Boehner’s Rules: I Only Punish Corrupt Colleagues When It’s Politically Advantageous
Boehner’s Rules: I Only Punish Corrupt Colleagues When It’s Politically Advantageous
In May, after the FBI raided his Northern Virginia home, Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) was forced by his Republican colleagues to step down from his seat on the House Appropriations Committee. At the time, Roll Call reported that House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) was seeking “to enforce a tougher ethical standard in the 110th Congress.”
In his column tomorrow, Robert Novak will report that Boehner is now coming under fire from “reform-minded House Republicans” who say he has “a double standard” for rank-and-file members of Congress and GOP leaders embroiled in federal investigations, after ruling that Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) can keep his seat on the Appropriations Committee despite being investigated:
In a secret meeting Wednesday of the House Republican leadership, Minority Leader John Boehner ruled that Rep. Jerry Lewis of California will continue as the party’s ranking member of the Appropriations Committee while under federal investigation on ethics charges. That widened the gap between Boehner and reform-minded House Republicans, including members of the leadership. […]
Republican reformers complain that Boehner imposes a double standard that is harsher on rank-and-file members of Congress than on leaders. While Lewis keeps his leadership position on Appropriations, Rep. John Doolittle left the committee in April because he is a federal corruption target.
Lewis is under investigation by the Justice Department “in part” because of “a lobbying firm that hired some of his former staff members.” The investigation has been repeatedly stalled, however, by attorney departures and budget shortfalls.
Boehner’s record of rewarding and protecting corrupt members of his caucus makes it clear that his claim of a “tougher ethical standard” is just a PR stunt. After Doolittle was forced to step down, Boehner replaced him on the committee with another scandal-plagued congressman, Rep. Ken Calvert.
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25 Responses to “Boehner’s Rules: I Only Punish Corrupt Colleagues When It’s Politically Advantageous”
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He was against corruption before he was for it.
Buck Fush
October 5th, 2007 at 1:46 pmFour stars for honesty, at least.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:47 pmsend him to an “undisclosed” country on a rendition flight.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:52 pmFour stars for honesty, at least.
Comment by Clumberfeet — October 5, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Boner? You mean he’s honestly enforcing a tougher ethical standard by letting one of his cronies off the hook? Care to share whatever you’re smoking?
October 5th, 2007 at 1:54 pmWow. A corrupt and hypocritical Republican?????
Oh, the humanity.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:55 pmWell, let’s give him a break. When everyone around you is under investigation it’s impossible to employ a standard of decency, so one must simply play eenie meenie minie mo and hope for the best.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:56 pmWhat boggles me is that the Republicans who lifted him into this position are surprised by this behavior. Ethical? Boehner? Give me a break!
October 5th, 2007 at 1:58 pmDo as I say, not as I say.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:00 pmCandyce- You’re absolutely right! If Boehner practiced what he preached (like any Gooper actually would do such a thing) there wouldn’t be a Repulican party anymore. Just poor Boehner crying at a podium about left wing conspiracies, pining for the days before all those blogging, fact checking liberals.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:01 pmWow. Another politician who supports what’s politically expedient instead of what’s ethically responsible. What a surprise.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:09 pm“Republican reformers”? Who are these creatures? Has anyone actually seen them?
October 5th, 2007 at 2:13 pmRemember folks, Boner was mentored by Hasturd.
Boner learned ‘ethics’ from the Fingers Foley scandal via Hasturd.
Need we say more?
October 5th, 2007 at 2:22 pm#4 You said;
Boner? You mean he’s honestly enforcing a tougher ethical standard by letting one of his cronies off the hook?
Bonner said;
“I Only Punish Corrupt Colleagues When It’s Politically Advantageous”
My point was Bonner was honestly admitting his political ethics.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:23 pmBoenher is a drunk. Why arehis eyes always bloodshot?
October 5th, 2007 at 2:30 pmLay off the sauce and maybe you can see more clearly .
And his hair was perfect…
(Apologies to Warren Zevon & all London Werewolves.)
And so is his tan.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:34 pmMy point was Bonner was honestly admitting his political ethics.
Comment by Clumberfeet — October 5, 2007 @ 2:23 pm
He admitted to being a hypocrite? Where was that?
October 5th, 2007 at 2:43 pmRepublican Christian Religious Values see no problem with corruption, child molester and hiring prostitutes. It’s what the party stands for as these are their Morals.
Boner gets over 10,000 dollars a week for pay offs by Lobbyist so crime is good if your Republican. As we see the Attorney General a true Criminal has made new policy and the GOP has followed it. Under the GOP and White House the United States new policy is crimes is good and ok, you can even lie under oath, let thousands of soldiers die for Iraq oil just don’t let those Dems get control of our criminal Government and change things. Take as much of the taxpayers money as possible before they kick us out.
If all fails send General Petraeus out to lie and give us more time. They believe him and he’ll do as we tell him, plus he is a soldier that is the biggest trick.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:44 pmBoehner continues the corruption of legislative “process”. Government has been under assault by the corruption of process since Newt and Company. It has been destroyed by Bush and Co. and we are nearer to Constitutional Death than ever before.
October 5th, 2007 at 3:08 pmThe question to pose to those running for office: Are you prepared to return the right of Americans to the the proper process of legislation?
#16 OK gummitch!
October 5th, 2007 at 3:12 pmBonner honestly admitted his bigoted partisan hypocrisies.
This is the innuendo I alluded to in my origional post but you didn’t seem to get it. You are jousting the wrong wind mill my friend.
Amazing how audacious the Repukes can be (the Boner serving as a case in point), secure in the knowledge that the MSM is protecting their backsides.
October 5th, 2007 at 3:50 pmWhat kind of constitutents would keep electing this garbage ? Those that have no shame nor conscience.Just like those in Connecticut that keep reelecting Shays & Liberman.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:09 pm“June 1995, Boehner provoked contentions of unethical conduct when he distributed campaign contributions from tobacco industry lobbyists on the House floor as House members were weighing how to vote on tobacco subsidies.[8] Boehner stopped handing out the checks only “after being questioned about the practice by two freshmen who’d heard about the handoff on the House floor”. Rep. Linda Smith (R-WA) said of Boehner’s actions, “[I]f it is not illegal, it should be.”[9]. This pressure from within his own party forced him to apologize for handing out the checks.”
Boehner wouldn’t know anything about ethics. The man doesn’t know wrong from right. Even his tan isn’t authentic.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:54 pm#22 the same 31% that troll on these blogs, using fictitious names, calling black white and thinking we buy it.
October 5th, 2007 at 5:14 pmSo how come he hasn’t done anything about Craig. After standing before cameras emphasizing, that Craig was out; that they were not DEMOCRATS but instead stood for values.
The whole Craig thing is getting stranger and stranger.
October 5th, 2007 at 5:48 pmAnd why is Ted Stevens still darkening the halls of Congress?
October 5th, 2007 at 6:44 pmIt doesn’t have anything to do with ‘clogged tubes’ does it?