Dodd cleared … then spanked

Well come on. Did you really think his Democrat buddies would let him down … I do love the admonishment. Hey, when they told you that you were a VIP … you should have known. Indeed.

The committee told both men that while they may not have violated Senate rules, the simple fact that they were in something called a VIP program “should have … raised red flags for you.” They should have “inquired very specifically” about how they got into the program and what it meant, the panel found.

In a statement released Friday, Dodd said he was “pleased and gratified” the complaint against him had been dismissed, and that the investigation proved the allegations against him “are and have always been false.”

No … the committee didn’t say they believed you … they just said you didn’t break Senate rules … The post goes on to link to this from CREW (emphasis mine):

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan stated, “As is its practice, the Senate Ethics Committee has cleared the senators of any wrongdoing despite the fact that the senators participated in a program the committee found ‘offered quicker, more efficient loan processing and some discounts.’” Sloan continued, “Apparently, clearing the senators was insufficient penance for the committee for having the audacity to investigate in the first place. Like a battered woman who explains she brought the beating on herself, the committee faulted itself for failing to ‘provide more guidance to the Senate community about issues surrounding mortgage negotiations.’

Indeed!