Ethics: Chairman Dreier's Non-Response Response

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Tuesday April 12, 2005 · 9:17 AM PDT

2005/04/12 · 09:17

I wanted to bring everyone up to speed on what has been going on with the Rules Committee and the Ethics process. Have a look and post a comment. I'm interested in your thoughts.

-LMS

Rep. Slaughter Responds to Chairman Dreier's Non-Response on Ethics Hearings

Rules Committee Democrats continue to call for comprehensive, non-partisan, balanced hearings on House Ethics procedures.

Washington, DC - On March 17, 2005, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY-28) and the Democratic members of the House Committee on Rules called on Republican Chairman David Dreier to hold hearings on House ethics, and specifically on H. Res. 131, a bipartisan proposal to restore the ethics complaint process after it was unilaterally gutted by the Republican leadership at the beginning of the 109th Congress.

Chairman Dreier responded last week in a letter to Rep. Slaughter stating, "As we move forward with the Committee's agenda in the 109th Congress, I will keep your request in mind."

In a letter to Rep. Dreier released today, Rep. Slaughter thanked the Chairman for his response but expressed her dismay with his inaction stating, "I am disappointed, however, that you provided no timeframe as to when a hearing on this important matter will be scheduled. It is imperative that the Committee hold hearings on this as soon as possible. I would suggest that we do so within in the next few weeks."

The Rules Committee has oversight over House ethics rules and, at the opening of the 109th Congress, introduced the controversial rules package which has thrown the Ethics Committee into chaos, effectively gutting its ability to enforce ethics rules in the House.

"Mr. Dreier and Mr. DeLay broke down the House ethics process with their infamous rules package. As a result, the Ethics Committee is currently incapable of functioning. Mr. Dreier now has a responsibility to the American people to help us fix it. Hearings are the first step in that process. The Rules Committee must take this issue up and show once and for all that we are committed to restoring the integrity and honor of this House," stated Rep. Slaughter.

Background

Chairman Dreier, Rep. Sessions and Rep. Cole of the Rules Committee have each contributed $5,000 to Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal defense fund.

Although H. Res. 131 would typically be referred to the Subcommittee on Rules & the Organization of the House, which is chaired by Rep. Hastings of Washington, the Democratic Members of the Committee have requested a full committee hearing instead, given the obvious conflict-of-interest it would create for Rep. Hastings, whom the Republican leadership recently made chairman of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics Committee).

Rep. Slaughter, Ranking Member of the Rules Committee, the committee with jurisdiction over the procedures of the Ethics Committee, has been a vocal opponent of the Republican leadership's continued efforts to destroy the House Ethics process.

You can view the complete release and letters by CLICKING HERE.

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