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Author Topic: Office of Congrssional Ethics launches investigation of Rep. Spencer Bachus (R) over insider trading [Locked]
AzureTyger  2 stars
Title: Awesome
Posts: 462
Registered: 2002-4-1 15:49:04
From the Washington Post:


Quote:

The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case.

Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who holds one of the most influential positions in the House, has been a frequent trader on Capitol Hill, buying stock options while overseeing the nation’s banking and financial services industries.

The Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent investigative agency, opened its probe late last year after focusing on numerous suspicious trades on Bachus’s annual financial disclosure forms, the individuals said. OCE investigators have notified Bachus that he is under investigation and that they have found probable cause to believe insider-trading violations have occurred.

The case is the first of its kind involving a member of Congress. It comes at a time of intense public scrutiny of congressional ethics, with the House passing legislation Thursday to tighten rules against insider trading by lawmakers. The impetus for the legislation, a version of which passed in the Senate a week earlier, came from a “60 Minutes” report and a book mentioning Bachus’s trades, “Throw Them All Out,” by Peter Schweizer.



The only way to start fixing our crappy government is to crack down on the financial incentives for members.

 

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Grymlo  2 stars
Posts: 415
Registered: 2002-4-30 05:51:06
Crack down on one you might as well crack down on them all.

 

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Ashmaele  4 stars
Title: Pastor of Muppets
Posts: 1,809
Registered: 2002-1-15 08:30:50
Saw this on a poker forum (he's been instrumental in keeping regulated internet poker out of the US). I predict that absolutely nothing will come of this.

 

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I had a dream. It was an incredible dream. When I awoke, I had a huge mess to clean up.
Sansfear  3 stars
Posts: 757
Registered: 2008-8-31 05:04:52
Considering that it wasn't even illegal for them to do this until recently, what exactly is he being charged with?

http://www.kpho.com/story/16050846/insider-trading-legal-in-congress
Ashmaele  4 stars
Title: Pastor of Muppets
Posts: 1,809
Registered: 2002-1-15 08:30:50
Sansfear posted:

Considering that it wasn't even illegal for them to do this until recently, what exactly is he being charged with?

http://www.kpho.com/story/16050846/insider-trading-legal-in-congress



Quote:

Pastor, Flake and McCain said they have not made money off privileged information.

Pastor said he would support a bill that bans the practice, while Flake and McCain said they would consider it.



lol?

 

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I had a dream. It was an incredible dream. When I awoke, I had a huge mess to clean up.
Scarne  4 stars
Title: Capo di Scientifico
Posts: 1,087
Registered: 2001-7-23 15:24:34
Sansfear posted:

Considering that it wasn't even illegal for them to do this until recently, what exactly is he being charged with?

http://www.kpho.com/story/16050846/insider-trading-legal-in-congress


Ethics violations, not breaking the law.

 

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E Pluribus Unum
imaloon1  3 stars
Posts: 674
Registered: 2003-9-15 07:19:53
Ethics violations don't have to mean you did anything illegal. Ask Newt.

 

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Yukishiro1  4 stars
Posts: 3,243
Registered: 2002-9-20 23:52:57
Well, it's the ethics office of congress. My understanding is that it is (was) legal for congress to inside trade but it still violates congressional ethics rules.
theredkay1  3 stars
Posts: 611
Registered: 2008-5-16 10:37:09
An enterprising prosecutor could certainly make a good case that it was illegal before the recent legislation was passed.


I dont quite understand the assumption that congress is exempt from this rule. It seems to be Congressmen saying 'we havent been prosecuted before, therefore we are exempt.' The law is very broad and there is no reason to think that congress is exempt just because nobody has prosecuted them in the past.
MayorShade  2 stars
Title: Not Special Forces
Posts: 258
Registered: 2004-3-1 10:40:52
What a crap story. If he was engaged in "insider trading", he was doing it wrong.

 

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