AP: Rep. Sweeney Trip Raises Ethics Question (Marianas/Abramoff)

[Eugene]

Rep. Sweeney Trip Raises Ethics Question

ALBANY, N.Y. Oct 18, 2006 (AP)— Rep. John Sweeney never reported a 2001
trip he took to the Northern Mariana Islands with a colleague of convicted
lobbyist Jack Abramoff, but the congressman's aide insisted Wednesday
that he did not knowingly violate government ethics rules.

Sweeney thought the trip had been paid for by the islands' government and
therefore not required to be reported on financial disclosure forms,
spokeswoman Melissa Carlson said.

The Times Union of Albany reported Wednesday that the Northern Marianas
government denied paying for the congressman's travel. Instead, the executive
director of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce said her group financed the trip,
the newspaper reported.

Abramoff was lobbying on behalf of the Northern Marianas government, which
opposed labor reforms proposed for the U.S. commonwealth.

-snip-

Full article: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2582748

Related: Sweeney trip in question - Albany Times Union

[photogirl12]

1. Wow, now ABC picked it up!!

I really hope Kirsten kicks his butt right out of Congress!!!

[Nite Owl]

2. Thanks for this

there have been a few posts here on this story today and now I see it has hit abcnews. This has to get out.

[nickyt]

5. Yes, I saw them earlier - oh, isn't this grand. Just bigtime great. n/t

[Nite Owl]

7. And the new polls

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/10/18/185323/06

My feet aren't touching the ground tonight!

[Nite Owl]

3. Somebody, one more vote

to get this on the greatest page please.

[calimary]

9. I just gave it its eighth vote!

This is GREAT! Another one may bite the dust!

:bounce:

:party:

[Cooley Hurd]

4. K&R - Thug Sweeney needs to GO!

:kick:

[Nite Owl]

6. CH did you see this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2426555

[Cooley Hurd]

8. I just did!

If true, HOLY CRAP! The Sweeney/Marianas story just came out today, so I don't think it had anything to do with the Majority Watch poll. Let's see what the next one says:

Sweeney's the guy on the right... in FREE FALL!:evilgrin:

[Nite Owl]

10. Yeah, this is without

the effect of the Marianas story!