House ethics panel silent on scandals

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nationworld/story/5377682p-4863267c.html


Critics blast congressional-conduct committee, which hasn’t opened a case in past year

JEFFREY H. BIRNBAUM; The Washington Post
Published: December 5th, 2005 02:30 AM

WASHINGTON – The House ethics committee, the panel responsible for upholding the chamber’s ethics code, has been virtually moribund for the past year, handling only routine business despite a wave of federal investigations into close and potentially illegal relationships between lawmakers and lobbyists.
With a convicted California congressman headed to prison for accepting bribes and several others under investigation for accepting lavish gifts and money from former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, one might expect the House committee to have a lot of work to do.

But the committee’s five Republican and five Democratic members haven’t opened a new case or launched an investigation in the past 12 months. It took months for them to hire a new chief of staff, and he still isn’t in place. Nor has the panel hired a full complement of investigators.

“I would say by the early part of January, we will be fully organized – or should be really close to that,” said Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), the committee’s ranking Democrat. By then, he added, the panel “will be in a position to fulfill all of our responsibilities.”

I'd say a public explanation is definitely in order.

At a time when, arguably, the most corrupt administration and congress in US history is in power, the ethics committee is silent.

Oh, yeah....that probably is the explanation.

Yet more blatant dereliction of duty by our representatives. The history books will not be kind when writing about this period of one party rule in the U.S. Even the lobbyists have to be pre-screened as repubs. Thank you so much, little bugman - may your cell be 5x5, very damp - and may your cellmate be a 6'5", 300 lb. guy named Alice.

Just the kind of government one imagines having....

Republican
1. Doc Hastings, WA, Chairman
2. Judy Biggert, IL
3. Lamar S. Smith, TX
4. Melissa A. Hart, PA
5. Tom Cole, OK

Democrat
1. Alan B. Mollohan, WV
2. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, OH
3. Gene Green, TX
4. Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA
5. Michael F. Doyle, PA

http://clerk.house.gov/committee/index.html?comcode=HSO00

Let's get the posse together and get after 'em! Let's get them on the run! We'll light a fire under them. :woohoo:
What is it they DO when they hold meetings?

:kick: :kick: :kick:

the highest order.

Hastings has given off a stench of desperate nosing around Bush's backside ever since he stumbled into office. He needs a new job - didn't I hear they're hard-up for competent exterminators in Texas these days?



Ethics panels slammed for infighting, inaction

on this committee...

Isn't that an oxymoron?

maybe that's what they mean

and ordinary folks should be allowed to speak on the floor of the House of Representatives in a sort of "Citizens Special Orders" speeches.