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Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)CREW Files Ethics Complaints against C Street House Residents

filed complaints with the Senate Ethics Committee and the House Office of Congressional Ethics against members of Congress who reside or have resided at the C Street House, alleging they paid below market rent in violation of congressional gift rules.

CREW’s complaints name Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jim DeMint (R-SC), and John Ensign (R-NV), as well as Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA), Heath Shuler (D-NC), Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Zach Wamp (R-TN) as members of Congress who received improper gifts from C Street Center, Inc., the entity that runs the house and is affiliated with the Fellowship, a shadowy religious organization.

Recent press accounts indicate that members of Congress who live in the house pay $950 per month in return for lodging and housekeeping services. Meals may also be available at an unknown extra cost.

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Ohio Pastors File IRS Complaints Over C Street House

A group of Ohio pastors has filed two complaints with the Internal Revenue Service against the C Street Center, a Washington, DC boarding house for Christian lawmakers.

The 13 pastors, who say they are concerned about the separation of church and state as set forth by the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, allege that the center is improperly using its tax status to offer below-market rents to members of Congress. One complaint argued that C Street has improperly declared itself a "church" for taxation purposes on February 23. Their second complaint, filed this week, alleges that C Street's rent is much lower than market price. The problem, according to the complaint, is that the members are either not paying taxes on that extra income, or that they're receiving unreported gifts.

Lawmakers who live in the house reportedly pay $950 a month in rent for a furnished room and housekeeping services.

The IRS did not respond to a request for comment.

The deed to the C Street house, known to have ties to the Fellowship, a secretive Christian group also known as the Family, was signed by the Family's secretary, and the Family described the house as an affiliated organization on recent tax forms.

At the heart of their complaints, the pastors say, is the concern that the separation of church and state has been breached, with the Fellowship using below-market rents to buy the influence of the lawmakers.

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