Group files ethics complaint over Senator Santorum's house loan

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Progressive ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee alleging that Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) violated the Senate Gift Rule by accepting a mortgage from The Philadelphia Trust Company, a bank that serves affluent clients, RAW STORY has learned.

The filing comes in response to an article in the American Prospect by Philadephia Daily News reporter Will Bunch.
The following is a release from CREW, who filed the complaint. Such a complaint is not a formal complaint, as only senators or congressmembers can file ethics complaints against other members.

Democrats have not filed an ethics complaint despite clamoring over a "culture of corruption" for their 2006 campaigns and myriad reports of unethical practices by Republican members of Congress. A handful of Democrats have also taken fire for ethics scandals. Republicans have threatened to file complaints on Democratic members of Congress if Democrats file complaints against them, including against House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
As such, ethics inquiries in both chambers remain at a standstill.

CREW based its complaint on a story by Will Bunch that first appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News on February 21, 2006. According to the article, in 2002, Sen. Santorum and his wife received a $500,000 five-year mortgage for their Leesburg, VA home from Philadelphia Trust. The bank’s web site states that “banking services are available only to investment advisory clients whose portfolios we manage, oversee or administer.” The Daily News reporter called the bank, which confirmed that it offers mortgages only to investors and not to the general public.
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Group_files_ethics_complaint_with_Senate_0222.html

CREW FILES ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST SEN. SANTORUM
Breaks Senate Gift Ban Rule by Accepting Improper Bank Loan
www.citizensforethics.org

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1. About CREW

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington targets government officials who sacrifice the common good to special interests. We will help Americans use litigation to shine a light on those who betray the public trust:

If a public official misuses his position to demand campaign contributions, CREW will find creative ways to seek civil remedies.

If a witness is threatened or punished because she reported official misconduct, CREW will fight back on behalf of the witness — including representing that individual in court if necessary.

If a government agency withholds information to which the public is entitled, CREW will go to court to enforce legal rules regarding disclosure.

If a group libels an honest public servant, CREW will help the victim defend his reputation.

CREW will seize opportunities like these, bringing high-impact legal actions. The majority of our cases will focus on real people and their stories about the lack of government integrity. Not only do these people need and deserve our support, their stories can serve as powerful tools to seize public attention and move public opinion. CREW will work with the press, government investigators, and other public interest groups to make sure that these peoples' stories are heard. In the process, CREW will build a non-partisan investigative alliance that transcends specific issues. Our aim is to encourage officials to be open about their values and to act based upon their honest and best assessment of the public interest.

As we do this, over time CREW will develop a network of public interest groups, sympathetic government investigators and media contacts — a broader, more mainstream version of the conservative coalition that was so effective in the 90's. We will work with that network to focus public attention on government integrity and to educate the public about dishonest or disingenuous government officials. If the past decade is any indication, this network can have a substantial impact on public opinion.