Walsh on List of Most Corrupt Congressional Members

By Chuck Sudo in News on Sep 20, 2011 6:40PM

8th Congressional District Rep. Joe Walsh's financial obligations and his alleged shirking of them have landed him on a list of the most corrupt members of Congress by the Citizens For Responsibility And Ethics In Washington (CREW).

CREW said Walsh's inclusion "stem(s) from his failure to pay child support and accurately disclose income and liabilities on his personal financial disclosure forms, and his campaign committee's inaccurate reporting of interest payment on his loans to his campaigns."

Walsh's ongoing battle with ex-wife Laura over back child support have been well-chronicled. But it isn't the only financial sticking point in which Walsh has found himself.

Walsh also was accused last year of shorting his former campaign field director Richard Cape $20,000 in pay. Two other staffers allegedly quit after they accused him of not properly disclosing a 2008 home disclosure and traffic citations to the public. Walsh has also reportedly bounced checks.

Remind us not to loan Walsh money for cab fare.

Walsh's spokesman Justin Roth dismissed the inclusion.

"CREW has a history of being a very left partisan group that tends to trash conservative leaders in Washington. Joe Walsh has not done a single thing that's corrupt and will continue to be a strong voice on conservative issues."

NBC Chicago notes that Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and former Sen. Roland Burris have previously made CREW's list, which also includes long-time Democratic congressmen as California's Maxine Waters, Gregory Meeks, Nick Rahall and Sanford Bishop.