Stingray: Culture of Corruption: Democrat Resigns from House Ethics Panel

April 21, 2006

Culture of Corruption: Democrat Resigns from House Ethics Panel

by Michael McCullough at 10:20 PM

When Democrats start accusing Republicans of a “culture of corruption,” you can be sure that they’re trying to deflect attention from their own wrongdoings. West Virginia Democrat Rep. Dan Mollohan resigned today from the House Ethics committee in response to allegations of financial misconduct.

So what did he do? The first thing the feds are wondering about is how his personal wealth increased from $565,000 in 2000 to at least $6.3 million and possibly as much as $24.5 million in 2004 even though he only earns $162,500 per year. Perhaps he took lessons from Hillary on how to invest in cattle futures.

The second problem dogging Mollohan is that several non-profit groups that he helped establish are funded almost entirely through provisions that he has put into annual spending bills. According to the Washington Post:

As detailed in recent news reports, Mr. Mollohan used his seat on the House Appropriations Committee to get earmarks directing $250 million in federal funds to five West Virginia nonprofits he helped set up. These groups paid generous salaries to Mollohan associates and former aides; one of them, the Institute for Scientific Research, paid its three top executives a total of $777,000 in 2004, according to the Wall Street Journal. Employees of the nonprofits and associated contractors also contributed generously to Mr. Mollohan’s campaign committees and a Mollohan family foundation; the New York Times reported that senior employees, board members and contractors donated almost $400,000 to Mr. Mollohan’s political committees over the past decade.

Mollohan claims that these weren’t phony investments, but that he was “fully at risk.” Fully at risk of losing money? Nope, just fully at risk of getting caught.

Culture of Corruption: thy name is the Democrat Party.

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