GOP Charges Grayson Broke Ethics Rules With Poster
Republicans are charging that Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) violated ethics rules when he took to the House floor Wednesday afternoon to promote a new Web site that includes a link to a page that accepts donations to his re-election campaign.
But whether Republicans will take the next step and file an actual ethics complaint against Grayson is another matter. Members of Congress generally operate under an agreement not to file complaints against one another.
On Wednesday afternoon, Grayson brought a poster board to the House floor that touted the new Web site, www.namesofthedead.com, which he created with his own money. Grayson explains on the site that he wanted to use the Web page as a way to honor the more than 44,000 Americans who die each year “simply because they have no health insurance.—
The site has a link to the Congressman’s campaign site where supporters can donate. House ethics rules prevent Members from mixing official business with campaign business and from campaigning or fundraising in the Capitol.
“We do believe he violated House ethics rules and we believe that if a complaint were to be filed we think there’d be substantial grounds for doing so,— National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Andy Seré said.
Grayson told the Orlando Sentinel the Republican charges were a “stretch.—
“Let them file a complaint. I’m sure I’ll be vindicated,— Grayson said, according to the Florida newspaper.