Ethics Committee: Have they any ethics?
In June, Rep. Chris Bell bucked the system and filed a comprehensive ethics complaint charging Tom DeLay with bribery, money laundering and abuse of government authority. The Ethics Committee has been ducking the investigation ever since but this week things come to a head.The New York Times editorial page calls them out this morning:
...the Republican Congress shows no appetite for investigating Mr. DeLay, one of Washington's most feared and bare-knuckled partisans.
Committee leaders claim to be still fact-gathering, but it has becoming clear that their mission is to dismiss this hot potato yet not seem cowardly about it.
The far better option is to appoint an outside counsel to look into the charges, as was done in earlier ethics investigations of Speakers Jim Wright and Newt Gingrich.
Today, in a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee, Bell reminds them that "Westar Energy commissioned a report which investigated its company’s 2002 plan to influence pending federal legislation by making political donations. Included in this plan was a $25,000 donation made to TRMPAC, the political action committee founded and chaired by Tom DeLay. Westar Energy voluntarily gave the report to the Federal Election Commission, and I again urge the committee to request the report compiled by Mr. Tom Jenkins of O’Connor & Hannan law firm.""On July 12th of this year Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted a Freedom of Information Request for the Westar report. The FOIA request was denied but an appeal has been filed. There is a distinct possibility that the Westar report could add a wealth of new evidence either supporting or refuting Count 1 of the complaint against Rep. DeLay.
Since the FOIA request was denied, it seems that the likely avenue for obtaining the report would be through subpoena."
The Committee shouldn't dismiss the complaint unless they subpoena the Westar report submitted to the FEC. If the Committee isn't interested in reading a report on the Westar contributions that was prepared by a disinterested third party, then the Ethics Committee might as well disband because the House is incapable of investigating itself.
If you're as outraged as Chris Bell, contact the Ethics Committee at the numbers below and tell them what you think.
Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) (Chair) 202-225-4422 voice 202-225-1942 fax
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) (Ranking Member)(202) 225-4172 voice(202) 225-7564 fax
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) (202) 225-5816 voice(202) 225-3251 fax
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) (202) 225-7032 voice(202) 225-1339 fax
Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL)202-225-3515 voice 202-225-9420 fax
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)(202) 225-1766 voice(202) 226-0350 fax
Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO) (202) 225-2956 voice (202) 225-5712 fax
Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) Phone: 202-225-2135Fax: 202-225-3084
Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH)(202) 225-5731 voice
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) (202) 225-1688 voice(202) 225-9903 fax
(Call these lazy bastards and tell them to do their job. Either DeLay takes the heat or the hearings can go to an independant prosecutor. *aj*)
...the Republican Congress shows no appetite for investigating Mr. DeLay, one of Washington's most feared and bare-knuckled partisans.
Committee leaders claim to be still fact-gathering, but it has becoming clear that their mission is to dismiss this hot potato yet not seem cowardly about it.
The far better option is to appoint an outside counsel to look into the charges, as was done in earlier ethics investigations of Speakers Jim Wright and Newt Gingrich.
Today, in a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee, Bell reminds them that "Westar Energy commissioned a report which investigated its company’s 2002 plan to influence pending federal legislation by making political donations. Included in this plan was a $25,000 donation made to TRMPAC, the political action committee founded and chaired by Tom DeLay. Westar Energy voluntarily gave the report to the Federal Election Commission, and I again urge the committee to request the report compiled by Mr. Tom Jenkins of O’Connor & Hannan law firm.""On July 12th of this year Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted a Freedom of Information Request for the Westar report. The FOIA request was denied but an appeal has been filed. There is a distinct possibility that the Westar report could add a wealth of new evidence either supporting or refuting Count 1 of the complaint against Rep. DeLay.
Since the FOIA request was denied, it seems that the likely avenue for obtaining the report would be through subpoena."
The Committee shouldn't dismiss the complaint unless they subpoena the Westar report submitted to the FEC. If the Committee isn't interested in reading a report on the Westar contributions that was prepared by a disinterested third party, then the Ethics Committee might as well disband because the House is incapable of investigating itself.
If you're as outraged as Chris Bell, contact the Ethics Committee at the numbers below and tell them what you think.
Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) (Chair) 202-225-4422 voice 202-225-1942 fax
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) (Ranking Member)(202) 225-4172 voice(202) 225-7564 fax
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) (202) 225-5816 voice(202) 225-3251 fax
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) (202) 225-7032 voice(202) 225-1339 fax
Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL)202-225-3515 voice 202-225-9420 fax
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)(202) 225-1766 voice(202) 226-0350 fax
Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO) (202) 225-2956 voice (202) 225-5712 fax
Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) Phone: 202-225-2135Fax: 202-225-3084
Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH)(202) 225-5731 voice
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) (202) 225-1688 voice(202) 225-9903 fax
(Call these lazy bastards and tell them to do their job. Either DeLay takes the heat or the hearings can go to an independant prosecutor. *aj*)
posted by A. J. Franklin @ 21:02
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