[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H2884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MISCONDUCT OF COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives has an 
elaborate set of rules and regulations to ensure that Members' 
commitment to the public interest is never undermined by a conflict of 
interest. Unfortunately, the very House body charged with enforcing 
these rules and regulations is itself suffering from a conflict of 
interest.
  At the start of this year, three Republican members of the Committee 
on Standards of Official Conduct were removed by their party because 
they were not friendly enough to the leadership. Two of the replacement 
members have given $15,000 to a legal defense fund for a member of the 
Republican leadership who likely will become subject to an ethics 
investigation.
  Does any Member believe these two Members can fairly and 
independently, without bias, judge a Republican House leader while at 
the same time helping to pay his legal bills? The Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct has not even yet met, but the deck is 
already stacked against getting to the real truth and restoring the 
high standards of this House. The American people should be rightfully 
troubled and outraged.




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