Watchdogs: Bonner Has To Go To Fix Broken House Ethics System

Source: TPM

Ethics watchdogs are calling on Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) to step down as chairman of the House Ethics Committee -- at least temporarily -- for his role in the ongoing turmoil over Rep. Maxine Waters' (D-CA) case.

"I think there needs to be an investigation into the whole matter, including Mr. Bonner's role and that Mr. Bonner should step aside during the course of that investigation," Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told TPM Tuesday. "If Mr. Bonner is found to have broken the committee's rules, he should be sanctioned by the full House."

Another ethics expert said the partisan infighting and charges of prosecutorial misconduct surrounding the Waters case should force Congressional leaders to fundamentally restructure the ethics system and hand authority for policing members conduct over to an independent, non-partisan entity.

Indeed, the Office of Congressional Ethics, a board comprised of mostly former members, first investigated the Waters' case without incident and forwarded its recommendations to the full committee for further review. It was only when the matter hit the full ethics panel that partisan sniping and charges and counter charges of unprofessional behavior ensued.

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/watchdogs_bonner_has_to_go_to_fix_broken_ethics_sy.php

I mean, a call for an investigation of the chariman of the House Ethics Committee seems like kind of an important deal. "Partisan sniping" and "unprofessional behavior" have been the meat and potatoes of media coverage for a long time. Oh wait; Bonner's a Republican, isn't he? Nothing newsworthy there, then.