June 18, 2011 04:19 PM UTC

Unethical But Not Illegal

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• by: Independent Voice

Friday’s Denver Post reported that a congressional watchdog organization has found Scott Tipton’s investment ties to create a situation that is “unethical but not illegal” regarding his committee appointment.

The Post reports:

“Tipton, R-Cortez, and his immediate family have a portfolio of oil and natural-gas stocks and assets worth between $267,014 and $755,055 – including between $52,000 and $130,000 in Exxon Mobil – according to Congress members’ personal financial disclosures for 2010 released this week.

Watchdog groups say that kind of personal investment in the energy industry could spark conflicts of interest for Tipton, who serves on the House Natural Resources Committee.

Resources committee members have taken up issues that include drilling for oil in Alaska, advancing offshore oil leases, exploring geothermal energy on federal lands and advancing wind production…

Craig Holman, government-affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen, called owning stock and voting on issues that can personally benefit that stock value “unethical but not illegal.”