Dems Reject GOP DeLay Compromise

The Republicans are trying to spin things again, but it won't work. Yesterday, the GOP offered to set up an inquiry into DeLay's un-ethical behavior, but the Democrats rejected the offer and continued the Ethics Committee boycott that has stopped any further investigation.

In an interview on Fox News Channel, House speaker Hastert noted:

that DeLay had said he was open to an investigation by the ethics panel. But, Hastert said, "as long as the Democrats won't let the Ethics Committee form, they have it both ways" — continuing to criticize DeLay without giving him a chance to clear his name.

This is completely untrue. Since the GOP changed the rules, the investigation would not go forward unless Republicans also voted to further investigate DeLay. If no Republicans voted to further investigate, the matter would be dropped within 45 days.

Hastert suggested that Democrats may fear that a working ethics panel would train a spotlight on ethics violations by their own members.
There are "probably four or five cases out there dealing with top-level Democrats," Hastert said. "There's a reason they don't want to go to the ethics process."

Completely untrue. The Democrats want to go back to the old rules which ensure that party politics cannot stop ethics violations. If the Democrats got their way, there would be no chance of them protecting their own party members from further investigation. If the Democrats get what they want, it would only ensure that any misdeeds done by Democrats are also investigated. It would make no sense for Democrats to go back to the old rules if they wer trying to protect their own memebers.

This is just another instance of the GOP trying to protect DeLay and spin the story. The fact remains that the GOP changed the ethics rules so DeLay could escape further investigations.

GOP's DeLay Inquiry Offer Rebuffed

Update: Here is a nice little quote from Tommy boy from a1995 House floor speech.

"The time has come that the American people know exactly what their Representatives are doing here in Washington. Are they feeding at the public trough, taking lobbyist-paid vacations, getting wined and dined by special interest groups? Or are they working hard to represent their constituents? The people, the American people, have a right to know...I say the best disinfectant is full disclosure, not isolation."