Yesterday, on the floor of the House of Representatives, Michele Bachmann decided to speak about her opposition to the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate ethics violations.
First, if someone could please explain for me what a "potentially artificially manufactured scandal" might encompass?
Second, could someone please point out where in the bill found below you can find the partisanship? This commission would be equally staffed by members of both parties and in order to bring up an investigation would need members of both parties to bring it forward.
Second, could someone please point out where in the bill found below you can find the partisanship? This commission would be equally staffed by members of both parties and in order to bring up an investigation would need members of both parties to bring it forward.
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL ETHICS.
(a) Establishment- For the purpose of assisting the House in carrying out its responsibilities under article I, section 5, clause 2 of the Constitution (commonly referred to as the `Discipline Clause'), there is established in the House an independent office to be known as the Office of Congressional Ethics (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Office').
(b) Board- (1) The Office shall be governed by a board consisting of six individuals of whom three shall be nominated by the Speaker subject to the concurrence of the minority leader and three shall be nominated by the minority leader subject to the concurrence of the Speaker. The Speaker shall nominate at least one alternate board member subject to the concurrence of the minority leader and the minority leader shall nominate at least one alternate board member subject to the concurrence of the Speaker. If any vacancy occurs in the board, then the most senior alternate board member nominated by the same individual who nominated the member who left the board shall serve on the board until a permanent replacement is selected. If a permanent appointment is not made within 90 days, the alternate member shall be deemed to have been appointed for the remainder of the term of the member who left the board and the Speaker or the minority leader, as applicable, shall nominate a new alternate subject to the concurrence of the other leader.
(2) The Speaker and the minority leader each shall appoint individuals of exceptional public standing who are specifically qualified to serve on the board by virtue of their education, training, or experience in one or more of the following fields: legislative, judicial, regulatory, professional ethics, business, legal, and academic.
(3) The Speaker shall designate one member of the board as chairman. The minority leader shall designate one member of the board as cochairman. The cochairman shall act as chairman in the absence of the chairman.
(4)(A) Selection and appointment of members of the board shall be without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform their duties.
(B)(i) No individual shall be eligible for appointment to, or service on, the board who--
(I) is a lobbyist registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995;
(II) has been so registered at any time during the year before the date of appointment;
(III) engages in, or is otherwise employed in, lobbying of the Congress;
(IV) is an agent of a foreign principal registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act;
(V) is a Member; or
(VI) is an officer or employee of the Federal Government.
(ii) No individual who has been a Member, officer, or employee of the House may be appointed to the board sooner than one year after ceasing to be a Member, officer, or employee of the House.
A bureaucracy of smear and witch hunt? I have looked though this entire bill have yet to find either of these words as part of the mission of this commission. One has to wonder what possible things Bachmann would have to fear from a commission of BOTH Republicans and Democrats.
Powers- The board is authorized and directed to:
(1)(A) Within 7 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) after receipt of a joint written request from 2 members of the board (one of whom was nominated by the Speaker and one by the minority leader) to all board members to undertake a preliminary review of any alleged violation by a Member, officer, or employee of the House of any law, rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct applicable to the conduct of such Member, officer, or employee in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, along with a brief description of the specific matter, initiate a preliminary review and notify in writing--
(i) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of that preliminary review and provide a statement of the nature of the review; and
(ii) any individual who is the subject of the preliminary review and provide such individual with a statement of the nature of the review.
(B) Within 30 calendar days or 5 legislative days, whichever is later, after receipt of a request under subparagraph (A), complete a preliminary review.
(C) Before the end of the applicable time period, vote on whether to commence a second-phase review of the matter under consideration. An affirmative vote of at least 3 members of the board is required to commence a second-phase review. If no such vote to commence a second-phase review has succeeded by the end of the applicable time period, the matter is terminated. At any point before the end of the applicable time period, the board may vote to terminate a preliminary review by the affirmative vote of not less than 4 members. The board shall notify, in writing, the individual who was the subject of the preliminary review and the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of its decision to either terminate the preliminary review or commence a second-phase review of the matter. If the board votes to terminate the preliminary review, then it may send a report and any findings to such committee.
