Political Ethics are the Focus of News Reports
Sep 22nd, 2008 • Posted in: NewsAlaska probe suddenly vaults into prominence; New York congressman says political opponents and the media are behind his ethics problems; civic groups want ethics reform in Albany
VARIOUS DATELINES
A handful of stories took center stage at the intersection of politics and ethics last week. Among them:
- A state ethics probe that has become the focus of international attention effectively ground to a halt last week, as Todd Palin, husband of Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, refused to testify at a hearing into allegations that his wife abused her power by pressuring state police to fire a trooper. Todd Palin and six others ignored subpoenas from Alaskan investigators looking into whether Sarah Palin fired Public Safety head Walt Monegan for refusing to fire her sister’s ex-husband. Some said they wanted additional information about the proceedings before agreeing to testify, while others contend the probe is biased, reports TIME. Lawyers for presidential contender John McCain and Sarah Palin sued to block the investigation, claiming that it was politically motivated and that any findings should be released after the November election. The investigator heading the probe last week said that his report will be delivered on October 10 despite witnesses’ refusal to testify.
- The House Ethics Committee is expected to vote this week on whether to begin a formal investigation of Ways and Means Committee chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY), who is accused of failing to pay taxes on revenue from a vacation home, misusing a congressional office to raise funds, and improperly keeping control of several rent-controlled apartments, according to a report from CBS News. In an “Open Letter to New Yorkers,” Rangel blamed his troubles on the media and political opponents, saying he has become “a Republican talking point.” Rangel himself requested the ethics probe, saying he wanted to clear the matter up and would accept the committee’s recommendations if he had “inadvertently violated House rules.”
- Several government-reform groups in New York State are urging Gov. David Paterson to reform the state’s ethics laws in order to prevent recurrences of the scandals that rocked Albany. Newsday and Albany-based cable news station Capital News 9 report that the groups want lawmakers to create an independent ethics oversight agency and toughen financial disclosure laws. In addition to the Spitzer scandal, Albany has been rocked by a series of incidents involving lawmakers accused of political, lobbying, and financial misdeeds.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Sep. 21 — TIME, Sep. 19 — CBS News, Sep. 19 — Newsday, Sep. 19 — Capital News 9, Sep. 19 — New York Times, Sep. 16.
For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Sep. 15 — Related Newsline Commentary, Sep. 8 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 8 — Related Newsline story, July 28 — Related Newsline story, Mar. 31 — Palin and Troopergate primer, from TIME, Sep. 11.
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