Leaked House Ethics Doc: Less Than Meets The Eye?

[babylonsister]

Could this be just a - GASP! - distraction?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/leaked_house_ethics_doc_less_than_meets_the_eye.php?ref=fpb

Leaked House Ethics Doc: Less Than Meets The Eye?
Justin Elliott | October 30, 2009, 1:44PM


The cable news networks have jumped all over the ethics document leaked to the Washington Post showing that over 30 members of Congress have been subjects of "inquiries" by the House ethics committee.

And the Post is having fun dissecting the weekly ethics summary report from July, publishing a new round of stories this morning looking at specific cases highlighted in the document.

But nearly all of the new stories show that the members in question were cleared of wrongdoing, and it's worth asking how much new information has really come to light.

snip//

But, as the Washington Independent's Mike Lillis points out, not much else is new here. The much-bandied about "over 30 lawmakers under scrutiny" figure -- which, admittedly, we too highlighted earlier -- may not mean much.

Here's video (at link) of the ethics panel chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and ranking member Jo Bonner (R-AL) providing some context on the floor of the House last night: