Reid: I won't take free gifts in future

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/31/06 | John Solomon - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Reversing course, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid's office acknowledged Wednesday night he misstated the ethics rules governing his acceptance of free boxing tickets and has decided to avoid taking such gifts in the future.

The Nevada senator still believes it was "entirely permissible" for him to accept ringside seats for three professional boxing matches in 2004 and 2005 from the Nevada Athletic Commission but has nonetheless decided to avoid doing so in the future, his office said.

"In light of questions that have been raised about the practice, Senator Reid will not accept these kinds of credentials in the future in order to avoid even the faintest appearance of impropriety," spokesman Jim Manley said.

The announcement came after The Associated Press confronted Reid's office early Wednesday with conclusions from several ethics experts that the Senate leader misstated congressional ethics rules in trying to defend his actions.

The AP reported Monday that Reid accepted the free seats from the Nevada commission as it was trying to influence his support for legislation to create a federal boxing commission. The state agency feared the legislation would usurp its authority to regulate fights and wanted to convince Reid there was no need for a federal body.

Reid told Las Vegas reporters on Tuesday he would continue to accept such tickets and did not believe he did anything wrong even though fellow Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., who joined him for one of the fights, decided to reimburse $1,400 for his seat.

[NormsRevenge]

Clutching his hands to his heart, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, center, calls for lawmakers, and especially Republicans, to clean up the tainted relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists, at a Democratic political event to outline their agenda for reform in the wake of the scandal involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, at the Library of Congress in Washington in this Jan. 18, 2006, file photo. From left are: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., Reid, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., and Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-SC. Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three championship boxing matches while that state agency was seeking to influence Reid's unsuccessful effort to increase federal oversight of boxing. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

[Hildy]

Willie Sutton: "I won't rob banks in the future"

[corkoman]

" i didn't do anything wrong and i won't do it ever again"

[weegee]

BUMP

[kinoxi]

"cross my heart and hope 'she' dies"...

[danneskjold]

Willie Sutton: "I won't rob banks in the future"

Bill Clinton: "I won't have any sexual relations....never mind..."

[mrsmith]

Crook donor: "I'll give you fifty grand after the vote."

Crook Reid: "No, 'after the vote' is in the 'future'. You'll have to give it to me 'now'... I promised my voters I wouldn't take any gifts in the 'future'!"

[Frank_Discussion]

What a freeking infant.

[NormsRevenge]

In this frame from video, provided by HBO, Sen. Minority Leader, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., left, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., second from left, sit near ringside at the Oscar De La Hoya-Bernard Hopkins championship boxing match in Las Vegas in September 2004. Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission while McCain insisted on paying $1,400 to reimburse for the tickets he shared with Reid. (AP Photo/HBO)

[MAexile]

Bill Clinton: "I promise you Hillary, I will never cheat on you again"

[atomicpossum]

OJ: "I'll stop beating Nicole."

[Bubba M. Aurelius]

Tell William Jefferson to save a place for me at Club Fed.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Now, he needs to start carrying a 50# Bible. This to ensure total absolution from the MSM.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Too late, corruption boy. LOL!

[steveyp]

Bear: "I won't dump in the woods."

[Fruitbat]

"I won't do it again...."

....at least not so that I get caught!

[Bahbah]

None of this matters because we, the dems, are not in POWER. Give us actual POWER and we will be clean as a whistle, really, we will.

[razorback-bert]

I don't see an Native American , Asian or undocumented worker in the picture.

[freekitty]

ROTFLMAO

[Paladin2]

Get Reid on RICO. He seems to have amassed a pattern of corruption.