GOP attacks Dem ethics

On the same day that their faintheartedness on ethics reform was front-page news, congressional Republicans were engaged in an apparent effort to project their own ethical weaknesses onto their Democratic colleagues.

In standard Rove Era fashion,GOP lawmakers are shrieking about a report issued by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) which proposes solutions to the culture of corruption in the Republican-led congress.

In the past week, Slaughter, D-Fairport, has released a 118-page report called "America for Sale: The Cost of Republican Corruption," and proposed changes that would make the lawmaking process more open.

But Republicans counter by arguing that Slaughter's report is a political document paid for by taxpayer money, which they call a violation of House rules.

Revealing her latest reform package this week, Slaughter dismissed the Republican complaints. She said ethics matters are under the purview of the House Rules Committee, a panel where she serves as the top-ranking Democrat.

"This is my job, what I am doing here," Slaughter said. "If they think they can intimidate me, they're mistaken."

Also today, there is news that liberal lion John Conyers faces a formal Ethics Committee complaint that he asked congressional aides to perform personal duties for him, such as chauffering, babysitting and tutoring.

Ethics committee rules prohibit members from using congressional funds to pay staffers for "nonofficial, personal or campaign activities on behalf of the member, the employee or anyone else."

But vague job descriptions could leave room for the occasional personal request, said Peter Sepp, vice president of communications for the National Taxpayers Union, a Virginia-based watchdog group.

Now, if Slaughter or Conyers have, indeed, violated House ethics rules, I am in favor of an appropriate punishment. It is worth noting, however, that Conyers faces a formal complaint from the same Ethics Committee that has not announced the resolution of a single case since 2004.

It is during this period of Ethics Committee inactivity that congressional Republicans have been engaged in the practice of selling our government to their corporate donors. Where has the GOP passion for ethical behavior been all this while?