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Leaked House Ethics Doc: Dozens Of Members Being Probed

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Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)

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A July House ethics committee report leaked to the Washington Post shows that over 30 members of Congress have caught the interest of the panel, including several top Democrats.

The 22-page weekly summary report, which the Post has not put online, was mistakenly put on a public computer network because a junior staffer was using software from home, the committee said in a statement (pdf).

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), an aide, and his son were interviewed by the committee as part of the investigation into his alleged financial misconduct, according to the document.

It also contains some potentially bad news for Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV). The Post reports:

The Justice Department has told the ethics panel to suspend a probe of Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.), whose personal finances federal investigators began reviewing in early 2006 after complaints from a conservative group that he was not fully revealing his real estate holdings. There has been no public action on that inquiry for several years. But the department's request in early July to the committee suggests that the case continues to draw the attention of federal investigators, who often ask that the House and Senate ethics panels refrain from taking action against members whom the department is already investigating.

A rattled Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), chair of the ethics panel, took to the House floor last night to alert lawmakers to the leak.

The leaked doc also shows that the ethics panel tried -- and failed -- to obtain from authorities a recording of Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) talking to an Israeli operative, reportedly about the AIPAC spy case and her bid to lead the intel committee.

The Post notes in a separate story that fully seven members of the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense are "under scrutiny" by the panel. They are Reps. John Murtha (D-PA), Pete Visclosky (D-IN), James Moran (D-VA), Norm Dicks (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), C.W. Bill Young (R-FL), and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS).

While the paper cites the "over 30 lawmakers" figure, it does not list the members in question.

The leak came on the same day that the ethics panel publicly announced it is launching full investigation of Reps. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Laura Richardson (D-CA). The Waters matter focuses on her alleged intervention to get bailout funds for a bank in which her husband held stock. Richardson allegedly failed to disclose real estate assets and got special treatment involving a foreclosure on her home.

Read the whole Post story here.

Late Update: Here's video of Lofgren speaking last night:

Late Late Update: We delve into the question: how much is really new here?

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17 comments

Recommend Recommend (2)

LFC

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October 30, 2009 9:10 AM   

Amazing how much more effective the ethics panel seems to be with Democrats in office.

This is what we need more of. The only thing that will keep Congress remotely honest is fear of prosecution or at least loss of position.

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October 30, 2009 9:52 AM    in reply to LFC

I'm glad you posted this because I hadn't thought about it in those terms. It shows how deeply corruption runs in the Republican party. Not only are individual members corrupt, but the organization itself fosters that corruption, maybe implicitly sanctions it, by not investigating it.

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October 30, 2009 10:23 AM    in reply to LFC

While I agree on the effectiveness, I have to say, Republicans are much better at not screwing up and leaking documents like this, as bad as they are with the use of technology.

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October 30, 2009 10:45 AM    in reply to fsudirectory

Probably not working on it at home. Their computers have "other" purposes.
Police have to find their secrets.

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October 30, 2009 10:50 AM    in reply to fsudirectory

Woops. Read the rest of the story. It was "leaked" by a repuglican.

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October 30, 2009 1:40 PM    in reply to soupson52

ah oh well -- doesnt shock me either

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October 30, 2009 11:08 AM    in reply to LFC

True, that. Drain the swamp, sez I!

It's long overdue.

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October 30, 2009 9:31 AM   

"Culture of Corruption" sounds just right.

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October 30, 2009 9:47 AM    in reply to Lalo35adm

Oh, Hi, Lalo! Come out of your fact-free zone to say play with us!

"Culture of Corruption" - yeah, the Democratic congress is investigating Democratic congresscritters, and holding them responsible for their actions!

We all know that the Republican leadership did a great job of investigating Republicans when they were in power. Well, OK, not so much.

Google "Tom DeLay" and "ethics committee".

Oh, the google, it hurts!

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October 30, 2009 9:55 AM   

Is it just me or is it just a tad strange that the full list hasn't been disclosed but pretty much all the names that have are Dem names?

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October 30, 2009 10:07 AM    in reply to Apphouse50

Well, I think that tells you who leaked it.

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October 30, 2009 10:18 AM   

Finally, it's time to take out Maxine. There are so many Democrats in her district that would be just fine. But, her willingness to engage in such corrupt practices -- trying to get bailout dollars for her husband's bank -- are deserving of new candidates.

She should have quit a long time ago. This will get ugly.

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October 30, 2009 10:59 AM    in reply to Mateo123

Listen to the video. Why, given the massive stealing being done by the republicans through the lobbyists, would you single her out? She is a petty thief up against masters. Really curious why you choose her to focus on.

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October 30, 2009 11:27 AM   

"The 22-page weekly summary report...was mistakenly put on a public computer network because a junior staffer was using software..."

Information wants to be free?

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October 30, 2009 11:30 AM   

Looks like the bushcheney plants throughout the Justice system are getting their revenge, and repaying their master cheney with that famous repub dirty trick of "look... the dems do it too!". The very first action that Prez Obama should have taken was to replace each and every bush plant throughout the government, beginning with the Justice Dept. Even I could see something like this coming if the cheneyites were allowed to stick around too long. Fire 'em all.... ASAP.

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October 30, 2009 1:15 PM   

At this rate we won't have any politicians left...except maybe Dennis.

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October 30, 2009 1:24 PM   

The convicts are running the prison. Could it be some of these rats are being thrown under the bus and if so what is the end game. Perhaps we will find out this weekend when Pres. Stupidly does his info dump at midnight.

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