Ethics report and letter to DeLay.

[napi21]

http://www.house.gov/ethics/DeLay_Cover.htm

This is just a snip of the repremand letter sent to DeLay last night. The entire Committee Report and the letter is available at the above link.

(snip)
We note that your response to the Committee’s decision of last week included the statement, “During my entire career I have worked to advance my party’s legislative agenda.” Your actions that are addressed in this letter, as well as those addressed in the Committee’s decision of last week and in prior Committee actions, are all ones that, in a broad sense, were directed to the advancement of your legislative agenda. Those actions are also ones that your peers who sit on this Committee determined, after careful consideration, went beyond the bounds of acceptable conduct.



As you are aware, it does not suffice for any House Member to assert that his or her actions violated no law, or violated no specific prohibition or requirement of the House Rules. The House Code of Official Conduct broadly requires that every House Member, officer and employee “conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.” It is particularly important that members of the House leadership, who are the most publicly visible Members, adhere to this requirement scrupulously. The fact that a violation results from the overaggressive pursuit of one’s legislative agenda simply does not constitute a mitigating factor.



In addition, a state criminal investigation of the 2002 election activities of the Texans for a Republican Majority PAC, with which you were involved during the period in question, is underway. While Committee action on Count II of the complaint regarding those activities has been deferred pending further action in the state cases and investigation, the Committee will act on the underlying allegations at an appropriate time.



In view of the number of instances to date in which the Committee has found it necessary to comment on conduct in which you have engaged,<2> it is clearly necessary for you to temper your future actions to assure that you are in full compliance at all times with the applicable House Rules and standards of conduct. We remind you that the House Code of Official Conduct provides the Committee with authority “to deal with any given act or accumulation of acts which, in the judgment of the committee, are severe enough to reflect discredit on the Congress.”<[br />

[Gothmog]

1. Thanks for sharing. Delay is such a scumbag

The letter from the House to Delay is great reading. I hope that Morrison can use it against Delay in the upcoming election.

[napi21]

2. I heard about this on Ed Schultz show today.

He had a guest who was a member of some committee watch in Wa. She told Ed all about the letter of repremand, and that they effectively told DeLay you were a bad boy and we're watching you!

I didn't take the time to read the report on that site. I may later.