Lawmaker in DeLay Inquiry Tied to Lobbyist

[quaoar]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-lobbyist-hastings,1,3517591.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

By SHARON THEIMER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The lawmaker who will head a House inquiry into trips that lobbyist Jack Abramoff arranged for Tom DeLay has his own links to the lobbyist.
At one point, Abramoff touted Rep. Doc Hastings’ relationship with his firm in a pitch to a prospective client.
As chairman of the House ethics committee, Hastings, R-Wash., could play a big role in determining DeLay’s future. DeLay, the House majority leader, has asked the panel to review his travels, which include trips arranged by Abramoff while the lobbyist worked for the Seattle-based Preston Gates firm.
Abramoff cited close connections to Hastings in a 1995 letter to the Northern Mariana Islands government in which he urged the government to hire his firm. At the time, Hastings served on a House subcommittee that oversaw the Marianas and was considering Democratic proposals to impose minimum wage, immigration and other U.S. laws on the Pacific commonwealth, which opposed them.

[clydefrand]

1. So much for a fair ethics inquiry...

[dissent1977]

2. You gotta love the House "ethics" committee

It is kind of like the mafia ethics committee.

[jobycom]

3. I don't know, I think the mafia ethics committee has someinternal

integrity and consistency that the Republican-led House ethics committee lacks.

[deacon2]

5. Agree. The Mafia lives by a code.

The House of Representatives lives by the seat of its well-tailored pants. Don't care much for either, but with the Mafia you always know where you stand - and when to duck!

[quaoar]

4. Or the Enron Ethics Manual that employees sold on eBay

Brand new! Never been used!

[Roland99]

6. They have truly taken over our entire government.

The fox is watching the henhouse.

[donkeyotay]

7. Funny. One of these two statements must be wrong, tho.

from the OP link:

Hastings' office and the Marianas team Abramoff headed had at least three dozen contacts in 1996 and 1997, including at least two conversations between Abramoff and Hastings, according to firm invoices and correspondence the island government gave The Associated Press under an open records request.

and then

Ed Cassidy, Hastings' chief of staff, said Hastings never talked to Abramoff...

emphasis added

[rainbow4321]

8. DeLay hires second lawyer for possible ethics inquiry

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3213861

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has beefed up his legal defense team as the House ethics committee moved to resolve a lingering dispute that has stalled an investigation into his overseas travel.

Advisers to DeLay, R-Sugar Land, confirmed Monday that he has hired a second attorney, Richard Cullen, a former state attorney general in Virginia with extensive experience in criminal law and politics, to represent the lawmaker in potential House investigations.

Before any investigation into DeLay's activities can proceed, the ethics committee chairman, Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., must resolve the dispute over the naming of the committee's staff manager.

The impasse occurred because Hastings wanted his longtime chief of staff, Ed Cassidy, to oversee committee operations. Although Cassidy would not be directly involved in the investigations, Democrats say that placing an aide with partisan affiliations in such an influential post would violate ethics rules adopted in 1997.

[Robbien]

9. So now both Hastings and Delay protect sweatshops

No wonder the ethics committee is only concerned by who paid for the trips and ignoring the fact that these luxury trips were used to protect sweatshops which funnelled millions into the RNC coffers.

[Voltaire99]

10. Q: How do you get close enough to whitewash a skunk?

A: Simply hand the brush to another.

Hastings should find Delay no challenge to his nostrils.

[meow2u3]

11. Hastings is Ethics Committee chair not despite his ties to Abramoff

but because he's tainted by Tom DeLay's and Jack Abramoff's dirty money.

[MissMarple]

12. OK...we're going to need a lot more popcorn.

:crazy: :popcorn: :bounce: