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Robertson/Reed Update

Update On Martha Robertson’s Allegations About Reed
February 25, 2014

CORNING, NY – Although the House Ethics Committee is not confirming or denying this accusation from the Robertson camp against Congressman Tom Reed (R, Corning), Martha Robertson (D, Tompkins County) is now alleging that Reed is the subject of an ongoing Congressional Ethics Committee inquiry. Robertson is Reed’s opponent in the race for the new 23rd congressional district seat. On Monday, Robertson began making accusations that Reed is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee in Washington. As soon as Robertson made this allegation, WLEA News contacted the House Ethics Committee, and received the standard “no comment” answer, though WLEA was able to find out that there was/is of this writing, no mention of any ongoing ethics inquiry, or a statement about Reed, was/is on the House Ethics Committee’s website.

“Congressman Reed even said he didn’t change the law firm’s name because ‘there was no name to change it to,’ said Martha Robertson. “He could have called it anything – say, the Corning Community Lawyers, ABC Legal Services, or anything. This doesn’t make sense.” Robertson also says that Reed’s law office has been converted into a similar business. “Congressman Reed’s family now operates Resource Recovery Inc., which was housed in the Thomas W. Reed II law firm, and continues to collect medical debt from local residents. Will Tom Reed release how much he and his family profited while his old firm improperly used his name to collect debt?”

According to Reed, his only reason for talking with the Ethics Committee at all is because he was trying to ensure that there were no mistakes made during the transition period of the closing his law firm. “As stated before, we contacted the Committee on Ethics when I was first elected to Congress in an effort to ensure that we are in compliance with the Ethics Rules and to make every effort to preserve the jobs of the twenty-four employees whose jobs were at stake. Now that we are in discussions with the OCE, we need to respect this process by not making any additional public statements at this time so that the OCE can review this matter in an orderly and efficient manner,” said Reed.

“It’s distressing that Martha Robertson would rather launch personal attacks on Tom’s family than answer questions on the real issues that matter to the voters,” said Katherine Pudwill, Reed campaign spokeswoman

Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker is also weighing in. “I was disturbed to see that Martha Robertson is misleading the public in an attempt to attack Tom Reed,” said Baker. “As the senior attorney with the firm from the time Tom took office until its closure, I can personally attest to the high ethical standards of conduct during the final year of the firms operation. I can also attest to the fact that at no time following his election to Congress, was Tom involved in any of the firms operations as all responsibilities were specifically assigned to others, before he took office. Mrs. Robertson obviously doesn’t spend much time outside of Ithaca, but if she did she would know there are far more important issues facing all of us here in the Southern Tier.”


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