Ethics panel outsources Waters case,,,

[one_voice]

Stung by allegations of misconduct within the panel, the House Ethics Committee has hired an outside counsel to take over the case against Rep. Maxine Waters.

Billy Martin, a partner at the law firm Dorsey and Whitney, has been hired by the committee to “review, advise and assist the Committee in completing the matter of Representative Maxine Waters,” announced Reps. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) and Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), the chairman and ranking member on Ethics, in a statement released on Wednesday.

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Waters has sought to have the case against her dismissed, saying she can no longer get fair and impartial treatment by the Ethics Committee.

She has also threatened to take legal action against the committee unless the case is dismissed.

Bonner and Sanchez acknowledged these allegations, but they did not agree to dismiss the case against Waters. But they have directed Martin to look into Chisam’s claims first before decide whether to move ahead with the Waters case.

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Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59482.html#ixzz1SfZGmfEX