Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - Beyond DeLay
Posted by Moonage on 08 Jan 2007 | Tagged as: Ethics
We were encouraged by the passage yesterday of the new House ethics package. With strong earmark reform, a ban on gifts and meals from lobbyists, mandatory pre-approval of any trips in connection with official duties, coupled with almost immediate disclosure of such trips, and a prohibition on the use of corporate jets at below market rates, this package is a good first step.
The new Democratic leadership deserves credit for creating legislation that tackles the ethics issues that plagued the last Congress. But implementing these rule changes is only the beginning. Enforcement is the key to real ethics reform. Congress must now create an independent ethics oversight body, such as an Office of Public Integrity, to restore public confidence in Congress. We are optimistic that the bi-partisan taskforce appointed to study the issue will come to the same conclusion.
On a final note, to ensure that all members are held accountable for their actions, the rules must be changed to permit outsiders to file ethics complaints. Hopefully, with new ethics rules in place as well as increased oversight and enforcement, Congress can finally move Beyond DeLay.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
If you click on the Beyond DeLay link, they list their "Most corrupt" Members of Congress. Pretty much by their own standards. Only the most obvious Democrats are listed. Which leads me to question why The Hill Blog allows an obvious party hack like CREW to post on the blog, but responding to this obvious political rhetoric is impossible? I mean, they’re boasting that they basically should get credit for any ethics reform, and give it all to the Democrats. And, I have a real question as to what this part of the Ethics overhaul has to do with ethics:
(a) Upon the adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research. All points of order against the bill and against its consideration are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) three hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader or their designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
(b) During consideration of H.R. 3 pursuant to this resolution, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker.
Or, this part:
(a) Upon the adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 4) to amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower covered part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries. All points of order against the bill and against its consideration are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) three hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader or their designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
(b) During consideration of H.R. 4 pursuant to this resolution, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker.
Now, it would seem to me that slipping totally unrelated issues into a bill, knowing that the other party completely opposes the unrelated issues, forcing them to vote against something that most would probably have otherwise supported, making them look bad to the general public, is, well…..
very,
very,
unethical.
Seems to me also that people calling themselves Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington would have caught that a lot easier than I did.
If they wanted to.
They’re only concerned if it’s a Republican behaving badly. That’s why I think 527’s should be banned if you truly want responsibility and ethics in Washington. CREW is the perfect reason why.
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