PLAN CREATES ATMOSPHERE FOR FRIVOLOUS, UNSUBSTANTIATED ACCUSATIONS WASHINGTON

Washington, Mar 12, 2008 - "Last night, the House approved the House Democrat leadership's new ethics proposal that creates a new layer of bureaucracy between the House Ethics Committee and addressing abuses within Congress," said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala). "The senior Counsel for the House Ethics Committee hired by the Democrat Chairwoman wrote a four-page memo outlining the inherent flaws in the plan (This memo is attached). The Counsel stated, 'There is no accountability as to the source of information, unlike with respect to "complainants," who must certify that the information is submitted in good faith and warrants the review and consideration of the Committee. Clearly, this plan could foster a deluge of frivolous and baseless claims since there is no requirement that any allegation be made in good faith"

The House approved the proposal last night by a vote of 207 to 206, which required the leadership to hold the vote open well beyond the set 15 minutes, which breaks the leadership's promise to end this practice of extending the time for votes.

Added Stearns, "While creating this new bureaucracy, the plan fails to provide it with subpoena power to collect the testimony and evidence needed to conduct a proper investigation."

Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) said on the House floor, "Any referral to the Office of Congressional Ethics will be seen as tantamount to a guilty verdict. Any other conclusion by the House Ethics Committee will be seen as a cover-up." According to Stearns. "This reform appears to try those accused in the court of public opinion, for this and many other reasons, I did not support this ill-conceived attempt at ethics reform that we dearly need."

"As legislators there can be no issue of more fundamental importance than the strength and the integrity of the United States House of Representatives." Concluded Stearns. "When I was sworn into this body I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies. I take this oath seriously and believe everyone deserves the right to be confronted with the witnesses against him; and to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor as granted in the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States."

Abercrombie completed his floor statement saying, "This proposal is not worthy of the House and our responsibility to it. Turn it down."