The Verdict Is In: Senate Ethics Committee REFUSES to Enforce Salary Law Against Kerry!

FR ^ | 7-29-04

[jmstein7]

Well, the Ethics Committee has finally responded to the Ethics complaint against Kerry and the Secretary of the Senate.

Here is their letter:

As you see, the Senate Ethics Committee has refused to enforce a statute passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the President (in August of 1996).  If they don't like it, they have to REPEAL it; you can't just decide not to enforce a clear, unambiguous statute!

You can let them hear about it tomorrow at 202-224-2981.

[John Valentine]

How they can drag in this one hundred years of precedent is laughable. How any practice or tradition prior to 1996 bears on the enforcement of a law passed in 1996 is unclear to say the least.

Beyond that, there hasn't yet been time to establish a subsequent Senatorial tradition of flouting this law, although the quoted response does get the ball rolling.

[kristinn]

I look forward to your next step. Good job pressing the issue.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Add me to your ping list. I find your threads so fascinating. Thanks.

[Dante3]

bttt

[Militiaman7]

The Select Committee on Ethics can be contacted at 220 Hart Building, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Telephone: (202) 224 - 2981. Fax: (202) 224 - 7416.

Republicans

George V. Voinovich, Ohio, Chairman (Big Time RINO)
Pat Roberts, Kansas
Craig Thomas, Wyoming
Democrats

Harry Reid, Nevada, Vice Chairman
Daniel Akaka, Hawaii
Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas

[thoughtomator]

Go get 'em, mate!

[Indie]

LAWYERS PROTECTING LAWYERS.

[Wolfhound777]

More waste of our tax money. I don't care who they are Republican or Democrat. If they don't show up for work, they should not get paid for it.

[Indie]

There are several people that have something
up their sleeves as well.

The tree of liberty is thirsty.

[PeterFinn]

File a Writ of Mandamus. They'll ignore it of course.

[GATOR NAVY]

LAWYERS PROTECTING LAWYERS.

Yep

[Krodg]

If you plan on pinging people...add me.

BTW...how can I help??

[kitchen]

Toll free to the congressional switchboard: (877) 762-8762.

[MeekOneGOP]

Bummer. But not surprised.

[GailA]

RATS

[teletech]

They're afraid that if the law is applied to Kerry now then someday, someone will want to apply the law to them, too

Yes, I guess you're right. The best we can probably hope for is that some voters will take notice of Kerry's complete lack of concern for America. Even the people of MA haven't been very vocal on his absence from Congress.

[plain talk]

You damn right. I want names of who did this on the Republican side. Whoever was responsible for this should be politically destroyed by any means possible.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Nothing new. There is a long standing "gentlemen's agreement" that all senators pretty much ignore the misdeeds of the others in exchange for the same courtesy.

[Humidston]

If those people who pretend to follow the law refuse to uphold the very law that their body created, they should be FORCED to do so.

Heaven knows - we are!

[jmstein7]

I place the blame squarely on the Dems. I know -- from some sources -- that all three Repubs were on my side. The problem was the Dems, because there are 3 Rs and 3 Ds on the Committee, and it takes ONE defection to make anything happen. Even if all three Repubs want to act, they cannot do so without at least ONE Dem. Not a single Dem acted here to enforce the law.