It's deja vu vu vu.
I've had a number of suspicions rattling around my head for a few days now, mostly regarding this country to a "Revolving Door Administration", similar to that under Reagan (more of my Stuck in the 80's mentality,) so I've been on the lookout for evidence that Bushies are seeking to promote their own corrupt interests while they have the chance. This piece buried deep in the LA Times today only strengthens that nagging concern:
GOP Lawmakers Alter Intelligence Reform Bill to Cloak Financial Ties
Watchdog groups say the provision would make it harder to detect conflicts of interest.
By Lisa Getter
Times Staff Writer
November 16, 2004WASHINGTON — Citing national security concerns, some Republican members of Congress are trying to limit the personal financial information that top federal officials must disclose.
Tucked within the House's 497-page version of the "9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act" is a provision to repeal the requirement that senior-level officials report their personal financial assets valued at more than $2.5 million. It also would end the practice of disclosing the dates of stock transactions.
The proposal to limit financial disclosures initially covered only top-level intelligence officials. It was recently expanded to include all executive branch officials, according to a draft version of the bill.
According to The Campaign Legal Center's press release last week:
After more than a year of studying the problems that left the United States unprepared for the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the 9/11 Commission recommended a series of reforms to enhance the operations and performance of the intelligence community. Congress has since proceeded to implement those recommendations. The commission didn't recommend any cutback on ethics rules.H.R. 10, the House-passed response to those recommendations, which is now being conferenced with the Senate bill (S. 2845), would, among other things, repeal the requirement that senior-level national security officials and appointees report the amount of their personal financial assets in excess of $2.5 million. Currently, senior-level government officials must report the value of their personal assets over $5 million, $25 million and $50 million. This disclosure can help flag when officials have personal financial stakes that could compromise their decisions on such matters as awarding government contracts.
Think Halliburton. Enron. [Insert your favorite corporate welfare entity.]
S2845 is Susan Collin's (R-ME) baby, and in a call Eric placed with her office earlier today, staff indicated that the language was definitely not contained within the Senate bill.
Here's a list of the House and Senate Conferees. Please give them a call (use the Congressional Toll-Free Switchboard 1-800-839-5276.
Senate Conferees:
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Trent Lott (R-MS)
George Voinovich (R-OH)
Mike DeWine (R-OH)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
John Sununu (R-NH)
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Richard Durbin (D-IL)
John Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
Bob Graham (D-FL)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
House Conferees:
Peter Hoekstra (R-MI)
Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Henry Hyde (R-IL)
James Sensenbrenner (R- WI)
David Dreier (R-CA)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Jane Harman (D-CA)
Ike Skelton (D-MO)
You can also use this letter from Public Citizen, the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 to contact the conferees.
Posted by MB Williams at November 16, 2004 01:19 PM | TrackBack