Last week
we notched a huge win for all of us when Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) decided to reverse the ethics rules changes that eviscerated the ethics process in the House of Representatives. However, we have said repeatedly that rolling back the highly controversial rules was only an
important first step to
broader reforms. And, if the public is to have any confidence in the investigation of the pile of ethics allegations against House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX), the appointment of an outside counsel is essential. That is why
we are launching a campaign today to demand that Congress appoints an outside counselto investigate the ever growing ethics allegations against Tom DeLay.
Sign our petiton today demanding an outside counsel to investigate Tom DeLay and pass it on to your family, friends, and neigbors in your community:
http://www.commoncause.org/DemandOutsideCounselMore after the jump.
We need to have an outside in counsel in place to investigate the mountain of allegations piling up against Tom DeLay. In the end, the Constitution requires Members of the House to pass judgment on Delay, but an outside counsel can investigate and make recommendations for sanctions. There are number of reasons why we need an outside counsel to investigate Tom DeLay.
Here's why we need an outside counsel:
- Ensure a thorough investigation outside DeLay's sphere of influence: We need an outside counsel who will operate outside the sphere of Tom DeLay's influence in the House of Representatives. As House Majority Leader Tom "Hammer" DeLay wields influence and control over members in his party. DeLay plays a dominating role in determining coveted committee appointments in the House and whose legislation will pass or not. He doles out dollars at election time from his political action committees, and even intimidates an incumbent who don't follow the party line, by threatening to run a candidate against him. Current GOP members are afraid to cross the Hammer. That is why we need an outside counsel who will be immune from the power of Tom DeLay.
- Avoid conflict of interest: We are very concerned about ability of the GOP members on the current ethics committee to be impartial concerning Tom DeLay. In a Soviet style purge in February, DeLay and GOP leaders removed Republican ethics committee Members and staff involved in the four admonishments DeLay received from the ethics committee in last five years, and replaced them with party loyalists. GOP members in the Ethics Committee, Reps. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Tom Cole (R-OK) and Melissa Hart (R-PA) have all received money from Delay's federal political committee, Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC). What's more, Cole and Smith also donated to DeLay's legal defense fund, which is designed to defend DeLay from the various ethics charges on which these members will sit in judgment. Therefore, we need an outside counsel who will be free from any potential conflict of interest while investigating Tom DeLay.
- Strong precedent: There is strong precedent for appointing an outside counsel to investigate a powerful congressional leader like Tom DeLay. Congress had appointed outside counsels to investigate the ethics allegations against other prominent House Leaders, including Speakers Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and Jim Wright (D-TX). An investigation of one of the most powerful congressional leaders in recent memory merits and outside counsel.
For these reasons, please sign our petition today calling on the appointment of an outside counsel in the investigation of Tom DeLay. The petiton you sign via our action center, will also send an automatic message to your Congressional representative in the House of Reps. So please sign the petiton so that we can collectively make a loud and clear demand to the House of Reps. that they need to apppoint an outside counsel to ensure a thorough, credibile investigation of scandal tainted Tom DeLay.