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Obama Again Calls for Independent Ethics Commission

Thursday, October 5, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-0480
Date: October 5, 2006

Obama Again Calls for Independent Ethics Commission
Senator Says Foley Scandal Shows Congress is Incapable of Investigating Itself

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement about his belief that Congress needs to create an independent ethics commission to take partisanship out of the Congressional ethics process:

"This Congress has truly shaken the American people's faith in government, as day after day they hear stories about far-reaching corruption, abhorrent and inappropriate sexual behavior by a Congressman, and a House leadership that seems more interested in partisan politics than protecting young people. If it wasn't clear after months of inaction by the Ethics Committee in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal, it should now be readily apparent that Congress is utterly incapable of investigating itself. The House leadership should take this matter out of the hands of the Ethics Committee and appoint an independent ethics commission compromised of well-respected leaders who the American people can trust to put their country before partisan politics."