Democrats self-destructing over ethics

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration and the new Congress are quickly handing over to Republicans the same "culture of corruption" issue that Democrats used so effectively against the GOP before coming to power.

Freshman Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is only the latest embarrassment.

Senate Democrats accepted Burris because they believed what he told them: He was clean. Burris now admits he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

"The story seems to be changing day by day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday.

The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.

_The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.

_Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were provided millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

_Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.

_Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.

Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.

_Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed after revealing he had tax troubles.

_Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.

_While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.

The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Richard Durbin of Illinois, expressed his anger about the Burris case Wednesday while he was on an official visit to Greece.

"I do believe that the public statements made by Mr. Burris to this point have raised questions ... as to the nature of his relationship with the former governor and the circumstances surrounding his appointment," Durbin said.

Reid said in Nevada, "Now there's some question as to whether or not he told the truth."

Where to go next? Reid had no answer.

"What I think we have to do is just wait and see," the Senate leader said.

Senate Democrats now may be trapped in their own ethics system. Disciplinary action against a senator usually requires a long investigation by the Senate's ethics committee. While a preliminary inquiry on Burris is under way, that's only the first early step. And, with ongoing criminal investigations in Illinois, the committee probably would have to postpone any action — as it usually does — to avoid interference.

In 2006, Republicans lost control of the House after Democrats effectively used a "culture of corruption" theme against them.

The final scandal broke shortly before the election, when it was revealed that then-Rep. Mark Foley, a Florida Republican, sent sexually suggestive e-mails and explicit instant messages to teenage boys who had served as House pages.

Republicans were further harmed when it was disclosed that several of their members were aware of the problem and failed to take action.

Democrats, who've been in control of both Congress and the White House less than two months now, are lucky on one point. The next congressional election is nearly two years away.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...DVE6SwD96EH4JO0

[nowhereman 1]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration and the new Congress are quickly handing over to Republicans the same "culture of corruption" issue that Democrats used so effectively against the GOP before coming to power.

Freshman Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is only the latest embarrassment.

Senate Democrats accepted Burris because they believed what he told them: He was clean. Burris now admits he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

"The story seems to be changing day by day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday.

The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.

_The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.

_Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were provided millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

_Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.

_Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.

Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.

_Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed after revealing he had tax troubles.

_Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.

_While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.

The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Richard Durbin of Illinois, expressed his anger about the Burris case Wednesday while he was on an official visit to Greece.

"I do believe that the public statements made by Mr. Burris to this point have raised questions ... as to the nature of his relationship with the former governor and the circumstances surrounding his appointment," Durbin said.

Reid said in Nevada, "Now there's some question as to whether or not he told the truth."

Where to go next? Reid had no answer.

"What I think we have to do is just wait and see," the Senate leader said.

Senate Democrats now may be trapped in their own ethics system. Disciplinary action against a senator usually requires a long investigation by the Senate's ethics committee. While a preliminary inquiry on Burris is under way, that's only the first early step. And, with ongoing criminal investigations in Illinois, the committee probably would have to postpone any action — as it usually does — to avoid interference.

In 2006, Republicans lost control of the House after Democrats effectively used a "culture of corruption" theme against them.

The final scandal broke shortly before the election, when it was revealed that then-Rep. Mark Foley, a Florida Republican, sent sexually suggestive e-mails and explicit instant messages to teenage boys who had served as House pages.

Republicans were further harmed when it was disclosed that several of their members were aware of the problem and failed to take action.

Democrats, who've been in control of both Congress and the White House less than two months now, are lucky on one point. The next congressional election is nearly two years away.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...DVE6SwD96EH4JO0

You can't look at politicians as good guys & bad guys, its all relative (shades of gray). One shouldn't condone inappropriate behavior, but unfortunately its often a choice of the lesser of two evils.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration and the new Congress are quickly handing over to Republicans the same "culture of corruption" issue that Democrats used so effectively against the GOP before coming to power.

Freshman Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is only the latest embarrassment.

Senate Democrats accepted Burris because they believed what he told them: He was clean. Burris now admits he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

"The story seems to be changing day by day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday.

The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.

_The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.

_Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were provided millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

_Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.

_Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.

Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.

_Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed after revealing he had tax troubles.

_Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.

_While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.

The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Richard Durbin of Illinois, expressed his anger about the Burris case Wednesday while he was on an official visit to Greece.

"I do believe that the public statements made by Mr. Burris to this point have raised questions ... as to the nature of his relationship with the former governor and the circumstances surrounding his appointment," Durbin said.

Reid said in Nevada, "Now there's some question as to whether or not he told the truth."

Where to go next? Reid had no answer.

"What I think we have to do is just wait and see," the Senate leader said.

Senate Democrats now may be trapped in their own ethics system. Disciplinary action against a senator usually requires a long investigation by the Senate's ethics committee. While a preliminary inquiry on Burris is under way, that's only the first early step. And, with ongoing criminal investigations in Illinois, the committee probably would have to postpone any action — as it usually does — to avoid interference.

In 2006, Republicans lost control of the House after Democrats effectively used a "culture of corruption" theme against them.

The final scandal broke shortly before the election, when it was revealed that then-Rep. Mark Foley, a Florida Republican, sent sexually suggestive e-mails and explicit instant messages to teenage boys who had served as House pages.

Republicans were further harmed when it was disclosed that several of their members were aware of the problem and failed to take action.

Democrats, who've been in control of both Congress and the White House less than two months now, are lucky on one point. The next congressional election is nearly two years away.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...DVE6SwD96EH4JO0

You can't look at politicians as good guys & bad guys, its all relative (shades of gray). One shouldn't condone inappropriate behavior, but unfortunately its often a choice of the lesser of two evils.

Your post is contradictory, since the latter part implies that one CAN look on pols as bad guys (concession--you cannot see them as good guys). As far as "lesser evil", that's now become blurred as well.

[nowhereman 1]

Your post is contradictory, since the latter part implies that one CAN look on pols as bad guys (concession--you cannot see them as good guys). As far as "lesser evil", that's now become blurred as well.

I am just being realistic. Some transgressions are relatively harmless & others are potentially serious felonies. My point is that wrongdoings need to judged on a case by case basis.

Edited February 19, 2009 by nowhereman

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Burris, Biden and a Botched Moment

When Barack Obama and Joe Biden were elected on Nov. 4, two Democratic governors were given opportunities to replace them.

When Hillary Clinton and Ken Salazar joined the cabinet, two more Democratic governors were given opportunities to make appointments.

When Judd Gregg announced he would join the cabinet, a fifth Democratic governor was given the opportunity to make a Senate appointment.

Fully five percent of the Senate was up for grabs.

The results have been an embarrassment for the Democratic party, easily the most they-can't-run-a-two-car-parade moment since the Michigan-Florida debacle. The appointments have managed to combine voters' worst impressions of the Democrats: corruption, racial pandering, and general goofiness.

There are obviously different degrees of botching it with the laughably corrupt Rod Blagjevich's appointment of the laughably likely corrupt Roland Burris being the worst. David Paterson's brief exercise in Kennedy lore didn't exactly distinguish the New York governor. In Delaware, Ruth Ann Miner appointed Ted Kaufman to take Joe Biden's seat. Kaufman is a long-time aide to the Biden's and his appointment is seen as a mere placeholder for Beau Biden, the vice president's son, to run for the seat. Appointing Beau Biden now would have been seen as too crass.

Can you fault John Lynch, New Hampshire's popular governor, for agreeing, at the request of the White House, to appoint a Republican because that's what Judd Gregg insisted upon? I wouldn't cast too many aspersions on Lynch. It was Gregg, after all, who abruptly changed his mind.

Finally, you have to say that the most seamless appointment was Bill Ritter's tapping Michael Bennet to fill Ken Salazar's seat in Colorado. I'm friends with Bennet's brother, James, the Atlantic editor, and I think he'll be a great senator and has a decent chance of holding on to the seat. You have to give Ritter the highest marks

All said, Democrats were presented with an interesting chance to put a new generation to politicians in play and they handled it in a middling way at best.

By the way, if Obama's seat goes Republican it'll be the first time in the 20th century, as best I can tell, that a president will have seen his party lose his seat while he's in office. Harding's Republicans held his Senate seat when he was elected president in 1920. Jack Kennedy's Senate seat stayed in Democratic hands. Vice presidential seats have flipped. Gerald Ford's house seat went to a Democrat in a special election after he was confirmed as Nixon's second veep. It would be pretty embarassing for the Republicans to pick up Obama's senate seat but if in the unlikely event Burris manages to stay in until 2010, can anyone doubt that's likely? That would be one more legacy of this weird season.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02...ched-moment.php

[Jasman0717 9]

Maybe we should just put every elected official in the dumpster and start over again

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

Maybe we should just put every elected official in the dumpster and start over again

ita

[Danno 1,228]

You can't look at politicians as good guys & bad guys, its all relative (shades of gray). One shouldn't condone inappropriate behavior, but unfortunately its often a choice of the lesser of two evils.

Thanks for making my point for me.

The left Appreciates Ethics from it's leaders, it does not demand it, thats why the only thing that takes a crooked Left-wing political hack out of office, is the legal system, their voters won't

They have no shame so they won't resign and their voters "excuse" them with talk of "shades of gray" and forgiveness.

[nowhereman 1]

You can't look at politicians as good guys & bad guys, its all relative (shades of gray). One shouldn't condone inappropriate behavior, but unfortunately its often a choice of the lesser of two evils.

Thanks for making my point for me.

The left Appreciates Ethics from it's leaders, it does not demand it, thats why the only thing that takes a crooked Left-wing political hack out of office, is the legal system, their voters won't

They have no shame so they won't resign and their voters "excuse" them with talk of "shades of gray" and forgiveness.

You completely missed my point. My intent was to look at the situation in an unbiased & objective manner & I wasn't excusing any wrongdoings. It's clear that neither party can meet the ethical standards that they set for the opposing party, but like I said each case should be judged individually.

[Danno 1,228]

You can't look at politicians as good guys & bad guys, its all relative (shades of gray). One shouldn't condone inappropriate behavior, but unfortunately its often a choice of the lesser of two evils.

Thanks for making my point for me.

The left Appreciates Ethics from it's leaders, it does not demand it, thats why the only thing that takes a crooked Left-wing political hack out of office, is the legal system, their voters won't

They have no shame so they won't resign and their voters "excuse" them with talk of "shades of gray" and forgiveness.

You completely missed my point. My intent was to look at the situation in an unbiased & objective manner & I wasn't excusing any wrongdoings. It's clear that neither party can meet the ethical standards that they set for the opposing party, but like I said each case should be judged individually.

That was my point, The only "judging" that seems to be going on is Republicans who shoot their own.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Maybe we should just put every elected official in the dumpster incinerator and start over again