9-11
COMMISSIONERS MUST DISCLOSE
CRS
Determines that Senate Ethics Committee Has Jurisdiction Over
All Commissioners
WASHINGTON - Senate
Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.,
Thursday released a Congressional Research Service memorandum
regarding financial disclosure requirements for appointees to
the commission investigating the September 11th
attacks.
The memo concludes
that:
The
September 11th commission clearly qualifies as a
legislative branch commission.
The
Senate Ethics Committee is responsible for enforcing the Ethics
in Government Act of 1978.
All
members of the commission fall under the jurisdiction of the
Senate Ethics Committee, even if appointed by the president.
As the CRS reported
last week, if a commissioner works more than 60 days he or she
must disclose assets, income, liabilities, positions held, and
clients who paid more than $5,000 over the course of two years
for his or her services.
The CRS cited a number
of precedents, including a 1989 published opinion by the Justice
Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. In that opinion, the
Office of Legal Counsel ruled that a commission on railroad
retirement reform was a legislative branch commission, despite
the fact that four of the commission’s seven members were
appointed by the president. The Office of Legal Counsel
concluded, it was without authority to advise the commission
regarding commissioners’ conflicts of interest and financial
disclosure.
For a copy of the CRS
report and the1989 opinion from the Justice Department’s
Office of Legal Counsel, please click on the links below.
CRS
Report
Justice
Department Opinion
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