#ethics complaint

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik is apparently trying to corner the market in filing ethics complaints. Judge Juan Merchan is her new target.

May 22, 2024, 5:45 AM MST

By Steve Benen

As assorted partisans compete for Donald Trump’s attention, his would-be running mates each try to excel in a specific area. For her part, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik is apparently trying to corner the market in baseless ethics complaints. Axios reported:

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) filed an ethics complaint Tuesday accusing the judge presiding over former President Trump’s New York hush money trial of a conflict of interest, Axios has learned. ... The letter is unlikely to have an immediate effect on the trial, but it’s the latest chapter in Trump allies attempting to defend the former president by lodging complaints against the judge and prosecutors involved in the case.

The Axios report has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, though the New York congresswoman confirmed to the outlet that she believes Judge Juan Merchan has run afoul of state ethics laws.

The allegations are difficult to take seriously, but the point of this political gesture is not to present a compelling case to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Indeed, the commission’s members aren’t even the intended audience. Rather, this is about Stefanik trying to score cheap points with Mar-a-Lago.

Republicans in the Arizona House of Representatives filed ethics complaints against Democrats who engaged in a protest on the House floor two weeks ago after GOP lawmakers blocked a vote to repeal the state’s near-total abortion ban.

On April 10, Republicans used procedural moves to block that vote. In response, Assistant Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos (D-Laveen) and Rep. Analise Ortiz (D-Phoenix) chanted “shame on you” and “blood on your hands” towards Republicans.

De Los Santos and Ortiz then confronted reporters interviewing Rep. Matt Gress (R-Phoenix), who initially joined Republicans in a voice vote to shut down debate over the repeal before voting with Democrats later in the day.

Ethics complaints filed by Reps. Barbara Parker (R-Mesa), David Marshall (R-Snowflake) and Rachel Jones (R-Tucson) allege De Los Santos and Ortiz’s actions violated House rules against disorderly behavior.

A state lawmaker says he plans to file an ethics complaint against Sen. Doug Mastriano.

WASHINGTON – Allies of Donald Trump fired the latest political attack on Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, saying they would file an ethics complaint claiming that the Florida governor is using his office to mount a "shadow presidential campaign."

DeSantis Communications Director Taryn Fenske said in a statement on the complaint: “Adding this to the list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks. It’s inappropriate to use state ethics complaints for partisan purposes.”

House Republicans demand ethics probe into Joaquin Castro for ‘doxxing’ Trump supporters in San Antonio

By Jon Dougherty

(NationalSentinel) House Republicans are demanding an ethics probe into Rep. Joaquin Castro after his campaign “doxxed” more than 40 San Antonio-based businesses and supporters of President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection bid.

The twin brother of 2020 Democratic presidential contender and former Obama administration official Julian Castro, Joaquin reelection campaign posted late…

Fla. ethics committee founds ‘probable cause’ that Dem Andrew Gillum committed violations

A state ethics panel in Florida said Friday it found “probable cause” to indicate that Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum violated ethics laws in 2016 and that a case filed against him should proceed.

The commission ruled that Gillum, whose campaign against now-Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) devolved into allegations of racism, accepted “things of value” that were…

Judicial Watch files bar complaint against Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyers

(TNS) Dishonest: Government accountability watchdog Judicial Watch said Friday the organization has filed an ethics complaint against the lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford, who accused — without corroboration — Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident 35-plus years ago.

“Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a complaint to the Board of Professional…