Ethics Newsline®

WASHINGTON
Recently enacted ethics rules in the U.S. House of Representatives, specifying that the ethics committee investigate any member arrested or indicted on criminal charges, apparently will result in an inquiry into an alleged assault by Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.).

The San Diego Union Tribune and CNN report that the five-member investigative subcommittee will not begin its inquiry until court actions in the case are concluded.

Filner is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 2 to answer charges that he shoved a baggage worker at Dulles International Airport in August, reports San Diego television station KGTV.

The Hill, a publication covering Congress, reports that some ethics specialists are warning that the wording of the new House policy requiring action if someone is “charged with a crime” is vague and could result in a flood of inquiries based on relatively minor incidents, including speeding tickets.