[linskyjack]

House Considers Weakening Ethics Rules

Sat Jan 1,10:43 PM ET



By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Republican leaders are considering a change in House ethics rules that could make it harder to discipline lawmakers.

The proposal being circulated among House Republicans would end a general rule against any behavior that might bring "discredit" on the chamber, according to House Republican and Democratic leadership aides. House members would be held to a narrower standard of behavior in keeping with the law, the House's rules and its ethics guidelines.

Other proposed changes to the ethics committee's rules being circulated in a "Dear Colleague" letter from House Rules Chairman David Dreier, R-Calif., would let House members respond to any admonishment before a letter goes out from the committee, and would end an investigation if there is a tie vote.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., plans to bring the proposal before a meeting of all House Republicans next week "and see what they think," said Hastert spokesman John Feehery.

The broader ethics rule in question was used this year to admonish Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, though the committee said he did not break House rules.

Democrats and government watchdog groups denounced the proposed change.

"It would lower the standard of official conduct, and if that's the case, it would be the first time that it has been done since 1968, and it would be done on a completely partisan basis," said Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, on Friday.

Pelosi, D-Calif., also plans to huddle with Democrats next week to discuss a strategy for defeating the proposal.

"Members of the House should be kept to the highest ethical standard, not the lowest," Crider said. "Now, the code is higher than the law. This would say you've only violated the code of ethics if you've violated the law."

The committee has a long history, dating to the first recorded disciplinary action in 1798, when a Vermont lawmaker spat on a Connecticut colleague during a vote. Despite an apology letter, the committee nearly expelled the Vermonter, but fell two votes shy.

In the DeLay case, the committee said he had created the appearance of linking political donations to a legislative favor and improperly gained intervention of the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) in a Texas political dispute. It also said DeLay had improperly offered support for the House candidacy of Michigan Republican Rep. Nick Smith (news, bio, voting record)'s son in return for the lawmaker's vote for a Medicare prescription drug benefit. Smith voted against it.

After helping craft that admonishment, the committee's chairman, Rep. Joel Hefley (news, bio, voting record), R-Colo., may be replaced with another chairman by Hastert. Feehery said that is being considered because Hastert believes rules limit Hefley's tenure on the commission, not because of his leadership on the DeLay case.

Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a watchdog group, said the House Republican leaders' proposal "would fundamentally undermine and damage the House ethics rules, and would constitute the biggest backtracking we have ever seen on ethics standards in the House."

"If House Republican leaders are allowed to prevail, they will have gutted the single most important ethics standard in the House and turned House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's multiple ethics transgressions into acceptable conduct for all House members," Wertheimer said.

___

[iltos]

Originally Posted by Linskyjack

"If House Republican leaders are allowed to prevail, they will have gutted the single most important ethics standard in the House and turned House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's multiple ethics transgressions into acceptable conduct for all House members," Wertheimer said.

and being skeptical of politicians in general, this basically means that all the "closed door" activity could continue without anyone even having legitamacy for their concerns.....

interesting too, that nothing in the article even approaches a "reason" for the change....there must be one ....i mean, as a voter, don't you want to know WHY this is considered important?

[bassetman]

I am shocked I tell you, shocked!

[Wet Chicken]

Originally Posted by iltos

interesting too, that nothing in the article even approaches a "reason" for the change....there must be one ....i mean, as a voter, don't you want to know WHY this is considered important?

...because they're republicans and they can

...and because the democrats aren't holding the republicans noses to the grind stone

[rmay635703]

You mean expected, not surprized

This is more amuzing, surprizing or disturbing (one of those).

http://www.bettybowers.com/isbushgay.html

bleh

[linskyjack]

Originally Posted by iltos

and being skeptical of politicians in general, this basically means that all the "closed door" activity could continue without anyone even having legitamacy for their concerns.....

interesting too, that nothing in the article even approaches a "reason" for the change....there must be one ....i mean, as a voter, don't you want to know WHY this is considered important?

The change, is Republican leadership driven, and that essentially means that the corruption probes occuring as I type are the reasons behind the rule change. Tom Delay being the focus.

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

You mean expected, not surprized

This is more amuzing, surprizing or disturbing (one of those).

http://www.bettybowers.com/isbushgay.html

bleh

[AKA Arizona]

So what are they trying to say....

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by AKA Arizona

So what are they trying to say....

Hmmm,

Honestly that site is more incoherant than usual but its links are OK.

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by AKA Arizona

So what are they trying to say....

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by bassetman

Since I have my own button press
Ah the possibilities for an *** wupping

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Since I have my own button press
Ah the possibilities for an *** wupping

The power of the press!

[WarC]

Is this the "Bush Fan Club"? I see pictures of him all over!

Some liberals spend more time in a day thinking about Bush than his own wife does in a week!

I can see it now:

"I wonder what that hideous hitlerkind is doing right now! Playing with his hair? Singing into the mirror? Maybe he's thinking of me..."



Kiddin' o course. You all have wonderful, Bush-hate filled days

[AKA Arizona]

I am still confused.............

[Fidelista]

Whats to be confused about?
Just a bunch of liberals bashing the "Honorable" Tom DeLay!