After electoral drubbing, Democrats must now deal with ethics trials

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Fresh from a stinging midterm election defeat, House Democrats must quickly face another embarrassing spectacle: public trials for two of their most prominent members.

Reps. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), two senior House veterans, have opted to fight the separate ethics charges in public ethics trials set to take place later this month and extend into the first week of December.

Drawing criticism from Republicans, House ethics chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) last month announced the trials would occur after the elections. Rangel’s will commence Nov. 15 and the Waters trial will start Nov. 29.

To make matters worse for a party still reeling from their losses, Rangel, who is known for his colorful and rambling speeches, could decide to represent himself at the hearing. The Rangel’s trial would undoubtedly attract a lot of attention from the cable news shows.

“It’s like we’re kicking ourselves in the stomach when we’re already down,” one House Democratic staffer griped. “I’m not looking forward to it.”

Republicans have no sympathy for Democrat’s plight, because, they argue, their leaders had a choice of whether to move forward with the trials in July but decided to push them off until after the election for public relations purposes.

They also remember how Democrats capitalized on the 2006 October scandal involving then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and inappropriate electronic messages to former pages. At the time, Democrats said it proved that Republicans had lost their way on ethics.

“There is no purer symbol of the arrogance of power than Democrats holding these hearings after the elections,” said Doug Heye, spokesman for the Republican National Committee. “It perfectly encapsulated why voters are tired of Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi’s [D-Calif.] rule.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/127389-after-electoral-drubbing-dems-must-now-deal-with-ethics-trials

[^_^ 5,021]

drubbing? the word is shellacking.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ethics? Washington?

While I always find these little trials amusing, neither party should be opening their mouths......

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

DEMS lose again!

[luckytxn 2,264]

And it was pretty cool that they also are going to ask the white house to be sure not to destroy any records at all just in case.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

The Great ####### Investigator Party is back in The House!!!! I am sure they won't waste too much time or spend too much tax dollars on vindictive #######...

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Alright! Break out those UV lamps!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

drubbing? the word is shellacking.

synonymous anyway (of course, so is "clobbering").

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The Great ####### Investigator Party is back in The House!!!! I am sure they won't waste too much time or spend too much tax dollars on vindictive #######...

Yes they will, but what are you worried about? It means better blowjobs for everyone!