Sanders Presser May Flout Ethics Rules

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Roll Call

Running for president is hard. But it’s even harder to do while balancing the ethics rules of your day job on Capitol Hill.

It’s a lesson Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., is learning the day after he told The Associated Press he’s running for president in 2016.

Sanders was scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday at noon at the Senate Radio/TV gallery where he will “discuss his agenda for America.” By holding the event the day after he made his presidential hopes official, the vast majority of the questions at the event are likely to be about his campaign and national platform. And that walks a fine line of breaking Senate ethics rules, which prohibit campaigning of any kind in the Capitol complex.

But about two hours before the presser was scheduled to start, Sanders’ office announced a location change. The event would be held outside the Capitol, in the Senate Swamp.

Read more: http://atr.rollcall.com/bernie-sanders-2016-announcement-ethics/

[blackspade]

1. Really? What a load of shit.

The tare-down by the M$M begins.

Obviously someone on his staff was 'Johnny on the spot' and moved this BEFORE it was an 'ethics violation,' but the M$M still couches it as "May Flout Ethics Rules."

What a disgusting, shitty media we have, full of ethically challenged assholes that can't be bothered to report actual news.

[Myrina]

2. + 1 brazillion

n/t

[JimDandy]

16. Yes. NON-NEWS is now allowed in Latest Breaking News. LOL

[L0oniX]

17. Qualified LBN: I just broke my finger nail.

[JimDandy]

18. That's about the equivalent... Hosts must be off the job today.

Hope you get the a host position in the Sanders Group!

[blackspade]

20. Now, THAT is news!

[appalachiablue]

27. +10 Some of our media really smells, must be the rot of desperation. However, 'Bernie & Ethics'

placed together- definitely appropriate.

Bernie Sanders, America's Senator for The People!!



-Appa

[IDemo]

3. Well, looks like he's busted.

It was nice while it lasted, Bernie.

[RiverNoord]

26. When's the House committee going to be formed???

Bernieghazi!!!!!

[Half-Century Man]

4. A problem avioded isn't a problem

Which is a problem for the Masters of the media.

So, cooking the title is a way to draw in viewers and discredit someone seen as a problem

[MissDeeds]

5. +1000

This is such a non issue.

[TheNutcracker]

6. exactly, and agree, he avoided it. just watch how good he is at this....i'll bet my house!

[MissDeeds]

7. Yep

The media is going to be working overtime trying to find dirt on Bernie. This first attempt is laughable.

[madokie]

28. I'm with you on this

Bernie is no spring chicken, hell he isn't any kind of a chicken. He's the real fucking deal

Like he said don't underestimate me.

[William Seger]

12. Problem is, moving the presser didn't entirely avoid the problem

Did you read the article, or just the OP?

[Half-Century Man]

30. Yes, I read it.

My confidence in my statement comes from several factors.
First, for the powers that be to catch the Senator who constantly berates them on their moral failing and questionable ethics in an ethics violation at the very start of his run to the top is a Machiavellian wet dream. Too easy.

Second, For a long term Washington political player and staff of to not know the many pitfalls on the path to the oval office and take steps to avoid them is very hard to believe.

Third, the source

But one Senate aide said it’s a “well-known tenet” these things shouldn’t mix.
[M]"Money must be used for the purpose for which it is appropriated. … Everything up here is paid for by official funds so all things we do must be official,” the aide said.

Ah, the ubiquitous anonymous Senatorial aide, quoted using language which implies (or seems to) something without confirmation of any sort. As to "well known tenet"; a tenet is a tradition or belief, not a law or rule; so it lacks legal standing. As to the "money "portion of the quoted statement; why was it not presented as using governmental resources for personal reason? Why phrase it as mishandling of money in general? Could it be to attack Senator Sanders as a member of the Budget Committee?

I have no idea of the political leanings of the writers or their publisher; I think I have a fairly good handle on the political leaning of their "source".
I have been wrong countless times before, But I have confidence in this.

[Kingofalldems]

8. Fail again.

[geek tragedy]

9. B.S. Hit Piece on Sanders May Flout Common Sense and Decency nt

[L0oniX]

10. Whattttt everrrrrrrrrrr

[sulphurdunn]

11. Here we go!

M$M will stoop as low as needs be to try and discredit Sanders. His major sin is not that he is a socialist or that he will embarrasses the ruling class, but rather that he lacks the money to spend lavishly on M$M.

[Hoyt]

13. I think how Sanders will fare depends on how voters feel about him. Here's a good article

on Sanders, some really good stuff I think. But, it will turn a lot of voters off, including a chunk of Democrats. We'll just have to see whether Sanders can overcome the Kucinich "Keebler Elf" -- as one DU Sanders supporter aptly put it -- persona.

I don't know, but Carter sorta of did it. Of course, Carter was not a scary "socialist" and held a lot of red state ideas at the time.

Me personally, I'd love to see us like a Scandinavian country, but I don't want to lose the next election because a lot of voters freak out over the thought (or lack of understanding and thought).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/magazine/21Sanders.t.html?pagewanted=all

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Who thought of this?

A corporate shyster who usually specializes in filing SLAPP suits?

[LovingA2andMI]

15. So.....

He moved the Presser to an moved approriate location. What Ethics Rules were violated? None.

The M$M is doing the bidding of the 1% already as they view Senator Bernie Sanders as a Threat.


He is Threat to the Status Quo and Thank God Bernie is Running for President!!!

[William Seger]

19. No, the Senate Swamp is still an "official resource"

... so it's definitely covered by the ethics rule. The only question is whether this presser should be considered campaigning, and it probably should be. He should have moved it elsewhere so there would be no question. I hate to see Bernie misstep this early.

[red dog 1]

21. I have to agree with you

I support Bernie Sanders for President; but this "presser" should be held somewhere else,
someplace that is not an "official resource"...and thus not covered by the ethics rule.

From the Roll Call article cited in the OP:
"The Senate Swamp can only be reserved by members of Congress -- not public demonstrators or candidates.
Jason Botelho, media relations coordinator for the Senate Radio-TV Gallery said other locations on the Capital grounds could be booked through the Capital Police.'

"Official resources (Senate space, equipment, staff time, and supplies) should not be used to assist campaign organizations," read the rules posted to the Senate Ethic's Committee's website.



The Republicans will probably jump all over him for this.

[Half-Century Man]

31. The Senate Swamp is a press access area used for announcements.

The “Swamp Site” – so named by television standup crews who found the area perpetually wet when the media interview location was established in the 1970’s – is one of the so-called free standup areas on the Capitol grounds where accredited members of the media can set up live television capability at any time without prior clearance to conduct interviews.

http://capitolhillcorner.org/2013/10/16/%EF%BB%BFthe-senate-swamp-site-on-wednesday-afternoon-circa-400pm-photo-essay/

It's a corner of the capital grounds. Public property.

[William Seger]

32. The issue is using it for campaigning

... and my point, again, is that I hate to see Bernie make unforced errors like this. And really, the only reason I posted was because so many people seemed to be pouncing on their keyboards after reading the misleading OP, without reading the article.

[sufrommich]

22. What the hell is the "Senate Swamp"? nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. Grassy area with some trees in the Northeast corner of the Capitol grounds

[sufrommich]

25. Wow, I've never heard of it before now. nt

[appalachiablue]

29. It's where the Tea Partiers in Congress go at night to live when they're in DC which is as little as

possible since they hate it. It's risky, but saves money and is cheaper than renting a room, for all 30 of them. The other alternatives are to hang out at night with the homeless people in downtown DC or folks living under Key Bridge in Georgetown. But they'd be uncomfortable with that. So, the US Capitol 'Senate Swamp' it is.
The reporter who wrote this piece is obviously familiar with it.

[red dog 1]

24. K&R...Thanks for posting

Uncle Bernie should have thought this one out better,
but, IMO, he is still the Democrats' best chance to defeat the GOP next year.