Ethics Check - The Good And The Bad

First, let me say right off that I'm glad to see this getting play. Also, I'm surprised and gladdened to see such a thing 5 weeks away from the election. Of course I don't expect such a thing would happen if the election were going to be close, but still, faint praise is still praise. Nevertheless, bias comes creeping in...

PROMISES, PROMISES: Pelosi ethics pledge falters

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised four years ago that Democrats would lead "the most honest, most open, most ethical Congress in history."

But as her party defends its record with its majority in jeopardy, two prominent Democrats await ethics trials. Two other party members gave Congressional Black Caucus Foundation scholarships to relatives. Most importantly, lobbyists, corporations and special interests still have unimpeded ways to buy access to members of Congress...

Strong start. But let's see where this story goes wrong.

First, this is early in the story:

The Sunlight Foundation, which tracks congressional fundraising events, has identified more than 9,500 since President George W. Bush signed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act in September 2007. The law embodies reforms cited by Pelosi as proof that she kept her promise to "drain the swamp" of congressional corruption.

Pelosi was instrumental in winning increased disclosure of lobbyists' spending and contributions; a ban on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers; the end of cheap rides on corporate jets; curtailment of privately financed trips that often amounted to free vacations; creation of an independent ethics office; and the identification of sponsors of "earmarks" — congressional spending given to favored recipients, who often returned the favor with campaign contributions.

It's not until the very end that we're given the rebuttal, though:

Republicans are dismissive. Rep. Dan Lungren, the former attorney general of California, said many of the ethics improvements Pelosi takes credit for were the result of bipartisan agreements on the 2007 Honest Leadership law. Republicans were first with the idea of identifying sponsors of special-interest spending, he said.

And then this statement, the one that's the 2nd most egregious:

And while it may be just good fortune, Democrats can claim that another Jack Abramoff has not arisen on their watch. The influence-peddling lobbyist, who showered lawmakers and their staffs with favors and eventually went to prison, had strong ties to Republicans.

Because, again at the end, what do they slip out?

And last week former lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti, who helped defense clients secure government contracts, pleaded guilty to illegally funneling more than $380,000 in campaign contributions to House members controlling the Pentagon's budget. Three top Democrats he worked with — Jim Moran of Virginia, Peter Visclosky of Indiana and the late John Murtha of Pennsylvania — directed $137 million in defense contracts to the lobbyist's clients.

I mean this is just a "Huh??" moment. Early on you say it's good that no "Abramoff" type has arisen...and then, at the end, you tell us about an "Abramoff" type that has arisen...peddling influence to top Democrats. Oh, and don't think we're not noticing that half-truth about Abramoff, who also had "strong ties to" Democrats like Harry Reid, who is known to have taken steps, acting as a Senator, on behalf of Abramoff clients that donated to him. Last I checked the Democrat majority leader in the Senate was not a Republican.

And, finally, the top of the pops biggest lie in this piece is this:

While no member of Congress has been criminally charged or found to have violated House rules, outside ethics watchdog groups have criticized the lawmakers' conduct.

Really? Four words - William "Cold Cash" Jefferson". I'm pretty sure that he was criminally charged and that this occurred on Pelosi's watch, not to mention the fact that the Democrats refused to condemn Jefferson during the whole hubbub and even tried to get him placed on sensitive committees.

So you take the good (the mere existence of the piece at this time) with the bad (the placement bias, the half-truths, and the one absolute lie) and try to get them to do better.