Posted on 07/26/2002 9:25:34 AM PDT by kattracks
The evidence is piling up against Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-NJ, who's in the midst of a Senate Ethics Committee probe into his alleged bribe-taking.
In fact, it's getting so bad that the acting chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee announced yesterday that he wants out of the probe.
"I don't want to be on this committee any longer," complained a weary Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawaii.
Inouye expressed his frustration to the New York Times after his committee spent a grueling day reviewing new charges that the New Jersey Democrat may have lied to investigators when he denied taking bribes from contributor David Chang.
"A government official involved in the inquiry said the panel had received sales receipts, witness testimony and other corroboration of at least two such gifts," the Times said.
"All I can do is apologize for the errors in judgment and also make clear that rules were not violated," Torricelli told reporters yesterday. "There were never inappropriate gifts."
But Inouye's panel is now wrestling with convincing evidence that Chang purchased a $1,900 big screen TV and a $3,800 grandfather clock for Torricelli, who faces a tough reelection effort this fall.
If New Jersey Republican Doug Forrester manages to oust the scandal-scarred Democrat, he could win back control of the Senate for the GOP.
Chang says he lavished tens of thousands of dollars worth of cash and merchandise on Torricelli in exchange for help with the South Korean government in a business dispute.
He was jailed in May after pleading guilty to obstructing justice and making $53,700 in illegal contributions to Torricelli's 1996 Senate campaign, the Times said.
Among Sen. Inouye's growing headaches: the committee has testimony from U.S. diplomats and South Korean officials that Torricelli lobbied on behalf of Chang while meeting with them.
Chang has written to Inouye saying he wants to testify, complicating the acting chaiman's efforts to avoid calling additional witnesses.
The panel heard from Torricelli yesterday for three hours.
Inouye is filling in for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who recused himself from the probe because of his close relationship with Torricelli.
The Justice Department abandoned its probe of Torricelli earlier this year after the office of the U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District was forced to re-order its priorities in the wake of the 9-11 attack.
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
He'd go directly to the dems.
Translation: "The stench of corruption is too much for even me to take anymore."
Inouye is filling in for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who recused himself from the probe because of his close relationship with Torricelli.
Hint to Joe Lieberman investigating Enron. That's right Joe, the word is "RECUSE YOURSELF".
The moment he switches party, he has no cache. He's just another, liberal, run-of-the-mill Democrat.
When was the last time you saw Jeffords on television?
Translation: "The stench of corruption is too much for even me to take anymore."
My translation: “I have too much integrity to look at this and dismiss it, but not enough integrity to do anything about it.”
Now that's a laugh -- I think every member of the U.S. Senate should recuse himself for the same reason.
Hint to Democrats and any other Torricelli supporters: When the chairman of the Senate ethics committee recuses himself, and you replace him with a guy from the furthest point in the United States from New Jersey, and HE wants out -- you know you've got a problem.
Wouldn't be necessary. Gov. McGreevy would simply appoint another Dem to take Torriceli's place.
Good one. The buck stops at HIS desk, not mine.
Very well said. Sums up the scum in a nutshell.
If he should proceed with an honest probe, his conscience will have won, and Dems don't allow that to happen.
Leni
Good point, but a mid-term appointment would only last until what would have been the end of Torricelli's next term in office.
I'm not sure McGreevey will be able to find someone who is willing to sit in the U.S. Senate for two months and then have to run for re-election. Although Newark mayor Sharpe James is a possibility -- I don't think I've ever seen a dumber human being than him wearing a suit and tie every day.
This is, I think, understandable...but...Torricelli's case sounds very much like Rep. Traficant's, doesn't it?! Except on a grander scale...the "constituent mobsters" are South Korean instead of Mahoning Valley...
The Justice Department (Reno's?) pretty much hounded Traficant. The House Democrats were particularly vitriolic in their denouncements of him in the course of expelling him from Congress. The Republicans were kinder, while still adamant that justice and honor be served (although I most agreed with Rep. LaTourette, that Traficant's expulsion should have been delayed until he had the chance to appeal his conviction)...
...so, what are you Senate and Justice folks going to do about Torricelli?!
It'd be a calculated risk for the Democrats, to be sure. They would have to determine which option gave them the better chance to retain this seat: a damaged Torricelli vs Forrester, or a "clean" Democrat with some possible advantages that might go with a two-month incumbency. Considering that New Jersey leans heavily Democrat, it might make sense to bite the bullet and dump the controversial Torricelli. After all, if the scandal-ridden Torricelli is out of there, a lot of the impetus for Forrester's campaign is deflated. I don't know enough about New Jersey politics to comment as to whether there are any possible attractive Democrat candidates for such a maneuver.
Well, I could probably sum it up for you by pointing out that even the Republican leaders in this state are the most thoroughly mediocre people you'll ever meet.
The word "leader," in fact, is probably not a good one -- I wouldn't follow any of these people out of a burning house.
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