Michelle Malkin » Did Dick Durbin video to YKos violate Senate ethics rules?

Did Dick Durbin video to YKos violate Senate ethics rules?

By Michelle Malkin • August 6, 2007 02:42 PM

Earlier today, bloggers Reverse Spin and Backyard Conservative called attention to Democrat Dick Durbin’s video to the nutroots YearlyKos convention, which used an official Senate seal. The Senate Ethics Manual explicitly forbids the use of the Senate seal for campaign use. The video had been posted on the DailyKos website since Saturday.

Anne Leary:

In his video presentation to the YearlyKos convention in Chicago, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL),the second-ranking Dem leader in the Senate, appears to have violated Senate ethics rules. Dick Durbin either broke Senate ethics rules by improperly using the Senate seal on a campaign video, or he used official resources to produce the video and then his campaign used that video.

And apparently our stellar Senator Durbin has now realized this himself, as he has changed the wording on his YouTube channel after the fact. Look at the before screenshot campaign wording on the channel title “Dick Durbin for Senate” and the page says “All the latest videos from Senator Dick Durbin’s election campaign”. The url is the campaign website, not the official one, and you can see the U.S. Senate seal superimposed on the frozen video screen.

Dan Curry notes that the YouTube video has now been pulled. But the screenshot has been preserved.

And so has the pre-scrubbed Durbin YouTube channel (via Anne Leary):

I’m sure the Clean Congress Democrats will get right on the case.

***

No Agenda has more:

One might suggest that Durbin used official resources to produce the video and then his campaign used that video. However, the Ethics manual makes it clear that it should not be used for campaign or political activities:

Official resources may only be used for official purposes. This principle derives in large part from 31 U.S.C. § 1301(a), providing that official funds are to be used only for the purposes for which appropriated, as well as from statutory authorizations for allowances. 418 It is thus inappropriate to use any official resources to conduct campaign or political activities. (Senate Ethics Manual, Chapter 6, Campaign Use of Official Resources, p 153)

Posted in: Dick Durbin, Kos

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#1

On August 6th, 2007 at 2:44 pm, katieanne said:

Since when have rules meant anything to Democrats? They wiped out a vote the other day that Republicans won. This is small potatoes to them.
#2

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:00 pm, greysheepdog said:

Ethics? Like $90,000 in cold bribe cash ethics?
#3

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:03 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

Soldier shows up in uniform at Kos….against the rules - can’t do that - be ashamed. ( Unless you’re against the war )

United States Senator Durbin breaks an ethics rule - shhhhhhh….don’t worry about it.
#4

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:03 pm, windbag said:

The rules mean everything to the KrazyKosKidz when it involves a uniformed soldier in attendance. They mean nothing when it involves a US Senator sucking up to them. Another case of left-wing hypocrisy.
#5

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:12 pm, swj719AWG said:

*sigh*

Look, Illinois is sorry, ok?

Can’t you just let it go?
#6

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:13 pm, mkanderson said:

Maybe Jon Soltz was too busy policing UCMJ regulations to notice the Senate seal.
#7

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:24 pm, terrig said:

Hmmh, let’s see if Dick did violate the rules, do you think he’ll be investigated? Terri thinks not.
#8

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:33 pm, JConrad999 said:

Lead Story
Did Dick Durbin video to YKos violate Senate ethics rules?

Doesn’t matter. Democrats are exempt from accountablity.
#9

On August 6th, 2007 at 3:57 pm, twoninerkilo said:

Dick Turbin strikes again.
#10

On August 6th, 2007 at 4:32 pm, Thor-Zone said:

They send 30 IRS and FBI agents to Ted Stevens home because someone thought he violated some ethics rule. Dick Durban does it on television and all you hear is the sound of crickets.

This sure is a crazy mixed up world we are living in right no.
#11

On August 6th, 2007 at 4:43 pm, englishqueen01 said:

This sure is a crazy mixed up world we are living in right no[w].

Imagine what it’ll be like from 2008-2012 if a Democrat wins the White House.
#12

On August 6th, 2007 at 4:46 pm, ajmontana said:

englishqueen01, YIKES!!!!
#13

On August 6th, 2007 at 5:13 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

“Imagine what it’ll be like from 2008-2012 if a Democrat wins the White House.”

-Give us your tired, your poor…. and don’t worry, we’ll pay for them!

I heard an interesting point on Rush earlier…. Since 1964, and all the liberal entitlement programs have been introduced…. some 3 TRILLION dollars has gone to things like eliminating poverty, poor health care, etc….

3 Trillion dollars and close to 50 years…and do we still have poverty? Do we still have poor health care? And all the other social ills that our tax dollars were suppose to fix?

Yes - we do …. so which is it?

Did we go about this the wrong way? Or have we not spent enough. Today’s Dems ( and yesterday’s ) will tell you they need MORE money to spend on MORE programs.

Isn’t this the opposite ideology of how they view the Iraq War? Billions of dollars poured into an effort that’s lasted 4 years - and they want out.

But we can constantly build up and add to entitlement programs for the poor, not so poor, even non-citizens for almost 50 years, still have the problems, and there’s no “change of course” dialogue?

Interesting.
#14

On August 6th, 2007 at 5:37 pm, DesertLover said:

Ethics ? … Ethics ? …. Ethics ? … Dick ain’t got no stinkin’ Ethics …
#15

On August 6th, 2007 at 5:41 pm, ajmontana said:

Or Morals, Common Sense…etc. etc. etc….
#16

On August 6th, 2007 at 5:43 pm, ajmontana said:

Hey jrl,
I was in the car catchin a lil Rush, what was up with that Rehab guy was that real or some kind of skit? I missed the end…
#17

On August 6th, 2007 at 6:33 pm, Rusty said:

I don’t know how many readers here have worked or interned on the Hill, but rules violations like this happen all the time. On both sides of the aisle. An intern’s best quality is the ability to copy a Congressman’s signature.

I’m not comfortable with this either, but let’s be honest. There’s really no harm here. If Durbin had a history of doing this or if he continues doing it, then it becomes a problem. It’s a great catch, a great “Gotcha!,” but it is not nearly as bad as the things that Stevens and Jefferson are accused of.
#18

On August 6th, 2007 at 7:05 pm, calamityville said:

Do as I say………
#19

On August 6th, 2007 at 7:21 pm, jimC said:

Rusty,

The problem is that the Dems rode into power on the promise that they would clean up Washington. Since arriving, all they have done is clean out our pocket books and investigate Republicans while turning a blind eye to their own violations. It’s the hypocrisy.

Jim C
#20

On August 6th, 2007 at 7:51 pm, William Teach said:

Darned neocons, trying to swift boat poor Dicky Durbin. For shame

I wonder what the Vegas odds are on Durbin being investigated?
#21

On August 6th, 2007 at 8:52 pm, Dread Pirate Roberts VIII said:

As a Dem, Dick the Weenie is unencumbered by ethical constraint…and a functioning brain.
#22

On August 6th, 2007 at 8:53 pm, deepdiver said:

Dick Durbin - yet another reason to choose one of the other 49 states for residence and vacation!
OR
Dick Durbin - further proof that IL is the most useless of all flyover country.
#23

On August 6th, 2007 at 9:16 pm, swj719AWG said:

On August 6th, 2007 at 8:53 pm, deepdiver said:
Dick Durbin - yet another reason to choose one of the other 49 states for residence and vacation!

And there are already so many…

Dick Durbin - further proof that IL is the most useless of all flyover country.

Ok, that cuts me deep man. Words can hurt, you know…
#24

On August 6th, 2007 at 10:48 pm, rightisright said:

Rules are rules, not having to own up is exactly why America is where we’re at now, here in the states and around the world. It’s bu$$.
#25

On August 7th, 2007 at 12:46 am, Rusty said:

JimC, I know that Dems ran on an anti-corruption platform. But breaking rules does not make one corrupt. Durbin clearly made a stupid mistake, but it won’t harm anyone. If anything, it is only harming him.

Democrats ran against the Cunninghams and Stevenses and Foleys. This mistake does not constitute some kind of broken promise. This sort of thing happens all the time. Congressmen on both sides of the aisle abuse franking privs, signatures, campaign law. It’s an extremely low level of lawlessness tolerated by all.

So, no, this won’t be investigated because no one on the Hill cares. It’s just one of the many aspects of Hill life that I grew to despise.
#26

On August 7th, 2007 at 1:19 pm, Brian72 said:

Rusty is correct about this one. Durbin’s done far, far worse on purpose. Like saying that the U.S. military is running Club Gitmo like the S.S. deathcamps, or Stalin’s gulags, or Pol Pot’s killing fields. That one will stick for a long time as far as I’m concerned. I have a younger cousin who married a nice guy in the Navy. They are currently stationed at Gitmo, and he’s no Himmler by any stretch, so I took that one a little personally.

He’s been a complete tool for the enemy from inside our own Senate. That’s his real offense.