Dozens in Congress under ethics inquiry

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House ethics investigators have been scrutinizing the activities of more than 30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July.

The report appears to have been inadvertently placed on a publicly accessible computer network, and it was provided to The Washington Post by a source not connected to the congressional investigations. The committee said Thursday night that the document was released by a low-level staffer.

The ethics committee is one of the most secretive panels in Congress, and its members and staff members sign oaths not to disclose any activities related to its past or present investigations. Watchdog groups have accused the committee of not actively pursuing inquiries; the newly disclosed document indicates the panel is conducting far more investigations than it had revealed.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, the committee chairman, Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), interrupted a series of House votes to alert lawmakers about the breach. She cautioned that some of the panel's activities are preliminary and not a conclusive sign of inappropriate behavior.

"No inference should be made as to any member," she said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102904597_pf.html

[leveymg]

1. Watch the WaPo cop-out and refuse to release the names and the doc.

I wouldn't be the least surprised if this gets buried, too.

[spanone]

2. what's shocking is that it's only dozens

[leveymg]

3. That's just the ones who were stupid enough to break rather than bend the law

You've gotta wonder why anyone who's allowed to collect legal bribes everyday would ever be tempted.

Washington defies disbelief.