Congress and Ethics

I am amazed and dismayed at the descriptions surrounding the recent “ethics purge” in Congress in the wake of Wright’s demise. Granted, most of these descriptions are supplied by those under scrutiny, but do they honestly think that we, the public, view the purge as, in Wright’s word, “cannibalism?”

I think it is the most refreshing thing to hit Congress in a long time and the last thing I would like to see is its end. It seems that the attitude of most members of Congress is that what is happening to (former House Speaker) Wright, (Majority Whip) Tony Coelho (D-Calif.) and Rep. William Gray (D-Pa.) is the most horrible thing imaginable exacerbated by the fact that it has been initiated by fellow members of Congress. How dare the likes of (Minority Whip) Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) accuse fellow members of impropriety!

If they cannot stand the light of public scrutiny then good riddance. It is my impression that the Congress is a most fetid pot of graft and privilege. Let’s open it up to the fresh air of public scrutiny and sweep out those who cannot stand the test of ethical standards of public service.

Granted, the machinations are political and Gingrich will reap what he has sown, but I don’t care how it gets started as long as the result is the end to graft and privilege, and an ethical standard of public service is annunciated and continuously and vigorishly applied.

WILLIAM P. BOSIER

Los Angeles