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September 3, 2010

Ethics office gives Hensarling clean review

Rich Flowers The Athens Review

ATHENS — The Board of Congressional Conduct gave 5th District Representative Jeb Hensarling a clean bill of health Friday, following a review of fundraisers held prior to a Wall Street reform bill, last December.

The House Office of Congressional Ethics conducted the preliminary review to determine if there were any links between political contributions, and votes on a massive overhaul of the regulations that govern Wall Street.

The ethics office focused on fundraising between Dec. 2, 2009, and Dec. 11, 2009, the day the House passed its version of the legislation.

“Jeb is gratified by the Office of Congressional Ethics’ decision to dismiss the review,” Hensarling spokesman, George Rasley said.

According to an Associated Press story released at the time, the review was launched. A preliminary review determines whether a full investigation will be initiated.

However, the Office of Congressional Ethics, run by a board of non-lawmakers, can only recommend actions to the House ethics committee.

The ethics committee is composed of House members, and decides whether lawmakers violated standards of conduct.

The ethics office recommendation, passed by a 5-0 vote states:

The Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics recommended that the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct dismiss the above allegations because there is not substantial reason to believe Representative Hensarling solicited or accepted contributions in a manner which gave the appearance that special treatment, or access was provided to donors, or that contributions were linked to any official act.

“The recommendation is a complete vindication of Jeb’s conduct as a lawmaker, and more importantly, as a person of integrity,” Rasley said. “While this matter is now closed, I want to emphasize that from the outset of this process, Jeb vigorously denied that the vague anonymous allegations made against him had any basis in law or the rules of the House.”

Hensarling is one of eight lawmakers who were being reviewed concerning the fundraisers.

Others involved include Republican Representatives John Campbell of California, Chris Lee of New York, Frank Lucas of Oklahoma and Tom Price of Georgia. The Democrats are Representatives Joseph Crowley of New York, Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota and Mel Watt of North Carolina.

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