Friday, October 10, 2008

Watchdog group seeks ethics investigation of McCain

(CNN) Ethics watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, commonly referred to as “CREW,” has requested that the Senate Ethics Committee investigate whether Sen. John McCain failed to disclose gambling earnings as required by federal law and the Senate’s own rules.

Click here to read CREW's request

Citing recent press reports, CREW alleges that McCain failed to disclose income earned from gambling on the personal financial disclosure forms he’s required to file as a senator. “Given Sen. McCain’s history of gambling on a regular basis over the years, it is nearly impossible to imagine that he never won over $200, the amount that triggers the reporting requirement,” CREW’s request says.

In the event the Senate Ethics Committee finds that McCain failed to disclose any gambling earnings, the watchdog group asks that the matter be turned over to the Department of Justice for a criminal investigation into whether McCain knowingly and willfully failed to disclose any winnings.

The McCain campaign has not responded yet to CNN’s request for comment about CREW’s request for an investigation.

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