Gridlock Doc

Rep. Doc Hastings
US House of Representatives

Dear Rep. Hastings,

I spent about an hour looking around your website today, and I couldn't find a single reference to your leadership of the House Ethics Committee. Why be so humble? Not a single Congressman has stood before your committee since Rep. DeLay and Speaker Hastert appointed you to chair it. If it wasn't for the administrative action you took carrying over Rep. McDermott's case from the 108th Congress--he's accused of embarrassing Majority Leader Boehner--your record of inaction would be perfect.

You've obviously scared everyone in Congress into faithfully following ethics rules. Otherwise, your hearing schedule would be packed. Of course there will always be misunderstandings like Duke Cunningham's incarceration, the free market lawmaking approach taken by representatives DeLay, Noe, Pombo, Blunt, Doolittle, Harris, Hunter, Ney, Chocola, yourself, and others, and Don Sherwood's penchant for strangling mistresses, but you've obviously found a way to clear their good names without resorting to hearings. That's one heck of an accomplishment.

You're doing yourself a tremendous disservice by not publicizing all of this great work. Do yourself a favor and add your Ethics Committee accomplishments to your website. And while you're at it, put your name and photograph on the Ethics website as well. I couldn't find either anywhere there. It's almost like you're ashamed of the things you've accomplished as Chair.

Heterosexually yours,

Gen. JC Christian, patriot