Ethics probe of Rep. Waters derailed by infighting, sources say.

[elleng]

Source: wapo

A lengthy House investigationof Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) has been derailed by infighting within the politically charged ethics committee over errors in building a case against her, according to congressional sources with direct knowledge of the probe.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121605842.html?hpid=moreheadlines

[EFerrari]

1. They have no case, might as well fight.

One can go to the House Ethics Office website and read through the recommendations and (at least some of) the supporting evidence.

They're trying to say she gained (or stood to gain) from a meeting she set up between a group of bankers from her district and Treasury, iirc. Her husband had stock in one of those banks.

Where they try to nail her is in the fact that her chief of staff kept emailing back and forth with this group after the meeting (which she did not attend). That is supposed to be evidence of her using her position to forward her husband's interests.

But when you read the emails, her CoS keeps referring these people out, over and over, very properly.

That was my take, anyway.

[pacalo]

3. Sounds good to me. I don't like it when they mess with Maxine. She's one of the best.

[EFerrari]

5. Porter Goss, House Ethics Office co-chair, hates Maxine.

She pushed for an investigation of the coke from IranContra being dumped into her district. He was the intel committee chair at the time, I think, and up to his @ss in IranContra.

Also, he's up to his neck in preying on Haiti and she's always been a big advocate for Haiti.

Those two are pretty much natural enemies.

[pacalo]

8. I didn't know any of that. Porter Goss is a big dawg on the house ETHICS committee?!

I thought I'd heard it all. Unbelievable.

[EFerrari]

9. The House Ethics Office. It's supposed to be an independent office

that gives suggestions to Congress. This new office has two chairs, a Democrat and a Republican and they chose career BushCo thug Goss to be the Republican. Nice!

[pacalo]

11. Your knowledge is impressive. I tend to pay attention more when the thugs have the power

The next two years are going to be like watching a sci-fi marathon when the alien creatures take over the House.

[PufPuf23]

14. If Waters, Why not Diane Feinstein?

Her husband Richard Blum had shell companies that received 8 figure military contracts = conflicts of interest.

DiFi is one D that I would never vote for again (and have every time in the past). Lived in Berkeley when Moscone and Milk were murdered and she became Mayor of SF

[EFerrari]

15. Yes, Feinstein is a mess.

But she is a mess in the Senate and this is the House Ethics process. No shortage of candidates there, though. Maxine shouldn't even be in the top 200.

[PufPuf23]

16. Agree! 100X Thank you for your effort at DU. nt

[alex cross]

2. Not to worry, the new rethug controlled house will re-open

the hearings and run her out of congress.

The Honorable Charles Rangel is lucky his case was heard before Jan 5th or he would be history too.

The purge is coming and Obama better be ready.

[pacalo]

4. Purge? Who's going to be targeted?

[awoke_in_2003]

7. anyone not DLC or RNC...

but I repeat myself.

[EFerrari]

6. Maxine is clean. They can't touch her, the @ssholes.

They can make her unhappy but as far as I can tell, they don't have anything.

[No Elephants]

10. But they can smear her name

[SleeplessinSoCal]

12. At this point we know what the GOP is and likely has been since Lincoln was assassinated.

[Peace Patriot]

13. Thanks for posting! And thanks to all for illuminating comments! nt