House Approves Pelosi Investigation

[thundley4]

This afternoon, by a vote of 402 to one, the U.S. House approved a resolution calling for the House Ethics Committee to investigate House Democratic leaders and their handling of ethical allegations concerning former Rep. Eric Massa (D., N.Y.). House Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio) offered the privileged resolution.

In the resolution, Republicans urge the ethics committee, based on recent media reports, to probe into allegations of sexual harassment made by Massa’s former congressional staffers. Inaction by House Democratic leaders “may have exposed employees and interns of Rep. Massa to continued harassment,” the resolution reads. The resolution also asks the committee to investigate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.), and their staffs:
(1)    The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is directed to investigate fully, pursuant to clause 3(a)(2) of House Rule XI, which House Democratic leaders and members of their respective staffs had knowledge prior to March 3, 2010 of the aforementioned allegations concerning Mr. Massa, and what actions each leader and staffer having any such knowledge took after learning of the allegations;

(2)    Within ten days following adoption of this resolution, and pursuant to Committee on Standards of Official Conduct rule 19, the committee shall establish an Investigative Subcommittee in the aforementioned matter, or report to the House no later than the final day of that period the reasons for its failure to do so;

(3)    All Members and staff are instructed to cooperate fully in the committee’s investigation and to preserve all records, electronic or otherwise, that may bear on the subject of this investigation;

(4)    The Chief Administrative Officer shall immediately take all steps necessary to secure and prevent the alteration or deletion of any e-mails, text messages, voicemails and other electronic records resident on House equipment that have been sent or received by the Members and staff who are the subjects of the investigation authorized under this resolution until advised by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct that it has no need of any portion of said records; and,

(5)    The Committee shall issue a final report of its findings and recommendations in this matter no later than June 30, 2010.

Republican aides tell National Review Online that this issue is far from over. (Aides asked to remain anonymous due to this being an ongoing ethics investigation.)

“There is a fine line between acting on public information that continues to bear itself out versus taking a political opportunity, and we’re very mindful of that,” says one senior GOP House staffer. “The key here is to make sure, be it through political pressure or a formal resolution, that the American people, and other members, know about the who-what-when-where-why of the Pelosi-Massa case. It’s a disturbing, horrible situation.”

National Review Online

Doubtful this goes anywhere, but any light shined on "the most ethical congress ever", is a good thing.

[Eupher]

Smoke and mirrors again.

Despite the 402 to 1 vote on a bullshit resolution exercise in futility, this won't go anywhere.

Congress may actually be trying to redeem itself, but I believe it's too far gone. They simply don't know the difference between right and wrong anymore.

[MarshallLaw]

Congress may actually be trying to redeem itself, but I believe it's too far gone. They simply don't know the difference between right and wrong anymore.

I think they know. They just don't care, most of them.