A couple days ago I read the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) had named both Rep.Charlie Bass(R) and Rep. Frank Guinta (R) of New Hampshire to their “Most corrupt members of Congress” list (ten Republicans, four Democrats). At the time I paid more attention to “local” seven-term Congressman Bass’ ethical problems from financial involvement with an energy pellet manufacturing company and legislation that he sponsored that may have benefited the firm.

But up and coming freshman Rep.Frank Guinta is the one I should have looked at, as he has a Vermont connection. Guinta not only made  CREW’s list of fourteen most corrupt congressmen but he will be special guest at the Vermont Republican Party at their Harvest Dinner fundraiser. According to VtBuzz the Vermont Democratic Party is understandably calling attention to this event and suggesting that the Vermont Republicans repudiate Rep.Guinta’s questionable ethics rather than honoring him at their Harvest fundraiser.  

Guinta is said to have fudged the facts around some campaign finance money by making a series of loans to himself. He loaned his campaign $355,000, yet his financial disclosure forms revealed that he didn’t have sufficient assets to cover this generous amount. Later he amended the disclosures to include his formerly unidentified ‘mystery’ bank account containing a balance of a quarter-million to a half-million dollars. He claimed his failure to disclose the account was “an inadvertent oversight.”

Commenting on the issue, Vermont Republican Party Chair Pat MacDonald noted that

“there has been no action taken.”

[against Guinta] and after mentioning an award Gunita won and some of his committee assignments, she adds

“We are just very excited to have him.”

He is no Reince Priebus but no doubt Guinta could offer some helpful firsthand do’s and don’ts on handling campaign funds. So who would be the watchdog that barks first, Jim Condos or Tom Salmon, hmmm?