Ricketts calls on Nelson to release Senate Ethics Correspondence

Ricketts calls on Nelson to release Senate Ethics Correspondence

Omaha, Neb.- Republican Nominee for Senate Pete Ricketts is taking incumbent Democrat Senator Ben Nelson to task on possible Senate Ethics violations, including $59,460 from Behlen Manufacturing to Nelson in 2001.

Ricketts called on Nelson to release his Senate Ethics correspondence, see attached letter to Nelson from Ricketts.

"Senate rules prohibit outside income to members and Nelson's reports show he received $59,460 in compensation while he was in office," said Ricketts. "His reports also show trips all over the country and his own press releases identify him as a member of the Board of Directors. In the wake of many abuses of power by Washington politicians recently, Ben Nelson needs to come clean with the voters."

Ben Nelson has served on the Board of Directors or Advisors of Behlen Manufacturing since 1999, has received compensation for his service on the Board, and is part-owner of Behlen Manufacturing in the amount of $250,000-$500,000. Since the revelation of Nelson's ethically suspect relationship to Behlen Manufacturing, the Nelson campaign has attempted to discredit the relationship, trips and compensation by claiming:

Nelson says he was on the board of "advisors" of Behlen Manufacturing. • In 2003, Nelson's office issued a release listing Nelson as a member of Behlen Manufacturing's Board of Directors. His office detailed an official Congressional trip to China where Nelson visited a ribbon cutting for Behlen, where he has $250,000-$500,000 in ownership.

Nelson says the $59,460 he accepted from Behlen while in the Senate was "earned" in 2000 • Nelson's 2001 personal financial disclosure reports income for 2000, Nelson received Director's fees from Behlen from 2000 in the amount of $26,876. The 2002 disclosure form reports income for 2001 and Nelson reported Director's fees from Behlen from 2001 in the amount of $59,460. Nelson even amended his 2001 report regarding assets and income, and did not change the amount he received from Behlen. In addition, this compensation was reported by USA Today in June of 2002 - and still no amendment filed to reflect the changes.

Nelson says he "conferred" with Senate Ethics on trips to vacation spots at Behlen's expense • This should be easy to prove with letters from Senate Ethics if Senator Nelson would open his Senate Ethics correspondence to the public.

"As an attorney and former governor who proudly claims to be ‘fastidious, tight as three coats of paint,' I have every confidence that Senator Nelson was aware that he received $59,460 from Behlen as a Senator, and that he was reducing his property taxes 96 percent on his Sarpy County land with his Greenbelt status," said Ricketts. "Nebraskans deserve to know the truth regarding their elected officials - that is why Ben Nelson must open his Senate Ethics correspondence file to the public."

http://www.petericketts.com/full_press.asp?press_id=91