Wanted: Old Toothless Pals Only - The New Office of Congressional Ethics

The actual and perceived independence of an ethics commission is one of the most important aspects of a government ethics program.

The U.S. House of Representatives finally decided to be overseen by an independent Office of Congressional Ethics. Hallelujah!

And so who did the House appoint? The three Democrats are former Reps. David Skaggs (D-Colo.), Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (D-Calif.) and Karen English (D-Ariz.). The three Republicans are former Rep. Peter Goss (R-Fla.), former House Chief Administrative Officer Jay Eagan, and the only member without close ties to Congress, Allison Hayward, former chief of staff for Federal Election Commissioner Brad Smith. The alternates are former Reps. Abner Mikva (D-Ill.) and Bill Frenzel (R-Minn.).

So much for a perception of independence. So much for sending a responsible message to local governments concerning whom to appoint to their ethics commissions.

Pick your former associates, Congress is suggesting, people you feel will be loyal to you and to the way things are done in your city. Make sure they have no subpoena power and cannot even recommend sanctions, just in case they actually want to act responsibly.

Thanks, Congress. That 9% good-or-excellent rating of yours deserves to go down another percent or two.