Dozens in Congress under ethics inquiry

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Washington Post

Breach airs panel report Document was found on file-sharing network

By Ellen Nakashima and Paul Kane

House ethics investigators have scrutinized the activities of more than 30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July.

The report, disclosed on a publicly accessible computer network, was made available to The Washington Post by a source familiar with such networks.

The ethics committee is one of the most secretive panels in Congress, and its members and staff members sign oaths not to disclose any activities related to its past or present investigations. Watchdog groups have accused the committee of not actively pursuing inquiries; the newly disclosed document indicates the panel is conducting far more investigations than it had revealed.


Zoe Lofgren, the House ethics committee's chairman, emphasized that the panel's activities are preliminary. (Ray Lustig/twp)


Shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, the committee chairman, Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), interrupted a series of House votes to alert lawmakers about the breach. She cautioned that some of the panel's activities are preliminary and not a conclusive sign of inappropriate behavior.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102904597.html?referrer=email

[Old Codger]

1. Good to know

But will not amount to anything same old bullshit..

[pleah]

2. +1

:-(

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. I wouldn't be so sure. Zoe is one of the good guys.

She held one of Howard Deans first public fundraisers at her house. My wife and I attended. She comes from a labor background and is as progressive as Howard though she pretty much eschews the limelight. I've called her office a number of times, asking that she be more Greysonesque but I think it's just not her style.

[TheMadMonk]

9. Appointed and salaried heads roll and no one notices.

Elected heads are rarely embarrassed by more than a motion of censure voted along party lines. The public sees this and it simply reinforces the "that's politics" meme. Expected behaviour is/becomes unremarkable behaviour.

Zoe's inherrent goodness is not in question. It's what get's done with the conclusions released by her office? And the sad answer to that is: "Not very much." Criminal prosecution of anyone of significance is almost uheard of. Those terminated from their positions, all too often, stroll straight into highly lucrative private sector positions. Almost always sanctions for wrongdoing, are far less than the gain of that wrongdoing.

The crime is nothing less than treason.

[Gman]

4. Republicans leaking shit they have no right to

not the first time.

[Vidar]

5. Good. Too bad it's not the Senate.

[flyarm]

6. but don't worry ..they will decide our health care..feel happy very happy..notttttt

[EFerrari]

7. I just realized Zoe is my new Rep and I can call and ask

why the HELL ex-CIA hitman Porter Goss is the co-chair of the Office of Congressional Ethics.

[earcandle]

8. Please let us know how she answers!

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Is this what the Congressional GOP and the WaPo are reduced to? Dishing out

innuendo about prominent Congressional Democrats. The real story here is what Republican on the committee has a staff member who moonlights as a hatchet man for the RNC. Jo Bonner? Mike Conaway? Charles Dent? Gregg Harper? Michael McCaul? All five should be investigated and the one responsible for the leak should be dropped from the committee. If the GOP knows that it can leak preliminary info a la the Starr Grand Jury, they will be bringing complaints against ever Democrat and then getting their stooges to tell the world that they have been complained against.

Big thumbs down to the WaPo for participating in this media fiasco.

Since dishing up dirt is the order of the day, here is some dirt on the GOPers listed above.

Mike Conaway got his start as a the chief the financial officer of Bush's Arbusto Energy. His district was specially carved out by Tom Delay's (Supreme Court certified) illegal redistricting in Texas.

From Wiki on Jo Bonner:

Bonner has consistently maintained that he is a "vigilant guardian of the taxpayers’ money, helping to eliminate wasteful and questionable spending". <2> Despite these statements Congressman Bonner and his wife, along with five other members of Congress, went on a two week tax payer funded tour of Ireland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Canada on a private military jet

Quote from Gregg Harper: "We hunt liberal, tree-hugging Democrats, although it does seem like a waste of good ammunition.".

Hmmm. Did someone decide to stop using ammo and start using ink instead?

[harkadog]

11. Where are you getting that the GOP Leaked?

That's not what Lofgren said in the article. Did you read it?

[totodeinhere]

12. We don't know for sure, but I would list the the GOP as a prime suspect. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. The committee said Thursday night that the document was released by a low-level staffer.

says the story.

[No Elephants]

18. Thanks.

[icymist]

14. Lawmakers targeted in ethics probe

Source: Seattle PI

Lawmakers targeted in ethics probe
By JOHN BRESNAHAN
POLITICO

A leaked document shows that House ethics investigators are probing the activities of nearly three dozen lawmakers — an ethical dust storm that will empower the Republicans and could imperil efforts to get health care reform through the House next week.

The House ethics committee said Thursday that it was opening two new investigations — one into the foreclosure scandal of Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Calif.) and one involving financial questions about Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and her husband.

But shortly after the committee met, chairs Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) interrupted proceedings on the House floor to say that an internal document on secret committee proceedings had been leaked to The Washington Post — and that it would name the names of many other members who had drawn the attention of either the committee or the Office of Congressional Ethics.

According to the Post, the document identifies more than 30 House members.



Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/politico/411695_politico28928.html

---

I'm reading other headlines on the wire that this investigation could hold up healthcare reform. Also being investigated are: Reps. Jack Murtha, Peter Visclosky, Jim Moran, Norm Dicks (he's my Rep.), Marcy Kaptur, Bill Young, and Todd Tiahrt just to name a few.

[Psephos]

15. "This will be the most ethical Congress in history!" - Nancy Pelosi, January 2007

These people are peeing on our backs and telling us it's raining.

[optimator]

16. what the fuck do we do

throw them all out, then the new ones will be corrupt shortly.
the people who are not corrupt would never run for office.

[tomm2thumbs]

17. the Harman investigation & the FBI

the part of the article about Harman:

The committee on June 9 authorized issuance of subpoenas to the Justice Department, the National Security Agency and the FBI for "certain intercepted communications" regarding Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.).

As was reported earlier this year, Harman was heard in a 2005 conversation agreeing to an Israeli operative's request to try to obtain leniency for two pro-Israel lobbyists in exchange for the agent's help in lobbying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to name her chairman of the intelligence committee.