Office of Congressional Ethics
Encyclopedia
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), established by the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2008, is an independent, non-partisan entity charged with reviewing allegations of misconduct against members of the House of Representatives and their staff and, when appropriate, referring matters to the United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
, commonly referred to as the Ethics Committee.
The OCE review process requires approval of the board at each step. In order to open a preliminary review lasting no longer than 30 days, there must be "reasonable cause to believe allegations," according to the OCE. In order to proceed to a second phase, or further review, there must be "probably case to believe allegations." The second phase may last no longer than 59 days, including optional 14-day extension. Following completion of second phase review, the OCE board votes to refer a matter to the House Ethics Committee with a recommendation for or against further review by the committee. The recommendation comes in the form of a report which must be released to the public unless the OCE recommendation was against further review.
Consequently, the OCE has published nearly two dozen reports on members believed to have violated House rules—leading to cheers from government watchdog groups and to calls by some in Congress for gutting the office, which requires reauthorization at the beginning of each new Congress. "The extent and level of ethics scrutiny the OCE has brought is unprecedented in the House," according to The Hill newspaper, in a Sept. 8, 2010 article on the future of the office.
At least 20 of the OCE's referrals on sitting members of the House of Representatives were published on its website in its first Congressional session of operation—a demonstration, according to the Washington Post, that the office "has taken its mission seriously."
Although the office does not have subpoena power, it has played a significant role in 2010 investigations concerning alleged ethics violations by Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Maxine Waters
(D-Calif.), and former Rep. Nathan Deal
(R-Ga.)
The office's launch and first two years were led by Leo Wise, who prior to joining the OCE earned top honors at the United States Department of Justice
where he was a member of the Enron
task force that successfully prosecuted Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling
and the tobacco litigation team that successfully prosecuted the civil racketeering case against the cigarette industry. He joined the United States Department of Justice
through the prestigious Attorney General's Honors Program after graduating from Harvard Law School
. Wise is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University
and the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
. He is also an officer in the United States Navy Reserve
.
Wise announced in October 2010 that he was leaving the OCE to join the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland following what OCE Chairman David Skaggs termed an "extraordinary job 'standing up' and managing OCE operations during its first two years."
According to the Sunlight Foundation
, "More than anything else the Office of Congressional Ethics has helped to reveal to the public the patent absurdity of the self-policing oversight that members provide through the House Ethics Committee."
Calls to eliminate the office have come from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
"Grumblers on both sides want to gut the ethics office," the New York Times editorial board wrote on Aug. 4, 2010. "That is because it has been fulfilling its mission to put life into the lawmakers' own stultified ethics process, to penetrate the murk of misbehavior and keep the public better informed."
Indeed, keeping the public informed is a paramount responsibility for the OCE, according to its communications director, Jon Steinman. "Providing information to the public, improving transparency, is a central element of the OCE's mission," Steinman said, in the New York Times on March 29, 2010.
A number of outside government groups, watchdogs and editorial writers have taken up the OCE's cause and worked to ensure it would survive into another Congress. They have sent letters supporting the OCE to Speaker Nancy Pelosi
and House Minority Leader John Boehner
.
The OCE opened dozens of reviews, based on publicly available information, submissions from the public, press accounts and other sources of information. It was created by Speaker Pelosi as part of her effort to "drain the swamp" of corruption in official Washington that had garnered so much attention in the preceding congressional sessions. This included the multiple ethical and criminal violations stemming from, among others, disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff
, and former representatives Duke Cunningham
, Tom DeLay
, Bob Ney
, Mark Foley
and William J. Jefferson
.
United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
The Committee on Ethics, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. Prior to the 112th Congress it was known as the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct....
, commonly referred to as the Ethics Committee.
Overview
As its mission, the office strives to “give the public a 'window' into ethics enforcement in the United States House of Representatives.” Governed by an eight-person Board of Directors, Members of the OCE Board are private citizens and cannot serve as members of Congress or work for the federal government. The OCE lacks subpoena power and must complete each review in a relatively short period of time—approximately three months at most.The OCE review process requires approval of the board at each step. In order to open a preliminary review lasting no longer than 30 days, there must be "reasonable cause to believe allegations," according to the OCE. In order to proceed to a second phase, or further review, there must be "probably case to believe allegations." The second phase may last no longer than 59 days, including optional 14-day extension. Following completion of second phase review, the OCE board votes to refer a matter to the House Ethics Committee with a recommendation for or against further review by the committee. The recommendation comes in the form of a report which must be released to the public unless the OCE recommendation was against further review.
Consequently, the OCE has published nearly two dozen reports on members believed to have violated House rules—leading to cheers from government watchdog groups and to calls by some in Congress for gutting the office, which requires reauthorization at the beginning of each new Congress. "The extent and level of ethics scrutiny the OCE has brought is unprecedented in the House," according to The Hill newspaper, in a Sept. 8, 2010 article on the future of the office.
At least 20 of the OCE's referrals on sitting members of the House of Representatives were published on its website in its first Congressional session of operation—a demonstration, according to the Washington Post, that the office "has taken its mission seriously."
Although the office does not have subpoena power, it has played a significant role in 2010 investigations concerning alleged ethics violations by Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 29th district, serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-Calif.), and former Rep. Nathan Deal
Nathan Deal
John Nathan Deal is a United States politician, the 82nd and current Governor of Georgia. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1992 but switched to the Republican Party in 1995...
(R-Ga.)
History
The OCE was created by House Resolution 895 of the 110th Congress in March 2008.The office's launch and first two years were led by Leo Wise, who prior to joining the OCE earned top honors at the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
where he was a member of the Enron
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
task force that successfully prosecuted Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling
Jeffrey Skilling
Jeffrey Keith "Jeff" Skilling is the former president of Enron Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas. In 2006 he was convicted of multiple federal felony charges relating to Enron's financial collapse, and is currently serving a 24-year, four-month prison sentence at the Federal...
and the tobacco litigation team that successfully prosecuted the civil racketeering case against the cigarette industry. He joined the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
through the prestigious Attorney General's Honors Program after graduating from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. Wise is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies , a division of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's leading and most prestigious graduate schools devoted to the study of international affairs, economics, diplomacy, and policy research and...
. He is also an officer in the United States Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
.
Wise announced in October 2010 that he was leaving the OCE to join the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland following what OCE Chairman David Skaggs termed an "extraordinary job 'standing up' and managing OCE operations during its first two years."
According to the Sunlight Foundation
Sunlight Foundation
The Sunlight Foundation is a 501 educational organization founded in April 2006 with the goal of increasing transparency and accountability in the United States government....
, "More than anything else the Office of Congressional Ethics has helped to reveal to the public the patent absurdity of the self-policing oversight that members provide through the House Ethics Committee."
Calls to eliminate the office have come from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
"Grumblers on both sides want to gut the ethics office," the New York Times editorial board wrote on Aug. 4, 2010. "That is because it has been fulfilling its mission to put life into the lawmakers' own stultified ethics process, to penetrate the murk of misbehavior and keep the public better informed."
Indeed, keeping the public informed is a paramount responsibility for the OCE, according to its communications director, Jon Steinman. "Providing information to the public, improving transparency, is a central element of the OCE's mission," Steinman said, in the New York Times on March 29, 2010.
A number of outside government groups, watchdogs and editorial writers have taken up the OCE's cause and worked to ensure it would survive into another Congress. They have sent letters supporting the OCE to Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
and House Minority Leader John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
.
The OCE opened dozens of reviews, based on publicly available information, submissions from the public, press accounts and other sources of information. It was created by Speaker Pelosi as part of her effort to "drain the swamp" of corruption in official Washington that had garnered so much attention in the preceding congressional sessions. This included the multiple ethical and criminal violations stemming from, among others, disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
, and former representatives Duke Cunningham
Duke Cunningham
Randall Harold Cunningham , usually known as Randy or Duke, is United States Navy veteran, convicted felon, and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California's 50th Congressional District from 1991 to 2005.Cunningham resigned from the House on November 28,...
, Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
, Bob Ney
Bob Ney
Robert William Ney is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned...
, Mark Foley
Mark Foley
Mark Adam Foley is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He served from 1995 until 2006, representing the 16th District of Florida as a member of the Republican Party....
and William J. Jefferson
William J. Jefferson
William Jennings "Bill" Jefferson is a former American politician, and a published author from the U.S. state of Louisiana. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for nine terms from 1991 to 2009 as a member of the Democratic Party. He represented , which includes much of the...
.
Board of Directors
The current membership of the OCE Board of Directors includes:- David SkaggsDavid SkaggsDavid Evans Skaggs was a Democratic Congressman from the state of Colorado from 1987 to 1999.Skaggs was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but grew up in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City. He attended Wesleyan University, and after earning his degree in Philosophy in 1964, went on to Yale University,...
, Chair - Porter Goss, Co-Chair
- Yvonne Burke
- Jay Eagen
- Karan EnglishKaran EnglishKaran English served in the U.S. House of Representatives of the 103rd United States Congress from 1993 to 1995....
- William Frenzel
- Allison Hayward
- Abner Mikva
External links
- OCE Official Site
- Committee on Standards of Official Conduct official site