Good article ABC. Bush/Rove/Cheney's attempt to turn America into a one-party (Republican) state failed in Nov 2006. The media failed this country by not questioning what the WH told them in the run up to the war. It's good to see some real reporting for a change.

This administration and its cronies need to be held accountable, so this country can prevail through their gross incompetence.

When you set foxes to guard the henhouse (a phrase that's getting a vigorous workout under this Administration), you can expect to lose some chickens. The Bush Abomination puts these guys in charge of huge pots of money; you can't be surprised that they help themselves. They are, after all, Repugnicans.

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer
found on FOXnews.com
Where is your investigation on this subject Brain?

"WASHINGTON — Republicans are accusing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of including a provision in a water redevelopment bill that could benefit property her husband owns in San Francisco.

Aides to the San Francisco Democrat denied any connection, noting that the waterfront improvements were requested by the Port of San Francisco and the four rental properties in question are at least a mile away.

Republicans, who raised the issue more than two weeks after the bill passed the House, offered no evidence of benefit to Paul Pelosi's real estate holdings.

"I don't have any facts to say anything untoward has been done here," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

"She should explain to the American people what the earmark is all about and convince people there's no financial benefit to her," he said.

John Hart, a spokesman for Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said that "on its face it appears to be a conflict of interest.

Pelosi's project was part of the $15 billion Water Resources Development Act that passed the House April 19 by 394-25 and pays for hundreds of projects around the country.
Pelosi's measure would authorize $25 million to improve San Francisco port areas, and also would put some areas off limits to navigation so cruise ships could dock.

Her investor husband gets rental income from four buildings in a nearby commercial district.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said that she added the projects to the bill at the request of the Port of San Francisco and that her husband's holdings were not a consideration. It's "speculative at best" that they would benefit, Hammill said.

"This is another baseless attack from a Republican minority seeking to distract from real issues of the day," said Hammill.

Since Pelosi became speaker in January, Republicans have sought to stir controversy over the size of the plane she uses to fly to California, wages paid by a tuna cannery owned by a company headquartered in her district, and her use of C-SPAN footage on her blog.

The Senate is expected to take up its version of the water projects bill Tuesday. The Senate bill wouldn't authorize money for port improvements but would put some San Francisco port areas off limits to navigation.

These are obviously NOT important investigations; IMPORTANT investigations only come just before elections...like voter fraud shennanigans.

Christine, that has already been debunked as GOP oppo shop crap that the AP printed without even checking first.

Christine:

That story has been thoroughly debunked the moment it came out (with one short phone call, no less).

Pay special attention to the following from article:

* "Republicans, who raised the issue more than two weeks after the bill passed the House, offered no evidence"
* "I don't have any facts to say anything untoward has been done here," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

A local agency actually initiated these requests, not Pelosi. Just like how the House seargeant-at-arms initiated a bigger transport plane, not Pelosi.

As for Hensarling who said "She should explain to the American people and convince people" - why don't every Republicans be forced to explain and convince people that they are actually doing their job instead of rubber stamping? Or that they are not hiring escorts (gay or hetero) while preaching family values?

What's a solution to this: The problem of IG failure when one party controls goverment.

A. Develop a new system to ensure the IGs are independent;

B. Conduct independent peer reviews of the IGs;

I would like to hear some discussion on how this enforcement problem is going to be solved -- when one party controls all three branches -- so that the IG personnel do their job, regardless their political loyalities. reathre than make the copliance/enforcement of the law discretionary, there needs to be something that is going to make teh requirement/enforcement mandatory, even when the oath of office is not enforced.

The investigation of one of the IG’s mentioned, Robert Cobb at NASA, actually turned up no evidence of any ethical wrongdoing. The “disciplinary” action recommended (and which he undertook) was “charm school” - an anger management course which is said to help people become more effective managers.

Here's your answer, Christine: Republicans have no facts, no evidence, even two weeks after raising the issue: 'Republicans, who raised the issue more than two weeks after the bill passed the House, offered no evidence of benefit to Paul Pelosi's real estate holdings.

'"I don't have any facts to say anything untoward has been done here," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.'

For some contrast, have a look at TPM's Grand Old Docket:

Lurita Doan's attempts to neuter the IG at the General Services Administration should also be investigated.

The GSA is the USG's procurement office for non-defense-related purchases. Tens of billions of dollars worth of goods and services are purchased annually via contracts negotiated and administered by the GSA.

Among Ms. Doan's actions to improve the "efficiency" of her IG dept, apart from describing it as Nazi-like, was her attempt to outsource her IG's work to some of the very contractors her IG was auditing. That's not the fox in the henhouse, it's wolves in the kitchen.

Justin,
Great work. This is the kind of reporting that we'd come to expect from you at TPM, and brought you to the attention of ABC.
Question: considering the lack of Republican Congressional oversight we all know was a problem, I'd have thought Schmitz would get a medal Of Freedom when he 'interfered with investigations into Bush administration officials.' So what 2005 Republican 'congressional investigation' sent him running?

I lived through the USPS Ig investigation. There were many things that she did wrong and she assemble a group of enablers.

However, when the present USPS IG took over I was amazed at how many enablers kept their position. They simply became enablers of the present IG. Some of them were even promoted and praised.

I think that the IGs under investigation could not get away with what they are doing wrong, if there was not a group of enablers around them.

It appears to me that the top levels of Government are narcistic individuals that true to their nature are primarly interested in themselves and what will benefit them. Only, then does the purpose of their office comes into play as secondary.

It is not only the IGs that are in trouble it should also be the enablers in trouble.