BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

Okay, so it’s the law.  The House Ethics Committee is required to investigate any House member who is arrested…. and that includes Vito Fossella.  The Committee will not begin the investigation until after Fossella’s case is in court on June 26th.  In all probability Fossella will be sentenced to five days in jail.

A special, four-member investigative subcommittee chaired by Rep. Michael Doyle (D-Pa.) will handle the probe. GOP Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (R-S.C.) will serve as ranking member. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Rob Bishop (R-Utah) will make up the remainder of the investigative panel.

And, of course, the investigation is not without criticism.

That decision brought criticism from Citizens for Responsibilty and Ethics in Washington, a liberal watchdog group, which had urged the panel to investigate Fossella.

“The Ethics Committee deferred an investigation of Vito Fossella? We are shocked, shocked, shocked. The only thing more shocking would be if the committee decided to investigate anything…ever,” said Melanie Sloan, CREW’s executive director.

The investigation is the law.  The delay is not.  But, in truth we have all heard or read Vito Fossella’s confession that took place the night he was arrested.  That said, what’s left to confess?  What’s left to investigate?  Fossella has said that he won’t seek re-election so just put him in a box and sit him on the shelf until his term is up.