Reuters reports today that the Chairman of the House Ethics panel, Congressman Joel Hefley (R-CO-05), was replaced and a new Congressman was added to the panel: Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21), a man who contributed greatly to a defense fund for House Majority Leader Tom “The Hammer” Delay (R-TX-22).
While Hefley’s term as Chair was up, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL-14) could’ve chosen to extend it, which usually occurs. But because Hefley had led to admonishments of Delay by the ethics panel, he was replaced.
Some excerpts from Reuters with Democratic reaction:
“The ethics committee last year admonished DeLay in two separate reports, on a total of three matters: a 2002 fund-raiser that it said gave the appearance of donors getting special access; enlisting the help of a federal agency in a Texas political spat, and offering a political favor to a member in an effort to win passage of a drug bill.
Three of DeLay’s associates were indicted by a Texas grand jury in September in connection with illegal fund raising. The prosecutor has said the investigation is not finished. DeLay has said he is confident he will not be indicted.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said, “By ousting Mr. Hefley as chairman … and replacing him with a party loyalist, the Republican leadership is sending a chilling message.”
“It is further evidence that there is a purge under way of any Republican who does not precisely toe the party line,” Pelosi said.
Craig Holman of Congress Watch, a citizen’s watchdog group, added: “This is clearly an attempt by Tom DeLay and the House Republican leadership to shutdown House ethics enforcement.”
Yep, the Democratic message is basically how I feel about it.
To succeed in the GOP, don’t be ethical or follow the rules–win and become the majority, then change the rules so that you can’t get in trouble. The GOP and unethical folks like the Hammer give American politics a bad name.
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