Posted on 01/03/2017 8:18:14 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
Yes, the House is weakening the powers of an independent entity that was authorized to investigate allegations of wrongdoing... But keep some perspective: the Office of Congressional Ethics had two powers: the first was to issue those public reports — giving the accused member of Congress bad publicity. The second was to refer their findings to the House Ethics Committee, which could implement a more serious punishment, like fines and formal reprimands by the full House. Under the old system, the referrals went to the House Ethics Committee, consisting of five Democrats and five Republicans.
Under the new system, the no-longer-public referrals will go to the same committee, consisting of five Democrats and five Republicans. There are other entities, also independent of Congress, that can investigate these sorts of allegations, with a lot more resources and power: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, and U.S. Attorneys around the country. And they do so: Rep. Chaka Fattah, convicted of racketeering conspiracy, bribery, bank fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, and falsification of records; Rep. Rick Renzi, convicted on 17 counts; Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., pleading guilty to wire and mail fraud. Sometimes a congressman’s wrongdoing ends up caught by local law enforcement, like the time Rep. Trey Radel tried to buy cocaine from an undercover cop.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
And Republican Members are also subject to investigation by the media.
And isn’t it interesting. Those who are screaming about this move are DEMOCRATS!!!!! Hmmmmm. Methinks a nerve has been struck (like not having somebody to payoff).
I did a little sesarching....seems only Repubs turned up as unethical by this board...which was started in 2008 by Obama and thugs.
Ah, it’s simpler than that. They just want to scream “Republicans Gut Ethics,” knowing that the center-left “fake” news will dutifully comply.
This is like complaining that the fox who is guarding the henhouse is going to lose some of his power.
The primary investigator of Congressional misdeeds should NOT be a Congressional panel or committee or any such thing.
We, the people, need to do our own investigations. Cops and journalists should be a big part of that. I fear that too many of both are compromised. (DC area cops often seem just as political as much of the rest of DC.)
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