NYT: House GOP to Consider Tougher Lobbying Rules (both parties face risk)

House GOP to Consider Tougher Lobbying Rules

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 5, 2005; Page A10


House Republican leaders, hoping to head off a war of ethics charges that could leave both parties wounded, said yesterday that they will consider tightening the rules on lobbying and travel and possibly grant amnesty for minor violations in order to preclude hundreds of potential investigations.

A flurry of moves by the party's leaders, some behind the scenes and some before cameras, coincides with rising public scrutiny of the ethical practices of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and other lawmakers. Some Republican lawmakers and aides say privately that they are concerned that a possible voter backlash could hurt the majority party most.

Four aides close to the House GOP leadership said the ethics committee may be asked to issue a new set of rules and then announce that it will not investigate reporting errors made under the old system, such as failing to disclose a trip, erroneously reporting the funding for a trip or missing a filing deadline.

The officials stressed that the proposed rule changes and amnesty would not alter plans for the House ethics committee to launch an investigation of reports that lobbyists paid for overseas travel by DeLay in violation of House rules....

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Another official described the situation as "a circular firing squad," with each party in position to harm the other party's members. One GOP chairman called the current situation "mutually assured destruction."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/04/AR2005050402116.html

in the first place? Why is that so hard?

...BRING EM ON...I want every crooked bastard in Washington, repub or dem to be forced to stand in congress and admit "yes I broke the rules and am a thief.." Then let's run all the felonious bastards out of public life in disgrace "to encourage their replacements" as they say, to keep their noses clean...

No gifts of any kind to Members of Congress. Make 'em wear uniforms and live in barracks.

n/t