Watergate Reorganization and Reform Act

Watergate Reorganization and Reform Act - Title I: Establishment of Government Offices - Establishes, as an independent establishment of the Government, the Office of the Public Attorney, under the direction of the Public Attorney, appointed by three retired courts of appeals judges designated by the Chief Justice of the United States. States that no individual may serve as Public Attorney unless agreeing not to occupy any popularly elected office under the United States or to accept any other employment in the Government for five years aftter termination of services as the Public Attorney. Directs the Public Attorney to investigate and prosecute: (1) allegations of corruption in the administration of the laws by the executive branch of the Government; (2) cases referred by the Attorney General because of actual or potential conflicts of interest; (3) criminal cases referred to him by the Federal Election Commission; and (4) allegations of violations of Federal laws relating to campaigns and elections for elective office. Requires the Public Attorney to notify the Attorney General of the initiation of an investigation or proceeding with respect to such matters. Limits the Attorney General's activities in any such matters without prior written approval and requires him to inform the Public Attorney of any investigation which falls udner the Public Attorney's jurisdiction. Enumerates the powers of the Public Attorney, including: (1) to issue appropriate instructions to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other domestic investigative agencies of the United States; (2) to receive appropriate national security clearances; and (3) to exercise all other powers as to the conduct of criminal investigations, prosecutions (including prosecutions for perjury committed in the course of any investigation or judicial or legislative hearing with respect to any matter within his jurisdiction), civil proceedings, and appeals within his jurisdiction that would otherwise be vested exclusively in the Attorney General and the United States attorney. Details the administrative powers of the Public Attorney. Makes unlawful the disclosure of specifiec confidential information to persons who are likely to or have become the subject of an investigation by the Public Attorney, with enumerated limitations, and imposes criminal penalties for so doing. Establishes within the Congress a Congressional Legal Service, under the direction of the Congressional Legal Counsel appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate. Enumerates the duties of the Congressional Legal Counsel, including: to render, upon request of either House of Congress, a joint committee of Congress, any committee of either House of Congress, at least three Senators, or twelve Members of the House of Representatives, legal opinions upon questions arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States. Authorizes to be appointed such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions relating to the Office of the Congressional Legal Counsel and such sums as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the Congressional Legal Counsel under this title. Title II: Government Personnel - Requires an individual who holds the Office of President or Vice President at any time during the year to file a report with the Comptroller General, not later than May of the following year, containing a full and complete statement of: (1) the amount of each tax paid; (2) the amount and source of each item of income; (3) the identity of each asset held by him; (4) any transaction in securities of any business; (5) all transactions in commodities by him; (6) any purchase or sale, other than the purchase or sale of his personal residence, of real property; and (7) any expenditure made by another individual for the personal benefit of him or his spouse. Provides that all such reports filed shall be maintained by the Comptroller General as public records. Prohibits campaign solicitations by appointees confirmed by the Senate and executive office personnel. Provides that any individual employed by any agency of the Executive Office of the President, who is compensated from appropriated funds, shall not engage in any investigative or intelligence gathering activity concerning national or domestic security unless specifically authorized to do so by statute. Increases the penalties for interference with elections by Government employees. Requires an annual disclosure of requests from an officer, including the President, or employee of the Executive Office for information or an investigation on the tax liability of any taxpayer. Requires that all such requests from the Executive Office of the President be in writing. Title III: Congressional Activities - Provides that the District Court for the District of Columbia shall have original jurisdiction, without regard to the sum or value of the matter in controversy, over any civil action brought by either House of Congress, any committee or joint committee, to enforce or secure a declaration concerning the validity of any subpena or order issued by such House or committee, or by any subcommittee of such committee, to any officer, including the President and Vice President, or any employee of the executive branch of the United States Government to secure the production of information, documents, or other materials. Makes provisions governing perjury before Congressional committees and testimony before Senate committees. Title IV: Federal Election Campaign Activities, Contributions, and Criminal Sanctions - Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code relating to the deduction for contributions to candidates for public office. Provides that whoever embezzles, steals, or by fraud or deception obtains from any individual who has publicly declared his intent to seek nomination for election, or election, to any Federal office, any campaign materials, documents, or papers which are not available for public dissemination and which belong to any such person shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Imposes criminal penalties for: (1) the use of funds to finance violation of provisions of Federal election laws; (2) contributions by specified recipients of Federal funds; (3) the fraudulent infiltration of Federal election campaigns for espionage and sabotage purposes; (4) misrepresentations of a canditate for elective office; and (5) crimes affecting elections. Provides that whoever intentionally obstructs, impairs, or perverts the Government of the United States, or any department or agency thereof, in any manner, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on December 11, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

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