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Rep. Jefferson stripped of committee seat

By Kirstin Ellison
Posted on Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 11:40:28 AM EST

Many have been calling for it for weeks now, and it's finally happened -- Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), embroiled in a bribery scandal, has lost his seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.  Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) engineered the Democratic caucus 99-58 vote last night, but it was not without controversy.  Several members from the Congressional Black Caucus did not want such action taken without a formal "rule" to govern such situations.

This AP article has quotes from Pelosi and other Democrats on the decision.  I don't have the knowledge to really comment on the exact procedure used to remove Jefferson from the committee, but I do applaud this action -- though no charges have been filed against Jefferson yet, the magnitude of his ethics problems should preclude him from holding any leadership or power position.


Tags: William Jefferson, ethics in government, House Ways and Means Committee (all tags)


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Rep. Jefferson stripped of committee seat :: 1 Comment

Pelosi's Courage

Rep. Pelosi spearheaded this action with the resulting vote of House Democrats being 99 to 58 in favor of Jefferson's removal. Josephine Hearn of the Hill writes:

Pelosi had argued that Democrats needed to set the bar higher on ethics. She made the case that Democrats must show that they are more serious than Republicans when it came to disciplining wayward members.

While it is wrong to judge Rep. Jefferson's guilt or innocence before all of the evidence is in, this is a courageous step by Rep. Pelosi to demonstrate that the ethical bar in Congress has been raised. A committee member under investigation would add to the shadow that is cast over the capitol. Some Democrats are reacting negatively toward Mr. Jefferson's removal. However, if Jefferson happened to be a Republican and was forced out of a committee would these same lawmakers protest?

by Matt Caruso on Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 04:00:05 PM EST


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