P. Coonan
2023-01-28 06:17:27 UTC
An ethics watchdog group on Friday asked the Office of Congressional
Ethics investigate Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., for using footage from the
Senate floor in an ad announcing his run for the Senate.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) sent a complaint
to the OCE's chief counsel that asked for an immediate probe into whether
Schiff "abused official resources for political purposes" by using the
video.
Schiff announced Thursday that he's running for the Senate in 2024, via a
video that was shared on his Twitter account. That video includes footage
of Schiff speaking on the Senate floor during impeachment proceedings
against former President Donald Trump.
"This is a clear violation of House ethics rules and federal law," said
Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACT. "Rep. Schiff has been in
Congress for over two decades and undoubtedly knows that official
government resources cannot be used for political purposes. Rep. Schiff
must immediately take down the video and cease distribution of the
footage, and the Office of Congressional Ethics should move swiftly to
investigate and sanction Rep. Schiff for this breach."
House members are prohibited from using House and Senate floor video for
campaign purposes, according to FACT.
"Federal law states that 'appropriations shall be applied only to the
objects for which the appropriations were made except as otherwise
provided by law,'" the complaint said. "To enforce this law, the ethics
rules prohibit members from using any official resource for campaign or
political purposes. 'Official resources' includes anything funded by
taxpayers, such as a member's official website, social media accounts, and
photographs and video from the House or Senate floor."
"To make it abundantly clear," the complaint added, "both the House ethics
rules and Senate rules specifically identify congressional video of floor
proceedings as official resources that members are prohibited from using
for political purposes."
Some journalists have speculated on social media that Schiff may have
found a legal workaround by using third-party news footage of the Senate
floor in this case, footage from NBC.
PROGRESSIVE GROUP ATTACKS REP. ADAM SCHIFF FOR FAILED RECORD ON TRUMP
FOLLOWING SENATE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT
However, FACT argues House ethics rules clearly prohibit members from
using either House or Senate video or photographs, because both are
official government resources. This apparently includes footage or a photo
of floor proceedings, even it was reposted from a third-party source, such
as a news organization.
"Members may not re-use an image of a floor proceeding published by a
third-party, if the member could not use that image in the first
instance," the House Ethics Committee stated in a 2017 report.
The complaint makes the case that the rule is broad and prohibits members
not only from using the video but also from reposting from sources or
using video obtained from news outlets.
"This is an important rule because it not only protects taxpayer-funded
resources from abuse, but it also protects the integrity of official
proceedings by reducing the incentive for members to make political
speeches during official proceedings," the complaint said. "One issue the
House Ethics Manual acknowledges is the public perception that incumbents
are simply using their office to run for re-election or to run for a
higher office, and the reason for that perception is quite evident in Rep.
Schiff's actions. Moreover, his use of official resources does not reflect
credibly on the House."
Schiff's office didn't respond to a request for comment, nor did the
Office of Congressional Ethics.
<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/schiff-hit-with-ethics-complaint-
one-day-into-senate-campaign-for-using-trump-impeachment-video/ar-
AA16Oo4x?cvid=2f6c089c24e547499fa7f49c907b91b1>
Ethics investigate Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., for using footage from the
Senate floor in an ad announcing his run for the Senate.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) sent a complaint
to the OCE's chief counsel that asked for an immediate probe into whether
Schiff "abused official resources for political purposes" by using the
video.
Schiff announced Thursday that he's running for the Senate in 2024, via a
video that was shared on his Twitter account. That video includes footage
of Schiff speaking on the Senate floor during impeachment proceedings
against former President Donald Trump.
"This is a clear violation of House ethics rules and federal law," said
Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACT. "Rep. Schiff has been in
Congress for over two decades and undoubtedly knows that official
government resources cannot be used for political purposes. Rep. Schiff
must immediately take down the video and cease distribution of the
footage, and the Office of Congressional Ethics should move swiftly to
investigate and sanction Rep. Schiff for this breach."
House members are prohibited from using House and Senate floor video for
campaign purposes, according to FACT.
"Federal law states that 'appropriations shall be applied only to the
objects for which the appropriations were made except as otherwise
provided by law,'" the complaint said. "To enforce this law, the ethics
rules prohibit members from using any official resource for campaign or
political purposes. 'Official resources' includes anything funded by
taxpayers, such as a member's official website, social media accounts, and
photographs and video from the House or Senate floor."
"To make it abundantly clear," the complaint added, "both the House ethics
rules and Senate rules specifically identify congressional video of floor
proceedings as official resources that members are prohibited from using
for political purposes."
Some journalists have speculated on social media that Schiff may have
found a legal workaround by using third-party news footage of the Senate
floor in this case, footage from NBC.
PROGRESSIVE GROUP ATTACKS REP. ADAM SCHIFF FOR FAILED RECORD ON TRUMP
FOLLOWING SENATE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT
However, FACT argues House ethics rules clearly prohibit members from
using either House or Senate video or photographs, because both are
official government resources. This apparently includes footage or a photo
of floor proceedings, even it was reposted from a third-party source, such
as a news organization.
"Members may not re-use an image of a floor proceeding published by a
third-party, if the member could not use that image in the first
instance," the House Ethics Committee stated in a 2017 report.
The complaint makes the case that the rule is broad and prohibits members
not only from using the video but also from reposting from sources or
using video obtained from news outlets.
"This is an important rule because it not only protects taxpayer-funded
resources from abuse, but it also protects the integrity of official
proceedings by reducing the incentive for members to make political
speeches during official proceedings," the complaint said. "One issue the
House Ethics Manual acknowledges is the public perception that incumbents
are simply using their office to run for re-election or to run for a
higher office, and the reason for that perception is quite evident in Rep.
Schiff's actions. Moreover, his use of official resources does not reflect
credibly on the House."
Schiff's office didn't respond to a request for comment, nor did the
Office of Congressional Ethics.
<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/schiff-hit-with-ethics-complaint-
one-day-into-senate-campaign-for-using-trump-impeachment-video/ar-
AA16Oo4x?cvid=2f6c089c24e547499fa7f49c907b91b1>