Redstate

By HeavyM Posted in Congress — Comments (6) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Promoted from blogs. I really do hope that none of our Democratic lurkers actually believed this 'most ethical Congress in history' nonsense that came from their leadership. Better cynicism than abject stupidity: you can cure cynicism. - Moe Lane

This is just too rich... after coming into power by promising to clean up Washington, not be beholden to special interests, and be the "most ethical Congress ever", Pelosi's posse has decided to give us yet another box of ammunition (brand name: Hypocrisy):

"Friends" can fly congressmen under new rules

Led by House Ethics Committee chair Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously agreed to loosen strict rules on members' acceptance of free airplane rides that were adopted when Democrats took over Congress in January.

The measure, adopted on a May 2 voice vote minutes before the House of Representatives adjourned at 11:59 p.m., was labeled as an effort to "clarify certain matters relating to official conduct" of the House of Representatives.

The change stipulated that members of Congress can fly their own airplanes on official business as well as accept "personal use of an aircraft ... that is supplied by an individual on the basis of personal friendship."

Another one of those midnight votes, hoping no one will notice, eh? And just how stringent is this "personal friendship" requirement? Lobbyists aren't friends, are they?

"As long as you call a lobbyist your personal friend, it is apparently OK," says Sloan, who believes the ethics enforcement process is crippled because only members of Congress can file complaints against their colleagues. "I don't see a member filing a complaint against another member for flying on someone's plane, saying they are not really friends."

Of course, the Democrats didn't want to talk about the issue:

Tubbs Jones' congressional office referred questions on the change to the House Ethics Committee, whose spokesman declined comment on them.

Big surprise there. The Democrats have been in power for just four months, and so far their "most ethical Congress in history" line has turned out to be a complete and total farce. (Of course, did anyone with half a brain expect differently?) There was Reid's attempt to block earmark reform, the blocked line-item veto, the taxpayer-funded Easter vacations, the Jack Murtha tapes, the lack of support for outside ethics review process and ethics legislation in general, Diane Feinstein directing government funds in the total of over a $1 billion to companies controlled by her husband, Reid's shady real estate deal, and, let's see, I know I'm forgetting something... oh, yeah. The fact that William Jefferson sits on the House Homeland Security Committee, despite being caught on tape accepting bribes totaling $90,000.

In his freezer.