There’s been talk of serious Congressional hearings getting going once the Republicans take control of the House, Senate or both starting in early 2011. Please, no. I’m serious, I’m not interested in hearings about the transparency or lack there of in the current Executive Branch.
I’m happy that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been able to get through all of the red tape and finally work towards her pledge to fight ensure Congressional ethics. Funny though, she’s been unusually quiet about Rep. Charlie Rangel (D- N.Y.), maybe she should make a big splash by walking down Pennsylvania Avenue with a broom.
… has gone up a great deal. Apparently, lying and double-crossing pays a great deal more than 30 pieces of silver. They say every man has his price.
We’ve seen self-aggrandizement, we’ve seen bribery, we’ve seen tax evasion, we’ve seen banking scandals… Now we can add nepotism to the mix.
“Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus was romantically involved with a former staffer when he recommended her earlier this year to become the next U.S. attorney for Montana, a spokesman said.
The Montana Democrat and his former state director Melodee Hanes began their relationship in the summer of 2008 after Baucus separated from his wife, Ty Matsdorf said in a statement Friday night, confirming a report in Roll Call.
Baucus nominated Hanes for the U.S. attorney post in March. But she later withdrew, saying she had been presented with other opportunities she couldn’t pass up.”
The hits just keep on coming…
Now, to be fair, I should include Senator Baucus’ “explanation”…
“Matsdorf said Baucus’ relationship with his girlfriend had nothing to do with his decision to nominate her.
“Senator Baucus recommended each of the three candidates based solely on qualifications, and merit, knowing whichever one the White House selected would serve Montana well,” Matsdorf said.
The spokesman said Baucus and Hanes decided during the nomination process that she should withdraw her name because the couple wanted to live together in Washington.”
In the immortal words of the Marx brothers, “Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes???
Blame it on my misspent youth — “I remember Charlie’s Angels.” Farah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, Cheryl Tiegs, big hair, bad guys and a resonant voice emitting from a intercom system. In this modern era of “re-imaginings” and “remakes,” let me make a modest proposal… I present, for your entertainment pleasure, “Charlie’s Angles.”
In a world with insoluble problems, like the tax code, enter Charlie Rangel. The man who writes the tax code and, recently, has called for harder and harsher enforcement of these regulations by the IRS. Charlie, however, doesn’t always live up to the letter of the laws he rights — as Leona Helmsley might say — taxes are for the little people.
Enter “Charlie’s Angles”. When the men and women who purport to represent you don’t live up to the standards they themselves set, they must face a jury of their peers — the Ethics committee. A clever man, Charlie Rangel has the best defense that money can buy. What do you buy for the man who has everything? I haven’t the foggiest — but, apparently, he tried to the Ethics committee for himself.
” A few Democrats returned Rangel’s donations, including Ethics Committee member Peter Welch of Vermont, who said he returned Rangel’s $20,000 out of “an abundance of caution.”
Two other Democrats on the panel — Ben Chandler of Kentucky, G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina — have refused to return Rangel’s contributions.
The House Ethics Committee’s wide-ranging investigation of Rangel has been expanded twice, as new revelations have come to light. “
Sunshine is the best disinfectant. The more light they shine on Charlie, the more they find.
Betcha Charlie wishes he could be a disembodied voice on an intercom, don’t ya think?
What was that San Fran Nan was saying about the “most ethical Congress ever?”
WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) – Former U.S. Representative William Jefferson, who was caught with $90,000 in cash in his freezer, was found guilty on 11 of 16 charges related to a bribery and money laundering scandal, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.
“The ex-Louisiana lawmaker was accused in 2007 of soliciting millions of dollars in bribes from a dozen companies while using his office to broker business deals in Africa.
In a search of his residence, FBI agents said they had found the $90,000 in a freezer.
Jefferson faces up to 150 years in prison and could face forfeiture of payments totaling $456,000, plus stock certificates, according a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Virginia, where Jefferson was tried. Jefferson can appeal his conviction.”
One wonders if, in the tradition of Marion Barry or Sharpe James, William Jefferson will seek re-election.
Well it beats having your kids still living in the basement.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro has received some attention lately for the apparent generosity of providing Obama’s chief of staff, former Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a place to crash in the capital. The Web reports have accused him of living illegally in her DC house.
Emanuel’s lodging would seem to constitute a gift, but a quick reading of House ethics rules suggests that members of Congress are not violating any rules when taking gifts from each other. Of course, he’s no longer a member of Congress .
and there’s more here.
Oh, but then, Emanuel is now serving under the supposedly stricter ethics regime of the Obama White House. Free rent from a Democratic pollster? Something doesn’t smell right — and it’s not just that usual basement mustiness.
But forget about any breaches of minor ethics rules. So Emanuel crashed with DeLauro and Greenberg for five years for free — who cares? What this really tells us is how hopelessly inbred Washington is. We just wish Emanuel had gotten fancier digs in the bargain.
Ok … maybe it’s not better than having the kids still living at home. At least you can get them to shovel the driveway.
Once again … H/T to Instapundit.