Rep. Malinowski knowingly failed to comply with the STOCK Act

Dear John, Apologies in advance for the volume here, but we have been very busy and there is a lot of FACT news to share: the OCE has acted on a FACT complaint, FACT has filed five new complaints, plus more than a dozen other news stories in which we were part of. First, an update on FACT complaints filed last March and July against Rep. Malinowski with the Office of Congressional Ethics. The OCE's report found that despite his knowledge of the requirement and reminders from his staff to file, Rep. Malinowski knowingly failed to comply with the STOCK Act. Specifically, he "knowingly failed to enter reportable PTR transactions into the online reporting system in accordance with STOCK Act deadlines, intentionally conflated PTR transactions he did report, did not disclose short sales in a consistent manner (or according to his stated intent), and failed to properly disclose assets and transactions on his 2019 annual financial disclosure statement. After acknowledging these failures, he knowingly filed additional PTRs with late reportable transactions." In what is a significant development, the OCE case has been referred to the House Ethics Committee and you can read more in this Business Insider story here. Now, to some recent important ethics news stories in which I was quoted:  White House Turns To Legally Dubious Tactics To Boost McAuliffe For Virginia Gov The Biden administration released a video, to be played in hundreds of churches across Virginia, that features Vice President Kamala Harris urging viewers to vote for her "friend Terry McAuliffe." I explained that churches cannot engage in political activity, including the publishing and distributing of statements on behalf of any campaign, and there are ethical questions about government officials working with groups to violate the law. Malinowski Reveals Millions Of Dollars In Undisclosed Stock Trades This article was published before Friday's OCE decision and the Washington Free Beacon's analysis found additional discrepancies in Malinowski's latest financial disclosure filing. I explained that stock transaction disclosures are one of the easiest, yet essential requirements with which a Member must comply. Malinowski's continued failure should raise grave concerns with the public. Doug Wilder, Black Former Virginia Governor, Rips Kamala's Church Ad For McAuliffe I explained that the political ad released by the Biden administration raised serious legal issues and the participants needed to respond. Major Pelosi Donors Sitting On SF Park Board In Her District Set To Receive $200 Million From Taxpayers I explained that earmarks allow Members of Congress to pick and choose specific projects and are a clear recipe for corruption and self-dealing at the taxpayer's expense. Dark Money Dems Use Fake Newspaper To Influence Virginia Election. This article is about a "pseudo-news outlet" that sent unsolicited mailers to Virginia residents. The mailers looked like a newspaper and included misleading content that echoed Democratic campaign messaging. Additionally FACT has filed five complaints with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Office of Special Counsel, and Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE): FACT requested the Office of Special Counsel investigate whether Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm violated the Hatch Act by making political remarks in her official capacity while being interviewed. You can read FACT's complaint here and the Washington Free Beacon's coverage here. FACT filed a complaint against Rep. Brian Higgins for failing to disclose stock trades as required. The financial disclosure law is necessary and clear, and it must be strictly enforced to ensure that members do not use their official position for self-enrichment. This case is especially egregious because not only was Higgins fully aware of his duty, as he is a cosponsor of the financial disclosure law that he himself violated, but he has even spoken out about other Members violating this particular law. You can read FACT's complaint here and New York's Spectrum News 1's coverage here and Business Insider's coverage here. FACT filed a complaint with the OCE against Rep. Susie Lee for not disclosing over 200 stock transactions on time since early 2020. You can read FACT's complaint here and Breitbart's story here. FACT filed a complaint with the FEC against the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and its Chairman Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY) for suspect spending. DCCC funds may not be spent for personal use, i.e. vacations, but the DCCC bought an Air France ticket just weeks before Rep. Maloney's vacation in France. When questioned, the DCCC refused to give specifics about the plane ticket expense. You can read FACT's complaint here and the Breitbart story here. FACT filed a complaint with the OCE against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) for apparently violating the gift rule by using items and services to attend the Met Gala. The gift rule for Members of Congress is very clear and is in place for good reason. Members simply cannot accept anything of value that isn't on the short list of permitted items. This is a bedrock ethics rule and it serves several important purposes--it prevents Members from cashing in on their position, it prevents gift-givers from gaining influence, and it maintains the public trust. This is a case where the Member's own words should trigger an investigation--not only did she state that she did not pay for an item, she also implied that she was given a ticket because of her 'responsibilities in overseeing' the gift-giver. This entire situation is exactly what the House's gift rule is designed to prevent, and we requested an immediate investigation into this matter. You can read FACT's complaint here and some coverage of it in the Washington Free Beacon and Breitbart. Finally, a few other stories covering FACT's work: 'Squad' Member Cori Bush's Jewelry, Dresses From Constituents Raise Ethics 'red Flags,' Watchdog Says Shock: DCCC Outraises Record Haul From NRCC, Preparing For Brutal Midterm Fight 11 Democrats Have Allegedly Violated The STOCK Act Of 2012 Report: Democrat Tom Malinowski Lobbied To Close Guantanamo With Top Taliban Leaders Inside Thank you for your continued support of FACT.  We will continue to fight for all politicians to be held accountable and keep you updated as to the newest developments. If you have not yet liked our FACEBOOK page, do it now here. Kendra Arnold Executive Director Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust Washington, D.C. USA Copyright © 2021 Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust, All rights reserved. FACT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas. Our mailing address is: Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust 1717 K Street NW Suite 900 Washington, DC 20006