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GOP members of the House Ethics Committee released a statement in full below that says the ethics trial for Reps. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and Maxine Waters (D-CA) should be held before the midterm elections. They accuse the Democratic Chair of stalling: "The Chairwoman has repeatedly refused to set either the Rangel or Waters trial before the November election."
Democratic House sources say they were "caught completely off guard" by this Republican announcement. They call it a "surprise" and "almost unprecedented." Adding, "It shows how bad these guys are hurting...to what ends they will go to score political points."
Committee Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) is currently on a flight to San Francisco and unavailable for comment.
Aides accuse the GOP members of knowingly waiting for the Democratic chair to be in flight before releasing this statement without her knowledge. Aides say Lofgren was never consulted on this statement which they argue is a clear violation of Rule 7 and claim the four GOP members are in violation of the Committee's strict confidentiality rules.
Democratic sources say the Republican members are "under too much pressure from their leadership." Aides claim the chair "thought she was negotiating in good faith" to set trial dates.
STATEMENT OF THE RANKING REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT
It is in the best interest of transparency and fairness to the American people, Representatives Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters, and other Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, that the House Ethics Committee stop stalling the resolution of the Rangel and Waters matters and complete these public trials prior to the November election.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer - this past weekend - inaccurately stated that the scheduling of the trials is "up to Jo Bonner, the Republican, and Zoe Lofgren, the Democrat." Calling for the trials to "be resolved as quickly as possible," the Majority Leader attributed the unwillingness of the Committee to set trial dates prior to the November election to "their own scheduling problems."Committee Rule 5(e) provides that a subcommittee - including the adjudicatory subcommittees of the Rangel and Waters trials - "shall meet at the discretion of its Chair." After months of trial preparation - and, in the Rangel matter, two years of investigation - Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren should have already issued notices of public trial schedules in both the Rangel and Waters matters.
Members of the Committee have repeatedly expressed their willingness and desire to move forward with public trials of these matters and have repeatedly made themselves available to the Chairwoman for October settings. In past Congresses, Committee Members have returned to Washington during a recess in an effort to conclude pressing Ethics matters.
Representative Rangel and Representative Waters have publicly - and rightfully - demanded the setting of their respective trials prior to the November election to ensure swift and fair resolution of their matters. In our opinion, Representatives Rangel and Waters deserve the opportunity to publicly and timely address the charges against them.
The possibility that the House Majority Leader may call to adjourn a week early provides additional opportunities to schedule uninterrupted public meetings in the month of October, when Members are not conducting legislative business.
The Chairwoman has repeatedly refused to set either the Rangel or Waters trial before the November election. While we regret that the Committee has not worked together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the transparent and fair resolution of these matters to date, we look forward to working with the Chairwoman in a bipartisan manner to accomplish this - and other important unfinished Committee business - in the coming weeks.
The Majority Leader's inaccurate public statement calls for the Ranking Republican Member's public correction. As such and pursuant to Committee Rule 7(g), the Ranking Member, after consultation with Chairwoman Lofgren, regretfully exercises his right to make this statement and does not intend to comment further.
Rep. Jo Bonner
Committee Ranking MemberRep. K. Michael Conaway
Rep. Charles W. Dent
Rep. Gregg HarperRep.Michael T. McCaul
Ranking Member
Rangel Adjudicatory Subcommittee
Leave a Comment:
It's like watching a bunch of toddlers fight over the goddamn Wii-mote.
Democrats want to 'sweep it under the rug' until AFTER the election - typical politics as usual.
Everybody knows that, if the defendants were Republicans, 'the show must go on' would be the mantra of the Democrats.
Shameful politics.
For well over two years a Democrat can do no wrong.............Hopefully a lot of them will also not
be able to vote very soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tired of polititions What the hell is a "politition"???? Did you mean "politician"???? And the only way someone wouldn't be able to vote is if they committed a felony or died. So I don't know where you were going with that statement. I suspect a rapidly deteriorating IQ.
Roy,
If the positions were reversed, i.e. the GOP held the house and had an ethics hearing, they too would hold off the hearing until after the election. Neither party wants to look negative before election time. It's politics period.
So Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren has time to bring a comedian in to testify before Congress, but she doesn't have time to hold ethics trials?
And you Democrats continue to be perplexed as to why you're being thrown out of power. It's nonsense like this that shows your party leaders are detached from reality and couldn't care less about the people they are supposed to be serving. It's not clear if the Republicans have gotten that message either, but we'll start finding out come January.
I'm sorry.
You're right...we should have followed the Republican example set by Mark Foley and Dennis Hastert.
We'll try and do better next time.
Da Noid
Bravo
is it da noid or da moron
Give them a break, there are obviously too busy. Zoe needs to focus on getting quality talent in to provide much needed entertainment for the members. Pelosi needs to get out of town, lest someone inquires as to why they can't seem to cast a simple yea or nay vote on the tax rates.
You know, it just doesn't seem like those in charge want to govern, at least not anymore.
Worst Congress in the history of America.
You get no argument from me there.
Me either, but remember - THIS is the Congress that President Obama had to work with. Given the success he has with his legislation and Agenda, it is a miracle that the President was able to get ANYTHING done with these jokers.
Not true, the worst Congress was when Newt was the speaker of the House of Representatives.
You remember him - the married three times hypocrite who talks about the sanctity of marriage.
THAT was the worst Congress in history.
Burton - you are right. I stand corrected.
This is the 2nd worst Congress in history.
its time to expose the next gay hating, gay bashing republican closet homo-sexual, just to show how hypocritical these morons are.
Why do we have to say one current party is worse than the other. I believe we all will agree that 90%
of our porfessional senators and congresmembers are as crooked as a mountain road......
Tired,
Hell yes! They all need term limits.
maybe it's time we had a panel of non political types run these and maybe that would get the ones out who should be thrown out .. these panels have really done nothing to prove they work for US -- the people
Maybe we could appoint some Death Panels like the ones in the HealthCare Bill.
Has anyones Granny been Condemned to Death Yet?
Just asking!
Rick,
That's my line!!!
Rick,
You're showing your ignorance. There are no death panels in the Health Insurance Reform Law.
I believe he was being sarcastic.
What's the holdup?
Both Rangel and Waters have requested that their cases be handled expeditiously.
Good and decent, hard working American families are out of work, existing on food stamps and family assistance while these vile, low life, insects that earn huge salaries and ridiculous perks, sit on their big fat asses and play political games. I am so angy at all of them, and I mean all of them, I get sick to my stomach. They are like leaches, sucking the blood out of this Country......and we just keep letting them do it.
I am from Alabama, Jo Bonner's district in fact, and all I can say is "When his lips are moving, he is lying". I don't have to know anything more about the committee chair. If Bonner says she is pulling a fast one, she isn't. He couldn't tell the truth if his genitals were on fire.
Where are all of you angry people? The crimes alleged to have been commited by Charlie Rangel are serious and would have put you or I or Joe citizen right in jail. But not if you are in Congress? Maxine Waters has publically ranted about nationalizing everything but Dairy Queen. Why are we waiting Ms. Loftgren, you had time to call Stephen Colbert to testify and humilate our entire nation? You are a disgrace, a comedian yourself and a person who should be out of work. Begin the trials any good criminal judge would have started on any of us accused of the same. You political elitist, you make me sick.
Hmm I wonder what this thing is with Andy Stern (feds are looking at him) hope he goes to jail! Since Obama brought himself and his other corrupt cronies with him, the feds are going to be dropping in on those dudes like flies on dog S***. LOL. It would have to happen sometime, crime does not pay and the truth will ALWAYS be found out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The left has been a total disgrace to the United States.
The right wingers have been much more of a disgrace to the United States than anyone else.
msedivy
And the Right has been so prim and proper and understanding. So willing to work w/ the otherside to get America going again. You need your meds, your fantasy world isn't real, please take your meds and enter society again or the men w/ the white jackets will come to take you away and medicate you forcibly. For nearly 2 years, you Repubs have done nothing but stand on the sidelines and say "NO!" No to take cuts for business that hire employees here and not ship jobs overseas. No to letting the Bush tax cuts for the Upper 2% expire. No to everything and now you have a Senator in Jim DeMint who want to shutdown the government just because he can.
In all honesty, which is more or a disgrace, those who scream and holler and have tantrums because they can't have their way, or those who may be trying, even futilely to include everyone into the debate?
I don't remember letting the Republicans in the debate.
msedivy
Hmm I wonder what this thing is with Andy Stern (feds are looking at him) hope he goes to jail! Since Obama brought himself and his other corrupt cronies with him, the feds are going to be dropping in on those dudes like flies on dog S***. LOL. It would have to happen sometime, crime does not pay and the truth will ALWAYS be found out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No, it sounds like a Sarah Palin boo-gate; including "death panels", ACORN, Climategate, President Obama bad for America, Socialist, Muslim, anti-Kenyan colonialist; unions want to to take over America, and world Stern most frequent visitor to WH etcetera, etcetera .
Stern issued a statement calling reports of an investigation "simply false.
It was standard practice for Stern to approve Stephens' contract and that Stern did speak with federal investigators in 2009 about Stephens but has been given no indication that he himself is being targeted.
http://www.times-standard.com/statenews/ci_16194510
You can't believe everything FOX Noise propagates.
Btw: In the Bush administration's policy White House visitor logs were presidential records that the public has no right to see would Republicans even provide such transparency or even meet with labor leaders? Probably not Koch brother representatives and Haliburton; Yes.
Regardless of the Congress, any president should be working with Congress for the good of America, not his/her own political party or agenda. That's been the problem with our Congress and President for the past 50 years. Until we throw all the bums out, repeal their self exemptions, remove pensions, and limit their terms, we will continue to have the same problems for the remainder of the time we have a republic.
Perhaps the best post idea of all. Repeal all the congressional benefits until the budget is actually balanced.
"The right has been a total disgrace to the United States." Just wanted to see if that made me feel any better. Nope, and I feel guilty for adding to such useless chatter. It's just disappointing that there's no opportunity to discuss solutions to today's problems without party loyalty blocking anyone from listening to the other side of the political aisle. I'm resigned to believing it will be at least next summer before we can start to move past the hatred, grandstanding and finger pointing we've been going through for the past 2 years. Not so discouraged to stay home on election day, though.
2 years? Since 9-11, the last time I remember classy congress.
I'm with you, sgtwinkler... It's been the most politically hateful year I've ever seen, and I was around for the end of Viet-Nam...
When I see jokers like Demint blocking everything, I just want to scream... The Senate writes the rules, when the American people should be writing them! Screw this crap! It's time 'We The People' told our representatives how long we wish for them to serve - (no more lifetime comfort zones), no ability to throw tantrums for the world to see, REPRESENT US, FOR A CHANGE etc... Jeez....
Tom, isn't that a typo? Don't you mean since 1911? (Or would it be more like 1811?)
When it is ethics, justice or foreign policy, there is no room for partisan politics. The idea that the Democrats would benefit from a delay is sort of counter-weighed by the idea that delay laid at their door step makes them look stupid.
Perhaps, but everyone already knows they are stupid, so the best political strategy is to delay the other revelations.
Well, I'm voting as well and I can't way to throw the liberal bums out. "Drain the Swamp" indeed Nancy. Your tongue should fall out of your mouth. Look, yes there are crooks in both parties, however I never liked complete dominance by ANY party; we have to have balance so that fair and just bills can be made law. The far left didn't have a mandate just because Obama won and they captured most of the seats. Voters were angry at Bush (primarily because of his spending) and because of that anger, they didn't pay attention to what Obama was REALLY saying, that he wants expanding government modeled after the socialistic countries. Now, most of these voters are regretting their foolishness (at least I hope so).
What is the hold-up? Why hasn't this been accomplished yet? Why is the Ethics committee waiting? WHo told them to wait?
This is just bad politics all around.
Hence the need to vote them all out.
PantiesNaTwist
Amusing post and you think you won't need money to care for your parents and that SSI and Medicare will be there for ever without someone paying into it?
As for pre-existing conditions the insurance companies should have been covering that all along, but the set-up from 30+ years ago prevented such a thing from happening.
The HCB doesn't control costs, it only provides coverage for those without at the expense of those who are required by law to buy something the government should not be involved with and illegally passed which will come out in the courts.
Now insurance companies are opting out of providing coverage for kids in school up to age 26 which means those kids will have to buy their own policies as the insurance companies just won't offer it.
Amazing you have pass it to see what's in it attitude may have well just bankrupted America.
Medicare and SSI would have 37+ trillion dollars in it, if the Congress and the Senate didn't opt to start using it as a piggy bank in the 60's
Now its full of worthless IOU's issued by a government that is broke, yes they can just print more money and then when inflation hits that dollar will be worth .30 cents if not less.
This didn't begin with Bush and won't end with Obama, if you believe otherwise you haven't lived long enough to know better.
Insurance rates are going up across the board and now that you are required to buy it by law illegally passed by a corrupt Congress and Senate (which will come out in the courts), you will realize the mess that has been created.
For you college kids on daddies policy, forget it the insurance companies will not be offering riders while you are in school for the parents anymore.
That means while your learning in college you can buy your own policy required by law.
Well it shows you why people with money and status get away with so much, if that was you or i we would be tried, hung, and buried.......
The non-thinking, yellow-dog socialist sheepocrats not only want to sweep this stuff under the carpet, these fools actually are supportive of these criminals.
Why don't we the people just take off our jobs, take the kids out of school and make a tent city in DC, on the capital steps, in front of all federal buildings, on the mall. We are The American People, we must stop the business of this smoke and mirros land of OZ, emerald city BS.I have read that we are over medicated. A prozac nation. It really MUST be true. Hell our poor troops are all on multiple drugs so they will shoot to kill the target population of anyland our 'leaders' choose. Why is the suicide rate at an all time high in the military? My god, even the military's own psychiatrists have become deranged and killed their own troops. What are the people in this country waiting for? I don't think we can just ride this thing out.I say recall all seated representatives. Vote in only independents. Run as write-ins We can not let the corrupt and elite aristocracy now acting as functionaries of the Corporation OWNED legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of our government continue on as if everything is just,what? too big to fail?
I think it would do the nation good to bring every elected official up on ethics charges with a full investigation of every Senator, Congressman and also every candidate for these offices.
The House and Senate are in their own little worlds. They concern themselves with the proper decorum and matters in that rich, exclusive and powerful small CLUB. Lest they forget, the job is to GOVERN along with working FOR(HA HA!) the American People. Now they are attempting to clean out their "closet", at their leisure. Where is the accountability? Tighter restrictions need to be put on these people.