GOP says no Ethics complaint allowed without a GOP Sponsor

This Washington Post Mike Allen report says that House Republicans are bagging the plan to loosen ethics rules, which would have made censuring a House member for unethical behavior more difficult and allow House members under indictment to continue to hold leadership posts, but they are, however, going forth with another proposal requiring at least one Republican vote before an ethics committee inquiry can begin.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45573-2005Jan3.html?sub=AR

washingtonpost.com
GOP Abandons Ethics Changes
Dissent in Party Halts House Move
By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 4, 2005; Page A01


House Republican leaders last night abandoned a proposal to loosen rules governing members' ethical conduct, as they yielded to pressure from rank-and-file lawmakers concerned that the party was sending the wrong message.

The proposal would have made it more difficult for lawmakers to discipline a colleague for unethical behavior and would have allowed Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) to keep his post if he is indicted by a Texas grand jury that is looking into his campaign finance practices.

The sudden reversal came amid growing indications of dissension within the GOP. Just before House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's office announced that the measures were being dropped, the chairman of the House ethics committee issued an unusual statement denouncing the leadership's plan.

Rep. Joel Hefley (Colo.), who appeared on the verge of being forced out as chairman after his committee voted three times last year to admonish DeLay, issued a statement criticizing the proposed rule changes as highly partisan and not in the best interests of the House. "Ethics reform must be bipartisan and this package is not bipartisan," Hefley said in the statement after sending Republican colleagues a letter outlining his objections.

Republicans voted to go ahead with another of their controversial ethics proposals and will ask the full House to approve a change that could curtail ethics committee investigations. Under the change, a Republican vote would be required before an inquiry can begin. The committee is evenly divided between the two parties, and under current rules a deadlock means an investigation begins automatically.<snip>

sad but true!

I am going to email each of of my Reps. This just PISSES me OFF!!!

Dear Hon. Young,


I am just really upset with the way YOUR party has been handling itself. First we have "The Delay Rule", to shield a guy who is under a CRIMINAL investigation, now we have this "rule" about having a GOP member having to vote for an inquiry before one can begin. Bullshit! I want ALL of you in government to behave with ETHICS and I want to make sure it is hanging over ALL of your heads, be you a Republican or a Democrat.

What kind of nation are we becoming when we let ETHICS slip away for the sake a partisan purposes?

I fully expect you to OPPOSE this rule change. The GOP CANNOT keep bending the rules to suit its needs. I look forward to hearing your position on this matter.

P.S. Even the earlier notion of the GOP planning to make it harder to investigate ETHICS didn't make me happy to begin with. But this has crossed the line to where I have to say something.

xxxxx xxxxxxxx
Indian Rocks Beach, FL