Max Cleland was U.S. senator from Georgia from 1997 to
2003, and Georgia's secretary of state from 1983 to 1996.
Posted on 10/17/2006 6:42:11 AM PDT by rface
In an Oct. 13 editorial, the AJC called on Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to "look in the mirror first" on congressional ethics.
Reid has been a friend and mentor to me for almost a decade. He is one of the most ethical men I know.
This story is simple. In 1998, Reid bought land. In 2004, he sold it. For the six years in between, he told everyone — including Congress — that he owned the land.
The only serious question is whether he made a technical error in how he described his ownership of the land. So now Reid has done the right thing and asked the Senate Ethics Committee to clarify the matter. If the ethics committee finds Reid needs to issue a correction, it will probably be as simple as adding an asterisk to the existing report. This story is much ado about an asterisk.
Compare that effort to clear up any mistake to a Republican leadership in Congress that knew about a sexual predator in their ranks for perhaps as many as five years and chose to cover it up rather than ensure that the teenage children sent to the Capitol each year were fully protected.
This latest tempest in a teapot is nothing more than a smear campaign by Republicans desperate to hold on to a Congressional majority they've done nothing to deserve.
Republicans in Washington have no ideas for the future and no solutions to clean up their mistakes. All they have left is baseless charges.
I am disgusted by these latest attacks — it's a dirty trick I know all too well. Republicans distribute misleading propaganda in the hope that malicious lies will distort honest truths. They used the same tactics against me four years ago, and I will not let them succeed this time.
The Republican Congress has failed in Iraq, failed on health care, raised taxes on the middle class and made America less safe. It's time for change in this country. GOP leaders think smearing a good man is a substitute for effective leadership, but I'm proud to say Democratic leaders such as Reid are fighting to take America in a new direction.
Thbis Ried story stands on it's own
Gee, Max, except that he also gave his condo staff christmas bonuses out of his campaign coffers (a clear violation of campaign finance rules), AND he announced he also had two other land deals he had "forgotten" to tell the Senate about.
Oh, and the problem with THIS land deal was NOT that he made money, or that he didn't disclose the deal.
The problem is that he didn't disclose a financial arrangement with another person, an arrangement which could have precipitated special treatment or favors. Senators are supposed to disclose all financial entanglements so the voters know exactly what to look at when looking for special treatment.
Since Reid hid his partnership with two other men, we couldn't check him out.
I understand he borrowed the phrase "Let's Roll!" from a true American hero to get the wagon circling started.
Potomic Fever - not a legend, FACT!
Unfortunately, this is probably a true statement. Kinda makes you wonder about all his other "aquaintances"
Max,
If Hairy Reed is the most ethical man you know, you NEED SOME NEW AND DIFFERENT FRIENDS!!!
The biggest questions is: Did Harry Reid pay taxes on the profit he got from getting $1.1 million for a property he bought for $400k?
"Harry Reid is the kindest, warmest, bravest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life."
Did Reid declare the profit and pay taxes on it?
This so called baseless charge actually began when a former Harry Reid staffer brought the shady land deal to the attention of the media. From that point on the 'Rats went into deflect the charges mode by accusing the Pubbies of orchestrating a smear campaign. This tactic use to work ... however, it's now so shop worn that even their allies in the liberal mainstream media are left rolling their eyes.
I'll be Harry is one of the most ethical men that HE knows...Reid is run-of-the-mill "ethical" for a democrat.
All is fair only when it attacks the GOP if you ask a liberal.
Dick Morris was talking about this last night on H and C.
He just said Reid's son's are lobbyists who are paid to lobby him! What a nice family affair.
He is one of the most ethical men I know.
Compared to what? YOU? The other RAT Senators?
Pot -- Kettle -- Black
Harry has it documented that family members are NOT to lobby him or his office. I think he put this in place in 2002. Sorry I can't remember where I saw this.
He's covered his bases.
But the legislation mentioned removing protected land did benefit him financially so he can't weasel out of that.
'Technical error.' Right.
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