Senate ethics panel cites Cranston in Keating Five case -- chicagotribune.com
source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-keating-2,0,3810427.story
There is "substantial credible evidence" that Sen. Alan Cranston violated Senate rules by intervening with federal savings and loan regulators for campaign contributor Charles Keating, the Senate ethics committee decided Wednesday.
In the largest group disciplinary action ever taken in the Senate, the committee also publicly scolded four other senators, who along with Cranston have become known as the Keating Five.
The case of Cranston (D-Calif.) will proceed into a final stage that probably will conclude with full Senate action, which could mean expulsion but will more likely be censure or reprimand. No further action will be taken against the four others.
The ruling could have an impact on the conduct of U.S. senators for years to come as they evaluate whether their service on behalf of constituents and campaign contributors oversteps Senate rules. The ethics committee said it hoped the rulings would lead to campaign finance reform.
The four who escaped full Senate review of their cases -- Sens. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.), Donald Riegle (D-Mich.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and John Glenn (D- Ohio) -- nevertheless "exercised poor judgment" in intervening on behalf of Keating, a savings and loan owner, the committee said. The committee was particularly critical of Riegle and DeConcini, saying their conduct "gave the appearance of being improper," though they violated no rule.
In a unanimous opinion, the six-member bipartisan committee said there is "substantial credible evidence" that "Cranston engaged in an impermissible pattern of conduct in which fundraising and official activities were substantially linked."
In the largest group disciplinary action ever taken in the Senate, the committee also publicly scolded four other senators, who along with Cranston have become known as the Keating Five.
The case of Cranston (D-Calif.) will proceed into a final stage that probably will conclude with full Senate action, which could mean expulsion but will more likely be censure or reprimand. No further action will be taken against the four others.
The ruling could have an impact on the conduct of U.S. senators for years to come as they evaluate whether their service on behalf of constituents and campaign contributors oversteps Senate rules. The ethics committee said it hoped the rulings would lead to campaign finance reform.
The four who escaped full Senate review of their cases -- Sens. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.), Donald Riegle (D-Mich.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and John Glenn (D- Ohio) -- nevertheless "exercised poor judgment" in intervening on behalf of Keating, a savings and loan owner, the committee said. The committee was particularly critical of Riegle and DeConcini, saying their conduct "gave the appearance of being improper," though they violated no rule.
In a unanimous opinion, the six-member bipartisan committee said there is "substantial credible evidence" that "Cranston engaged in an impermissible pattern of conduct in which fundraising and official activities were substantially linked."
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