No Apparent Teeth in Pelosi's Plans for Ethics Reform, Say Conservatives
by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
January 4, 2007
(AgapePress) - - Two conservative activists on Capitol Hill, one a former presidential candidate, are skeptical of the new Speaker of the House's stated plans to clean up the "culture of corruption" in Congress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, installed today as the first woman to hold the post, is predicting the new Democrat-controlled Congress will be the "most honest and open Congress in history." Pelosi says part of her new reform agenda will include an "outside enforcement mechanism" for congressional ethics. Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Alan Mollohan is the target of an FBI probe for his involvement in questionable land deals. The West Virginia lawmaker is set to chair a subcommittee that oversees the budget for the Justice Department.
American Values president Gary Bauer says Pelosi's ethics campaign has gotten off to a rocky start.
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Gary Bauer |
"I think her announced goal doesn't pass the straight-face test," says Bauer. "Unfortunately, human nature being what it is, neither political party has a monopoly on virtue or vice, and there are members of Congress in both parties who have made serious ethical mistakes and continue to do so." In Bauer's opinion, Speaker Pelosi's ambitious ethics reform plan is more bluster than bite. "I certainly support the goal of cleaning up a culture of corruption," he says, "but I don't see any sign from these early decisions by speaker Pelosi to suggest that she's going to be able to do a very good job of that, given some of the people that have been put in key positions."
Pelosi came under fire recently over her decision to back Congressman John Murtha for House majority leader, despite controversy over his role in the Abscam scandal two decades ago.
Tony Perkins | |
Like Bauer, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins says it looks like politics as usual on Capitol, despite the new Speaker's plans. He cites a Washington Post report that criticizes House Democrats for their plan to implement a "100 Hours" agenda by shirking House rules and procedures. Included in that pursuit are an increase in the minimum wage and expansion of taxpayer-funded embryonic stem-cell research. "Unfortunately," says the Post, "[Pelosi's] plans don't include getting those provisions passed in the democratic fashion that the Democrats promised to adhere to once in the majority."
According to Perkins, the House Democratic leaders are hoping to "fast-track" the measures without allowing GOP lawmakers the opportunity to offer amendments on the floor or introduce alternate legislation. The FRC president says he sees that as "ironic," given the fact that one of the top agenda items is reportedly a policy designed to increase civility in House proceedings.
