Lawmakers seek outside commission to guard their ethics

WASHINGTON -- Several lawmakers said Thursday that Congress should create an independent office to oversee ethics issues, arguing that the ethics committees in the House and Senate have proved incapable of enforcing their own rules.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., outlined a plan for an ethics enforcement commission that would receive complaints from the public as well as from legislators, have subpoena and deposition powers, and could present cases to the House and Senate ethics committees or the Justice Department.

He said the nine-member commission would include at least four former federal judges and four former members of Congress.
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The idea of an outside commission, also part of a House-Senate Democratic lobbying reform proposal, is in response to several recent ethical breaches, including the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and the guilty plea of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., to charges he accepted bribes. It also reflects frustration with the two ethics committees, particularly the House panel that has been largely inactive for the past year.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--congress-ethics0217feb16,0,5162503.story?coll=ny-region-apconnecticut