LaHood bill would ban Bell’s filing [against DeLay]

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.thehill.com/news/061704/lahood.aspx

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) proposed legislation yesterday that would prohibit lame-duck lawmakers from filing ethics complaints against another member.

LaHood’s proposal was aimed at retiring freshman Rep. Chris Bell (D-Texas), who filed an ethics complaint Tuesday against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) with the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

LaHood said his bill — offered as an amendment to the 2005 legislative-branch funding bill — would apply retroactively to include Bell’s complaint. In a 187-page document, Bell charged DeLay with corruption, bribery and money-laundering.

Although the measure failed on a 5-5 tie vote in the Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee, LaHood vowed to reintroduce it at the full committee markup, probably next week.

[Catherine Vincent]

1. Well then a non-lame duck rep would have to file!

Take that, ya repig!

[NewJerseyDem]

2. But, they may not file

Other democrats haven't filed against DeLay but Chris Bell was willing to do so probably because he has nothing to lose.

However, I doubt this will pass. A lot of republicans are skeptical of this and many said that the Appropriations Committee isn't appropriate for this proposal.

[ashling]

3. would that not be ex post facto?

[LittleApple81]

4. Trying to change rules RETROACTIVELY!!!!! They might re-establish slavery!

Watch out!

[maryallen]

5. Why is Bell retiring?

Anybody know?

[LittleApple81]

6. He is not retiring. Delay's restructuring of Texas eliminated any

chance that he could be elected.

[PROUDNWLIBERAL]

7. LaHood

Lahood is a Right-Wing lacky of the Bush Administration and a war monger. What a piece of human waste. A buddy of DeLay.

[NewJerseyDem]

10. He's usually more moderate than many republicans

He is closely allied to Dennis Hastert more than DeLay. I saw somewhere that LaHood may be trying to become the John McCain of the House because LaHood has be highly critical of republican Jack Ryan's senate campaign in Illinois. He also criticized IL republican congressman Phil Crane and said that he may lose his reelection campaign and that it may be the surprise of the cycle. I don't see him becoming anything like McCain. LaHood is relatively moderate and opposes ANWR drilling. He also wants to abolish the electoral college, but he is still usually a partisan republican who does tend to condemn fellow Illinois republicans though.

[NewJerseyDem]

8. He lost the primary

Redisticting changed the district considerably. It had had a high black population before but now it has a higher level and Bell lost the primary in March to african-american Al Green, partly because of Green's support from leaders in the CBC including Bennie Thompson and Maxine Waters. However, some say that Bell's career is probably not over and that he may run for governor or senator in 2006 or 2008.

[GOPisEvil]

14. His district was changed. He faced a primary challenge and lost.

His district was made more African-American in racial make-up. Al Green defeated Chris Bell in the primary. This district was drawn this way by DeLay and his willing conspirators in the Texas Legislature for the express purpose of putting a brown face on the Democratic Party. In this case it worked.

[Gothmog]

9. Bell is a good guy

Who was screwed by Delay's redistricting plan. I hope that Ronnie Earl (the Travis county DA) indicts Delay and that the House censors Delay. The man is evil.

[Democat]

11. This is like the religion bill - the Republican don't obey laws...

They change them!

Bush got busted for using churches for politics so the Republicans want to change the law before the election.

DeLay got busted for breaking the law, so Republicans want to change the law.

The Democrats need to highlight these issues and frame them so that the American people understand that Bush and the Republicans are corrupt.

This is corruption of the highest level, no different than a third world country - whenever Republicans get caught breaking the law, instead of facing the consequences, they just change the rules.

This is corruption - if it happened in Haiti, the U.S. media would call it corruption, but when it happens with Bush, they just about ignore it or justify it.

[burrowowl]

12. All Representatives are lame ducks

They can be kicked out every 2 years.

[Vogon_Glory]

13. LaHood's Proposal: Republican Arrogance At Its Worst

Ray LaHood's proposal is Republican Party arrogance at its worst. There is no reason why a lame-duck legislator shouldn't be allowed to file ethics violations. After all, these "lame ducks" are precisely the disinterested individuals that the hypocritical Republican Party once claimed were the antithesis to career politicians. Lame duck legislators do not stand to benefit from filing such claims.

LaHood's actions are symbolic of an arrogant, amoral organization less interested in ethics and propriety than in maintaining its grip on political power.