IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 189 

Raising a question of the privileges of the House. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2009 

Mr. FLAKE submitted the following resolution; which was laid on the table 

RESOLUTION 

Raising a question of the privileges of the House. 

Whereas Roll Call reported on February 9, 2008, that the offices of a prominent lobbying firm had been raided by the 

FBI in November; 

Whereas The New York Times reported on February 10, 

2009, that ‘‘Federal prosecutors are looking into the possibility that a prominent lobbyist may have funneled 

bogus campaign contributions’’ to Members of Congress; 

Whereas the Washington Post reported on February 14, 

2009, that they ‘‘examined contributions that were reported as being made by the firm’s employees and consultants, and found several people who were not registered lobbyists and did not work for the lobbying firm’’; 

Whereas Roll Call reported on February 11, 2009, that ‘‘the 

defense-appropriations-focused lobbying shop that the 


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•HRES 189 LTH 

FBI raided this November’’ had in recent years ‘‘spread 

millions of campaign contributions to lawmakers’’; 

Whereas The Hill reported on February 10, 2009, that the 

raided firm ‘‘earned more than $14 million in lobbying 

revenue’’ and ‘‘specializes in obtaining earmarks in the 

defense budget for a long list of clients’’; 

Whereas The Hill reported on February 10, 2009, that the 

2008 clients of this firm had ‘‘received $299 million 

worth of earmarks, according to Taxpayers for Common 

Sense’’; 

Whereas CQ Today reported on February 19, 2009, that 

‘‘104 House Members got earmarks for projects sought 

by clients of the firm in the 2008 defense appropriations 

bills’’, and that 87 percent of this bipartisan group of 

Members received campaign contributions from the raided firm; 

Whereas CQ Today also reported that ‘‘Members who took 

responsibility for the firm’s earmarks in that spending 

bill have, since 2001, accepted a cumulative $1,815,138 

in campaign contributions from the firm’s political action 

committee and employees’’; 

Whereas Roll Call reported on February 19, 2009, that a bipartisan group of four Members have made plans to divest themselves of campaign contributions received from 

the raided firm; 

Whereas Politico reported on February 12, 2009, that ‘‘several sources said FBI agents have spent months laying 

the groundwork for their current investigation, including 

conducting research on earmarks and campaign contributions’’; 


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•HRES 189 LTH 

Whereas numerous press reports and editorials have alleged 

several cases of influence peddling between Members of 

Congress and outside interests seeking Federal funding; 

Whereas such reports and editorials reflect public distrust 

and have raised inquiries and criticism about the integrity of congressional proceedings and the dignity of the 

institution; and 

Whereas the House of Representatives should respond to 

such claims and demonstrate integrity in its proceedings: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Committee on Standards of Official 

3 Conduct, or a subcommittee of the committee des4 ignated by the committee and its members appointed 

5 by the chairman and ranking member, is instructed 

6 to investigate the relationship between earmark re7 quests already made by Members and the source and 

8 timing of past campaign contributions; and 

9 (2) the Committee on Standards of Official 

10 Conduct shall submit a report of its findings to the 

11 House of Representatives within 2 months after the 

12 date of adoption of this resolution. 

Æ 


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