http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=245977880759879
Reid It And Weep
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Posted 10/17/2006
Scandal: As the FBI raids Curt Weldon's daughter's house, Harry Reid's sons have benefited from their father's influence undisturbed. Meanwhile, Reid puts campaign funds to personal use and seeks a do-over on his ethics statements.
We never cease to be amazed at the double standard applied to the morals and ethics of Democrats and Republicans in Congress. We've already commented on how Republican Mark Foley was forced to resign for sending lewd e-mails to congressional pages, while Democrat Gerry Studds received mere censure and standing ovations after actually having sex with one, being allowed to serve until he decided to retire.
But the case of Senate Minority Leader Reid is a double standard on steroids. The latest episode is his request to file an "amended" ethics statement after the Associated Press revealed he made $1.1 million on a $400,000 investment on property he hadn't owned for three years; it was the subject of an earlier editorial on these pages.
In a statement issued after the AP story, Reid said: "I directed my staff to file amended financial disclosure forms noting that in 2001 I transferred title to the land to a Limited Liability Corporation."
Reid said he agreed to file the amended reports because, "I believe in ensuring all facts come to light." And if you believe that, the senator probably has some oceanfront property in Nevada to sell you.
We've also reported on Reid's questionable involvement and compensation in another Nevada real-estate deal involving lobbyist and developer Harvey Whittemore, who plied Reid with campaign contributions and employed Reid family members. In return, Reid greased the skids for Whittemore, who made millions in profits once inconvenient environmental obstacles were overcome.
In June 2003, the Los Angeles Times chronicled how Reid supported measures promoted by one of his sons and his son-in-law, both lobbyists for Nevada interests. Reid did not volunteer to colleagues or the press how the sometimes obscure provisions he authored and inserted into legislation benefited clients that paid his son and son-in-law $2 million in lobbying fees.
We presume Reid's amended disclosure forms would also include his using campaign donations instead of personal funds to pay Christmas bonuses for the support staff at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, where he maintains a luxury condominium.
When questioned by the AP about this and other ethical lapses, Reid responded that he would put these particular cookies back in the jar by personally reimbursing his campaign treasury.
Federal election law prohibits candidates from converting political donations to personal use. Reid explains that his listing of these bonuses to Ritz-Carlton employees as campaign "salary" was a mere "clerical error."
We mention the FBI raid on the home of Pennsylvania Rep. Curt Weldon's daughter because we wondered that if such tactics are warranted to see whether elected officials are using their influence to benefit themselves and their families, why the Reid family, despite documented evidence of this, has escaped the SWAT teams.
Last week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee mailed fliers to voters in Weldon's district accusing Karen Weldon of getting help from her father on lobbying projects. Federal investigators are looking into charges that Weldon used his influence to secure contracts for her company.
OK, fine. But why the double standard and the hypocrisy? Is anybody investigating Harry Reid?
............more.........
Maybe, but the real question is whether or not anything will come of it. I tend to doubt it, considering that Dhimmicrats always get a pass by the media and are readily let off the hook by the RINOs and their sympathizers.