From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/9/05:
http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=DELAY-05-09-05
Watchdog groups urging outside counsel for DeLay investigation
By MAEVE RESTON
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WASHINGTON --
After a tumultuous four months of partisan brinksmanship, the
bipartisan House ethics committee finally agreed last week to formally
begin its work for the year, setting the stage for an investigation
into whether Majority Leader Tom DeLay followed House rules on several
foreign trips that were allegedly arranged by a powerful Washington
lobbyist.
But even before the panel begins to gather information, outside
watchdog groups are calling for an outside counsel to investigate the
Texas Republican.
They say DeLay's power and leadership role would make it difficult for
rank-and-file members of Congress to conduct a thorough, impartial
investigation.
And they point to precedents _ particularly the independent
investigations into ethics charges against two former House speakers,
Jim Wright, D-Texas, and Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.
The monetary conflicts of interest involving the current House ethics
committee _ which is evenly divided between five Democrats and five
Republicans _ are well known.
Each of the five Republican members has either given money to DeLay's
legal defense fund or received campaign money from his leadership
political action committee (ARMPAC), which has donated tens of
thousands of dollars to Republican candidates.
Last week, committee members Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Tom Cole,
R-Okla., both of whom contributed to DeLay's legal defense fund,
succumbed to public pressure and announced they would excuse
themselves from any probe into DeLay's activities.
But some watchdog groups remain concerned that the remaining
Republican members of the House ethics committee received money from
DeLay.
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If they're serious, an independent investigation's the only way go.
But....................................................................................
Harry
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