NYT editorial: House Ethics Committee Foley report is "91-page exercise in cowardice"

[DeepModem Mom]

Desperately Seeking Ethics
Published: December 9, 2006

Watching our elected leaders in action, it’s not surprising that Americans wonder if there is any limit to the crass misbehavior that members of Congress are willing to tolerate from their colleagues to protect their privileges and hold on to their own jobs. The House ethics committee answered that question yesterday with a resounding “No.”

Sixty-four days after it promised to find out who knew about Representative Mark Foley’s wildly inappropriate, sexually predatory behavior with teenage House pages, and why they failed to stop it, the bipartisan committee produced a report yesterday that was a 91-page exercise in cowardice.

The report’s authors were clearly more concerned about protecting the members of the House than the young men and women under their charge in the page program. And they made absolutely no effort to define the high standard of behavior that should be required of all members of Congress and their staffs.

The report concludes that evidence of Mr. Foley’s “creepy” interest in young male pages dated back to 1999. One woman who worked with the pages took to shadowing Mr. Foley when he was around them. The report makes clear that Mr. Foley’s misconduct became known to an ever-widening circle of his colleagues and their aides, including Speaker Dennis Hastert. But no one made any serious attempt to stop Mr. Foley or reveal his misdeeds. A few urged him to cut it out, for political reasons, but did not follow up....

But even after all that, the report said that none of this amounted to the sort of behavior that might discredit the House of Representatives and thus violate ethics rules. The committee, which never heard from Mr. Foley, did not call for disciplinary action against current members of the House or their staffs. The committee said those who have already left, like Mr. Foley, were no longer its problem....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/09/opinion/09sat1.html?h...

[Erika]

1. They let the snakes slither out of any responsibility

That's the GOP.

[GenDem]

2. Last paragraph -

No, not every error or failure should be a violation, but certainly the ones that lead to an elected official’s sexually stalking teenage boys while his colleagues turn a blind eye or cover it up should be. We’d set the bar at least there. Apparently, it’s too high for the House.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/09/opinion/09sat1.html?_...

[pdxmom]

3. They release it in a news dump on Friday as they're all heading out

of town, they minimize the events, they hold no one responsible. How Republican-like! This needs to be shouted far and wide...this is a perfect example of how Repukes put politics before the good of the people they are supposed to represent. This is something the average person, who only deals in soundbites, can look at and see clearly that Repukes have absolutely no interest in the good of the country and will accept no responsibility for their behavior. Look for Foley to get one of Bush's Medals of Freedom in the near future.

[Botany]

7. Egg zack lee

Friday afternoon of their last day as they were leaving town .....
Winter break = Foley who?

[barbtries]

4. is there a link

to the report? i want to know the authors' names - i want to know which of the democrats in congress are also whores...

[MADem]

25. You can download it here--the "authors" though, are the committee

Well, more specifically, the "investigative subcommittee" consisting of these folks:

INVESTIGATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE

Doc Hastings, Washington, Chairman Howard L. Berman, California, Ranking Minority Member
Judy Biggert, Illinois Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Ohio

Staff:

William V. O'Reilly, Chief Counsel/Staff Director

Ed Cassidy, Chief of Staff to the Chairman

Bari Schwartz, Special Counsel to the Ranking Minority Member

Kenneth E. Kellner, Senior Counsel

C. Morgan Kim, Counsel

Pete Van Hartesveldt, Counsel

Stan P. Simpson, Counsel

Carol E. Dixon, Counsel

Here's the link to the report:
http://www.house.gov/ethics/Page_Report_Cover.htm

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. IMO, this is just the beginning of the Democrats cowardice when it comes to holding feet to the fire

If Stephanie Tubbs Jones can't force these people to do the right thing, we are in big freakin' trouble. SHE was the one I was depending on to get the truth out, take the required actions to protect the children, make those responsible for inaction resign and force the repukes on the committee to DO THE RIGHT THING. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of this crap.

If Mark Foley was a Democrat, can you IMAGINE what the repukes would have done to him??!!! OMG. They would have had him investigated, arrested and jailed! Don't the Democrats realize they need to bring guns to a gun fight? When will they ever learn that they have to play by the same rules as the repukes do? Don't they know how they ended up in the MINORITY PARTY for 12 freakin' years? It wasn't because they fought these people as they fight. It was because they brought knives to the gun fight.

[Zambero]

8. Minority members of a congressional committee can't force anything

Power is virtually absolute with the majority. The real test of Democrats' resolve begins next month.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. 5 Democrats and 5 Repukes are on the committee. The Democrats are NOW the MAJORITY PARTY.

Come January.....They have nothing to fear but fear itself! The could have come out with both barrels loaded and didn't. IMCPO, they should have.


Republicans
Doc Hastings, Washington, Chairman
Judy Biggert, Illinois
Lamar Smith, Texas
Melissa Hart, Pennsylvania
Tom Cole, Oklahoma Michael F. Doyle, Pennsylvania


Democrats
Howard L. Berman, California, Ranking Minority Member
Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Ohio
Lucille Roybal-Allard, California
Gene Green, Texas
Michael F. Doyle, Pennsylvania

[MADem]

19. No they could not have, at least not in that report

The chair is still GOP, the gavel is held by GOP, the report was prepared by GOP stooges and lackeys--all of the staffers who work for that subcommittee are GOP -- until January.

There's gonna be a shitload of smug little smartasses in button down shirts looking for work in the months ahead...!

Now, what they say in front of a microphone is another story altogether...

[TheMadMonk]

22. They should have grabbed that microphone the moment...

...it became obvious what the tone of the report would be.

[MADem]

23. It will be interesting to see what direction the committee takes once they DO have the gavel

Here's one reason why I think the Democrats didn't open their mouths--William Jefferson. If you recall, one of that guy's strongest champions was none other than Denny "Fat Bastard" Hastert, who averred that his outrage at FBI tactics had everything to do with the sanctity of the House, and the admonishment against police and other regulatory officials 'interfering' with Congresspersons as they go about the nation's business.

If the GOP wanted to roll that way, they could have blistered Jefferson's ass on the way out--ninty thousand times!!! It could well have been a case where they said "Let us take care of ours, and we will leave yours to you...."

[in_cog_ni_to]

27. Here's one reason why I think the Democrats didn't open their mouths--William Jefferson.

That's what I thought too! There has to be a reason they aren't doing what they should have done. I would eat my left leg to be a fly in that committee.

[Imagevision]

35. The 5 Dems on this committee speaks volumes of the outcome!!!

[JNelson6563]

9. Exactly! If this were a Dem it'd be 24/7 on TV

All the screaming hate mongers would be going at full throttle raising the hue and cry from their brain-dead fans. Ah but it's a Rethug, hardly worth a look.

I find this to be remarkable. We are living 1984 on so many levels.

Julie

[malaise]

12. Correct

Foley should lose that pension.

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. There's NO WAY IN HELL he should get that pension! The same goes for Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham!

NOTICE They're ALL REPUBLICANS???? If Tom Delay is convicted, he should lose his freakin' pension too! You DO NOT reward fraudulent and predatory behavior!

[malaise]

15. They don't give a flying fugg

What's more Foley has been let off scot free and will now prey on teenage boys in Florida.
I seriously can't believe that not one single journalist is following him around to see what's going on or at least to force an interview.

[MADem]

20. Well, we've had a few beauties, ourselves--remember James Traficant?

He, of the dead squirrel on his head and the disco clothing? Like Ney, from Ohio--maybe it's in the water??? And Dan Rostenkowski--he got bagged for skimming public funds. And the ongoing Jefferson saga, which has yet to play out fully. There was no sex going on there, it was just plain old corruption with them. And Mel Reynolds of IL--he was a little perv, screwing a sixteen year old campaign volunteer.

And in the other chamber, let us not forget Bob Torricelli, whose lapses did one good thing--they brought Lautenberg back to the Senate.

So, we're not without sin. But we really aren't quite as bad, I don't think. The GOP steals BIG when they do their stealing. And when they get nasty, they get incredibly nasty.

That said, I don't think it matters what party you come from--I agree that if you are a corrupt little shithead who misuses your office and the public trust, they should snatch that pension away from you, or at least find a way to reduce it to credit you only for your "honorable service" like they do in the military.

The problem with that idea is that the people who are in LINE for the pensions are the ones who have to vote against their own self-interests. And the killer here is, you only have to do TWELVE lousy years on the Hill to get a pension---that's just friken INCREDIBLE, to my mind! I think they oughta have to do at LEAST twenty!

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. NONE of them should get their pensions if they broke the law. Traficant is still in jail, isn't he?

Man, he is one bizarre dude. I remember Mel Reynolds. That was a huge story around here. They all need to know that if they break the law, THEIR PENSION WILL BE GONE. What a great deterrent! Are they all afraid they may some day break the law and that's why they don't even want to go there? There's no better way to stop the corruption than to have your retirement fund on the line. It's gotta make one wonder what the hell is going on on Capitol Hill.

[MADem]

29. That is the big challenge though--THEY have to vote against their own selfish interests

When they first go up to the Hill, they're all idealistic (unless they are coming from a corrupt state house, and they're looking for a bigger piece of pie). After awhile, though, they see all the bullshit perks, the ways the lobbyists get around the rules (example--the lobbyist can't shovel any dough to you, but he can arrange for a nonprofit outfit dedicated to improving the quality of TP in our nation's restrooms, "The Federation of Asswiping Toilet Paper Enthusiasts" to contact you and ask you to give a speech, in say, SCOTLAND...at St. Andrews. Transportation, lodging, meals and incidentals--bring all your drycleaning!--provided, of COURSE! No honoraria, that's against the Ethics Rules, and would be...well, wrong!).

So, they see how they can get free vacations and perks just by fiddling with the rules, and they become corrupted over time, many of them. So, in essence, you're asking these people, some of whom are just dipping their toe into unethical waters, and others who are bathing in them, to vote in a way that would harm them if they stepped too far over the line. They're not gonna do it.

The only way you could hope to get a vote like that passed is if the ENTIRE legislature consisted of dewy-eyed freshmen....

On EDIT, re Traficant: He gets out in 2010!! Wonder if he will run again???

[mopinko]

18. stj's statement on npr

made me want to

[Vidar]

28. Watching my former heroes, Feingold & Conyers, run away on

impeachment was the last straw for me. Whatever eoth implications that has, it sends the message that we will hold no one accountabel, reagardless of hi/her guilt.

[MADem]

30. I think we need to be fair to them. You don't talk impeachment without first investigating

....unless, of course, you are a Republican!

That's what they did to Clinton--shoot first, ask questions later. Investigations? They didn't neeeeeeed no steeeenking investigations!

If investigations turn up plainly impeachable acts, then they'll have to act at that point in time. But absent any investigations, any uncovering of facts that prove wrongdoing (sure, you can "know" but it means nothing without an investigation) and most importantly, absent CONTROL of the House and the Senate, which does not happen until JAN, any talk of impeachment is way, way, WAY premature.

[Vidar]

31. Conyers talked impeachment & election reform for two years, before

his sudden rollover for Pelosi

[MADem]

32. Pelosi doesn't wanna spook their horses, and I don't blame her.

And Conyers and Feingold are right to take direction from the new Speaker. You have to enforce party discipline if you want to advance the agenda. You can't have a half dozen "factions" on one side squabbling like a bunch of disorganized whiners. She told them to shut up, and that's what they need to do.

If there's opportunity to raise the matter in future, they'll do it. But let them have the power of the SUBPOENA in their paws first, and see where that takes them.

[Vidar]

33. You could be right & I hope you are, but my ability to suspend

disbelief has been stretched beyond the breaking point.

[MADem]

34. One of the reasons that the GOP was so successful in pursuing their evil agenda is because they

enforced BRUTAL, LOCKSTEP, no-fucking-dissent, my-way-or-the-highway, party discipline.

You heard REP Smith of Oregon--he said he tried to be a "good, loyal soldier" on the Iraq issue. He sounded like a whipped dog.

When those guys don't "obey" the RNC pulls the money rug out from under them, puts up a primary candidate to kick their ass, and pours dough into that race to knock the recalcitrant little shit out of the running. They rule by fear and purse strings.

We have to plainly, unequivocally demonstrate that we have the ability to act as a unified whole, at least at the outset, so that the GOP KNOWS that we CAN do it. As a party, we aren't as comfortable with lockstep thinking, but when you are thinking strategically, it makes sense for everyone to hold their fire, behave like mature adults, and defer to the leadership to move the agenda in the general direction that we want to pursue.

Whatever we do, we don't want to come off looking like those rabid dog muthafuckas on the GOP side of the aisle...what they did to Bill Clinton was fucking egregious. No mothers had to attend their child's funeral because of what Bill and Monica did, but those bastards acted like it was an atrocity equivalent to the Killing Fields or the Concentration Camps.

Far better to take it one step at a time, investigate, subpoena, and if anything is uncovered that is plainly problematic, they need to address it at that time.

[exlrrp]

39. Ummm, it's "Senator" Smith but I like the rest of what you say

As an Oregon Democrat, I assure you there's no love lost on Senator Smith here even after his sspeech. Fck him, the evidence has always been there for all to see.

I agree--Pelosi's right on pulling her team together--we all have to pull the same way to get the things done we want to see done. The Repubs succeeded, if thats the term I want, by acting in unison, which will beat disorganization every time. Pelosi's acting like a good quarterback--she--knows our greatest effect is when we're together.

Eating our own is a tendency of liberal Dems I'd like to see people put away for at least a while. Holy Smoke, at least let them take office before judging them--its a Brave New World for many Democratic Congresspeople who've only seen Republican "leadership."
There's a lot to accomplish with finite energy and resources ansd it will only be done by teamwork and cooperation amongst Democrats

[MADem]

40. Ooops, you're right--my error!

I'm not saying that Smith is a saint by any stretch, all I am saying is that his "Come to Jesus" moment likely would have happened a LONG time ago without the lockstep party discipline that the GOP enforces. They ARE good at that shit. They brook no dissent, and they've been effective for twelve years because of it. They simply got GREEDY, and that's part of the reason, aside from their failed philosophies, that they are gone.

The truth of the matter, though many here don't like it, is this: All politics IS local. Senators and Representatives have a habit of reflecting the wishes of their constituencies (how DARE they!). Well, they do if they want to keep their jobs, anyway....and this guy is late to the gate, but he's "reflecting" all right!

[Zambero]

6. House "Ethics" Committee: Sweeping it all under the rug

Foley's gone. "Out of sight, out of mind". But those in the know about his misdeeds who took no action still remain. Well thank goodness this report clears them of any behavior that might discredit the House leadership or violate ethics rules! Congrats to Hastert & company -- since no standard of behavior for your positions of responsibility was established in this report, you're completely off the hook. A do-nothing, non-accountable, and self-serving amoral Congress in its final death throes manages to pull it off one more time!

[SutaUvaca]

11. Un-freakin'-believable!

What's it gonna take for anybody in DC to hold anybody accountable.
Doesn't violate their ethics standards??
Guess not, since the ethics standard is obviously: Ain't got none!

[TahitiNut]

14. Any 'ethical' standard that omits 'due diligence' is NOT ethical.

People who seek a public trust and take an oath to act affirmatively in defense of the Constitution and the interests of the nation absolutely have a duty to act and exercise due diligence. Any attorney who failed to act in representation of his/her client's interests would be disbarred.

The committee concluded that other people preferred to remain willfully ignorant — to protect Mr. Foley’s secret homosexuality, to avoid partisan embarrassment or for other political reasons.

Willful ignorance is specifically excluded as a defense in virtually EVERY piece of legislation these people enact!

Hell, the tax code requires more 'ethical' behavior than this farce of a committee seems to acknowledge!

[MADem]

24. No kidding....ask Wesley Snipes about that tax code biz-niz!!! NT

[Morgana LaFey]

16. Yet another betrayal of the kids involved

Really, really disgusting and discouraging. That ethics committee should be just disbanded, so they stop wasting taxpayer money on futile activities.

[SpiralHawk]

17. republicons: no honor, no morality

They just love to wag their fingers at others and Tut Tut while they continue their grossly deviant and corrupt practices.

Phreakin Pharisees = republicons

[longship]

21. Whoa!! Blisters on their ass!

The House Ethics Committee takes a good spanking.

Recommended and kicked.

[KG]

36. just like the the iraq study thing, another dog and pony show,

gee, who didn't see that coming?

[ladym55]

37. But wait ...

I thought the Repugs were the party of moral values--traditional FAMILY values....

I guess those values are important only when they can be used to judge someone of a different political party.

Consensual sex between two adults--bad and evil. Some creepy guy chasing young kids around--that's just peachy.

And all the "culture warriors" and supporters of traditional family values who rant and rave will all remain mysteriously quiet about the whole thing ...

[smtpgirl]

38. Dennis Hastert KNEW about ALL of it

So Glad that Dems are the majority now, maybe we can have some checks & balances, people to take some responsibility, people who make adult decisions

[DallasNE]

41. So It Was The Fault Of The Rules Not In Place

Apparently right and wrong was no consideration. Loopholes in the rules were found that got everybody off the hook. Give me a break.

[woodsgirl]

42. Rahm Emanuel

knew about Foley in '05. Denied it on this week with George
Steph. Hope he doesn't get reelected. Whoever opposes him can
campaign on it.He favored giving campaign  money to repub lite
and not progressives. If you can't protect kids from sexual
predators you are worthless. 

[index555]

43. a democrat takes an underage boy out and goes on the attack when criticized

a republican makes passes at under age boys (and gets caught ) he hides in shame.
double standard anybody?

[index555]

44. double standards

his name was gary studds
he was "dating " a 17 year old page
something mark foley obviously dreamed about , and if he continued unchecked he undoubtedly would eventually have found someone willing.
does anybody here applaud studds for his actions?
if so then how was that any different from foley?
simply by virtue of his being a democrat?
the biggest difference is foley was never able to carry through on his attempts (that we know about) , and ran and hid in shame when he was caught.
IMO the actions of both were shameful , and not because they were gay , but because they were pursuing underage individuals.
it doesn't really matter whether they were male or female.

[NV1962]

45. Since the NYT dares to speak of "exercises in cowardice"

What about Judith Miller? Their own (cough) maladroit handling of prewar wholesale surrender to governmental manure?

The New York Times isn't deserving the name "newspaper" for a long, long time as shown in a litany of demonstrations of editorial cowardice. I'm waiting for it to disappear for once and for all, and with it the pretense of "journalism" that plagues too many infotainment outlets, off- and on-line.

Plenty of foreign media to pick a more credible and deservingly reputable alternative from.