Ethics continues review of Rep. Markwayne Mullin ( R-OK)

[OKNancy]

Source: Politico

By JOHN BRESNAHAN | 3/24/14 4:27 PM EDT Updated: 3/24/14 4:34 PM EDT
The House Ethics Committee will continue to review GOP Rep. Markwayne Mullin’s ties to his plumbing companies, but it will not form a special investigative panel to look into the matter.

The Office of Congressional Ethics, the independent ethics watchdog, recommended a full investigation by the Ethics Committee.
Despite a ban on lawmakers being significantly involved in outside business interests, the Oklahoma Republican remained an officer or board member in several of the plumbing firms, starred in their TV and radio commercials, and received more than $600,000 in income last year from the companies, OCE asserted. Mullin owns four of the companies outright and a fifth is owned by his wife.
But Reps. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), Ethics chairman and ranking member, announced on Monday that they would not move forward at this time with a formal investigation into Mullin’s business dealings. The Ethics Committee will continue to review the case internally.
Mullin, for his part, sought dismissal of the OCE case on the grounds that he had met with Ethics Committee staff following his election to Congress in November 2012 and has tried to comply with the all the requirements imposed on his business interests since becoming a lawmaker in January 2013.




Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/markwayne-mullin-ethics-review-104958.html

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This fellow is an A-1 class jerk. Total tea-party, plus he's dumb as a box of rocks.

[OKNancy]

1. Washington Post Blog Reports:

Report: Markwayne Mullin earned $600,000 plus in outside income against House rules

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/03/24/report-markwayne-mullin-earned-600000-plus-in-outside-income-against-house-rules/

Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) may have violated House ethics rules and federal laws by earning outside income beyond permissible levels last year, according to a new congressional watchdog report released Monday.

But the House Ethics Committee stopped short of establishing a special committee to further investigate the allegations against Mullin. It is unknown whether the secretive panel might take further action.

Mullin, 36, is a freshman lawmaker whose family owns five plumbing companies in Oklahoma employing more than 120 people. He continues to personally advertise for the companies and serves as an officer or board member for the companies in violation of House rules and standards of conduct, according to a report released by the committee.

The report by the Office of Congressional Ethics details how Mullin earned more than $600,000 from the plumbing companies last year. He characterized some of the income as "distributions" from one of the companies that is now directly owned by his wife. But the income far exceeds the $26,955 limit placed on outside income for House lawmakers and also violates rules prohibiting lawmakers from sitting on a company board, the report said.