Corruption In Washington
"What Others Say"08/20/2005
Common Cause
August 8, 2005: We don’t need to look further than the first half of 2005 for proof that the House of Representatives’ system of monitoring Members’ conduct and enforcing its own ethics rules is ineffective and must be reformed.
Consider the cases of three senior House members:
-Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) was admonished three times last year by an unusually feisty House Ethics Committee, which leadership then quickly dismantled and replaced with GOP loyalists. Three of DeLay’s close associates have been indicted as part of a Texas grand jury investigation into DeLay’s political fundraising, and DeLay has allegedly taken illegally financed foreign junkets, at least one of them courtesy of embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is under federal investigation for bilking his Indian tribe clients out of millions of dollars.
Yet no new ethics complaints have been filed against DeLay, and he maintains his post of majority leader.
- Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) is under investigation by the FBI, who raided his home last month as they explore his ties to a defense contractor who allegedly took a $700,000 real estate loss for Cunningham, who also happens to be a member of a defense appropriations subcommiteee.
-Cunningham has announced he will not seek re-election, yet he retains his influential seat on the appropriations committee and no ethics complaint has been filed against him.
-Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) figures prominently into the investigation of Abramoff as questions have been raised about Ney’s support of a legislative provision benefiting an Indian tribe that was also a client of Abramoff.
Ney maintains a committee chairmanship and no ethics complaint has been filed against him.
Sense a pattern here? Break the rules and nothing happens.
Then just this week, it was reported that Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) had his two homes and car searched by the FBI, which is reportedly investigating whether Jefferson used his congressional influence in business dealings.
When Congress returns from its summer recess next month, it will for the first time this year have a fully staffed House Ethics Committee with plenty to do, including considering the above cases, as well as the cases of dozens of Members, both Democrats and Republicans, who have flouted travel disclosure rules for years.
It is clear the existing system is a sham and must be replaced. Common Cause will be advocating for an outside counsel to investigate allegations against DeLay, and to create a bipartisan task force to review the ethics process in the House and recommend reforms. Now, more than ever, Congress needs an independent agency to investigate ethics allegations and assure that members live according to their own rules, just like the rest of us.