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Ethics Committee Members Recuse Selves From DeLay Investigation

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu May 05, 2005 at 12:56:55 PM EST
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by TChris

Recognizing and (even better) responding to an obvious conflict of interest, two Republican members of the House ethics committee, both donors to one of Tom DeLay's defense funds, agreed not to participate in investigations of DeLay's alleged ethical improprieties.

Democrats have complained for months that Speaker Dennis Hastert appointed Republicans Lamar Smith of Texas and Tom Cole of Oklahoma to make the panel more favorable to DeLay, R-Texas.

Smith and Cole replaced two Republicans who voted to admonish DeLay on three separate matters in 2004.

Concerns that Smith and Cole would not be impartial were substantial.

Smith contributed $5,000 last year to help DeLay defend himself in the ethics probe, a potential problem because one of the matters under investigation was deferred. ... Smith also contributed $5,000 in 2000 to help DeLay's defense against a civil lawsuit.

Cole donated $5,000 last year, during the ethics committee's investigation.

Republicans do themselves no favor in the court of public opinion by rallying around DeLay, no matter what they think they owe him.

A new poll out Wednesday showed public opinion of DeLay sinking. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found the majority leader's unfavorable rating at an all-time high of 38 percent, up 7 percent from last month. His favorable rating was unchanged at 27 percent.

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    Ethics Committee Members Recuse Selves From DeLay Investigation | 2 comments (2 topical)
    Re: Ethics Committee Members Recuse Selves From De (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:46 PM EST
    Does anyone else feel the tide turning a bit? Too bad this is happening in 2005 and not 2003/4 or 2007/8.

    Re: Ethics Committee Members Recuse Selves From De (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:46 PM EST
    I foresee several strong and critical ethical statements coming out shortly before the midterm elections. DeLay will hang his head, his party will talk about the importance of ethics, then when the elections are over, it will be time to question the patriotism of our judiciary. I hope the American people will vote these bums out and not fall for the theater.

    Ethics Committee Members Recuse Selves From DeLay Investigation | 2 comments (2 topical)