Republicans, progressive watchdog ask Democrat to step down from House Ethics Committee

RAW STORY
Published: Friday April 7, 2006

(Updated to include statement from Congressman Mollohan in response to the allegations)

"House Speaker Hastert today said he believes Minority Leader Pelosi should ask Ethics ranking member Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., to step aside -- if only temporarily -- in light of a report this morning that federal prosecutors are investigating Mollohan's finances and whether they were properly disclosed," Congress Daily reported Friday afternoon. Just hours later, the progressive ethics watchdog Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington joined the fracas -- asking Mollohan to step aside from the Committee.

Meanwhile, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi blasted the allegations.

"The Speaker should join me in directing the Ethics Committee to get to work, and not cast aspersions on the independent and distinguished Ranking Member," Pelosi said in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday morning: "A 12-term congressman, Mr. Mollohan sits on the House Appropriations Committee, a panel that disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff dubbed the "favor factory." Working with fellow West Virginian Sen. Robert Byrd, Mr. Mollohan has steered at least $278 million to nonprofit groups in his district over the past five years using "earmarks" -- special-interest provisions that are slipped into spending bills to direct money to pet projects."

"The $236 million building is being built with taxpayers' money for the Institute for Scientific Research, a nonprofit group launched by the local congressman, Democrat Alan Mollohan, and funded almost entirely through provisions he put into annual spending bills," the Journal said.

Added the Journal: "Federal prosecutors have opened an investigation of Mr. Mollohan's finances and whether they were properly disclosed, according to people contacted in the inquiry. Mr. Mollohan hasn't been accused of wrongdoing. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, whose public-corruption unit is conducting the inquiry, declined to comment."

Citizens for Ethics -- which has been repeatedly accused by Republicans of being a partisan attack dog for their relentless pursuit of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) -- broke ranks with Pelosi, calling for Mollohan to step down.

"Given the fact that federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, we would ask that he temporarily step down from his post," CREW spokeswoman Naomi Seligman said. "Since the conduct of all members sitting on the ethics committee needs to be above reproach, it would be inappropriate for him to retain his position during the course of the investigation. If Rep. Mollohan does not voluntarily step aside, we ask Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to remove him and appoint a new member immediately."

Congressman Mollohan released a statement in response to the Wall Street Journal article, defending his actions on behalf of the nonprofits and blasting the conservative watchdog group that reportedly filed a complaint contesting his financial disclosures.

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Mollohan Statement on Wall Street Journal Article:

"The Wall Street Journal today published an article which details some of the funding that I have secured for the 1st Congressional District through my position on the House Appropriations Committee.

"The article also reports on a complaint that has been filed against me by what the newspaper describes as a 'conservative' and 'self-styled ethics-in-government' group.

"First, regarding my work on the House Appropriations Committee: since taking office in January 1983, my top priority has been to help my congressional district in every way possible. That remains my top priority to this day.

"I am proud of the nonprofit groups that have been established to address needs which exist in northern West Virginia, focusing on economic and community development. I have worked aggressively to secure funds to enable these groups to carry out their worthy missions. And by every measure I know, they have been highly effective in achieving the purposes for which they were created.

"These groups were not created to benefit me in any way, and they never have.

"Second, regarding the complaint the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) asserts that it has prepared and forwarded to the U.S. attorney's office: I welcome any legitimate review of the financial disclosure statements that I have filed.

"My family has long invested in real estate and, like many Americans, the value of our real estate holdings has increased significantly in recent years. This is especially true of property owned in the Washington, D.C., area, which has experienced an unprecedented real estate boom.

"As with any complaint, it is important to consider the source. The NLPC has in the past targeted Democrats with charges that later proved to be without merit. NLPC has even attacked unions and the AARP for standing up for the interests of their members. I am sure that my position as top-ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee makes me a tempting target for such an ultra-conservative, politically motivated group.

"In fact, it is extremely telling that by its own admission, the NLPC initiated its review of my records in May 2005. That happens to be days after I successfully stood up to the House Republican leadership over their attempts to weaken the House ethics rules.

"Obviously, I am in the crosshairs of the National Republican Party and like-minded entities, such as the NLPC. They are angry at me and I fully expect that from now until November, they will continue to make baseless charges against me, my record and my family.

"While no one looks forward to such a thing, I will vigorously defend my service and not be intimidated by their heavy-handed tactics."

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GOP speaker says request reasonable

More from Congress Daily (excerpts):

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Hastert said he had asked former House Administration Chairman Ney to relinquish his chairmanship earlier this year when Ney was confronted with ethics questions. "I asked my chairman to step aside, that's really up to Ms. Pelosi, that's her choice. There's a precedent for it," Hastert said. Both the House Administration and Ethics committees are leader-appointed. "I was wondering why [Ethics Committee Democrats] were dragging their feet on this whole ethics thing," Hastert said. "I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not, we'll see."

The Wall Street Journal reported today that an inquiry is being conducted into Mollohan's personal financial disclosures, and raised questions about earmarks he has steered to nonprofits in West Virginia in the past five years. Mollohan has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

The report will likely ratchet up the already partisan nature of the Ethics Committee, which has been largely incapable of functioning over a number of disputes this session. Mollohan and Ethics Chairman Hastings are engaged in a public disagreement after the panel failed to agree last week to move forward with any investigations except one long-standing complaint against Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash.

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Democrats' chief says ethics charge ridiculous

The National Journal's Hotline has more analysis on how the latest disclosure might hurt Democrats.

Pelosi, however, says she believes the latest push to remove a Democrat from the committee is absurd.

"Speaker Hastert and his Republican cohorts are responsible for the most corrupt Congress in history and the American people are paying the price at the gas pump, at the pharmacy, and with record high deficits.," she remarked.

"Republicans destroyed the ethics process in the House to protect their cronies Cunningham, DeLay, Ney, and other Members implicated in the Abramoff scandal – to name only a few," she added.