"Well They Did It Too!"

Matt Drudge reports that Democrat Congressman Norm Dicks, WA, has violated House ethics rules by having a lobbyist pay for an overseas trip. This revelation is an attempt to refute charges that House Majority Leader Tom Delay has violated the same rules. This is not the best way to make a defense of Delay. It only serves to widen the morass into which the Democrats have drug the House Republican Leader.

The benefit of such revelations is to bring out in to the open an problem which has existed in Congress for some time. The reflexive nature of the House ethics rules invites scandal more than reduces it. And it provides an opportunity for hidden abuse rather than encouraging openness and disclosure.

The real story here is proven violations of law by Democrats--specifically Nancy Pelosi and Harry Ried. These happened outside of House or Senate Ethics Committees' perview. And they are receiving very little attention.