Wednesday, April 14, 2010

We finally have an ethics probe on the lawmakers at the C Street House

Todd Tiahrt was one of many Kansas lawmakers who stayed at the C Street house. According to an Associate Press Update by Eyewitness News:

“Ethics Probe Asked on Lawmakers at C Street House

More from Kim Wilhelm
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By The Associated Press/Updated by Eyewitness NewsWASHINGTON (AP) - A government watchdog group says it has filed ethics complaints against lawmakers who have rented rooms in a controversial Capitol Hill townhouse.
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - CREW for short - cites news reports that say House members and some senators have paid below-market rents to live in a house on C Street SE that is owned by a Christian prayer group known as the Fellowship. CREW wants the House and Senate ethics committees to determine whether the monthly rent, reported to be around $950, is below the market value. If so, CREW says, the discount could amount to an illegal gift.
A spokesman for one resident of the house named in CREW's complaint, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, said the rent covers a furnished room and shared bathroom. It does not include meals, housekeeping in his room or parking and is therefore in line with market prices.”


Some lawmakers named in the complaint did not respond to calls for comment, including Republican Sens. Sam Brownback, and Rep. Jerry Moran, R, both of Kansas.Earlier this week another group called Clergy VOICE asked the IRS to investigate the tax implications of accepting lodging at the C Street house.
Here's a statement from Brownback spokesperson Brian Hart:


"Brownback lives with his wife and kids in Topeka and commutes to Washington to vote in the Senate. When he is in DC, he stays at a condo that he bought in 2003. He stayed in the group house for less than a year several years ago after his place burned down and before he found his current apartment. The complaint is baseless, a quick Craigslist search shows that the rent is on par with the market." – Brian Hart

Moran spokesperson Lindsey Trent sent Eyewitness News the following response.
"Congressman Moran lives in Hays, Kansas with his family and commutes to Washington DC during the week. When he must be in Washington, where he advocates for common sense Kansas principles, he rents a small room in a house near his office, paying market rent." - Lindsey Trent.




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