Tuesday thoughts
I can't believe it but I found myself agreeing with Donald Trump on something today. When Congressional Republicans proposed "gutting" the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, President-elect Trump criticized the move. Eliminating independent oversight of the ethics of the members of Congress is filling rather than draining the swamp.
Then again, what has that group accomplished since its inception in 2008? It has referred more than 70 reports to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Those referrals resulted in two members of the House being reprimanded and one being censured. Of course they also referred the case of Rep Jesse Jackson, Jr. who wound up resigning from Congress and pleading guilty to a number of charges.
But it isn't the fault of the Office of Congressional Ethics. The problem is that the members of the House and Senate don't want to look all that closely at how ethically other members of those august bodies behave. To do so might invite scrutiny of what they are doing.
Consider the case of now retired House member Charles Rangel of New York. According to the Washington Post, he solicited donations for the Charles G. Rangel Center for Public Service at CCNY from corporations with business before the Ways and Means Committee of the House; on congressional letterhead. A committee chaired by Rangel at the time. A clear ethical violation.
At the same time the New York Times reported that Rangel was renting four apartments at below-market rates which he combined to create a 2,500 square foot home. One of the four was reported to be being used as a campaign office, in violation of city and state regulations.
Then there was the $75,000 in income on his villa in the Dominican Republic that he failed to disclose on his tax returns. Considering that the Ways and Means Committee is the one that writes the tax laws, this was especially egregious. He owed three years of back taxes at the time.
Or his claiming a homestead exemption on his Washington, D.C. home while claiming his residence was those rent-stabilized apartments in New York, another violation. Ultimately he was forced to leave his post as Chair of that committee and the House ultimately censured him. Other than damaging his "legacy" that act accomplished nothing.
So while the continued existence of the Office of Congressional Ethics may seem to be a good thing, considering it lacks subpoena power and any enforcement is done by the House rather than an independent body, it seems it will never accomplish anything useful.
* * *
On Youtube he's known as 8Booth. His real name is Anthony Booth Armer and he is a thrillseeker/daredevil. He recently got up on the roof of the Pacific Hotel in Long Beach and jumped into the pool.
But when he landed he broke both of his feet when they struck the edge of the pool. He's in the hospital now.
He started a GoFundMe page to try to raise $112,000 to cover his medical bills.
Would you donate? I wouldn't. He brought this on himself. He makes money from these stunts. Use that money to pay the bills.
* * *
Random ponderings
I'm watching one of the best bits on late-night talk shows in some time. On the Late Late Show with James Corden and he's playing "Fill Your Guts or Spill Your Guts" with Kendall Jenner. They ask each other questions and if they can't answer honestly they have to eat some really nasty stuff. Bull penis, cod sperm, clam juice, hot sauce, grasshoppers and more. The questions were brilliant.
**
Today was the first day that the office was open for tax season. It is traditionally a quiet day. Instead I was busy the entire five hours I was there. I did three tax returns today. Never been this busy on day one. Hope it is an omen for a good season.
**
Bill and Hillary Clinton will attend Donald Trump's inauguration. I'm surprised. I doubt anyone would have criticized them for skipping it in the wake of the nasty campaign that led up to the November election.
Or perhaps Bill could have gone solo?
**
Friday night will be the last broadcast for Megyn Kelly on the Fox News Channel. She is leaving to go to NBC where she will be involved with news programming a news magazine program on Sundays and a daytime talk show.
The risks involved in this for her and the network are major when you think about how poorly Katie Couric and Meredith Viera did with their attempt to transition from news programming to a talk show.
Will it last less than two years like the other two ladies? Time will tell.
**
In Indiana a man won a court victory in a case where he'd given his long-time girlfriend an interest in some property he had inherited. They signed a contract where if she cheated, she forfeited that interest in said property. She gave birth to another man's child, their relationship ended and he demanded a return of the property.
He won, she appealed and her appeal was denied.
**
Then again, what has that group accomplished since its inception in 2008? It has referred more than 70 reports to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Those referrals resulted in two members of the House being reprimanded and one being censured. Of course they also referred the case of Rep Jesse Jackson, Jr. who wound up resigning from Congress and pleading guilty to a number of charges.
But it isn't the fault of the Office of Congressional Ethics. The problem is that the members of the House and Senate don't want to look all that closely at how ethically other members of those august bodies behave. To do so might invite scrutiny of what they are doing.
Consider the case of now retired House member Charles Rangel of New York. According to the Washington Post, he solicited donations for the Charles G. Rangel Center for Public Service at CCNY from corporations with business before the Ways and Means Committee of the House; on congressional letterhead. A committee chaired by Rangel at the time. A clear ethical violation.
At the same time the New York Times reported that Rangel was renting four apartments at below-market rates which he combined to create a 2,500 square foot home. One of the four was reported to be being used as a campaign office, in violation of city and state regulations.
Then there was the $75,000 in income on his villa in the Dominican Republic that he failed to disclose on his tax returns. Considering that the Ways and Means Committee is the one that writes the tax laws, this was especially egregious. He owed three years of back taxes at the time.
Or his claiming a homestead exemption on his Washington, D.C. home while claiming his residence was those rent-stabilized apartments in New York, another violation. Ultimately he was forced to leave his post as Chair of that committee and the House ultimately censured him. Other than damaging his "legacy" that act accomplished nothing.
So while the continued existence of the Office of Congressional Ethics may seem to be a good thing, considering it lacks subpoena power and any enforcement is done by the House rather than an independent body, it seems it will never accomplish anything useful.
* * *
On Youtube he's known as 8Booth. His real name is Anthony Booth Armer and he is a thrillseeker/daredevil. He recently got up on the roof of the Pacific Hotel in Long Beach and jumped into the pool.
But when he landed he broke both of his feet when they struck the edge of the pool. He's in the hospital now.
He started a GoFundMe page to try to raise $112,000 to cover his medical bills.
Would you donate? I wouldn't. He brought this on himself. He makes money from these stunts. Use that money to pay the bills.
* * *
Random ponderings
I'm watching one of the best bits on late-night talk shows in some time. On the Late Late Show with James Corden and he's playing "Fill Your Guts or Spill Your Guts" with Kendall Jenner. They ask each other questions and if they can't answer honestly they have to eat some really nasty stuff. Bull penis, cod sperm, clam juice, hot sauce, grasshoppers and more. The questions were brilliant.
**
Today was the first day that the office was open for tax season. It is traditionally a quiet day. Instead I was busy the entire five hours I was there. I did three tax returns today. Never been this busy on day one. Hope it is an omen for a good season.
**
Bill and Hillary Clinton will attend Donald Trump's inauguration. I'm surprised. I doubt anyone would have criticized them for skipping it in the wake of the nasty campaign that led up to the November election.
Or perhaps Bill could have gone solo?
**
Friday night will be the last broadcast for Megyn Kelly on the Fox News Channel. She is leaving to go to NBC where she will be involved with news programming a news magazine program on Sundays and a daytime talk show.
The risks involved in this for her and the network are major when you think about how poorly Katie Couric and Meredith Viera did with their attempt to transition from news programming to a talk show.
Will it last less than two years like the other two ladies? Time will tell.
**
In Indiana a man won a court victory in a case where he'd given his long-time girlfriend an interest in some property he had inherited. They signed a contract where if she cheated, she forfeited that interest in said property. She gave birth to another man's child, their relationship ended and he demanded a return of the property.
He won, she appealed and her appeal was denied.
**
posted by me at 7:54 PM
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