Sutton/Brodkorb Go After Ellision Ethics Scandal

MC was pleased to see RPM leadership ask Congress for an ethics investigation of Congressman Ellison for the reasons set out below in their press release. Click on the image above to see the disclosure made as to who was funding his trips to Saudi Arabia.

In The News

07.22.2009

Republican Party of Minnesota Calls for Ethics Investigation of Keith Ellison; Also Calls on Ellison to Reimburse State & Apologize For Actions

by Press Release

In a letter to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Tony Sutton and Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb today called for an Ethics investigation of Rep. Keith Ellison regarding travel Ellison undertook at the expense of a local non-profit. Chair Sutton and Deputy Chair Brodkorb also called on Ellison to reimburse the state for the travel expenses that were incurred and to publicly apologize for his actions.

"Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune raises deeply troubling questions about Rep. Ellison's ethical conduct in office. According to the newspaper, Rep. Ellison accepted a paid trip from a local nonprofit that "typically would be reported as a gift to a public official,'" Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Tony Sutton and Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb wrote in a letter to Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

"Rep. Ellison's actions and stonewalling are clearly wrong and he should apologize to the people of Minnesota. Taxpayer money intended for students must never be used for a politician's personal travel. To avoid the appearance of inappropriate use of taxpayer money, he should return the funds immediately," Brodkorb emphasized.

Sutton and Brodkorb called on the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to investigate the matter. "The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is the appropriate body to investigate these matters. Therefore, we respectfully request that the Committee commence an ethics investigation into Rep. Ellison's travels and his disturbing lack of transparency," Sutton and Brodkorb concluded.

A copy of the letter is attached below:

July 22, 2009

Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
HT-2, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515


Dear Chair Lofgren,

We are writing to you regarding Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota.

Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune raises deeply troubling questions about Rep. Ellison's ethical conduct in office. According to the newspaper, Rep. Ellison accepted a paid trip from a local nonprofit that "typically would be reported as a gift to a public official."

In spite of congressional gift rules and IRS regulations, Rep. Ellison has stubbornly refused to disclose the cost of the trip. "Such trips generally must be reported under congressional gift rules that call for full financial disclosure. IRS rules, moreover, bar nonprofit religious groups from furthering individuals' ‘private interests," the Star Tribune reported.

Moreover, there are questions whether the organization that funded Rep. Ellison's trip used taxpayer money to do so. "Tax records show the group that paid Ellison's expenses, the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, received nearly $900,000 in taxpayer money in 2006 and 2007 from a rental arrangement for Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TiZA), an Inver Grove Heights charter school. ... The school received state funding to pay rent to the Muslim American Society Property Holding Corp., a nonprofit spinoff of the Muslim American Society that owned the building. The corporation then turned over $879,000 to the Muslim society as a grant," the Star Tribune noted.

Rep. Ellison's actions and stonewalling are clearly wrong and he should apologize to the people of Minnesota. Taxpayer money intended for students must never be used for a politician's personal travel. To avoid the appearance of inappropriate use of taxpayer funds, we also believe he should reimburse the state for any and all expenses incurred during this travel immediately.

The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is the appropriate body to investigate these matters. Therefore, we respectfully request that the Committee commence an ethics investigation into Rep. Ellison's travels.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,


Tony Sutton, Republican Party of Minnesota Chair
Michael Brodkorb, Republican Party of Minnesota Deputy Chair

Cc: Rep. Keith Ellison