Constitutional Law

House Creates Independent Ethics Panel with Investigative Powers

Yesterday, the House of Representatives created the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent panel with the power to initiate investigations of misconduct by House members, the Washington Post reported.

The Resolution, H. Res. 895, subsequently amended, was adopted when the House passed H. Res. 1031.

According to RollCall ($):

The office will comprise six board members, appointed jointly by the Speaker and Minority leader. Current Members or lobbyists cannot serve on the board. The body will initiate its own investigations but will not accept formal complaints from Congressional watchdog groups or other entities.  . . . . [T]he office would be prohibited from initiating an investigation within 60 days of a primary or general election.

Full post as published by ACS Blog on March 12, 2008 (boomark / email).