Posted on 06/22/2005 8:41:59 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
The chairman of the House ethics committee, Representative Doc Hastings, Republican of Washington, is warning that he may resign from the post this summer because of a stalemate of months with Democrats over whether and how to conduct investigations of Representative Tom DeLay and other lawmakers, Republican Congressional officials said.
They said Mr. Hastings had told colleagues privately in recent weeks that he might step down out of frustration with what he considered intractability of Democrats on the panel and their repeated public attacks on his leadership.
The committee is deadlocked over several issues, including staffing for the committee, and has been unable to pursue investigations of Mr. DeLay, the majority leader, or anyone else. House Republican officials say the departure of Mr. Hastings and the appointment of a new chairman could mean months of additional delay before the committee is able to resume any of its investigative work.
Mr. Hastings has also faced criticism in recent weeks over newly disclosed documents that show he has worked closely for years with lobbyists at a Seattle-based law firm that is under scrutiny because of its ties to Mr. DeLay. The firm's former star lobbyist arranged lavish overseas trips for Mr. DeLay, a Texas Republican.
Last week, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean, cited the lobbying ties in calling for Mr. Hastings to recuse himself from any investigation of the majority leader. Newspaper editorials in Mr. Hastings's home state have joined in urging him to step aside to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
The Congressional officials spoke on the condition of anonymity about the possibility that Mr. Hastings would resign, saying that he had not wanted to vent his frustrations...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
LOL, Doc Hastings was removed from the Florida Bench for accepting bribes :-)
ping
That was Alcee Hastings, and he waw removed from the federal bench.
Let's just dissolve the ethics cmte. Every politician is bought and paid for, whether it be by campaign contributions or votes... though I still say throw the jerks who accept bribes (especially on tape, and deny anything happened, Tennessee Democrats) in the slammer.
It is really a rather crummy job, running the ethics committee. I really should handle it. Yes, I would shove Senator Schumer away from the cameras, as for this job, being a media hog would be job one. That is the way to expedite all of these pending cases; shed sunlight on the whole thing. Of course, before I accepted in job, I would get a bounce proof clause - in writing.
Al C. or Alcee... It's the same Hastings... Correct?
BTW, I understood "waw" - was ;-)
It is wrong to slander a good man, which Richard "Doc" Hastings of the State of Washington certainly is.
The crook was Alcee Hastings, who was a federal district judge on the U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, who got involved with a Washington, DC lawyer named Borders (who was subsequently disbarred). Based on the trial of Borders, Hastings was impeached for corruption by the House (which at the time was controlled by the 'Rats), and after a trial in the senate which was conducted in a committee, and then ratified on the floor, Hastings was convicted and removed from office.
Alcee Hastings then ran for Congress from one of the gerrymandered majority/minority districts including the Black areas of Palm Beach and Broward counties, and was elected (I think he was first elected in 1992).
This may be NY Times propoganda. But if it isn't, it's just another example of a spineless republican knuckling under to criticism. He has the majority of the committee. HE should be setting the agenda, not the Dems.
I see the name Hastings and I automatically think of Alcee... Sorry!
Durbin should step down and Berger should be behind bars.
No, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Washington) is not the same man as Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Florida).
And it was the Federal bench - he was impeached and convicted by Congress.
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