WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Ethics inquiries in the U.S. Congress rose in the past year, bringing charges of misconduct to the fore just ahead of midterm elections, a review indicates.
During the first six months of 2010, the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent congressional watchdog panel, began 44 ethics investigations, up from 24 during the same period in 2009, USA Today reported Monday. The office recommended the House ethics committee pursue action against 13 lawmakers.
Trials for two prominent House Democrats --Charles Rangel of New York and Maxine Waters of California -- are expected to begin a couple of months before the general election in November. But serious punishment seems to be elusive, one good-government advocacy group says. UPI
