National Legal and Policy Center

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The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit group that monitors and reports on the ethics of elected Democratic officials, supporters of liberal causes, and labor unions in the United States. Among the NLPC's more high-profile targets have been hip hop mogul Sean Combs,[1] Reverend Jesse Jackson, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (while she was first lady). The Center files complaints with government agencies, legally challenges what they view as abuse and corruption, and publishes reports. For its efforts, the NPLC has been praised by such media personalities as Rush Limbaugh.[2] The current president is Peter Flaherty.

According to the Center's mission statement, it

"promotes a single standard of ethics in public life through research, education and legal action. We do not believe that ethics are advanced through more laws or "better guidelines," even as existing ones are ignored. We don't believe the problem is with too few laws, or with too much freedom, but with men and women. We believe the missing ingredients are character, morality and common sense. We recognize that the bigger the government, the more opportunities for corruption; and the more intervention in the economy, the more reason for special interests to seek influence. We believe that the best way to promote ethics is to reduce the size of government."[3]

The NLPC was founded in 1991 "to promote ethics, and to give the Code [of Ethics for Government] the visibility it deserves." It currently operates four projects: the Government Integrity Project, the Legal Services Accountability Project, the Organized Labor Accountability Project, and the Corporate Integrity Project.

Its targets have been almost without exception Democrats and other left-leaning individuals and entities. NLPC has criticized Wal-Mart for its environmental initiatives.[1]

[edit] Government Integrity Project

The Government Integrity Project exists to "'blow the whistle' on government officials and interest groups engaged in questionable activities". The project has targeted many individuals and organizations and accused them of corruption, often filing complaints against them.

It is highly critical of billionaire George Soros, and has criticized his donating money to the Lynne Stewart Legal Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union, and "groups that promote illegal immigration".[4] In 2004, the NLPC filed a complaint against Soros with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging "extensive apparent violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act".[5]

The Project filed similar complaints against Nancy Pelosi, Maria Cantwell, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Jim Moran.

In 1998, the NPLC asked the House Ethics committee to investigate Representative Jon Fox for "the appearance of impropriety in the granting of legislative favors in connection with an illegal loan".[6]

The NPLC alleged, based on documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, that former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner David Aaron Kessler "routinely ... overcharged the taxpayer" for taxi rides. The NPLC further alleged "that the expense reimbursements are symptomatic of a larger pattern of FDA corruption under Kessler."[7]

The charges against Sean "Puffy" Combs stem from his youth voter education and mobilization project Citizen Change, whose slogan, "Vote or die" is alleged to be a "veiled marketing effort for his clothing brand". The NLPC further alleges that Citizen Change "may also have violated rules of nonpartisanship."[8]

NLPC criticism of Representative Alan Mollohan focuses on "250 misrepresentations and omissions" in his 2000 financial disclosure reports.[9]

[edit] Legal Services Accountability Project

The purpose of the Legal Services Accountability Project is to "end to taxpayer funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC)."[10]

The NLPC accused the New York Legal Aid Society of using a $171,000 grant from the September 11th Fund to represent persons in detention accused of terrorism, a claim disputed by the Legal Aid Society.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Strong, Nolan. "National Legal & Policy Center Calls For Investigation Of Sean 'Diddy' Combs". AllHipHop.com, November 3, 2005. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  2. ^ NLPC. "NLPC History". accessed June 14, 2006.
  3. ^ NPLC. "Our Mission". accessed June 14, 2006.
  4. ^ Peter Flaherty, speaking on The O'Reilly Factor. "Broadcast Transcript -The O'Reilly Factor", May 20, 2005. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  5. ^ NPLC Press Release. "NLPC Notified That Federal Election Commission Will Take Up Complaint Against George Soros", January 31, 2005. Accessed June 14, 2006
  6. ^ NPLC letter to Rep. James V. Hansen, Chairman of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. "Re: Complaint Regarding the Filing of False Financial Disclosure Statements with the House of Representatives", May 12, 1998. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  7. ^ Ethics Watch. "Kessler Announces Resignation NLPC Exposes Reimbursement Overcharges", Winter 1997. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  8. ^ Wilson, Eric. "Tracking the Scent of Self-Promotion", New York Times, November 24, 2005. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  9. ^ Messina, Lawrence. "Congressman Offers Papers to Rebut Claims". Forbes, June 13, 2006. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  10. ^ NLPC. "Legal Services Accountability Project". Accessed June 14, 2006.
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