel, said senators Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, say- that year and found no
his 30s. If Moore wins the Disclosure of the affair and who serve on the commit- ing he acted improperly in major violation. If the com-
Dec. 12 special election, Ensign’s actions to keep it tee typically are respected connection with a men’s mittee finds a violation oc-
the top Senate Republican quiet, including accusa- by their peers. McConnell room sex sting and brought curred, it may take a series
says he would immediately tions that he helped the served on it, overseeing discredit on the Senate. of actions, including issuing
face a formal ethics com- staffer find work as a lobby- the investigation of Ore- In a letter to the Republican a public or private letter
plaint. ist, resulted in investigations gon Sen. Bob Packwood. senator, the ethics panel of admonition or recom-
“He would be sworn in and by the FBI, Federal Election “I don’t think it’s an assign- said Craig’s attempt to mending disciplinary ac-
be asked to testify under Commission and the Sen- ment anyone relishes. No withdraw his guilty plea af- tion by the full Senate, up
oath and it would be a ate. Ensign resigned as the one relishes being in a po- ter his 2007 arrest at a Min- to and including expulsion
rather unusual beginning, two-year ethics investiga- sition to pass judgment on neapolis airport was an ef- on a two-thirds vote.q