Nick Lampson is calling on supporters to send a message to the GOP Congressional leadership urging them to appoint an independent counsel to investigate current allegations against Tom DeLay. Ethics Committee Chair "Doc" Hastings has come under fire lately because of financial support he's gotten from DeLay minion Jack Abramoff. Basically, this is like asking a person to excuse himself or herself from a jury if he or she knows anyone involved in the trial. Seems straightforward enough, though I doubt it'll happen, since it's one of the reasons why the Ethics Committee is paralyzed, and that's a state of being which suits Tom DeLay just fine.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't complain about it, however, so click away and let your voice be heard. The Lampson press release on the subject is beneath the More link.

LAMPSON PETITION CALLS ON DELAY TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT COUNSEL

www.lampson.com

Stafford, TX-Nick Lampson introduced an online petition today at (www.lampson.com) calling on Rep. Tom DeLay to support an independent counsel to resolve the controversy over DeLay's alleged fourth House ethics violation.

"Tom DeLay has repeatedly said he would like to move the investigative process along and get everything out in the open," Lampson said. "I agree, let's hear the truth and finally put an end, one way or the other, to the question over further ethics violations by Tom DeLay. The only way to do that is with a non-partisan, independent counsel."

The House Ethics Committee is at a standstill as DeLay ally Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Washington) tries to install his long time chief of staff, Ed Cassidy, as overseer of the investigation. Democrats on the committee have demanded an independent counsel be put in charge of the investigation. The rules of the House Ethics Committee stipulate that a non-partisan figure be placed in charge of such investigations. Rep. Doc Hastings is the man Tom DeLay chose to replace Republican Joel Hefley of Colorado as Chair of the Ethics Committee when Hefley angered DeLay by looking into the Majority Leader's alleged misconduct.

This petition (found at www.lampson.com ) offers Southeast Texans and advocates for accountable government all across the country to be heard on the issue of a fair ethics hearing for Tom DeLay. Congressman DeLay has repeatedly said that is all he wants, but he has done nothing in his position as Majority Leader and someone who hand-picked the chairman of the committee to break the impasse between Democrat and Republican committee members. Hopefully, he will listen to the signers of this petition and move the process along by encouraging the Ethics Committee to move forward with an independent counsel.

Lampson continued, "Independent counsels were called on to look into both former Speakers Jim Wright and Newt Gingrich when they had complaints before the Ethics Committee. If this process was good enough for them, it is good enough for Tom DeLay. I hope he will ask the committee to appoint an independent counsel so the residents of Southeast Texas can move forward with the issues, which are important to them rather than continue to feel embarrassment over these lengthy investigations and controversy."

TEXT OF PETITION: (Emails from petition signers are sent to website of Reps. DeLay, Hastings, and Speaker Hastert)

Dear

I urge you to support the appointment of an independent counsel to conduct the ethics investigation into Tom DeLay's activities. Clearly, the House Ethics Committee is compromised and cannot discharge its responsibilities fairly or objectively on its own.

If Tom DeLay is truly innocent of these ethics allegations, then for the good of the people of the 22nd District and for the good of the Congress, it's time for him to get the investigation underway. The only way to get to the bottom of this ethics investigation is to appoint an independent counsel, and to do it today.

Please restore honesty and integrity to Congress -- appoint an independent counsel to investigate Tom DeLay's ethics today!