Speaker Howell releases one paragraph ethics inquiry into Del. Hamilton

House Speaker William J. Howell released today the results of the House Ethics inquiry into Del. Phil Hamilton's effort to land himself a $40,000 a year job at Old Dominion University while sponsoring the budget amendment that created a $500,000-a-year teaching center at the school.

The report is essentially a single paragraph letter that states that the investigation is over because Hamilton is no longer a member of the House - so the panel no longer has jurisdiction. Hamilton resigned early last week after losing his re-election bid in early November.

Here's a link to the letter sent to Howell from the ethics panel looking into Hamilton..

The letter from the ethics panel is dated Nov. 16, a day after Hamilton resigned his seat.

Howell released the following statement, hinting that he would be open to ethics reform efforts during the 2010 general Assembly session.

“Appropriate ethical conduct of elected officials is essential to safeguarding trust in government by the citizens those officials represent and in whose name they serve. Acting earlier this year to preserve that trust and protect the institutional integrity of the entire Virginia House of Delegates, I took unprecedented action, as Speaker, when I initiated a legislative inquiry by the House Ethics Advisory Panel into possible violations of the Commonwealth’s Comprehensive Conflict of Interest Act by then-Delegate Hamilton. Virginia long has had a reputation for good government and I very much want to keep it that way.

“The Ethics Panel has informed me that they have ended their inquiry for lack of statutory jurisdiction. In the interest of full disclosure and public transparency, I am voluntarily sharing today with all Virginians the Ethics Panel’s recent report regarding former Delegate Hamilton. While I regret that their fact-finding inquiry did not reach a final conclusion whether an actual violation of state law occurred, I understand the decision by the Ethics Panel and respect them for not wanting to operate outside of the legal authority granted by the Code of Virginia.

“Judge William Whitney Sweeney ably has led the five-member House Ethics Panel for many years now. I appreciate his dedication to fair judgment and the commitment of each member to ensuring due process in matters within their purview. A benefit of this impartial process is how it defends the public trust by taking partisan politics out of any ethical inquiries involving the manner by which a delegate performs his or her legislative duties.

"Looking ahead, while other avenues of investigation into this matter may be available if not already ongoing, I will lead in ensuring that the manner in which legislative ethics inquiries are conducted is thoughtfully examined during the 2010 Session of the General Assembly. Exploring opportunities to modify or improve the current process is consistent with my duties as Speaker to protect and uphold the institutional integrity of the House of Delegates.”

Howell also included a follow up letter he sent to the ethics panel on Oct. 20, the halfway point to the 120-day window that the panel had to complete the investigation. That letter is a bit more curious because as Howell's release describes it he is "expressing his desire for impartially determined fact." Um, what else would you be expecting from the House ethics panel?

Here's the link to Howell's letter to the ethics panel asking for impartially determined facts.....

 

Comments

[Mark Bradshaw]

Got to agree with Kent's analysis! We have some downright dirty corrupt politicians, but with the decline of the newspapers and the fascination with "if it bleeds it leads" tv stations, they are getting away with murder and no one is holding them accountable. Newspaper stories are written by Editors anymore, and what the reporter writes ends up on the floor! Right Kimball? And if the story can't be told in 60-seconds on a tv report, it gets edited out!

I would propose that a close examination of any of the 100 delegates or 40 senators would reveal a corruption while in office, worthy of impeachment.

Just look at any of the Peninsula delegates. Oder claims he "fights" payday lenders, yet he's taken thousands from them in campaign contributions over the 8-years he's been in office. Oder made a deal with Ward Armstrong(dem caucus leader) to vote "democrat" if they'd not fund his opponent. Sure enough, that's exactly what they did, they left West in the lurch, with no money. Gear writes Bills about taxes, but doesn't pay his. Democrats are no better, they use their office for personal gain too. Too many examples to post in this limited space. But if you want them, by all means, I'll try to post them.

Sadly no one is going to investigate and it only points out that "House ethics" and "senate ethics" are oxymorons of the highest order in Virginia! Both political parties are as corrupt as the other! The newspapers are dying a slow, agonizing death, and the tv stations are more concerned with "how much face time" for reporters than the content of the stories. Its only going to get worse!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1785002479]

What about the almost 500K that her fomer lawfirmgave to various campaigns this year?
Somones expecting to get there back scratched

[Kent Wilkins]

So, now we have replaced a Delegate who had likely used his position to gain monetary gain, with another person who launched her own career based on a questionable gift (a free ride at CNU, worth about $60,000) from one of the most fiscally stingy politician-college administrators, on the planet.

The more things change in "Ol' Virginny" the more they stay the same. Our politicians are just as corrupt as the Sopranos, just less public about flaunting it.