From The State (WVa)That Defines 'Pork' Thanks To (KKK) Byrd

[Annie]

How old is Byrd anyways? He's in like his 900th term...

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/04/mollohan_story.html

April 07, 2006
Mollohan Story: A Game-Changer?

The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that the feds are investigating Rep. Alan Mollohan's (D-WV 01) finances and "whether they were properly disclosed."

According to the Journal, Mollohan's household assets exponentially grew (from $565K in '00 to at least $6.3M in' 04).

In addition, the article notes that one of his non-profit groups is "funded almost entirely through provisions he put into annual spending bills." NRCC Chmn Tom Reynolds called today for Mollohan to step down as ranking member of the ethics cmte until an investigation is complete.

If this story has legs, it could muddy the Dem narrative of the GOP culture of corruption. It's possible Mollohan accrued a quick fortune from real estate acquisitions and just improperly reporting his finances.

But his seniority on the Appropriations and ethics cmtes raises larger and fundamental questions about the use and abuse of earmarks. The timing also couldn't be worse for Dems -- with Tom DeLay's resignation, a budget stalemate and immigration exposing fissures in the GOP.

And locally, Mollohan has a legitimate GOP opponent with strong WH backing -- state Del. Chris Wakim -- for the first time in a while. Could the Dems' ethics point-man derail his own party's ethics edge?

Asked for a comment on the story, Min Leader Nancy Pelosi's office pointed to comments she made at her presser yesterday. Pelosi:

"I have the highest regard for Mr. Mollohan. I named him to that position [on the ethics cmte] because of his independence and the high respect he commands in this Congress."​

Another House Dem strategist responded to the news by saying that Reynolds, Speaker Dennis Hastert and the NRCC "want to see" Mollohan "defeated for one reason and one reason only -- because of his dedication to cleaning up Washington and making sure" the ethics cmte "does it's job of cleaning up the Congress and protecting the American people from lobbyists and special interests."

This and Mollohan's efforts for WV have gotten him a "target on his back" from the GOP leadership, the source said.

UPDATE: CongressDaily's Sue Davis reports that Hastert is also calling on Mollohan to step aside from his ethics post. Referring to ex-Admin Committee chair Bob Ney (R-OH), Hastert said: "I asked my chairman to step aside." The Speaker added that he "was wondering why [Ethics Committee Democrats] were dragging their feet on this whole ethics thing." Hastert: "I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not, we'll see."

UPDATE II: Mollohan has now responded by issuing a lengthy rebuttal to the story and by sending Reynolds and Hastert an open letter. They are both pasted in full after the jump.

Also, Pelosi has released a statement hitting back hard at the GOP. Replete with a chronlogical list of what she says are Dem efforts to reform the ethics process, Pelosi charges Hastert "and his Republican cohorts" with being "responsible for the most corrupt Congress in history." She adds that the GOPers "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." Pelosi: "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."

UPDATE III: The good-gov't crowd is now getting into the action. CREW, hardly a conservative front group, is calling on Mollohan to step down from his ethics post while under investigation. They add that if Mollohan does not "voluntarily step aside," Pelosi should "remove him and appoint a new member immediately."


[JOSH KRAUSHAAR and JONATHAN MARTIN]

MOLLOHAN STATEMENT:

"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."

MOLLOHAN LETTER

April 7, 2006

The Honorable Tom Reynolds, Chairman

National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee

320 1st Street, S.E.

Washington, D.C. 20003

Dear Chairman Reynolds:

This concerns the press release you issued earlier today, in your capacity as Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, calling upon me to resign from the House Ethics Committee on the basis of the attack on me that was reported in this morning's Wall Street Journal.

Frankly, I am very grateful for your statement, for there is no action that could better illustrate both the entirely partisan, political nature of the attack that has been made upon me, and the reason that this attack has been made. Of course, the political motivation for the attack is entirely apparent in its source, which is the so-called "National Legal and Policy Center." As you are aware, NLPC is a politically motivated, ultra-conservative organization that, according to publicly available information, receives significant funding from ultra-conservative sources. Furthermore, as you are also probably aware, NLPC's so-called "Government Integrity Project" is directed almost exclusively against members of the Democratic Party. I must also note that similarly sensational charges that NLPC directed against Representative Jim Moran and Senator Maria Cantwell, among others, were found to have no merit whatsoever or were summarily dismissed. The NLPC has even attacked labor unions and the AARP for standing up for the rights of their members.

The fact that you have called upon me to resign from the House Ethics Committee, and the comments you made regarding my actions relating to the Committee in this Congress, illustrate the reason for this attack. The reason is, quite clearly, that I strongly opposed efforts by the Republican leadership that would have seriously undermined the ability of the Ethics Committee to perform its basic function of enforcing House rules and standards. What your statement cavalierly refers to as my "stall[ing] for so long in getting the Ethics Committee up and running" was, in fact, my opposition to those efforts to make unilateral, highly destructive changes both in the House rules governing the Committee and in the Committee staff.

According to a statement issued by NLPC, its efforts against me began in May 2005, which was immediately after the House finally voted to repeal the Ethics Committee rules changes that I had so strongly opposed. I am certain you will recall that vote, as you voted with me to repeal those rules changes.

I will continue to work to ensure that there will be an effective, credible ethics process in the House of Representatives, and I hope that all of my colleagues on the Ethics Committee will join me in that effort. I continue to hope that in this Congress we can have - as we had in the 108th Congress - an Ethics Committee that handles even the most sensitive, controversial issues on a unanimous or near-unanimous basis.

The remarks on this matter that were made by Speaker Hastert, which were similar to your own, have just been brought to my attention, and thus I am also sending him a copy of this letter.

Most sincerely,


Alan B. Mollohan

cc: The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert