The Washington Independent

ethics

Media analysis: Grand Rapids HIV criminal case spurs ‘sensationalist’ reporting

By | 01.09.12 | 6:00 am

An alleged admission by a 51-year-old Comstock Park, Mich., man that he attempted to infect hundreds of people with HIV through unprotected sexual activity and needle-sharing has sparked a media feeding frenzy, which HIV activists and legal experts have roundly censured as “sensationalist.”

Anti-enviro group vows to fight for ‘God-given rights’ in wake of Montana ruling

The combative head of an anti-environmentalist Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit with Colorado roots vowed on Thursday to appeal last week’s Montana Supreme Court ruling upholding the state’s nearly 100-year-old ban on corporate campaign spending.

Environmental groups dub inclusion of Keystone XL in payroll tax bill ‘most cynical anti-enviro stunt’

Colorado and national environmental groups today were sharply critical of congressional plans to accelerate a White House decision on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline as part of a deal to extend payroll tax relief and unemployment benefits.

Republican chairman has ‘confidence’ in Vern Buchanan, despite ethics investigations

Rep. Pete Sessions, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, says he has “confidence” in Committee Finance Chairman Vern Buchanan, despite a U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation and an Office of Congressional Ethics investigation into the Sarasota congressman over an alleged campaign finance scheme to reimburse employees who contributed to his campaign.

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Physicians criticize Huckabee’s personhood-promoting ‘Gift of Life’

Partnering with Citizens United, former presidential contender and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is promoting “fetal personhood” by narrating Gift of Life, a film that promotes legislative action meant to overturn the landmark abortion rights act Roe v. Wade. The board chair of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health argues that

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Tea party fears U.N. intervention in 2012 election

The tea party has added another item to its list of reasons to fear the United Nations: Some in the movement say the U.N. is planning to intervene in the United States’ upcoming elections.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pfeifer: ‘The day will come when Ohio no longer has the death penalty’

By | 12.15.11 | 12:04 pm

When Justice Paul Pfeifer undertook a crusade to restore the death penalty in Ohio in the early 1980s, he was a state senator.  Now a state Supreme Court justice, Pfeifer wants to see it done away with altogether.

U.S. AG to speak about new voting restrictions in Texas today

By | 12.13.11 | 1:15 pm | More from The Florida Independent

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will be giving a speech today about laws recently enacted all over the country that some say will suppress voter turnout among minorities, young people and low-income and disabled voters.

The speech comes during a flurry of activity following restrictive voting laws passed all More…

Breaking: Congressional Ethics office continues to investigate Florida Rep. Buchanan

A source is telling The Florida Independent that the House Office of Congressional Ethics is continuing to investigate Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla. TFI first broke the story of the investigation in October, when a source provided us with documentation confirming the preliminary investigation.

Louisiana school board candidate may have breached state campaign law

By | 11.03.11 | 7:37 pm

Incumbent Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) candidate Chas Roemer appears to have violated state campaign law by accepting a $20,000 donation from a pro-business Political Action Committee.