Ethics Document Accidentally Released
A document from the US House Ethics Committee that details ongoing ethics investigations currently in play was inadvertently released reports The Washington Post.
The 22-page “Committee on Standards Weekly Summary Report” gives brief summaries of ethics panel investigations of the conduct of 19 lawmakers and a few staff members. It also outlines the work of the new Office of Congressional Ethics, a quasi-independent body that initiates investigations and provides recommendations to the ethics committee. The document indicated that the office was reviewing the activities of 14 other lawmakers. Some were under review by both ethics bodies.
But the thing to remember about ethics investigations is that there is a presumption of innocence, however, when the usual suspects are named over and over again, throughout the years, one has to stop and wonder.
Ethics committee investigations are not uncommon. Most result in private letters that either exonerate or reprimand a member. In some rare instances, the censure is more severe.
Many of the broad outlines of the cases cited in the July document are known . . .
Comment by Dave M. on 30 October 2009 at 4:35 pm:
Names?
Comment by nemski on 30 October 2009 at 4:37 pm:
Rangel and Murtha are the two biggest names, but its the same stuff as before.
Comment by lizard on 30 October 2009 at 4:39 pm:
same old dem corruption. Pelosi will use the threat of an investigation to keep them inline, voting as instructed.
Comment by cassandra_m on 30 October 2009 at 4:43 pm:
There isn’t all that much new in this, right? Murtha and his PMA crew; Waters and her multiple ethics challenges: Mollohan and the real estate. What this does show (which also isn’t new) is that these guys and gals don’t police themselves all that well. I do understand stepping back from an investigation if the Feds have some interest, but there is always a real sloppiness in this committee which always looks like watching out for their own. And this is not unique to either Ds or Rs. It is a protection of the club rules more than anything which is why I really think that it is well past time to have an independent ethics commission of people outside of Congress. Maybe a panel of retired judges or something.
Comment by Von Cracker on 30 October 2009 at 5:08 pm:
If I were king, public financing for all elections (free public airwave tv time too), 2 terms for POTUS and Senate, 4 for House. Same for states and locals.
Our elected officials need to spend their time learning about the issues and deliberating, not having to go on constant campaigning mode in order compete monetarily.
Get em in and get em out.
Comment by Delaware Dem on 30 October 2009 at 5:47 pm:
I am opposed to term limits on Congress. The people are the term limits. I would do things, however, that make lengthy service in Congress unattractive. Doing away with seniority, rotating committee chairmanships twice every session, with the previous chairman precluded from serving as Chair again until every other majority member of the panel had served.
Comment by Tom S on 30 October 2009 at 8:11 pm:
Democrats and Republicans both involved which shows that less govt is better govt…notice how there has been no proclamation or resolution to the recession because both sides are guilty. Because of this, we’re venerable to the same thing again.
Comment by lizard on 1 November 2009 at 2:10 pm:
For the Dems, lekaing CIA docs is cool, but exposing Dem corruption gets you fired.