PERRY/Thompson seeks weaker ethics
Mississippi’s 2nd District Rep. Bennie Thompson can’t manage to stay out of the ethics spotlight. Ironically, the light shining on him this time is because he tried to unscrew the bulb.
Last month, Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) quietly introduced H.Res.1416; Thompson is an original co-sponsor. Eighteen other Democrats signed onto the measure the Washington Post said “would essentially neuter the ethics board, making it more difficult for the Office of Congressional Ethics to launch investigations and inform the public of its findings.”
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) consists of individuals, not currently serving in Congress, appointed by leaders of both parties to conduct initial investigations and make recommendations to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, aka the Ethics Committee. The OCE has cut its teeth on several high profile cases, including an investigation into the PMA Group’s alleged campaign contributions-for-earmarks scandal.
The Neshoba Democrat
6/11/10
Magnolia Tribune
