COAST attorney presents on Toothless U.S. House Ethics process; Chris Finney presents case study on the handling of Jean Schmidt case before House Ethics Committee

It is impermissible for a member of Congress to accept a gift in excess of $335.  Further, a member of Congress must annually report all gifts, even if they exceed the permissible amount.    

Yet, Second District Congressman Jean Schmidt has accepted nearly $1/2 million in the payment of her legal fees from the Turkish Coalition of America in her various legal fights with David Krikorian.  She also failed to disclose this on her financial disclosure forms filed with the House Clerk.

The House Ethics Committee investigated the matter, and concluded that Schmidt in fact had accepted an illegal gift, and failed to disclose it, but decided not to discipline her.

Attorney Chris Finney, who represents both COAST and Krikorian, will present a series of seminars on the breach of Congressional ethics and federal law by Congressman Schmidt, and the failure of the House Ethics Committee to enforce its own rules.

These speeches presently are scheduled as follows:

1)  Anderson Tea Party, Wednesday, January 25 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, Anderson High School.

2) Sharonville Tea Party, Monday, January 30 from 7 - 8:45 PM, at Sharonville Library, 10980 Thornview Dr., Sharonville, Ohio 45241.

3)  Clermont Tea Party, Tuesday, February 7 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, Eastgate Holiday Inn. 

4)  Cincinnati East Tea Party, Wednesday, February 15 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, Oakley Community Center (behind Biggs in Hyde Park Shopping Center).  

Please come and hear the unfortunate facts of this case, and worse, how the citizenry cannot trust the House Ethics Committee to police even the most obvious misdeeds of its members.