Dems Appoint Ethically Challenged Dem - Democratic Underground

XOKCowboy

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Sun Jan-15-06 11:55 PM
Original message

Dems Appoint Ethically Challenged Dem

to lead ethics reform fight. Can we not do anything right?? This is from Americablog.

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/01/house-democrats-appoint-ethically.html

First, we have Nancy Pelosi announcing the choice of Cong. Clyburn to run the ethics battle:

Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, the newly and unanimously elected Chairman of the Democratic Caucus who has lived his life with a commitment to a high ethical standard, will head the Clean House Team.

Then we have NPR confirming that Clyburn has his own ethics accusations to deal with:

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay isn't the only politician facing ethics charges. South Carolina's James Clyburn and Mississippi's Bennie Thompson, both Democratic members of the Congressional Black Caucus, also had to answer tough questions last week. In 1997, both men traveled to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth. The trip -- and an earlier trip to the Marianas by two associates of DeLay -- appears to have been paid for by lobbyist Jack Abramoff. It is a violation of House ethics to accept gifts from a registered lobbyist. Abramoff is now the subject of a federal corruption probe.

Of course the RNC is jumping all over it. Who are these people representing us?

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GrpCaptMandrake

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Sun Jan-15-06 11:58 PM
Response to Original message

1. Hold your fire

"Both men traveled to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth. The trip -- and an earlier trip to the Marianas by two associates of DeLay -- appears to have been paid for by lobbyist Jack Abramoff."

"Appears to" is mediaspeak.

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FreedomAngel82

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Sun Jan-15-06 11:59 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. Yes

Has anybody investigated? I don't necessarily trust NPR now days.

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XOKCowboy

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Mon Jan-16-06 12:03 AM
Response to Reply #1

5. I hear ya but here's the rest of the article...

The first paragraph is from the RNC. The rest is John explaining why he's disgusted with the DNC and this particular pick. I agree with John in that we need to be the party above reproach. Why are we appointing a guy with any taint of scandal to head their ethics reform?

Clyburn, however, had been connected to the very lobbyist around whom Democrats are building their "clean up Congress" campaign - Jack Abramoff. In 1997, Abramoff paid for a trip costing more than $10,000 that Clyburn took to the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. (Roll Call, 5/5/05)

What is it with these people? Are they so suicidal that they insist on shooting themselves in the foot every single chance they get? What possible reason could there be to appoint Clyburn to this position, let alone keep him there now that we all know he's got his own explaining to do regarding Abramoff?

I'm sorry. Whether Clyburn is, in the end, innocent or guilty of any crimes or ethical violations because of his involvement with the Abramoff trip, only an idiot or a saboteur would choose to keep this man heading the Democratic effort for ethics reform.

The only way Democrats are going to start winning is if we start cutting out the cancer in our own party. If we have to start taking down members of our party in order to save our party, then so be it. The blogs, collectively, have a hell of a lot of firepower. And they're getting mad as hell about the sorry state of our current Democratic leaders.

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GrpCaptMandrake

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Mon Jan-16-06 12:05 AM
Response to Reply #5

8. What's unsaid is how Clyburn responded

Edited on Mon Jan-16-06 12:07 AM by GrpCaptMandrake

to the Marianas trip. Did he vote to exclude the Marianas from the minimum wage? That's the critical answer. And I don't know that answer.

If "Yes," Clyburn is a corrupt pig. If "No," Aravosis hasn't done his job to completion.

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rodeodance

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Mon Jan-16-06 12:27 AM
Response to Reply #5

9. just the appearance of cylborn with etical problems should have

told Polosi et al. NOT to appoint him. good gawd!

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coldiggs

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Sun Jan-15-06 11:58 PM
Response to Original message

2. great if just one dem gets tied into this the msm is going to make it soun

d like this is just politics as usal and the gop will escape yet agian.

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XOKCowboy

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Mon Jan-16-06 12:05 AM
Response to Reply #2

6. Exactly..

why neuter any reform movement right off of the bat? Is this the best guy they could come up with??

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havocmom

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Mon Jan-16-06 12:05 AM
Response to Reply #2

7. And that is why this part is the most important:

"The only way Democrats are going to start winning is if we start cutting out the cancer in our own party. "

Sure, the charges are not proven nor disproven. But, until disproven, there HAS to be a better choice for a position about ethics. If proven, throw em out.

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madfloridian

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Mon Jan-16-06 12:00 AM
Response to Original message

4. They have to make noise to cover up that they choose Santorum...

to clean up their mess.

Think about it. This is how they do it...they bait you in when they are doing much worse.

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