[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, 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 not 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 2010 in the 
categories set forth in the act:

       (1) The number of alleged violations of Senate rules 
     received from any source, including the number raised by a 
     Senator or staff of the Committee: 84. (In addition, 9 
     alleged violations from the previous year were carried into 
     2010.)
       (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: 56. (This figure 
     includes 1 matter that was carried into 2010.)
       (B) Because they failed to provide sufficient facts as to 
     any material violation of the Senate rules beyond mere 
     allegation or assertion: 25.
       (3) The number of alleged violations for which the 
     Committee staff conducted a preliminary inquiry: 12. (This 
     figure includes 6 matters from the previous calendar year 
     carried into 2010.)
       (4) The number of alleged violations for which the 
     Committee staff conducted a preliminary inquiry that resulted 
     in an adjudicatory review: 00.
       (5) The number of alleged violations for which the 
     Committee staff conducted a preliminary inquiry and the 
     Committee dismissed the matter for lack of substantial merit: 
     08. (This figure includes 4 matters carried into 2010.)
       (6) The number of alleged violations for which the 
     Committee staff conducted a preliminary inquiry and the 
     Committee issued private or public letters of admonition: 00.
       (7) The number of matters resulting in a disciplinary 
     sanction: 00.
       (8) Any other information deemed by the Committee to be 
     appropriate to describe its activities in the previous year:
       In 2010, the Committee staff conducted 4 new Member ethics 
     training sessions; 14 employee code of conduct training 
     sessions; 21 Member and committee office campaign briefings; 
     43 ethics seminars for Member DC offices, state offices, and 
     Senate committees; 2 private sector ethics briefings; and 10 
     international ethics briefings.
       In 2010, the Committee staff handled approximately 11,137 
     telephone inquiries and 1,227 inquiries by email for ethics 
     advice and guidance.
       In 2010, the Committee wrote 769 ethics advisory letters 
     and responses including, but not limited to, 540 travel and 
     gifts matters (Senate Rule 35) and 134 conflict of interest 
     matters (Senate Rule 37).
       In 2010, the Committee issued 3,527 letters concerning 
     financial disclosure filings by Senators, Senate staff and 
     Senate candidates and reviewed 1,727 reports.

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