Nancy Pelosi’s “most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.”
Remember Nancy Pelosi’s “most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.” as you read this from the House Ethics Committee website:
December 29, 2006Statement of Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Minority Member Howard L. Berman Regarding Representative John Conyers
The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a), initiated an informal inquiry in December 2003 into reports that members of the congressional staff of Representative John Conyers had performed campaign activity on official time and in some instances using official resources, and that some staff members may have been compelled to do campaign work or personal work for Representative Conyers. The assertions in the reports, if true, could implicate a number of laws and House rules applicable to Members, including: House Rule 23, clause 1 (requiring the conduct of a Member or employee to reflect creditably on the House of representatives); House Rule 23, clause 8 (requiring that congressional staff perform official duties commensurate with compensation); 31 U.S.C. § 1301(a) and corresponding regulations of the Committee on House Administration (providing that official funds may be used only for the purposes appropriated); and 18 U.S.C § 606 (prohibiting adverse personnel action or intimidation to secure a “contribution of money or other valuable thing” including services, for a political purpose).
Committee Rule 18(a) permits the Committee, in the absence of a filed complaint, to consider “any information in its possession indicating that a Member, officer, or employee may have committed a violation of the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct . . . .” The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member may jointly gather additional information concerning such a potential violation unless and until an investigative subcommittee is established.
During the course of their inquiry, the Chairman and Ranking Member asked for and received information, including documents, from several sources, including Representative Conyers. Committee staff also interviewed witnesses regarding the allegations.
In the course of providing information to the Committee, Representative Conyers acknowledged what he characterized as a “lack of clarity” in his communications with staff members regarding their official duties and responsibilities, and accepted responsibility for his actions. Representative Conyers also provided the Committee with documents indicating that he had begun taking steps to provide clearer guidance to staff regarding the requirement that campaign work and official work be separate.
After reviewing the information gathered during the inquiry, and in light of Representative Conyers’ cooperation with the inquiry, we have concluded that this matter should be resolved through the issuance of this public statement and the agreement by Representative Conyers to take a number of additional, significant steps to ensure that his office complies with all rules and standards regarding campaign and personal work by congressional staff.
Representative Conyers has agreed to the following conditions:
1. Prohibiting his personal congressional staff (other than his Chief of Staff) from performing any campaign-related work, including work done on a voluntary basis, during the 110th Congress, unless the staff member takes a paid position on his campaign while on leave without pay status and obtains prior written approval from the Committee.
2. Informing staff members in writing of the prohibition set forth above against the voluntary performance of campaign work.
3. Distributing a memorandum to each member of his personal congressional staff which clearly sets forth all House rules concerning (1) the performance of campaign and other non-official work by congressional staff members and (2) the prohibition against the performance of any campaign-related work being conducted in either his congressional or district offices. Additionally, this memorandum will explicitly state that the performance of campaign or other non-official work by staff members may not be required as a condition of their employment.
4. Directing that meetings of his personal congressional staff be held annually in which the House rules concerning staff participation in campaign activities are discussed and explained. In addition, a description of these rules will be made a part of the orientation for all new staff employees.
5. Continuing to maintain the detailed time-keeping system initiated by Rep. Conyers during the course of the Committee’s inquiry.
6. Requiring that all members of his congressional staff attend a briefing conducted by Committee counsel on the application of, and compliance with, applicable House rules concerning the performance of campaign and other non-official work by congressional staff members.
Provided that the above requirements are complied with, this matter will remain closed, and the Committee will take no further action on it.
Michelle Malkin translates it to mean:
Conyers is a slimeball, but he cooperated with us, so we’ll issue this public statement we hope no one will see and trust him to “monitor” his staff so all that bad stuff doesn’t happen again under his vigilant watch Business. As. Usual.
Jason Smith notes: Incoming Judiciary Committee Chair Admits Breaking Ethics Rules
Â
December 31, 2006 - 01:54 PM on December 31st, 2006
This most hosnest congress in hisroty what a joke this deum jackass is trying to pull our leg its will be buisness as usial with the new CONgress it will be no different:razz:
December 31, 2006 - 05:34 PM on December 31st, 2006
Most honest? HA! I’ll believe that when Rep. Jefferson returns that 90 grand.
December 31, 2006 - 11:37 PM on December 31st, 2006
I think the FBI got its $90k of marked bribe money back. Of course they had to dig it out of Jefferson’s freezer, and there is still $10,000 missing from the $100k that they actually gave him.
January 1, 2007 - 05:58 AM on January 1st, 2007
What a pile of dog vomit.
January 1, 2007 - 08:57 AM on January 1st, 2007
If Pelosi cares so much about ethics, ask her about that $21,000 FEC fine for accepting illegal campaign money I tell everyone.
January 1, 2007 - 02:03 PM on January 1st, 2007
the woman namcy mexico city pelosi’s money is known to be in a mexican bank.
her job for the North American Union is being done well and anyone who wants her butt can pay old Fox, after all the old nation had laws against that kind of thing.
ethical means a new way of saying black money inside a mexican bank?
January 3, 2007 - 02:51 PM on January 3rd, 2007
[...] Nancy Pelosi’s “most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.”[...]