U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-TX) today called for House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) to officially answer questions as to whether the Office of the Speaker has improperly attempted to influence the Ethics Committee investigation of embattled House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY). 

Carter, a former Texas judge, wrote Pelosi on December 2 requesting the Speaker clarify her statement that she had been “assured” the Rangel investigation would be concluded by January 3.  It is a violation of House rules for the Ethics Committee to discuss any ongoing investigation.  Pelosi stated in the press the following day that the discussion of the timing of the investigation had been solely with her own staff.

However, Ethics Committee records indicate there would be no way for any outside observers to reasonably determine the Rangel investigation could be concluded by January 3.  

Carter wrote Pelosi today that, “history shows investigations running from 3 months to two-and-a-half years, with an average investigation length of over a year.   The current investigation of Chairman Rangel began in July, just 5 months ago. … . there is no way that any competent staff could assure you of such a short time frame for completion of the Rangel investigation.”

Carter writes that the facts of the case currently present only two possibilities, both serious breaches of House ethics: “Either your office did communicate with the Ethics Committee and someone on the committee notified you of a timeline in violation of their oath of secrecy on the Ethics Committee, or your statement was based on no information and was intended to use the weight of your office to communicate to the Ethics Committee to end the investigation.”

The House Republican Conference Secretary says he will continue to pursue the issue until it is resolved by determining “whether you or any member of your staff had any contact with any Member or staff of the Ethics Committee concerning the Rangel investigation, whether through verbal, written, or electronic communications.” 

The full text of Judge Carter’s letter is included below:

Dear Madam Speaker:

Public confidence in the non-partisan impartiality of the House ethics process is absolutely essential to restoring trust in Congress, which has further eroded since you took office as Speaker. 

Your lack of response to my letter of December 2 questioning whether you or your office sought to improperly influence the conduct, scope, timing or any other aspect of the Ethics Committee investigation of House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel demands immediate further action.

Any contact with the Committee by you or your staff to directly or indirectly influence the investigation is a violation of House Ethics rules.  Yet you stated in the press that you were "assured" the investigation would be completed by January 3.  When this apparent violation was noted, you defended your earlier statement with the explanation that your assurance came only from your staff, and from their institutional knowledge of previous House ethics investigations.

This explanation is not plausible. A simple examination of the website of the Committee on Standards reveals the following time frames for ethics investigations so far this decade:

Investigation/Date of Committee Report  Time Required for Completion

Rep. Bud Shuster/SEP 2000                                       2 years 6 months

Rep. Earl Hilliard/JUN 2001                                             1 year 9 months

Rep. Jim Traficant/JUL 2002     3 months after conviction on 10 federal counts of corruption   

Rep. Nick Smith/SEP 2004                                        6 months

Rep. Tom DeLay/OCT 2004                                         5 months

Rep. Mark Foley/DEC 2006                                        3 months

Rep. Jim McDermott/DEC 2004                             2 years
                    

This history shows investigations running from 3 months to two-and-a-half years, with an average investigation length of over a year.   The current investigation of Chairman Rangel began in July, just 5 months ago. 

Yet your comments came the day after new allegations that Chairman Rangel may have solicited $1 million in donations to his non-profit organization in exchange for legislative favors. 

There is no way that any competent staff could assure you of such a short time frame for completion of the Rangel investigation.

One of two things has occurred.  Either your office did communicate with the Ethics Committee and someone on the committee notified you of a timeline in violation of their oath of secrecy on the Ethics Committee, or your statement was based on no information and was intended to use the weight of your office to communicate to the Ethics Committee to end the investigation by January 3. In my former line of work, the latter is known more commonly as jury-tampering.  

This is a very serious matter.  As Republican Conference Secretary, I must pursue this involvement issue until it is cleared up.  

Specifically, the public needs to know whether you or any member of your staff had any contact with any Member or staff of the Ethics Committee concerning the Rangel investigation, whether through verbal, written, or electronic communications.

I await your response. So do the American people.


Sincerely,

U.S. Rep. John Carter

Secretary, House Republican Conference