Governmentwide Ethics Act of 1989

Title I: Government Employees - Governmentwide Ethics Act of 1989 - Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to make financial disclosure requirements uniform for the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Government.

Revises the contents for financial disclosure reports to include the actual value of assets and income rather than categories of value.

Limits the Comptroller General's access to publicly available financial disclosure reports to the extent that the President determines that such access is not in the national interest.

Prohibits individuals who are required to file reports from serving on the board of directors of any for-profit commercial enterprise, business, or organization during the period of Federal employment. Allows such individuals to request an exemption from the Office of Government Ethics.

Establishes penalties for violating conflict-of-interest laws.

Revises the prohibition against gifts to superiors to allow voluntary gifts or contributions of nominal value given or received for special occasions.

Prohibits a Federal employee or official from accepting or soliciting anything of value from non-Federal sources seeking action from, doing business with, or conducting activities regulated by the individual's employing agency, or whose interests may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee.

Authorizes an employing agency to accept payment and reimbursement from non-Federal entities for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by its employees in traveling to attend functions concerning or related to the functions or activities of the agency or entity.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth provisions for the sale of property to comply with conflict-of-interest requirements.

Establishes the President's Commission on the Federal Appointment Process to study the best means of simplifying the presidential appointment process by reducing the number and complexity of forms to be completed by nominees.

Increases the penalties for a Member of Congress who practices in the United States Claims Court or the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Increases the penalties for Members of Congress and other Federal officials and employees who violate conflict-of-interest laws.

Title II: Post-Employment Restrictions - Increases the penalties imposed upon former Members of Congress and other former Federal officials and employees who violate certain post-employment restrictions. Removes partners of current Federal officials and employees from such restrictions.

Increases the amount of liquidated damages payable to the United States by defense contractors who violate laws regulating the conduct of former Defense Department officials and employees.

Title III: Remedies and Enforcement - Increases the penalties for violation of provisions prohibiting compensation to Members of Congress and other Federal officials and employees in matters affecting the Government. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action against any person who engages in such violation.

Authorizes the Attorney General to initiate proceedings in U.S. District Courts to enjoin criminal violations of conflict-of-interest laws and post-employment restrictions.

Establishes a Congressional Ethics Office within the legislative branch to: (1) administer the financial disclosure system under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978; (2) investigate allegations of congressional misconduct and report its findings to appropriate House and Senate Committees; and (3) recommend appropriate sanctions.

Title IV: Independent Counsel - Independent Counsel Act of 1989 - Includes Members of Congress, Delegates to Congress, or Resident Commissioners to Congress among the persons subject to preliminary investigations. Increases from 15 to 30 days the time period within which the Attorney General is required to determine whether to investigate certain information.

Increases from 90 to 180 days the time period within which the Attorney General is required to determine whether further investigation is warranted with respect to criminal law violations. Revises provisions relating to the Attorney General's limited authority to eliminate guidelines for basing certain determinations on such person's state of mind. Allows the Attorney General to extend the time period for such investigations without applying to the division of the court for such extension.

Increases from 90 to 180 days the time period within which the Attorney General is required to investigate additional information after notifying the division that further investigation is not warranted. Requires an independent counsel's appointment application to define that independent counsel's prosecutorial jurisdiction. Grants the Attorney General authority in conducting such investigations to: (1) convene grand juries; (2) grant immunity; (3) issue subpoenas; or (4) use any other lawful investigative technique.

Revises provisions relating to such independent counsel's appointment and jurisdiction to require such appointment from a list of 15 past and present U.S. Attorneys and career prosecutors submitted by the Attorney General. Allows such appointment of any person who holds an office of profit or trust. Requires the division, upon the request of the Attorney General, to expand an independent counsel's prosecutorial jurisdiction. Declares that such expansion shall be in lieu of another independent counsel's appointment. Increases from 30 to 90 days the time period within which the Attorney General is required to investigate criminal law violations outside of such jurisdiction. Provides that the Attorney General shall notify the division that he shall not expand such jurisdiction if further investigation of such violations is not warranted.

Grants the independent counsel authority to request assignment of Justice Department employees for assistance and directs such independent counsel to assign such employee's duties while assigned to the independent counsel. Authorizes the independent counsel to request that the Attorney General hire additional personnel from outside the Justice Department. Revises provisions concerning the referral of other matters to an independent counsel to provide: (1) that such matters be referred only by the Attorney General upon notification to the division; and (2) for acceptance by the independent counsel of such referrals regardless of how they relate to such jurisdiction. Revises provisions relating to an independent counsel's reports to require that a statement indicating the cases brought and their disposition be filed with the division's final report. Eliminates specifications that such report contain a description of the independent counsel's work and the reasons for not prosecuting matters within such jurisdiction. Provides that independent counsels shall be considered part of the Justice Department for purposes of certain criminal code provisions. Eliminates provisions concerning conduct standards applicable to the independent counsel, persons serving in that office, and their law firms.

Revises provisions relating to an independent counsel's office termination by the division to require such termination upon the request of the Attorney General on certain grounds. Directs the Inspector General of the Justice Department to audit such office's expenditures.

Revises provisions permitting an amicus curiae presentation to instead permit an intervention as a matter of right in any court as to certain legal issues.

Title V: Campaign Funds - Revises provisions concerning the use of campaign contributions for certain purposes to prohibit the personal use of excess campaign contributions or the use of such contributions to defray official expenses. Provides that such excess amounts may be contributed to certain organizations or political parties.

Title VI: Miscellaneous - Amends the Federal Advisory Committee Act to exempt the White House Ethics Council from the provisions of this Act.

Makes conforming amendments. Revises provisions relating to retired military officer payment restrictions to decrease the period during which payment may not be made from appropriations from three to two years.