[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 19 (Friday, January 30, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S1121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in 
the Record the 2008 Annual Report of the Select Committee on Ethics.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

           Annual Report for 2008--Select Committee on Ethics

       The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (the 
     ``Act'') calls for the Select Committee on Ethics of the 
     United States Senate to issue an annual report no later than 
     January 31 of each year providing information in certain 
     categories describing its activities for the preceding year. 
     Reported below is the information describing the Committee's 
     activities in 2008 in the categories set forth in the Act:
       (1) The number of alleged violations of Senate rules 
     received, from any source [in 2008], including the number 
     raised by a Senator or staff of the Committee: 85. (This 
     figure does not include 13 alleged violations from the 
     previous year carried into 2008.)
       (2) The number of alleged violations that were dismissed--
       (A) For lack of subject matter jurisdiction or in which, 
     even if the allegations in the complaint are true, no 
     violation of Senate rules would exist: 52. (This figure 
     includes 5 matters originating in the previous year.)
       (B) Because they failed to provide sufficient facts as to 
     any material violation of the Senate rules beyond mere 
     allegation or assertion: 21. (This figure includes 4 matters 
     originating in the previous year.)
       (3) The number of alleged violations in which the Committee 
     staff conducted a preliminary inquiry: 10. (Th(s figure 
     includes 4 matters from the previous year carried into 2008.)
       (4) The number of alleged violations that resulted in an 
     adjudicatory review: 0.
       (5) The number of alleged violations that the Committee 
     dismissed for lack of substantial merit. 4. (This figure 
     includes 1 matter from the previous year carried into 2008).
       (6) The number of private letters of admonition or public 
     letters of admonition issued: 2.
       (7) The number of matters resulting in a disciplinary 
     sanction: 0.
       (8) Any other information deemed by the Committee to be 
     appropriate to describe its activities in the previous year.
       Between January 4 and February 25, 2008 the Committee staff 
     conducted mandatory ethics training for all Senate employees: 
     8 training sessions for Members, 19 training sessions for 
     staff, and 1 training session for Member spouses. In 
     addition, the Committee conducted 11 new employee training 
     sessions during the year; 17 ethics seminars for Member DC 
     offices, state offices, Senate committees, and outside 
     delegations; 2 mandatory campaign related ethics briefings; 
     and 1 Senator-elect orientation session and 1 training 
     session for transition staff.
       In 2008, Committee staff handled 15,555 telephone inquiries 
     for ethics advice and guidance.
       In 2008, the Committee wrote 1,264 ethics advisory letters 
     and responses, including 869 advisories concerning gifts or 
     travel.
       The Committee issued 3,395 letters concerning financial 
     disclosure filings by Senators, Senate staff and Senate 
     candidates and reviewed 1,510 reports.

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