House GOP Kills Latest Move on Ethics Rule

[quaoar]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=671349

House Republicans Kill Latest Democratic Proposal to Rewrite Ethics Rules

By DAVID ESPO
AP Special Correspondent
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON Apr 14, 2005 — House Republicans brushed aside the Democrats' latest attempt to rewrite ethics rules on Thursday, one day after a closed-door discussion that touched on the perils of political arrogance.

The vote was 218-195, along party lines, to kill the proposal by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader.

The California Democrat swiftly issued a statement accusing Republicans of showing "allegiance to the ethics standards of Tom DeLay." DeLay, the majority leader, is battling charges of misconduct.

Republicans held ranks one day after a few lawmakers expressed concern at a closed-door meeting over the party's handling of the ethics issue.

[AlCzervik]

1. omg this guy is my rep

Several officials said Rep. Dan Lungren of California cautioned fellow Republicans about using power arrogantly, invoking the example of former House Speaker Jim Wright and the Democratic majority he once led. Wright was brought down in an ethics scandal in 1989.

[shanti]

2. ummm

lungren had a few scandals of his own before he was ridden out of sacramento on a rail!

[AlCzervik]

5. i'm not cheering him on, i'm shocked he said anything

[Pirate Smile]

3. From the Al Frankin blog

HOW VERY ODD
It seems that the GOP is opposed to creating a “bi-partisan task force with equal representation of the majority and minority parties to make recommendations to restore public confidence in the ethics process.” That’s what a House resolution called for--a resolution that was just killed by an almost-party-line 218-195 vote. The only Republicans with the guts to vote for it were Jim Leach of Iowa and Joel Hefley of Colorado. (Hefley, you’ll remember, chaired the ethics committee until he was ousted for adminishing DeLay.)

The full text of the resolution isn’t online yet, but THOMAS should post it here within a day or two. It’s a strongly worded, but not inflammatory, resolution. The Dems are finally fighting, tough but fair.

House aides tell us that more than two--possibly nine--Republicans had voted in favor of ethics… that is, until the GOP decided to hold the vote open and twist arms. Under Tom DeLay, this has become standard practice; votes are routinely held open as House leaders intimidate members of Congress into flip-flopping. (At its worse, this practice can involve outright bribery.) If a roll call vote is going badly and the Speaker Pro Tem is about to shut things down, Republican leaders can just say “Stop. Hammer time"--and the bug man and his minions will get down and dirty on the House floor. It looks like that’s what happened today, as the GOP leadership saw their party’s unanimous opposition to ethics begin to fracture.

I’d like to say that the time will come when the men responsible for dismantling the House ethics process will answer for their behavior, but that would be inartful. Besides, it’s up to the voters.

Ben Wikler

http://www.airamericaradio.com/weblogs/alfrankenshow/index.php?/franken/how_very_odd/

What did they threaten Chris Shays with I wonder? I would guess he is one of the seven that changed his vote but I don't know.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. Ooooo

A pillory! They gave us a pillory!

Let's use it! On them! ;-)

[Robbien]

6. House Republicans kill latest Democratic ethics rule rewrite

WASHINGTON House Republicans today brushed aside renewed Democratic efforts to rewrite ethics rules.
The on Thursday, one day after a closed-door discussion that touched on the perils of political arrogance.

The 218-to-195 party-line vote killed the proposal by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. That was one day after a closed-door House Republican caucus discussion on the perils of political arrogance.

The California Democrat swiftly issued a statement accusing Republicans of showing "allegiance to the ethics standards of Tom DeLay." He's the House majority leader and Sugar Land Republican who's battling misconduct allegations.

Several officials say Republican Congressman Dan Lungren of California spoke during the closed-door caucus meeting to warn colleagues about using power arrogantly. He invoked the example of former Democratic House Speaker Jim Wright of Fort Worth and the Democratic majority he once led. Wright was brought down by an ethics scandal in 1989.

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3213152

[Guaranteed]

7. It's about time the Democrats started calling the Republicans what they

are:

Criminals.

[Pirate Smile]

8. Nominated.

and a :kick:

[Erika]

9. Republicans have stacked the ethics committee

to the point only the ethics of democrats can be questioned. Arrogance abounds with the GOP.

[nolabels]

10. ETHICS + GOP = JOKING

:rofl:

Like isn't using the GOP and Ethics in the same paragraph a oxymoron or something?

[struggle4progress]

11. kick