Nevada GOP files complaint with Office of Congressional Ethics against Berkley

Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011 | 10:47 p.m.

This was inevitable. The state Republican Party today filed a complaint against Rep. Shelley Berkley with the Office of Congressional Ethics, alleging she abused her position by advocating on behalf of interests that benefited her family. The complaint stems from a New York Times story that raised questions about Berkley's advocacy on behalf of, among other things, the University Medical Center transplant program -- her husband, Dr. Larry Lehrner, has a contract to oversee the program.

From the complaint, signed by GOP Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian:

"Congresswoman Berkley’s personal intervention, advocacy, and efforts on behalf of the UMC kidney transplant program resulted in direct financial benefit to herself. Congresswoman Berkley’s long history of advocating, intervening, and sponsoring legislation for federal funding and support that benefits her husband, while her husband funnels her campaign contributions, also has resulted in direct pecuniary benefits to herself (indeed, a double-whammy).

"Her actions discredit Congress. They violate clear House rules and standards of conduct. Congresswoman Berkley has now herself admitted to, at a minimum, creating an appearance of impropriety. The Office of Congressional Ethics must immediately open an investigation into her actions and forward this matter to the House Ethics Committee, and help restore the damage Representative Berkley has done to Congress in the eyes of the American people."

The complaint is at right.