Bennie Thompson target of congressional ethics investigation

WLBT - Bennie Thompson target of congressional ethics investigation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WLBT) - The office of congressional ethics has launched an investigation into Congressman Bennie Thompson's 2008 trip to the Caribbean.

Mississippi's veteran lawmaker along with Rep. Charlie Rangel, (D - New York) and others attended privately sponsored trips in 2008 and 2007.

The watchdog committee will look into whether corporations paid for the trip which would violate house ethics rules.

Congressman Thompson has said the ethics committee approved the trip before he left.

Wednesday his chief of staff said Thompson followed the letter and spirit of the law which requires members to ask for permission to go on the trip.

New house rules bar lawmakers from accepting travel lasting more than 2 days if corporations that "employ or retain a registered lobbyist" are underwriting or organizing any part of the trip.

The trip was sponsored by the Carib News Foundation, a New York based newspaper.