The House and Senate Ethics Committees are notorious for their lack of serious enforcement of ethics rules — more often serving to deflect criticism of members. For that reason, when one of the committees actually takes action it is a notable moment. In the case of Rep. Laura Richardson, the Committee found an array of seven disturbing violations including improperly pressuring her official staff to campaign for her, destroying evidence and tampering with witness testimony. In addition, the Committee found that Richardson showed “utter disdain” for the committee and its investigation. Yet, despite this shocking list of alleged violations including destruction of evidence and witness tampering, the Committee is only seeking a reprimand and $10,000 fine.
Staffers for Richardson supplied damning evidence that included her alleged “attempts to intimidate them on a regular basis.” Richardson claimed the investigation was motivated by racism and that she was singled out when other members engage regularly in such conduct.
Richardson was previously investigated but cleared in allegations of wrongdoing over the sale of her foreclosed home. She has defaulted on three homes.
The panel refused a settlement offer from Richardson due to her lack of remorse and added “Richardson’s views weave an elaborate fabrication out of threads of decontextualized evidence and outright prevarication, in an absurd attempt to rebut the majority of the tremendous evidence against her.”
There still seems a disconnect between the charges and the penalty. Destruction of evidence and tampering with witnesses is a crime in the federal system, but such acts in Congress appear to be treated as matters for reprimand rather than expulsion. Richardson represents Long Beach, Carson, Compton and Signal Hill as part of the 37th District.
Source: The Hill
Our priorities are misplaced…when Congress should be more concerned
about investigating whether or not Orwellian agencies like the CIA
and FBI engaged in harrassment of Amerikan citizens and the use
of targeted assassinations to silence citizens….and to investigate
Robert Mueller…if he does not know whether it is legal to assassinate
citizens in this country…this man should resign immediately…
… http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/03/fbi-director-have-to-check-to-see-if-obama-has-the-right-to-assassinate-americans-on-u-s-soil.html …
Arrogance and stupidity are a bad combination.
If anyone deserves a middle finger in the face, it’s Richardson. What a scumbag, she tarnishes the very notion of fair democracy. Now where’s inappropriate middle finger dude when you need him: http://lawblog.legalmatch.com/2012/07/25/middle-finger-arrest-leads-manhattan-lawsuit/
If she had a decent mentor in the House s/he could have shown her how to do it and make it look legal. Anybody remember what penalty the Speaker, Mr. Boehner received for handing out checks from big tobacco on the House floor before a vote on tobacco subsidies? Nothing? Right, it was legal at that time. All Ethics Committee investigations are political. She’s on somebodies bad side, simple graft and lawbreaking has never been a high priority for the Committee.
William, no never except fr instance David Vitter, committed criminal activity and he was never given a slap on the wrist or anything else, just keeps sitting in the congress. William, your racism is showing.
Nick Spinelli: “Attorneys, Cops, and politicians take care of their own. That unfortunately will never change.”
Agreed, but you forgot doctors.
“Richardson showed “utter disdain” for the committee and its investigation.”
Could care less.
Ms. Richardson knows how to blunt allegations of wrongdoing against her.
She has two very powerful weapons. First, she’s a woman, and second is the race card.
Politics and justice mix like oil and water.
Just as I posted earlier in another thread.
The default on the three mortgages I would say would be an ethics violation, but the witness tampering and destruction of evidence, felonies. And you are right Nick, they often protect their own.
How about a brave local prosecutor in the jurisdiction where this occurred form a case against her? Imagine that.
Just another example. Contempt of congress charge against the Attorney General. Nothing happens. Charlie Rangel? A large distraction with the battling back and forth between a censure and a reprimand. They then throw the book at him with a censure. He is then forced to apologize which was patheticly delivered by him in my view. A toothless penalty.
Sounds like sovereign immunity. A test here in de facto vs. de jure. I thought our constitution read “No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States” They seem to be treating themselves as the nobility in many ways.
What a disgrace the “system” has become.
I suppose that this is another attempt of the GOPs war on women…….
Mespo,
The long arm statue allows this…… Just think in terms of Mr Sam and LBJ….
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/conyers_speaks_spanish_at_english-only_hearing_video.php?ref=fpa Good for Conyers and good info., Blouise
Attorneys, Cops, and politicians take care of their own. That unfortunately will never change.
Such a injustice would never have happened
with a republican party in power holding office.
Both black as white as the many aliens whom
having made a USA their home / were fooled
once by BARACK /they won’t be fooled again.
She’s toast. Her district has been redrawn and she’s due to run against a very connected democrat, Rep. Janice Hahn.
All things considered, I doubt Congress will ever get their hands on that fine.
She’ll probably start a church.
“She has defaulted on three homes.” WTF?
Arrogance of power, pure and simple.
not even a slap on the wrist – closer to a stroke of the pinkie
“Richardson represents Long Beach, Carson, Compton and Signal Hill as part of the 37th District.”
*******************************
Is Covington & Burling in Long Beach, Carson, Compton and Signal Hill ?
intimidate, fabricate, well heck, that is a polictician;s stock in trade.