Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Loebsack--Defends Ethics Challenged Murtha
Once again, the freshman Congressman from Iowa's 2nd District has managed to find a way to avoid keeping the campaign promises that he made to voters in the 2nd District.
Yesterday, on a vote of 219-189, Democrats in the House voted to table a resolution that would have reprimanded Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa) for violating House ethics rules.
The privilege resolution was introduced by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. Rogers, accuses Murtha of violating the House ethics rules passed in January that require each member who wants to slip into any bill a spending project for their district to identify himself or herself.
Rogers, a former FBI agent, claims he tried to cut $23 million in funding for the National Drug Intelligence Center because the program is redundant and wasteful. But the center is located in Murtha's Pennsylvania district, which Rogers says he didn't realize because Murtha, the seventh-ranking lawmaker in the House in terms of seniority, slipped the funding into the intelligence authorization bill without identifying himself.
The resolution says Murtha then personally threatened Rogers with never allowing another spending project by Rodgers to come up for a vote in the House.
It recounted the conversation in the House chamber on May 17.
"I hope you don't have any earmarks in the defense appropriation bill because they are gone and you will not get any earmarks now and forever," the resolution claims Murtha said in so many words.
House rules also prohibit members from limiting other's projects solely based on voting record.
Murtha has not denied making the threat to Rodgers, nor has he apologized to Rep. Rodgers for it.
Newly elected Rep. Dave Loebsack voted with his party to table the resolution, effectively killing the reprimand.
This is a quote from Rep. Loebsack's campaign website about "Where Dave Stands--Good Government"
"I am committed to genuine reforms that protect our rights and ensure that elected officials act appropriately. So long as Washington continues with politics as usual, few of the changes we as a nation need to move us forward are likely to occur."
Hmm..Guess that commitment doesn't hold true if a fellow Democrat is the one who is ethically challenged. Those little ethics rule changes that you made in January..no big deal, right Rep. Loebsack?
Unfortunately, this is just another example of Rep. Loebsack's attitude of "Do As I Do, Not As I Say" to the voters of the 2nd District of Iowa.
Yesterday, on a vote of 219-189, Democrats in the House voted to table a resolution that would have reprimanded Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa) for violating House ethics rules.
The privilege resolution was introduced by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. Rogers, accuses Murtha of violating the House ethics rules passed in January that require each member who wants to slip into any bill a spending project for their district to identify himself or herself.
Rogers, a former FBI agent, claims he tried to cut $23 million in funding for the National Drug Intelligence Center because the program is redundant and wasteful. But the center is located in Murtha's Pennsylvania district, which Rogers says he didn't realize because Murtha, the seventh-ranking lawmaker in the House in terms of seniority, slipped the funding into the intelligence authorization bill without identifying himself.
The resolution says Murtha then personally threatened Rogers with never allowing another spending project by Rodgers to come up for a vote in the House.
It recounted the conversation in the House chamber on May 17.
"I hope you don't have any earmarks in the defense appropriation bill because they are gone and you will not get any earmarks now and forever," the resolution claims Murtha said in so many words.
House rules also prohibit members from limiting other's projects solely based on voting record.
Murtha has not denied making the threat to Rodgers, nor has he apologized to Rep. Rodgers for it.
Newly elected Rep. Dave Loebsack voted with his party to table the resolution, effectively killing the reprimand.
This is a quote from Rep. Loebsack's campaign website about "Where Dave Stands--Good Government"
"I am committed to genuine reforms that protect our rights and ensure that elected officials act appropriately. So long as Washington continues with politics as usual, few of the changes we as a nation need to move us forward are likely to occur."
Hmm..Guess that commitment doesn't hold true if a fellow Democrat is the one who is ethically challenged. Those little ethics rule changes that you made in January..no big deal, right Rep. Loebsack?
Unfortunately, this is just another example of Rep. Loebsack's attitude of "Do As I Do, Not As I Say" to the voters of the 2nd District of Iowa.
