Rep. McDermott Violated Ethics Rules

NewsMax ^ | December 12, 2006 | Carl Limbacher

[Kaslin]

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., violated ethics standards by giving reporters access to an illegally taped telephone call involving Republican leaders a decade ago, the House ethics committee said Monday.

McDermott, who at the time was the panel's senior Democrat, failed to meet his obligations as a committee leader, said a report released two days after Congress adjourned for the year. The panel took no action other than the report.

"Rep. McDermott's secretive disclosures to the news media . . . risked undermining the ethics process regarding" former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the committee said. It said McDermott's actions "were not consistent with the spirit of the committee's rules."

The ethics complaint stems from a tape recording made by a Florida couple, who gave it to McDermott in January 1997. The tape recorded then-Speaker Gingrich, R-Ga., in a December 1996 conference call with GOP leaders regarding a separate ethics investigation of Gingrich.

McDermott leaked the tape to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times, which published stories on the case in January 1997.

Gingrich, who was heard on the call telling House Republicans how to react to the ethics charges against him, was later fined $300,000 and reprimanded by the House.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled against McDermott in a related civil case in March. The 2-1 opinion upheld a lower court ruling that McDermott had violated the rights of Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who was heard on the 1996 call. Boehner, then a Gingrich lieutenant, is now House majority leader.

The full nine-member appeals court vacated the three-judge ruling this spring and heard new arguments in the case in October. A ruling is expected next year.

McDermott, in an e-mail to The Associated Press, said he was pleased the ethics panel had concluded he did not violate overall House rules.

"I am also pleased with the committee's acknowledgment that pending litigation in the federal court will decide the question of law over the First Amendment issues involved," he said.

Because of the pending civil case, McDermott said he would not offer additional comment.

Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio, a former ethics committee member who filed a complaint against McDermott in November 2004, said he was disappointed the ethics panel did not sanction McDermott.

"I'm not sure this decision reflects well upon the House as a whole or the ethics process," Hobson said.

He said he might change his long-standing support for an internal ethics panel and consider replacing it with an independent inspector general to investigate House members.

[Kaslin]

And Pelosi claims to put in the most ethical congress

[EagleUSA]

Already Pelosi has tried to install a HIGHLY corrupt Congress --- but what is new for the liberal socialists???

[Al Gator]

Now this is why I am mad at republicans. They are stupid, yellow bellied, weak kneed POS (that's plural) who let this languish for all these years.

If this had been a republican, you can bet the demoKaRatz would have had his head on a spike and he would have been gone and in prison.

Why are republicans so WEEEEEAAAAAAKKKKK!

[popdonnelly]

Resign, McDermott. Where's Pelosi on this?

[thulldud]

McDermott, in an e-mail to The Associated Press, said he was pleased the ethics panel had concluded he did not violate overall House rules.

He did violate the ECPA. But that's just a federal law, obviously meant for commoners, not the House of Lords.

[IamConservative]

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., violated ethics standards by giving reporters access to an illegally taped telephone call involving Republican leaders a decade ago, the House ethics committee said Monday.

A decade ago? These guys are right on top of things. Very inspriring.

[PLMerite]

"The ethics complaint stems from a tape recording made by a Florida couple, who gave it to McDermott in January 1997."

It amazes me that anyone still believes this part of the story.

[Young Werther]

He also maintained his composure under the Demoncraps C.E.O.F. rules.

Cover

Each

Others

Fannies!

[PGalt]

Member in good standing of The Democrat Crime Syndicate.

[sionnsar]

WA ping request

[dfwgator]

Obviously as we learned from Dennis Hastert, Republicans also cover Democrats' Fannies.

[NormsRevenge]

U.S. senators Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa (4th L), Jim McDermott of Washington (5th L) and Michael Honda of California (2nd from R) pose with South Korea's lawmakers and officials in front of the headquarter of the Kaesong Industrial Park in the North Korean border city of Kaesong, about 70 km (45 miles) northwest of South Korean capital Seoul in this December 1, 2006 handout photo. The three U.S. lawmakers crossed into to North Korea on Friday to visit the industrial park in North Korea, local media reported. - REUTERS/Unification Ministry/Handout (NORTH KOREA).

[Al Gator]

You got that right. You have to wonder why the ratz keep getting away this stuff. Sandypants Burgler, Algore "ain't no controlin legal authority...."

You can only conclude that republicans are the biggest collection of p***ies ever to stand in one spot.

[NormsRevenge]

McDermott broke ‘spirit’ of rules but faces no punishment
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/121206/mcdermott.html
The Hill - Dec 11 6:10 PM
The House ethics committee found that Rep. Jim McDermott’s (D-Wash.) 1997 leaking of a secretly taped phone call to the media among House Republican leaders, including current Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), is “inconsistent with the spirit of the applicable [House] rules.”

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yawn. This should make it to page 33 in the Saturday one star.

[Polyxene]

"A ruling is expected next year."

Ten, no eleven friggin' years to nail this guy????

Let's see.................
DeLay -- GONE
Ney -- GONE
Foley -- GONE
..........................I'm sure there are more

[Bryan24]

These are the actions of a defeated and cowering Republican party. They know that the Democrats are coming in with the slime-maching on full power. ANY dissent will be met with an all-out sliming in the press and in the committee rooms.

The Republicans have already dropped the white flag and are running for cover.

[xowboy]

"violated ethics standards by giving reporters access to an illegally taped telephone call involving Republican leaders a decade ago"
______________________________________
A decade ago. Foley was gone by the afternoon the story it or am I mistakes?